We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory. 

We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises. 

We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel's promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.

We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.

We believe in the personal, bodily, and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.

We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.

The Chicago Statements on Biblical Inerrancy (1978), Hermeneutics (1982), and Biblical Application (1986)

We affirm the absolute truth and authority of the Scriptures as God’s inerrant Word. We believe that the Bible is without error in all that it affirms, in matters of theology, history, and
science. The Chicago Statements on Biblical Inerrancy, Hermeneutics, and Biblical Application remain a vital declaration of our commitment to theScripture as the ultimate guide for faith and practice.

Because of our belief in the inerrancy, infallibility, and authority of Scripture, we practice expository preaching. This type of preaching focuses on explaining, interpreting, and
applying a specific passage in light of its original context. Our primary approach is to study books of the Bible verse by verse.

We affirm the reformed understanding of soteriology (salvation) as expressed through the Five Solas of the Reformation. These truths proclaim the centrality of God’s work in redeeming sinners and provide a foundation for our faith and practice. We believe that once God sovereignly begins his work of salvation this is a work he carries on to completion.

1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) We affirm that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and sufficient Word of God, providing the sole and ultimate authority for our understanding of salvation. Scripture reveals God’s sovereign plan to redeem
sinners through Jesus Christ.

2. Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) We affirm that salvation is entirely a gift of God’s grace, unmerited by human effort or works. It is God’s sovereign grace that elects, calls, regenerates, and justifies sinners, bringing them into right relationship with Him.

3. Sola Fide (Faith Alone) We affirm that sinners are justified before God by faith alone, apart from works. Through faith, we trust in the perfect work of Jesus Christ for our salvation, not in any merit of our own.

4. Solus Christus (Christ Alone) We affirm that Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and that His atoning sacrifice on the cross is sufficient to save all who trust in Him. Salvation is found in no one else but Christ.

5. Soli Deo Gloria (To the Glory of God Alone) We affirm that the ultimate purpose of salvation is the glory of God. Every aspect of our redemption—election, justification, sanctification, and glorification—reflects His sovereign grace and reveals His majesty.

Authority of Scripture
Because we believe in the inerrancy, authority, and sufficiency of Scripture, we practice
biblical counseling. As we seek to build one another up into Christ likeness, we find that
there are times when focused help is needed. Biblical counseling is a way to help others to
follow Jesus in every season of life.

Physical Reality of the Fall
We affirm that all humans possess both physical and spiritual characteristics. God’s word
forms our understanding of the human condition, and because of this, we affirm that many
emotional and mental issues are caused in part or in full by physical consequences of The Fall.

Hope in the Gospel
In all cases, we teach there is a spiritual component to how we handle difficulties. All true
hope, peace, reconciliation, and heart change is ultimately found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We teach that the Holy Spirit has gifted believers in order to edify the church (1 Corinthians 12:7).

We also teach the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, including apostleship, prophecy, tongues, healing, and miracles served the purpose of validating the message about Jesus during the
early days of the church, but now that the apostolic foundation is laid and the canon of scriptural revelation is complete, the miraculous gifts do not characterize the normal and expected operation of the church body today. (Adapted from Tom Schreiner)

Although we do not feel compelled to disprove anyone’s experience, the expression of tongues and other sign gifts are not to be practiced or promoted at meetings that are under
the organization and authority of Sunrise Community Church.

 https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/miraculous-gifts-question-cessationism

We affirm that a literal, grammatical, historical interpretation of scripture reveals that God created the heavens and the earth and all that exists in six consecutive 24 hour days, as described in Genesis 1-2. By His sovereign power, and for His glory, God spoke the universe into being ex nihilo (out of nothing), forming all things in a structured, purposeful, and orderly manner.

We teach that the local church is to be led by a plurality of godly men from within the congregation, known as elders, who meet the biblical qualifications outlined in 1 Timothy
3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9, demonstrating godly character, sound doctrine, and the ability to teach and shepherd the church faithfully.

The New Testament consistently presents a model of shared leadership through a team of elders rather than a single individual, as seen in passages like Titus 1:5 and James 5:14, providing accountability, wisdom, and diversity of gifts in the leadership of the church. These elders, affirmed and supported by the congregation, are responsible for the spiritual oversight, teaching, shepherding, and direction of the church, as emphasized in Acts 20:28 and 1 Peter 5:1-4.

We teach that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps 139.)

We affirm that abortion is the unjust taking of human life and reject any distinction between “legal” and “illegal” abortions. We support the total and immediate end of abortion without
exceptions and equal justice under the law for the unborn.”

We believe Christians should pursue meaningful membership in the local church where they regularly worship. Church membership is not merely a formality—it is a vital expression of our commitment to Christ and His body. As Scripture teaches, believers are to live under the
spiritual care and authority of church leaders (Hebrews 13:17), and to take active responsibility for the health, unity, and mission of the local church (Ephesians 4:15–16). Membership makes this mutual commitment clear: the church commits to shepherd and equip the believer, and the believer commits to participate, serve, and submit to the church’s oversight in love.

We teach that the church has a responsibility to lovingly pursue those who persist in falsedoctrine or unrepentant sin, seeking the repentance and restoration of the individual and toprotect the public witness and purity of the church. While much patience is exercised, thechurch recognizes the necessity of obeying the Lord in church discipline according to theprocess delineated in the New Testament and in accordance with the church’s by-laws.

While we hold to and practice only believer’s baptism at Sunrise, we recognize that some individuals were baptized prior to their conversion in different church traditions. If such
individuals believe their baptism was not a saving act but an expression of covenant faithfulness, and they have since come to genuine faith in Christ, they may be received into
membership without requiring baptism.

While we hold to and practice only believer’s baptism at Sunrise, we recognize that some individuals were baptized prior to their conversion  in different church traditions.
If such individuals believe their baptism was not a saving act but an expression of covenant faithfulness, and they have since come to genuine faith in Christ, they may be received into membership without requiring baptism.

We teach that we we live in the “already and not yet” of Christ’s Kingdom—He has triumphed over sin and death but the fullness of His Kingdom awaits His visible, personal,
bodily, and premillennial return. While Christians are called to be a faithful presence in the world, we deny that the church will bring about the fullness of Christ’s reign through cultural,
political, or societal transformation. Our hope is not in the progressive Christianization of the world but in the sudden and final return of Christ, who alone will usher in the new creation.

Until Christ returns, the church’s primary mission is to make disciples who make disciples through belief in the gospel. Our ministries are focused on evangelism and equipping believers to live for the glory of God.

We also teach that Scripture calls us to love our neighbors, pursue righteousness, and care for those in need. We seek to uphold biblical justice and mercy while ensuring that the
message of salvation in Christ remains central to our mission (Micah 6:8; James 1:27).

In light of this, we affirm the EFCA Statement of Faith and the EFCA Denials and Affirmations:

https://www.efca.org/where-we-stand-in-the-efca-denials-and-affirmations

The Apostles’ Creed
We affirm the Apostles’ Creed as an ancient and faithful summary of the Christian faith. This creed expresses the core tenets of our belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. It provides a concise and powerful declaration of the gospel, including the birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, the church, the forgiveness of sins, and the hope of eternal life.

The Niceno-Constantinopolotian Creed (381 AD)
We affirm the Nicene Creed as a comprehensive statement of Christian orthodoxy. It further expands on the doctrine of the Trinity and the full divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ. As
the universal church has historically confessed, we stand united in belief that Jesus Christ is “begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father,” and we affirm the essential
doctrines of the Christian faith as expressed in this creed.

We affirm the orthodox teaching on the nature and work of Christ as set forth in the Ligonier Statement on Christology. We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, the eternal Son of God who took on human flesh for our salvation. His life, death, and resurrection are the foundation of our hope, and we proclaim the necessity of a proper understanding of Christ’s person and work.

https://www.christologystatement.com/