What we believe
We believe in one living and eternal God. He is the creator and sustainer of all things and He works all things for His own glory. He alone is worthy of our worship as the source of all goodness and truth. There is no limit to God’s perfection or power. He is holy and majestic, yet also merciful and gracious. We find the deepest expression of His grace and love in the forgiveness He offers through His Son, Jesus Christ.
We believe that eternal life is found in Jesus Christ alone. All of us have sinned and turned away from God. The good news of the Gospel is that God freely offers salvation to those who repent of—or turn away from—their sins and believe in Him. Through the obedience, death, and resurrection of Jesus, those with saving faith are made righteous before God and receive all of the spiritual benefits expressed in the Bible.
We believe the Holy Spirit enables belief and makes a sinner’s dead heart alive. The Spirit convicts us of sin and provides us assurance of God’s forgiveness. The Spirit’s work in the believer’s heart empowers true, lasting change that assists in the sharing of the Gospel. We are designed to live a life of obedience and worship to magnify God, which not only satisfies our deepest desires but allows us to fully live out our true purpose.
See below to learn more about our four core values.
Bible
We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and is without error in its original manuscripts. These 66 books possess a unified narrative: the story of creation, man’s fall from God’s grace, God’s redemptive work throughout history culminating in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the future glorification of the believer. God is the supreme author of the Bible, and so its authority is unique. Not every part of scripture is equally plain, but the truths that are necessary for saving faith and living out the Christian life are clear.
Worship
We believe that everyone is a worshipper, so it is not a question of whether we will worship but what or whom. What or whom we give honor and praise to is of paramount importance. God has called us to worship Him, and He alone is worthy. It is our right response to who God is and what he has done for us to live for Him. We believe that Sunday is the day of the week God sets apart for us to gather together to reflect intentionally on Him.
Community
We believe that a Christian belongs in community with other Christians in a local church. Every member of the family of Christ shares a common salvation and receives gifts from the Holy Spirit. These gifts are both useful and necessary in serving Christ through the building up of His church by: loving one another, encouraging one another, instructing one another, motivating one another to love and good works, and serving one another.
Love
We believe that the law is summarized by the call to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22: 37-40). We love others because God first loved us. Love of neighbor includes coming alongside others to meet physical, spiritual, and relational needs in our community and beyond. Jesus’ own life establishes the model that we strive to follow, showing compassion and grace to all kinds of people while proclaiming the truth of God’s Word.
We are a part of the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), a denomination seeking to practice the Christian faith as passed down from the Protestant Reformers.
We believe the Westminster Confession of Faith summarizes the teachings of the Bible.
History of Living Branch Church
While serving as associate pastor at Crossroads Community Church (Fishers, IN), Pastor Keith Doane and his wife Susan increasingly sensed the Lord calling them to plant another PCA church in a growing Hamilton County. As vessels of Mission to North America, they took this step of faith in 2015 and began meeting with four other families in 2016. In 2017, they launched public worship services at Legacy Christian School (our current meeting space) and in 2020 became a self-sustaining church in the Presbyterian Church in America. Our name comes from John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Praise God!