what we believe
abbey west is a Bible-based, Christian discipleship movement. We serve our community from the campus of Concordia University in Irvine, CA, and are affiliated with the Lutheran Church, Missouri-Synod (LCMS). These are the basic tenets of our Christian belief:
- We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.
- We believe in the one true God, who has revealed himself as Father, Son, and Spirit.
- We believe that humankind, created perfectly, went against God's will and brought sin into the world. Since then, all people have inherited that sin and are born sinful.
- We believe that people cannot save themselves by their good works. We believe that in order to save us, God sent his Son into the world. Jesus is both true God and true man. He lived to fulfill God's law for us, died on the cross to pay the penalty our sins deserved, and rose from the dead so that we might have eternal life. He ascended into heaven, and will come again to take all believers to Himself.
- We believe that because of Jesus' death, God declares a person righteous and forgiven. All those who believe in Jesus, as Savior, will be saved.
- We believe that this faith in Jesus is a gift of God, given by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- We believe that God uniquely uses his Word, and the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to apply his grace and forgiveness to us. Our worship, therefore, centers around these things.