WHAT WE
TEACH

We believe the Bible is the inspired, authoritative Word of God and is true in all that it teaches and affirms. The Scriptures were given by God through human authors who were carried along by the Holy Spirit, so that what they wrote is truly the Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21).

We believe the Scriptures are without error in the original manuscripts. Because Scripture is breathed out by God, it is completely trustworthy and authoritative in everything it teaches concerning God, creation, humanity, sin, salvation, righteousness, history, and God's redemptive purposes. (Psalm 12:6; Proverbs 30:5–6; John 17:17; Titus 1:2).

We believe the Bible is the final and sufficient authority for Christian faith, doctrine, and life. No human tradition, church authority, personal experience, philosophy, or teaching may supersede or contradict the authority of God's Word. (Isaiah 8:20; Matthew 15:1–9; Acts 17:11; Galatians 1:8–9).

We believe the Scriptures are sufficient to make us wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and to equip God's people for every good work. The Bible reveals God's character, His purposes for creation, humanity's condition in sin, His provision of salvation through Jesus Christ, and His purposes for His people and the world. (2 Timothy 3:15–17).

We believe the Scriptures are to be read, understood, and applied according to their intended meaning, giving careful attention to their context, genre, language, historical setting, and the unity of the biblical witness. Difficult passages should not be ignored or dismissed merely because they challenge our assumptions; rather, we should submit our understanding to the authority of Scripture and seek to faithfully interpret what God has revealed. (Nehemiah 8:8; Luke 24:27; Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 2:15).

We believe the Holy Spirit illumines the minds of believers to understand and apply the truth of Scripture, while never contradicting the Word He inspired. Therefore, Scripture stands above our personal opinions and experiences and serves as the final standard by which all teaching and doctrine are tested. (John 14:26; John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10–13).

We believe God created humanity in His image and likeness, giving every human being inherent dignity, value, and accountability before Him. Humanity was created to know God, glorify Him, live in righteousness, and exercise faithful stewardship over His creation. (Genesis 1:26–27; Psalm 8:3–6; Genesis 1:28; Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, sin entered the world, bringing death and separation from God. Every person has sinned against God, and there is no one who is righteous in himself or who perfectly fulfills the righteousness God requires. (Genesis 3:1–24; Romans 5:12; Psalm 14:1–3; Romans 3:10–12, 23).

Sin is not merely a matter of outward actions, but rebellion against God that affects the whole person. Humanity's thoughts, desires, words, and actions are corrupted by sin, and no person can make himself righteous before God or earn salvation through his own works. (Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:20–23; Romans 3:20; Ephesians 2:1–3).

Because God is holy and righteous, sin brings genuine guilt and judgment. Every person is accountable to God for his or her own actions and will ultimately answer to Him. Apart from God's gracious provision of salvation, humanity remains separated from God and under the judgment of sin. (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Romans 2:5–8; Hebrews 9:27; John 3:18, 36; Romans 6:23).

We believe humanity is unable to save itself. No amount of good works, religious observance, moral effort, or human merit can remove the guilt of sin or establish a right relationship with God. Salvation therefore depends entirely upon God's gracious provision through Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:20, 27–28; Titus 3:5).

We believe God genuinely calls all people to repentance and faith and desires that all people be saved. God has not withheld His gracious invitation to salvation from any class of people, but calls people everywhere to turn from sin, believe in Jesus Christ, and receive the salvation He freely offers. (Isaiah 55:6–7; Ezekiel 18:23; Acts 17:30–31; 1 Timothy 2:3–4; 2 Peter 3:9).

Human beings are therefore responsible to respond to God's gracious revelation and His call to repentance and faith. Those who believe in Jesus Christ receive forgiveness and life, while those who reject Him remain in their sins and under God's righteous judgment. (John 3:16–18, 36; Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30–31).

We believe salvation is entirely the gracious provision of God through Jesus Christ. No person can earn salvation through good works, religious observance, moral effort, or personal merit. Salvation is God's free gift, received through faith in Jesus Christ. (John 3:16–17; Romans 3:21–28; Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5).

Jesus Christ willingly gave Himself for our sins, dying on the cross according to the Scriptures and making reconciliation with God possible through His death. His death was a real and sufficient atonement for sin, demonstrating both the justice and the love of God. (Isaiah 53:4–6; Mark 10:45; Romans 3:23–26; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21; Romans 5:6–11; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:1–2).

On the third day, Jesus Christ was bodily raised from the dead, defeating death and becoming the firstfruits of those who will be raised. His resurrection is central to the gospel and provides the foundation for our hope of life and resurrection. (Luke 24:36–43; John 20:24–29; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23; Romans 4:24–25; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 15:12–22).

We believe salvation is received through faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is trusting in Jesus Christ and His saving work, turning to God in repentance, and receiving Him as Lord and Savior. Saving faith does not merely acknowledge facts about Jesus, but entrusts oneself to Him in faith and submits to His rightful authority as Lord. (Mark 1:15; John 1:12; Acts 2:38; Acts 16:30–31; Romans 10:9–10; Luke 6:46; John 14:15).

Those who believe in Jesus Christ are justified by faith, forgiven of their sins, and reconciled to God through Him. They become children of God and receive the Holy Spirit, who indwells and seals them as God's people. (Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21; John 1:12–13; Romans 8:14–17; Ephesians 1:13–14).

We believe good works do not contribute to the basis or merit of our salvation, but are the proper fruit of a life transformed by God's grace. Those who have received God's grace are called to follow Jesus Christ in obedience, pursue holiness, love God and others, and bear fruit consistent with genuine faith. (Ephesians 2:8–10; Titus 2:11–14; James 2:14–18; John 14:15; Galatians 5:22–25; Colossians 2:6–7; James 2:17–18).

Salvation therefore changes the direction and purpose of a person's life. Having been united to Christ through faith, believers are called to die to their former way of life and increasingly live under the lordship of Christ. Our obedience does not earn or maintain God's saving grace; rather, it is the fitting response to the grace we have received. (Romans 6:1–14; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20).

Eternal life is God's gracious gift through Jesus Christ. Those who belong to Christ have the promise of resurrection and life in the age to come, culminating in the renewal of creation and the fullness of God's kingdom. (Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23; Revelation 21:1–5).

We believe the local church is the body of Christ, with Jesus Christ as its head, and that every believer is called to participate in His mission according to the gifts and opportunities God provides. (1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 1:22–23; Ephesians 4:15–16; Colossians 1:18).

The church exists to glorify God, proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, make disciples, teach the whole counsel of God, and faithfully bear witness to the truth of Christianity. We believe the Great Commission is not merely the responsibility of pastors or missionaries, but a calling shared by the whole body of Christ. (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; Acts 20:27–28; 1 Peter 3:15–16).

We believe evangelism is central to the mission of the church. We are called to proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He died for our sins and was bodily raised from the dead, and that forgiveness and eternal life are offered through faith in Him. We seek to communicate the gospel faithfully, clearly, and compassionately, calling people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18–20; Mark 16:15–16; Luke 24:46–48; Acts 2:22–24, 36–39; Romans 10:9–15).

We believe the Christian faith is grounded in truth and that believers are called to be prepared to give a reasoned defense of the hope that is within them. We therefore value biblical apologetics and the careful examination of evidence for the truth of Christianity. In particular, we recognize the biblical pattern of appealing to God's revealed acts in history and the fulfillment of prophecy as a testimony to the identity of Jesus Christ and the truth of the gospel. (Acts 17:2–4, 17–34; Acts 26:22–23; 1 Peter 3:15–16; Jude 3; Luke 24:25–27, 44–47; Acts 2:22–36; Romans 1:1–4).

We believe the mission of the church includes making disciples who increasingly conform their lives to Jesus Christ. Discipleship involves teaching believers to understand God's Word, obey Christ, grow in holiness, resist sin, love God and others, and faithfully persevere in the Christian life. The goal of Christian maturity is not merely greater knowledge, but a life increasingly transformed into the likeness of Christ. (Matthew 28:19–20; Romans 12:1–2; 2 Corinthians 3:17–18; Colossians 1:9–11; 2 Peter 3:17–18).

We believe the Holy Spirit works within God's people to produce spiritual growth and empower them for faithful witness and service. The church is therefore to cultivate an environment in which believers are taught the Scriptures, encouraged toward holiness, equipped for ministry, and strengthened to live faithfully as followers of Christ. (John 14:26; Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:22–25; Ephesians 4:11–16; Colossians 3:16–17; Hebrews 10:24–25).

We believe every believer is a member of Christ's body and has a meaningful role in the life and mission of the church. God gives different gifts, abilities, and opportunities to His people, and these are to be used in humble service for the building up of the body and the advancement of Christ's purposes. No faithful act of service is insignificant when it is done for the glory of God and the good of His people. (Romans 12:3–8; 1 Corinthians 12:4–27; Ephesians 4:7–16; 1 Peter 4:10–11).

We believe the church is called to care for one another, bear one another's burdens, encourage the weak, restore those who have fallen, meet genuine needs, and demonstrate the love of Christ through practical service. Christian service is an essential expression of our love for God and for one another. (John 13:34–35; Galatians 6:1–2, 9–10; James 1:27; 1 John 3:16–18).

We believe Christ is presently reigning as Lord and King, and that the church participates in His kingdom mission as it proclaims the gospel, makes disciples, lives under His authority, and bears witness to His reign in the world. We look forward to the day when Jesus Christ will return, raise the dead, judge the world, and bring His kingdom to its final and glorious consummation. (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 2:32–36; Colossians 1:13–18; Revelation 1:5–6; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:24–28; Revelation 21:1–5).

Until that day, the church is called to remain faithful to Christ, proclaim His gospel, defend the truth, make disciples, pursue holiness, love one another, and serve faithfully as His body in the world. (Matthew 5:13–16; Matthew 28:18–20; Philippians 2:14–16; 1 Peter 2:9–12).

We believe God chose Israel as a people through whom He revealed Himself, gave His covenant promises, preserved His written Word, and brought forth the Messiah, Jesus Christ, according to the flesh. God's purposes in choosing Israel were ultimately directed toward the blessing of all nations through the coming of Jesus Christ. (Genesis 12:1–3; Exodus 19:5–6; Romans 9:4–5; Galatians 3:8, 16).

We believe Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah and the fulfillment of God's redemptive purposes revealed throughout the Scriptures. All of God's saving promises find their fulfillment in Him, and through Him God has established the new covenant promised by the prophets. (Luke 24:25–27, 44–47; Acts 3:18–26; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8:6–13).

We believe the people of God are defined by faith in Jesus Christ rather than by physical descent. Those who belong to Christ are Abraham's offspring and heirs according to God's promise. Gentile believers have been brought near through Christ and incorporated into the one people of God, becoming fellow citizens and members of God's household. (Romans 4:11–17; Galatians 3:7–9, 26–29; Ephesians 2:11–22).

We believe the church is not a separate people existing alongside God's redeemed people, but is the body of Christ and the household of God, consisting of Jews and Gentiles who have been reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ. In Christ, the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile has been broken down, creating one reconciled people who together share in the promises of God. (Ephesians 2:14–22; 3:4–6; Colossians 3:10–11).

We believe the New Testament applies the language and promises associated with God's covenant people to those who belong to Christ. Believers in Jesus Christ are described as God's chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to God. The church therefore participates in the covenant blessings and promises fulfilled in Christ, while always recognizing that these blessings originate in God's historical dealings with Israel and find their ultimate fulfillment in the Messiah. (1 Peter 2:9–10).

We believe God has not ceased to have concern for ethnic Israel. Paul teaches that Israel's history, calling, and place in God's purposes remain significant, and he expresses hope concerning God's redemptive purposes for Israel while insisting that salvation is found only through Jesus Christ. We therefore reject both contempt for Jewish people and any teaching that ethnic Jewish identity makes a person righteous before God apart from faith in Christ. (Romans 9:1–5; Romans 10:1–4; Romans 11:1–2, 25–32; Romans 2:28–29; Romans 10:9–13).

We believe salvation has always been grounded in God's grace and received through faith, and that there is no separate way of salvation for Israel apart from Jesus Christ. Jew and Gentile alike are reconciled to God through the same Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:29–30; Romans 10:9–13).

We believe God's faithfulness to His promises is demonstrated in His fulfillment of the Scriptures through Christ and His formation of one redeemed people from every nation, tribe, people, and language. The church therefore has no grounds for boasting over Israel, but stands by God's grace and is called to humility, gratitude, and faithfulness. (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 2:16–21; Galatians 3:14; Revelation 5:9–10; 7:9–10; Romans 11:17–22).

We believe the ultimate hope of God's people is not found in an earthly political kingdom or in a restoration of a separate kingdom alongside Christ's church, but in Jesus Christ Himself and the consummation of His kingdom. At His return, Christ will raise the dead, judge the world, and bring His kingdom to its glorious completion, making all things new. (Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:24–28; Revelation 21:1–5).

Therefore, Refuge Bible Church seeks to honor the Jewish Scriptures, recognize God's historical purposes in Israel, proclaim Jesus as Israel's promised Messiah and the Savior of the world, and faithfully proclaim the gospel to Jew and Gentile alike. (Romans 1:16; Romans 9:1–5; Romans 10:12–13).

Everything we possess ultimately belongs to God, and His people are called to steward His gifts faithfully and generously. Giving is therefore an act of worship, gratitude, love, and trust in God, rather than a means of earning His favor or securing His blessing. (Psalm 24:1; 1 Chronicles 29:11–14; Deuteronomy 8:17–18; Matthew 25:14–30; Matthew 6:1–4; Acts 20:35; 2 Corinthians 9:6–8).

Scripture calls believers to give willingly, cheerfully, sacrificially, and according to what God has entrusted to them. We encourage generosity toward the ministry of the local church, the proclamation of the gospel, those who labor in ministry, and those who have genuine needs among us and beyond us. (Exodus 35:21–29; 2 Corinthians 8:1–5, 12; 9:6–7; 1 Corinthians 16:1–2; Galatians 6:6–10; Philippians 4:10–18; 1 Timothy 5:17–18; 1 Corinthians 9:7–14; James 2:15–16; 1 John 3:16–18).

Refuge Bible Church does not teach that Christians are under a New Testament command to give a particular percentage of their income, nor do we require a tithe as a condition of membership, participation, or faithful Christian living. The emphasis of the New Testament is upon a willing and generous heart, with each person giving as he or she has determined before God and as God provides. The Old Testament practice of tithing provides important biblical context for understanding generosity and the support of God's ministers and those in need, but we do not regard the Mosaic tithe as a mandatory percentage imposed upon Christians under the New Covenant. (2 Corinthians 9:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Leviticus 27:30–33; Numbers 18:21–24; Deuteronomy 14:22–29; Hebrews 7:5, 12; 8:6–13; Galatians 3:23–25).

We therefore seek to cultivate a church culture in which giving flows from love for God, love for His people, and a desire to advance the gospel rather than from pressure, guilt, or financial obligation. We trust God to provide for the needs of His church and desire to steward whatever He provides with faithfulness, wisdom, transparency, and gratitude. (Matthew 22:37–39; 2 Corinthians 8:8; 9:5–7; 1 John 3:16–18; Matthew 6:25–34; Acts 4:32–35; 2 Corinthians 8:20–21; Philippians 4:19).

Generosity extends beyond giving to the church itself. Believers are called to care for the poor, assist those in genuine need, bear one another's burdens, and use their resources for the good of others as God gives opportunity. We encourage every believer to prayerfully seek the Holy Spirit's leading in how they use their time, possessions, finances, and other resources for the glory of God and the good of others. (Matthew 25:34–40; Luke 10:25–37; Acts 2:44–45; 4:32–35; Galatians 2:10; 6:2, 10; James 1:27; Romans 12:1–2; 12:6–8; 1 Peter 4:10–11).

Membership in a local church is encouraged as an expression of committed participation in the life and mission of the body of Christ. Scripture calls believers to gather together, devote themselves to fellowship, encourage one another, bear one another's burdens, and serve one another according to the gifts God has given. We therefore encourage those who desire a formal role in helping guide the church in a godly direction, participating in its decisions, or serving in various ministry roles to become members.

Formal membership, however, is not a requirement for salvation or for meaningful participation in the life of the church. All who trust in Jesus Christ belong to His body and are welcomed into fellowship with His people. Those who attend Refuge Bible Church are encouraged to worship, learn, fellowship, grow, and serve alongside the church family regardless of whether they choose formal membership. (Romans 12:4–5; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 2:19–22).

As a local church, we recognize a responsibility to disciple, guide, encourage, strengthen, and, when necessary, lovingly correct those who regularly participate in our fellowship and profess Jesus Christ as Lord, regardless of their formal membership status. Those who have personal, practical, or conscientious reasons for not becoming formal members are nevertheless welcome to be part of the Refuge Bible Church family and to grow with us in faith, fellowship, and service. (Matthew 28:19–20; Colossians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 14; Galatians 6:1–2; James 5:19–20).

Formal membership is therefore understood primarily as an organizational means of recognizing those who desire to share particular responsibilities in the direction and service of the local church, rather than as a spiritual class of Christian or a requirement for belonging to Christ. We seek to conduct the affairs of the church with wisdom, order, and mutual submission while keeping Christ Himself at the center of the church's life and mission. (1 Corinthians 14:40; Ephesians 4:1–6; Colossians 1:18).

We teach that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. Those who have accepted God's gift of life will enter into eternal life, while those who have rejected His offer of grace will face the eternal punishment of destruction. Because of this reality, we make it our urgent mission to bring the good news of God's love and forgiveness to all who will hear.

The Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ will personally and visibly return to judge the living and the dead, raise the dead, bring His kingdom to its glorious consummation, and make all things new. (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17; 1 Corinthians 15:20–28; Revelation 20:11–15; Revelation 21:1–5).

We believe that God created humanity as male and female and that marriage is a sacred covenant ordained by God from creation. Marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman, established by God as a one-flesh relationship for companionship, mutual love and faithfulness, and the proper context for sexual intimacy and the raising of children (Genesis 1:27–28; Genesis 2:18–24; Matthew 19:4–6; Mark 10:6–9; Ephesians 5:31–33).

We believe that marriage is to be honored and that husbands and wives are called to love, honor, serve, and remain faithful to one another. The husband is called to sacrificially love his wife, and the wife is called to respect and love her husband, with both submitting to one another in reverence for Christ. Marriage is intended to reflect, in a profound way, the covenant relationship between Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:21–33; Colossians 3:18–19; 1 Peter 3:1–7).

We believe that sexual intimacy is a good gift of God and is designed to be enjoyed within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman. Therefore, sexual activity outside of marriage is contrary to God's revealed will. Scripture calls believers to sexual purity and commands them to flee sexual immorality, including adultery, fornication, prostitution, incest, and every other form of sexual conduct that violates God's design for marriage and human sexuality (Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:1–30; Matthew 5:27–28; 1 Corinthians 6:15–20; 1 Corinthians 7:2–5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8; Hebrews 13:4).

We believe that God's design for marriage and sexuality is rooted in His creation of humanity as male and female and in His establishment of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Consequently, we do not affirm sexual relationships between persons of the same sex, nor do we regard such relationships as marriage as defined by Scripture. We believe that sexual immorality, whether heterosexual or homosexual, is sin, and that every person is called to holiness and sexual purity according to God's Word (Genesis 1:27–28; Genesis 2:24; Leviticus 18:22; Matthew 19:4–6; Romans 1:24–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 1 Timothy 1:8–11).

We believe that God's purposes for human sexuality also exclude adultery, fornication, pornography, prostitution, incest, sexual exploitation, and every other misuse of the sexual relationship. Jesus teaches that sexual sin begins not merely with outward actions but also with the lustful desires of the heart. Therefore, Christians are called not merely to avoid sexual misconduct but to pursue purity of heart, mind, body, and conduct (Matthew 5:27–30; 1 Corinthians 6:18–20; Galatians 5:19–21; Ephesians 5:3–5; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–7).

We believe that marriage is a covenant intended to be faithful and enduring, and that divorce is never to be treated casually or as God's ideal for marriage. Jesus affirmed God's original design for marriage and taught that what God has joined together should not be separated. At the same time, Scripture addresses circumstances in which divorce occurs and provides specific instruction concerning marriage, separation, and remarriage. Therefore, we seek to uphold both the permanence of marriage and the full counsel of Scripture concerning the difficult circumstances in which marriages may be broken (Malachi 2:14–16; Matthew 19:3–9; 1 Corinthians 7:10–16).

We believe that sexual purity applies to every person, regardless of marital status. Those who are unmarried are called to abstain from sexual intimacy, while those who are married are called to remain faithful to their spouse. We also recognize that singleness and celibacy are honorable callings within the Christian life and that sexual holiness is possible through the grace and power of God (Matthew 19:10–12; 1 Corinthians 6:18–20; 1 Corinthians 7:7–9; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8).

We believe that every human being bears the image of God and therefore must be treated with dignity, truth, compassion, and love. While Scripture clearly identifies sexual sin and calls people to repentance, the Church must never respond to sin with hatred, cruelty, humiliation, or partiality. The gospel offers forgiveness and transformation to sinners of every kind through Jesus Christ. We therefore seek to speak the truth faithfully while extending the same grace and call to repentance to every person, remembering that those who belong to Christ have been washed, sanctified, and justified by the Spirit of God (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 22:37–40; John 1:14; Romans 3:23–24; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; Ephesians 4:15, 31–32).

We believe God created men and women equally in His image, giving both equal dignity, worth, value, and standing before God, while assigning them distinct and complementary roles within His good design for humanity (Genesis 1:26–28; Genesis 2:18–25; Galatians 3:26–29).

We believe God established marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman, and that within marriage the husband is called to lovingly and sacrificially lead his wife as Christ leads His church, while the wife is called to respect her husband and willingly submit to his godly leadership. Such leadership is never a license for domination, coercion, selfishness, or abuse, but is to be exercised through sacrificial love, humility, gentleness, and self-giving service (Ephesians 5:21–33; Colossians 3:18–19; 1 Peter 3:1–7).

We believe that men and women are equally capable of knowing, serving, worshiping, and being used by God, and that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers without regard to sex (Acts 2:17–18; Romans 12:3–8; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; Galatians 3:28). Scripture therefore calls both men and women to participate meaningfully in the ministry and mission of the church according to their gifts and the responsibilities God has given them.

We believe, however, that God has established a particular order of responsibility for the governing and teaching leadership of the local church. Scripture reserves the office of elder/overseer to qualified men and teaches that the authoritative teaching and governing responsibility of the elders belongs to men who meet the biblical qualifications for that office (1 Timothy 2:11–15; 1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9). This distinction is grounded not in the greater worth or spiritual ability of men, but in God's created order and His revealed purposes for the church (1 Corinthians 11:3, 8–12; 1 Timothy 2:13–14).

We believe women should be honored, encouraged, equipped, and given meaningful opportunities to exercise their gifts in the life and ministry of the church. Scripture itself presents women praying, prophesying, teaching in appropriate settings, serving, laboring alongside the apostles, and participating significantly in the work of the gospel (Acts 18:24–26; Acts 21:8–9; Romans 16:1–7; Philippians 4:2–3). We therefore reject any understanding of complementarianism that treats women as spiritually inferior, incapable of meaningful ministry, or less valuable members of Christ's body.

We believe the distinctions God has established between men and women are good and are intended for the flourishing of the family and the church. Men are called to exercise servant leadership with humility and faithfulness, while women are called to exercise their gifts and fulfill their God-given responsibilities with equal dignity and honor. Both men and women are accountable ultimately to Jesus Christ, the head of the church (Ephesians 4:15–16; Colossians 1:18).

Refuge Bible Church therefore affirms biblical complementarianism: men and women are equal in dignity and value before God while being given distinct, complementary responsibilities in the home and church.