We believe that God’s Word—The Bible—is foundational to how we are to live our lives.

Consider the following Scriptures:

Psalm 119:105 (ESV)

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Luke 21:33 (ESV)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

We believe all the important concerns and issues of human life are addressed in the Bible. Whether we have questions about the nature and source of truth, relationships, marriage, child-rearing, personal finances, how God responds to sin and brokenness, social justice, the role of civil authority and how we should relate to those in authority, what Jesus had in mind when He created the Church, what is involved in following Jesus—all our questions will find answers in the Bible.

We don’t just to want to know what the Bible says about these things. We believe Scripture is true. We want to live our lives grounded in and guided by God’s Word.

Of course, there are those who say “Yes, we believe in the Bible, but when it comes to important issues of life—how to discipline our children, how to build our marriages, discussions on abortion or sexuality, how to build the church—we need to rely on our own ‘common sense’ and base our decisions on how we feel or modern cultural trends.”

God’s Word will be around long after our best ideas are all gone. This doesn’t mean we can’t use our brains. This doesn’t mean we can’t gather relevant information. It means we begin here—with The Bible. God’s Word is our sure foundation for how we are to live our lives.

We have been created by God for God. We were made for relationship with Him, to honor Him, to devote our lives to Him, to worship Him, to have Him as our Center. That is why the First Commandment comes before the Great Commission.

Deuteronomy 6:5 (ESV)

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Mark 12:30 (ESV)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

Our relationship with Jesus is the source of living a life that is truly worth living.

2 Peter 1:3-4 (AMP)

For His divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for a dynamic spiritual life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

It is so important that we don’t view the Presence of God as a force or a power or even a certain kind of experience. The Presence of God is a Person—the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity.

We are all encouraged to ‘Be filled with the Holy Spirit’ (Ephesians 5:18 NIV). For believers, this simply means that we are to be continually and increasingly surrendered to and dependent on the Person and ministries of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches us, leads us, equips us, empowers us, transforms us, makes Jesus more real to us, in us and through us. That’s why we choose a lifestyle of surrender to and dependence on the Holy Spirit in all we do.

Exodus 40:34-38 (ESV)

… Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.

John 16:7-8 (ESV)

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment…

John 16:13-14 (NIV)

When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for He will take what is mine and make it known to you.

Acts 1:8 (NIV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

John 14:12 (ESV)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

Luke 11:13 (NIV)

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

For more on the Holy Spirit’s ministries, see Romans 8:26, Acts 2:1-4, Acts 2:38-39, Acts 4:31, Acts 8:14-17, Acts 19:1-7, 1st Corinthians 12 and 14.

Many people are enamored with and attracted to—in some cases, beguiled by—talent, gifts, and anointing. Without character, though, it will all fall apart. We are not against talent, anointing, and charisma. But character trumps them all. Character is “king” in the Kingdom of God.

Neither Manna Church nor Paul are against spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are ways Jesus chooses to reveal Himself, help people, and build His Church family. But the exercise of spiritual gifts doesn’t make you spiritual—character does. In 1st Corinthians, Paul addresses a church that possessed many spiritual gifts, but his instructions (actually, his corrections) focused on character issues—areas which needed to be seriously adjusted. A quick reading of 1st Corinthians 13, the “love chapter,” is a great example of the priority God attaches to character.

In 1 Timothy and Titus, Paul outlines qualifications for elders and deacons. Every point is about character. He says nothing about spiritual gifts, nothing on anointing, and only one thing on abilities—that they should be able to teach (he doesn’t even say they have to be good at it!).

Anointing can be found in the microwave, but character only cooks in a crock pot.

Brokenness, humility, loyalty, faithfulness, integrity, standing by your word, generosity, kindness, sacrifice, perseverance, love—these are the things that make people spiritual.