We at Camp Horizon believe that the Scriptures are of paramount importance, and as such, must be the foundation for all our thinking and activities in our camping program.
We believe:
- The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired by God and inerrant in the original writing; they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21)
- In one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Ps. 90:2; 1 John 5:6-8; Matthew 28:19; Genesis 1:26)
Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man (John 1:1; Matthew 1:18-23)
- Man was created in the image of God, that he sinned, and thereby incurred not only physical death but also that spiritual death which is separation from God. All human beings are born with a sinful nature, and, in the case of those who reach moral responsibility become sinners in thought, word, and deed (Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8-9)
- The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the basis of His shed blood (John 19:30, 5:24; Rom 5:9; Hebrews 10:14)
- All who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God (John 1:12, 3:5-8)
- In the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate. We believe that the Church began with the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and is composed of all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The local church is composed of believers in a locality who gather together in Christ's name for worship, prayer, ministry, and testimony and fellowship (John 20:27; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 7:24-25)
- There are two Christian ordinances—baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism by immersion signifies that the believer, having died with Christ, is buried with Him in baptism and is risen with Christ to walk in newness of life. The Lord's Supper is a remembrance feast instituted by the Lord Himself for His own, to show forth the Lord's death until He comes. (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Romans 6:4; Acts 2:41-42; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
- In the imminent personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ to translate the Church; that this will be followed by the tribulation on earth, followed by the Millennial Kingdom, followed by the new heaven and new earth with God all in all (John 14:3; 1 Corinthians 15:28, 51-54; 2 Peter 3:10-13, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20, Is 60-62)
- In the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust, and everlasting punishment of the lost (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:11-15)
- The sign gifts, such as the gift of tongues or healing, were for the foundation of the church. These sign gifts are not currently an indication of salvation nor the filling/baptism of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor 13:8-13)
Salvation is by grace through faith alone; believers in Christ should be careful to maintain a life that is a pleasing testimony to God and to walk in fellowship with Him (Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5-8; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15)
- 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 and we are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Psalms 139)
- A person’s gender is defined by biological differences (Genesis 1:26-27; Matthew 19:12) and therefore cannot be redefined by subsequent perception of their self-identity; where male or female biological sex is clearly evident at birth, we believe it to be immutable, notwithstanding alteration or modification of a person’s body intended to reassign it to the opposite gender (Job 10:8-12)
- The term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25); that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Corinthians 6:18, 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4); that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman
- Any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
- God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sins, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
That every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor with Camp Horizon.
In order to preserve the function and integrity of Camp Horizon as a Christian Ministry with evangelical mission, and to provide a Biblical role model to the Camp Horizon volunteer staff, campers, guest groups, and the community, it is imperative that all persons at Camp Horizon, who serve as volunteers, and rental groups agree to and abide by this Statement of Faith (Matt 5:16; Phil 2:14-16; 1 Thess 5:22). Camp Horizon will uphold this Statement as it pertains to the campers and guest groups that utilize the camp facilities.
This statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Camp Horizon’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Board of Directors is Camp Horizon’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application. We reserve the right for decisions based on the statements therein.