Statement of Faith
The Night Before is a Christian ministry committed to equipping and encouraging parents to faithfully disciple their children and cultivate a love for Jesus in their homes. We believe that God's Word is the foundation for our faith, our families, and the way we live. The following beliefs guide our ministry, shape our resources, and inform everything we create.
Our Commitment
The Night Before exists to equip parents with simple, intentional rhythms for family discipleship because raising Jesus-loving children doesn't happen by accident.
We believe Sunday morning is a Saturday night decision. Preparing our hearts and homes for worship is one way we intentionally cultivate a life of faith. But discipleship doesn't end when we leave the church building. It continues around our tables, in our conversations, through our everyday decisions, and in the ordinary moments God gives us with our children.
Our prayer is that families would know God's Word, love His church, worship Him faithfully, and pass down the faithfulness of God to the next generation.
The Bible
We believe the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God. It is our final authority for faith and practice, revealing God's character, His purposes, and His plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. We believe Scripture is sufficient to guide us in knowing God, living faithfully, and raising the next generation in the truth.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:105; 2 Peter 1:20-21
God
We believe there is one true and living God, eternally existing in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, equal in divine nature, and united in purpose. God is holy, sovereign, loving, just, merciful, and worthy of all worship and praise.
Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14
Jesus Christ
We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, and willingly gave Himself as the sacrifice for our sins. He died on the cross, was buried, and physically rose from the dead on the third day. He ascended into heaven, where He reigns at the right hand of the Father, and He will return again in glory.
Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him.
John 1:1-14; John 14:6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Acts 1:9-11
The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is fully God and is actively at work in the world. He convicts people of sin, brings about new birth, indwells every believer, and empowers Christians to live obedient and Christ-honoring lives. He guides believers in truth, develops spiritual fruit, and equips the church for ministry and service.
John 14:16-17, 26; John 16:8-13; Galatians 5:22-23
Salvation
We believe every person is created in the image of God but is separated from Him by sin. Because of our sin, we cannot earn or achieve salvation through good works, religious activity, or personal effort. Salvation is a gift of God's grace, made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We believe individuals are saved through repentance and personal faith in Jesus Christ alone. Those who place their faith in Him receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Salvation is entirely God's work, and those who truly belong to Christ are kept by His power.
Romans 3:23-24; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16; John 10:27-20
The Church
We believe the church is the body of Christ, made up of all who have placed their faith in Him. We believe local churches are essential to God's design for Christian growth, worship, fellowship, discipleship, and service.
We believe each local church is responsible to Christ as its head and should be governed under His authority through the leadership and accountability established in Scripture. Every believer is called to participate in the life of the church, use their God-given gifts, and encourage others in their faith.
Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:41-47; Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 2:18
Baptism & The Lord’s Supper
We believe baptism and the Lord's Supper are the two ordinances given by Jesus Christ to His church.
We believe baptism is an act of obedience following personal faith in Jesus Christ. It is the immersion of a believer in water, symbolizing the believer's identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism does not provide salvation but publicly declares the believer's faith in Christ.
We believe the Lord's Supper is a memorial ordinance through which believers remember Christ's sacrifice, proclaim His death, and look forward to His return.
Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
The Family & The Discipleship of Children
We believe God established the family as an important part of His design for human flourishing and the passing down of faith from one generation to the next.
We believe parents have the God-given responsibility and privilege of teaching their children to know, love, and obey the Lord. The church plays an important role in equipping and encouraging families, but the responsibility of everyday discipleship belongs first to the home.
We believe discipleship is not limited to a Sunday morning gathering or a formal Bible lesson. It is a daily commitment to point our children toward Jesus through God's Word, prayer, worship, conversations, and the ordinary rhythms of family life.
We believe children are a gift from God and should be welcomed, valued, taught, and encouraged to participate in the life and worship of the church.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 78:4-7; Proverbs 22:6; Matthew 19:14; Ephesians 6:4
The Great Commission
We believe every follower of Jesus Christ is called to make disciples. The gospel is not meant to be kept to ourselves but faithfully shared with the world. We believe the church and the home both have an important role in teaching the next generation to know Christ and make Him known.
John 5:28-29; John 14:1-3; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:1-4
Eternity
We believe every person will spend eternity either in the presence of God or separated from Him. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ will enjoy eternal life with Him. Those who reject Christ will face eternal separation from God. We believe Jesus Christ will return, the dead will be raised, and God will bring about the fulfillment of His eternal kingdom.
John 5:28-29; John 14:1-3; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:1-4