What We
Believe

We know many people land on pages like this when searching for a church that aligns with their values or beliefs. That makes sense - faith can be deeply personal, and so is the decision to be part of a church community.

As you explore who we are, we hope this page helps answer some of those important questions and gives you a sense of what it means to belong at Lakeside.

We’re a diverse community learning to follow Jesus together - sometimes with questions, sometimes with doubts, but always with grace and love. And when we disagree, we do our best to stay united around what matters most. Read on to learn more about that looks like here.


Who We Are

At Lakeside, we exist to help every person discover and fully follow Jesus … together. That’s been at the core of who we are since the beginning.

Back in 1989, about 40 families came together around a simple but powerful vision: that church should be a place of exploration, growth, and belonging - not just for those who already believe, but for anyone seeking faith, hope, or community.

A lot has changed since then, but that heart remains the same.

Today, Lakeside is a church with a deep faith and a wide embrace. We believe God’s love is for everyone - no matter your age, background, race, gender identity, sexuality, or story. Whether you're just curious about Jesus, returning to faith, or have been walking with Jesus for years, there’s a place for you here.

The Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed is an ancient church document that Christians have used for almost 2,000 years to root themselves in the faith. It isn’t a perfect document, nor is it part of the Bible.

It has its own bias and answers specific questions that were most relevant at the time it was written, but it does a great job of summarizing the core beliefs of the church.

Christians across time and tradition have looked to this and other creeds as a signpost to point us in the right direction, which makes it useful for us as well. This simple, focused creed gives us a great sense of Christian identity. It is wide enough for nearly all historic Christian churches to find themselves at home in. It makes a lot of claims while still leaving space for diversity and mystery.


This is the original Nicene Creed, written 1,700 years ago:

We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human.

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried. 

The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. 

He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. 

His Kingdom will never end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life.

He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. 

He spoke through the prophets. 

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. 

We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. 

We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come.

Amen.

If the Nicene Creed were written today, we believe it might read more like this:

We believe in one God—
the Creator behind it all,
who imagined the stars
and shaped the earth,
who sees the unseen,
and knows us by name.

We believe in Jesus—
God in human flesh,
sent from forever
into our right-now.

Born into humanity’s mess
He showed us what love looks like —
Healing and welcoming without judgment.
He was betrayed,
killed on a cross,
and buried like any one of us.

But that didn’t stop him,

The grave couldn’t hold him.

Three days later — alive again—
death defeated;
breathing hope and Holy Spirit.
He returned to heaven,
and He’s still at work—
still King,
still coming back to make all things right.

We bel
God, here with us,
moving in hearts,
whispering truth,
birthing new life.

We’re part of a diverse, beautiful and messy family—
the Church,
all around the world,
through all generations
Gathered around the Table
For the sake of the world.

We believe in forgiveness—
in fresh starts
and second chances.

We believe death isn’t the end,
and love never quits.
There’s more to come—
a forever kind of life
that begins now.
Amen — Let it be so

Statement on
Belief & Practice

Now, when most people read that, they think to themselves, “That’s great… but that doesn’t answer my question about what the church believes about ... (insert hot topic here).”

That is intentional. Here’s why.

We break our priorities into three different categories, ranked in order of importance, called The 123s of Theology.

If you'd like to read more, you can download our full Statement on Belief & Practice by clicking the link below.

Statement on Belief & Practice

Still Have Questions?

We'd love to explore them with you. Click the link below and select, "I would like to speak with a pastor."

Connect with Us