One God
We believe there is one true and living God, the Creator and sovereign Ruler of all things. He has always existed and is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—three distinct persons, equal in nature and glory, yet one God.
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Our Core Beliefs
What We Believe
ShelteringTree Ministries is grounded in the historic Christian faith. Our Core Beliefs reflect the foundational truths that shape how we serve pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders.
Rooted in Biblical Faith
ShelteringTree Ministries is a Christian ministry grounded in the truth of Scripture and the historic foundations of the Christian faith.
We serve pastors, missionaries, ministry leaders, couples, and families from many Christian traditions. While churches may differ on secondary matters, we ask applicants and ministry partners to share these essential beliefs.
Jesus Christ
We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully human. He was born of a virgin, lived without sin, and willingly gave His life on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
He rose bodily from the dead, demonstrating His victory over sin and death. He ascended into Heaven and will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
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The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is fully God, equal with the Father and the Son. He reveals our need for Jesus, brings conviction of sin, and lives within every believer from the moment of salvation.
The Holy Spirit gives understanding of spiritual truth, empowers believers to live faithfully, provides guidance, produces spiritual fruit, and equips every Christian with gifts for serving God and others.
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The Bible
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, written through human authors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Scripture is true, trustworthy, and the final authority for Christian belief and daily life. Through the Bible, God reveals His character, His purposes, and His plan of redemption through Jesus Christ.
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Humanity and Sin
We believe every person is created in the image of God and therefore possesses God-given dignity, worth, and purpose.
At the same time, every person has sinned and fallen short of God's perfect standard. Sin separates us from God, affects every part of human life, and leaves us unable to restore that relationship through our own effort or goodness.
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Salvation
We believe salvation is a gift of God's grace, received through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
We cannot earn forgiveness through good works, religious effort, or self-improvement. When we turn from a self-directed life and place our trust in Jesus, we receive forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and new life.
Eternal life begins when a person receives Jesus Christ by faith.
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Eternity
We believe every person was created to exist forever.
Those who receive God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ will live eternally with Him. Those who remain separated from God by sin will experience eternal separation from Him.
We believe Heaven and Hell are real, and that Jesus Christ will ultimately judge with perfect truth, holiness, and justice.
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The Church and Christian Service
We believe every follower of Christ is called to serve, and that God entrusts pastors, missionaries, and other Christian ministry leaders with particular responsibility for teaching, shepherding, leading, and caring for others.
Those who carry these ongoing ministry responsibilities—and the spouses and families who often share in the demands of ministry life—may experience significant spiritual, emotional, and relational pressures. The Church is called to pray for its leaders, encourage them, help bear their burdens, and support healthy rhythms of rest, renewal, and continued faithfulness.
This conviction is at the heart of ShelteringTree Ministries.
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Together in Christ
Our Shared Foundation
ShelteringTree Ministries does not require agreement on every secondary theological issue or denominational tradition.
We ask retreat applicants and ministry partners who directly represent ShelteringTree to affirm these essential Christian beliefs and to be connected with a ministry whose teaching and practices are consistent with them.
Our desire is to serve across the body of Christ while remaining faithful to the biblical foundation upon which this ministry was established.
Applicant Affirmation
By submitting a retreat application, I confirm that I have read and affirm ShelteringTree Ministries’ Core Beliefs and that the ministry in which I serve is consistent with these beliefs.