We affirm that flourishing and healthy societies are built on marriages comprised of one biological man and one biological woman married to one another for life. Children raised in such households have the best chance for a successful life.

We deny that flourishing and healthy societies can be built on alternative arrangements such as homosexuality, transgenderism, sexual promiscuity, cohabitation, premarital sex, polyamory, or divorce. Children raised in such households are at a significant risk of developing destructive behaviors which wreak havoc in individual lives, families, and societies.

Scripture
Gen 1:27; 2:24; 5:2; Lev 18:22; 20:13; Deut 22:5; Matt 5:27–28, 31–32; 19:3–9; Rom 1:24–28; 1 Cor 6:9–11; 7:2, 12–14; 11:14–15; 1 Tim 1:8–10; Heb 13:4; Jude 7

We affirm that parents must take on an active and primary role in discipling, training, and instructing their children. Involved parents outperform any other individual in influencing their children. Fathers are obligated to take the leading role in teaching their children godly virtues such as respect for authority, discipline, self-control, temperance, sexual purity, and confession of sin.

We deny that parents can take on a passive or secondary role in raising their children by outsourcing the parenting responsibility to the state (school), daycare, after-school program, or to any other organization or mentor. Absent fathers actively undermine their families by their absence.

Scripture
Deut 6:7; Jos 24:15; 1 Sam 3:11–14; Job 39:16–17; Ps 27:10; Pr 1:8–9; 13:22, 24; 17:6; 22:6, 15; 23:22; 27:8; Jn 14:18; Eph 6:4; Col 3:21; 1 Tim 5:8; Heb 12:5–10

We affirm that the community can take on a secondary role in influencing the next generation and that healthy behaviors are reinforced by healthy communities. The best suited mentors and role models are those who have their own homes in order. They praise the good and rebuke the evil, they govern their own desires, they have obedient children, they are faithful in their own marriages, they practice hospitality, and they are wise stewards of their financial resources.

We deny that those with disordered homes can bring order to their own communities. Chaotic, disordered, and undisciplined individuals must govern their own desires first. Local community cannot be replaced by social media. Sinful behavior should be stigmatized by righteous persons.

Scripture
Ps 1:1; 25:3; Pr 11:14; 13:20; 27:17; Ecc 4:9–10; Jer 8:12; 12:5; 1 Cor 9:27; 11:1; 15:33; 1 Tim 3:5; 4:12; 2 Tim 2:2; 3:10; Ti 1:10–11; 2:3–8; Heb 13:7; Jas 1:27

We affirm that God requires humanity to subdue and exercise dominion over the world by laboring to bring order out of chaos. There is dignity in hard work and those who choose not to work do not deserve to eat. God has ordained that husbands/fathers ought to provide for their own families and give generously to the poor. Children learn how to create fruitful and flourishing households by learning hard work.

We deny that passivity and laziness can contribute any good to a society. Able-bodied husbands/fathers should not depend on government benefits to provide for their family’s needs. When men are pacified by hollow imitations of the real thing (i.e. pornography, addictions to video games and social media), they are distracted from meaningful labor. Institutions that financially support able-bodied individuals subsidize laziness and encourage the pursuit of destructive behaviors.

Scripture
Gen 1:28; 2:15; Ps 115:16; Pr 6:6–11; 10:4–5; 12:11; 13:4; 14:23; 18:9; 19:19, 24; 28:19, 27; 2 Cor 12:14; 2 Thess 3:10; 1 Tim 5:8

We affirm that the foundational problem of addiction is sin, and that sin is dealt with through repentance, confession, and forgiveness. As society drifts further away from Christianity, addiction and other destructive behaviors will increase, as has been the case in recent decades.

We deny the view of Socrates that “all wrongdoing is to be attributed to lack of understanding” and therefore community reeducation programs miss the foundational problem and cure. The strong push for better education over the last few decades has not produced satisfactory results.

Scripture
Matt 15:19; 18:8–9; Lk 16:31; Jn 8:34; Rom 3:23; 6:16; 13:14; 1 Cor 1:19–20; 2:14; Eph 4:17–19; 5:18; 2 Pe 2:19; 1 Jn 1:9

We affirm that individuals are responsible and accountable for their own actions.

We deny that individuals can blame shift their behavior onto others or a chemical imbalance.

Scripture
Pr 28:13; Jer 31:29–30; Ezek 18:2–4, 20; Matt 12:36; Rom 6:11; 9:19–20; 14:12; 2 Cor 5:10, 17; Col 3:10

We affirm that truth is absolute and therefore some values are inherently good while others are inherently evil. Competing values must be judged against the standard of Scripture. Christianity changes a community for the better. Healthy communities are unified through shared values.

We deny the claim that truth is relative. The call to coexist is irresponsible since culture cannot affirm contradictory values. Not all value systems are equally desirable or moral. Non-Christian values (i.e. evolution, humanism, feminism) are objectively sinful and destructive for society. You cannot eliminate drug abuse without also eliminating the values that created it.

Scripture
Ex 20:16; Jud 17: 6; Ps 1; Ps 119:9; Ps 156; Ps 160; Pr 1:7; 14:26; 16:25; Isa 5:20; Jn 8:32; 17:17; 1 Cor 13:6; 2 Thess 2:10; Heb 6:18

We affirm the goodness of the divinely created distinctions between men and women that result in differing natures and roles. Differences between men and women are to be embraced rather than blurred. Husbands are called to lead their homes and wives are called to submit to their husbands. Children are to behave in ways becoming of their biological gender.

We deny that gender distinctions are societal conventions rather than creation norms. We repudiate the androgynous values of the current age as they dishonor the Lord and contribute to the destruction of society.

Scripture
Gen 1:27; 1 Cor 11:3, 7–9, 14–15; 14:34; Eph 5:22–33; Col 3:18; 1 Tim 2:9–15; Ti 2:5; 1 Pe 3:1, 5–7

We affirm that mankind’s fundamental problem is within (sin nature) and that the solution is found without (in Jesus Christ).

We deny the myriads of modern philosophies that go against Scripture, especially those philosophies that tell us to look within to find hope. We reject as counter to human flourishing encouragements to “believe in yourself,” “trust your heart,” and “be true to yourself,” as the Bible teaches that the heart is “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.”

Scripture
Gen 6:5; 8:21; Num 15:39; Deut 29:19; Ps 51:5, 10; Pr 28:26; Isa 1:5–6; 64:6; Jer 3:17; 17:5, 9; Mk 8:34; Jn 8:34; 14:6; Rom 3:10–12, 23; Eph 2:3

We affirm the necessity of a new heart to carry out these obligations, responsibilities, commitments, and virtues.

We affirm Christ’s statement, “apart from me you can do nothing.” The gospel and Christianity is thus essential to a healthy society. One can receive eternal life and grace for daily living through repentance and faith toward Christ.

We deny that mankind is able, in any wise, to truly fulfill these tasks with an unregenerate heart or to apply these moral and biblical principles in a neutral fashion so as to divorce morality from theology. There is no such thing as morality without Christ.

Scripture
Isa 26:12; Ezek 36:27; Jn 15:5; 1 Cor 15:10; 1 Jn 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:18; Gal 2:20; 5:16; Phil 1:6; 2:12–13; Ti 2:11–14

We affirm that Christ is Lord and that the health of any society is fundamentally dependent upon recognizing his authority. We believe that one day, every knee will bow to Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord over every domain of life and as his creatures, we are called to submit all our thinking and our behavior to him.

We deny that any person, ideology, government, philosophy, theology, religion, or anything else can take Christ’s rightful place as Lord.

Scripture
Ps 2:12; 72:8; 110:1; Mk 7:7; Lk 2:11; Ac 2:36; 5:29; 10:36; 2 Cor 4:5; 10:5; Phil 2:10–11; Col 1:18; 2:10; 1 Tim 6:15; Heb 1:8; Rev 17: 14; 19:16

Eric Sipe

Pastor, Calvary Bible Church

Joel Huffstutler

Pastor, Falls Berean Bible Church

Steve Grover

Administrator, Come to the Well

Greg Collins

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Todd Smucker

Luke & Michaela Hobi

Evan Gerber

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