Statement of Faith

We believe the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God in the original manuscripts. It serves as the sole authority for faith and practice, sufficient for every dimension of life and ministry. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, equipping the people of God for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV).

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are one in essence, equal in power and glory, yet distinct in their personal relations. The Father is the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things. The Son, Jesus Christ, is fully God and fully man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, convicts the world of sin, regenerates the believing heart, and indwells every believer as the seal and guarantee of redemption.

We believe humanity was created in the image of God, male and female, for fellowship with Him and stewardship over creation. Through the disobedience of our first parents, every person has fallen into sin, inheriting a nature that is spiritually dead and under the just condemnation of a holy God. That same act introduced brokenness into the created order itself, so that the whole world now groans under the weight of sin and awaits its final redemption. Apart from divine grace, no one can please God or enter His presence.

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished full and complete atonement for sin through His substitutionary death on the cross. He rose bodily from the grave on the third day, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and now intercedes for His people. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. It is received as a free gift, not earned by human merit or works, and results in the forgiveness of sins, the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, and eternal life.

We believe the Holy Spirit baptizes every believer into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation, sanctifies progressively, and empowers for holy living and effective service. The gifts of the Spirit are given for the edification of the church and the advancement of the gospel, to be exercised in love and submission to Scripture.

We believe the church is the visible body of Christ on earth, composed of all who have been regenerated by the Spirit and united to Christ by faith. The local church gathers for worship, instruction, fellowship, and the observance of the ordinances of believers’ baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Its mission is to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe everything Christ commanded.

We believe that as chaplains and ministers of the gospel we are called to go where the people are. In pluralistic and secular settings we bear the presence of God without compromise, offering compassionate care to every person as one bearing the imago Dei. We distinguish clearly between evangelism and proselytism. Evangelism is the joyful, Spirit-led sharing of the gospel with those who willingly receive it, whether in stated worship services, pastoral counseling requested by the individual, or moments of open spiritual inquiry. Proselytism, by contrast, is coercive or manipulative pressure that violates the dignity and freedom of the human conscience. In treatment environments where attendance at services is mandatory, we serve the whole person with excellence, providing resources from other faith traditions when requested, while reserving explicit proclamation of the Christian gospel for those contexts where permission is granted and the door has been opened by the seeker.

We believe in the personal, visible, and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will raise the dead, judge the world in righteousness, and establish the new heavens and the new earth in which righteousness dwells. Until that day, the people of God live in expectant hope, laboring faithfully in the strength He supplies, confident that He who began a good work will bring it to completion.

This Statement of Faith reflects the historic evangelical convictions that shape every aspect of the life and ministry of Guardians Grace Ministries. It anchors our identity, guides our decisions, and sustains our commitment to serve adults in substance-use-disorder treatment, veterans and non-veterans alike, with the promise of restoration found in Scripture.

Richard Singletary, Founder and Chaplain, Guardians Grace Ministries