Statement of Belief

Bible

We believe that the 39 books of the OT and 27 books of the NT are God-breathed, inerrant, authoritative, and sufficient for all matters of doctrine and obedience (Ps 19:7-11; 2 Tim 3:16-17).

God

We believe there is one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in essence, but distinct in person, holy, eternal, unchanging, independent, omnipresent, absolutely sovereign over all things, omnipotent, omniscient of past-present-future, judge, good, gracious, loving, and merciful (Ps 139, 145). We teach that the chief end of God is to glorify Himself and enjoy Himself forever (Ex 20: 5; Num 14:20-1).

Person of Christ

We believe that the Son of God is co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He took upon Himself a human nature, born of a virgin woman, perfectly obeying the Law, was obedient to death on a cross and rose from the dead. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man (John 1:1-2, 14; Gal 4:4-5; Phil 2:5-8).

Man

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We teach that Adam was created upright, material and immaterial, but sinned in Eden and the human race was plunged into sin and ruin (Gen 3). Every person is accountable to God’s Law, but constantly violates it. Every aspect of man is tainted by sin: will, mind, affections, and actions (Rom 3; 8:7); so that man merits the just wrath of God.

Salvation

We believe that God saves sinners by grace alone, through Christ alone (Jn 14:6). Christ died efficaciously as a substitute, propitiation, redemption, and reconciliation for Hispeople (John 10:11; Rom 8:32; Eph 5:25). Christ took the wrath of hell-deserving sinners and imputes His righteousness to them by His death and resurrection (2 Co 5:21). The Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to sinners through regeneration. All righteous living in the believer is produced by the God’s grace working in them (Ph 2:12-13; Col 1:29). All regenerate believers in Christ must and will persevere in the faith to the end (Mt 10:22; 24:13).

Responsibility of Man

We believe that God commands all people everywhere to repent and believe the gospel (Mk 1:15; Acts 17:30). A sinner is justified before God by faith alone. This faith is a penitent faith and will produce good works that are in no sense meritorious toward his justification (Romans 3-4; Eph 2:10; James 2).

Church

We believe that the Head of the church is Christ (Col 1:18), consisting of believers throughout the world. He appoints elders to lead the local church (1 Tim 3). The purpose of the church is to edify one another and evangelize the lost (Mt 28:18-20). We believe that two ordinances were given to the church symbolizing the saving work of Christ: baptism and communion. Only those who have repented and believed the gospel should participate in the ordinances. We teach that church discipline is to be practiced in obedience to Christ (Mt 18:15ff).

End Times

We teach that Christ will come gloriously and powerfully to deliver His own and judge the unrepentant. There will be a resurrection of both the righteous believers and the wicked unbelievers. The righteous shall enjoy eternity in heaven worshiping the Triune God, but the unrepentant and unbelieving shall be cast into the lake of fire and shall be tormented day and night, forever and ever (Mt 25:46; Rev 20:10, 15)

Sex and Marriage

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:18-25.) God’s good purposes in sex are to glorify Himself through ratification of the marriage covenant (Genesis 2:24), expression of love inside of marriage (Song of Solomon), procreation (Gen 1:28; 9:1-7), pleasure (Prov 5) and prevention of adultery (1 Co 7:1-5). Adultery, fornication, polygamy, incest, bestiality, pedophilia and homosexuality are all condemned as sinful in the Bible. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 6:9-11.) We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31.) Believing sexual perversion to be sinful does not condone any sinful attitudes or behavior towards such persons.

Elders

We exist to magnify the glory of the Triune God through the building up of believers and the evangelizing of unbelievers. Some of our core values that distinguish us from other churches is our commitment to expository preaching, the centrality and sufficiency of scripture, the sovereignty of God in everything, and the proclamation of the Biblical gospel. Our goal is to minister to people instead of multiplying programs.

Matt Mager Founder + Lead Elder While Christ is the Founding Pastor of every true local church, Matt was privileged to be part of the beginnings of Sovereign Grace Chapel as an under-shepherd in the summer of 2006. Prior to planting Sovereign Grace Chapel, Matt was raised in a wonderful Christian home by Jerrie Mager and the late Thomas Mager (who graduated to glory in August 2016) on the Westside of Youngstown. He began following Jesus in his early teen years. He graduated from Youngstown Chaney in 1995 and went on to study nursing at Youngtown State University. After graduating from YSU with a BSN, he worked for two years as a nurse saving money in hopes of attending The Master’s Seminary in Los Angeles. In 2002, he packed his bags and headed west to The Master’s Seminary. He gained more than a tremendous theology education and equipping for the pastoral ministry (M. Div) in Los Angeles when he met his future bride, Bernie. They married in 2004. In 2006, upon graduation they came to Youngstown to plant a church. In God’s mercy, He was pleased to raise up Sovereign Grace Chapel. Matt and Bernie currently have three children: Gracey, Moriah, and Sam but are hoping to add more to their quiver. They are licensed foster/adoptive parents with Mahoning County. Matt enjoys reading and working out in his spare time. Oddly enough, often at the same time. But most of all, he enjoys spending time with his wife and children. + More - Less

Chris Gault Elder

Pastor Chris is a Certified Biblical Counselor through The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC). He is also the Director of of The Sovereign Grace Chapel Biblical Counseling Institute. Chris is also a graduate of Youngstown State University where he has earned a Masters of Science in Education in 2001. He has been serving as an elder at SGC since 2009 and focuses primarily on counseling, discipleship, and leading the music ministry. He and His wife Sandi have four children, Aaron, Andrew, Hannah, and Sarah.

+ More - Less

Dale Day Elder In the spring of 1986 I was awakened to the beauty, majesty, wonder, and awe of God. I am increasingly aware of the riches to be found in Christ, available on the basis of Christ's finished work, and all by grace. His amazing grace and great love have compelled me to serve His people. From the day of my new birth, I was awakened to a greater purpose in life, to serve Christ and his people. For more than twenty-five years I have served as a minister of the gospel. Surprisingly, I have been married to my dearest wife Denise for 33 years. Surprisingly, because next to the triune God, she still amazes me. We are blessed to have a daughter, two sons, a daughter in law, and son in law, three granddaughters, two grandsons and a dog with expectations of continued additions. + More - Less