We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who willingly died that our sins might be forgiven. Because of Jesus' death as a sacrifice for our sins, we can be confident in having eternal fellowship with God. In other words, we not only know where we are going when we die, but we can also experience the most fulfilling life right now on earth - in partnership with God!
To explain further, we believe that we can't be good enough or work hard enough to get to heaven but that God has offered you and me the free gift of eternal life, which can be opened just by praying and believing. Check out Answers to Life or Salvation, Restoration, & Forgiveness to get more details on what to pray (sincerely, from your heart) and why you would want to pray. The free gift mentioned above includes the Holy Spirit, who helps us discern right from wrong and who gives us the power to choose right. Regarding the Bible, we believe that it was written by men but dictated by God. The Bible has the answers and wisdom each of us needs to find lasting peace and joy. To sum it up, we have confidence because we believe the God of the Bible is who He says He is and that He can be counted on to do what He says He will do.
As part of understanding what Friends believe, it helps to know the origin of the Evangelical Friends denomination. Check out the Friends Heritage page to get an overview of our roots. Unlike the original Quakers, or Friends, we don't have a "quiet" meeting with the men sitting on one side and the women on the other side of the meeting hall. Neither do we wear the funny clothes and hat that you see modeled by the man on the oatmeal cans. Check out the Our Services page to get a feel for just what you will find if you come visit us.
WHFC is part of the Evangelical Friends Church (EFC) denomination. What does that mean? It means our church chooses to be accountable to this particular governing body and to share some of our resources for common goals - like youth camps. It also means we share a common position on what we believe with the Friends churches around the world who believe that a relationship with God is developed only through Jesus Christ. If you would like the details (and biblical support) of exactly what we believe, our Faith and Practice is the document you want to read. You can receive a printed copy of it by contacting the WHFC church office or by calling the Lion and Lamb book store (phone 330.332.8501) in Salem, Ohio.
For more information on what Friends believe, please contact the WHFC church office and ask to speak to one of the pastors. It would be their pleasure to take your call.