Beliefs and History
Our Beliefs
We believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We believe that "God created the heavens and the earth" and maintains His creation by His holy will. We further believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, that He was born of the Virgin Mary, and was crucified, buried, and resurrected. At His resurrection, He became the first to live, die, and live again, never to die again.
Thus, we believe Him to be our only Lord and Savior, and that He now rules at God's right hand. Christ will come in all of His glory to judge both the living and the dead, and there will be no end to His kingdom.
In terms of faith and practice, we further believe in the restoration of New Testament Christianity. We are attempting to recover in the modern age the Christian faith as it was believed and practiced in its beginning. As with a stream of water, we go back to the purist source, the New Testament Church, and we base our beliefs and practices around what they did.
We do not deny the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but do not practice openly "Speaking in tongues," "Casting out demons," or "Prophesying." We use instrumental music in our worship believing there is more Biblical proof for it… than against it. Therefore, we do not consider it to be a matter relative to salvation.
The goal is the unity of all believers in Christ. The spirit is the restoration of love for each other as well as those who have not yet accepted Christ. The plea is to embrace Christ as our only confession, Scripture as our only authority, and Christian as the only name we wear.
We believe that it is "By grace you are saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves… it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8) We believe in the full inspiration of the Word of God. We understand that God has spoken finally in His Word and that we should attempt to follow His Word in terms of beliefs and practices. Faith in Christ (belief), Confession (admission that Jesus is Lord and Savior), Repent (turn away from sin) and be baptized (symbolizing death, burial, and resurrection of new life through Jesus Christ).
Our hope is to be Christians only. Restoration of New Testament Christianity expresses itself in Faith in Christ, for the forgiveness of sins, expressed by Baptism, the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Worship centered in the Christ, a life committed to Holiness, and the partaking of Communion.
Therefore… it is by the verses listed below that we base our beliefs in the principles named above:
*Belief in the Word of God: Romans 10:4, Romans 10:9-13, Hebrews 11:6, Mark 16:16
*Faith in God and Jesus Christ: Ephesians 2:8-9
*Belief in Baptism: Acts 2:38, Mark 16:15-16, Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 6:1-5, I Peter 3:21
*Belief in the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit: Romans 8:11, John 16:13, Galatians 5:22-23
*Belief in Worship: Hebrews 10:25
*Belief in Communion: Matthew 26:17-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:7-20
*Belief in the Bible as the Inspired Word of God: II Timothy 3:16-17
Westview Christian Church began on the last Sunday of October 28, 1979 under the leadership of Charles Waugh.
The congregation met for the first few weeks in the homes of members until a permanent meeting place could be secured. When Belmar School was secured, one of the requirements for meeting in a school building was that the church had already begun building a facility. The administration graciously waived this requirement for three years.
As the church grew in membership and finances, land was purchased April 10, 1980, at 6810 Hillside for $20,000. Once this land was paid off the congregation decided that if we were going to grow we needed a building for worship.
In 1982 the congregation voted to move ahead with a building program.
We moved into our new building on Thanksgiving Sunday 1982.
In 1986 we purchased two lots just to the north of our church building for $20,000. This was done to assure us of the opportunity for future growth. We added a portable building for Sunday School and Youth programs.
In 1993 the congregation voted to move ahead with a $145,000 addition to our present building. The cost was to be kept down with members providing much of the labor. This addition has provided us with additional classrooms, bathrooms, a nursery, a new church office, pastor’s study and a fellowship hall.
In the early 2000’s, we began making plans to build a new sanctuary. It was to have a sanctuary seating about 300 people, with a fellowship hall at the rear, and a connecting breezeway to the older building. We also had two restrooms, a cry room, a baptismal, stage for our band and choir, and a storage room. It was begun in 2002 and completed in early November 2003. Charles Waugh was still with the church after more than 25 years.
Charles Waugh retired from Westview at the end of 2005. Larry Starbuck served as minister from January to April 2006. Don Willingham, Jr. served as part time minister from April 2006 to January, 2010.
As we keep our eyes upon Jesus and seek to do His will, God will continue to bless this work as we serve Amarillo. Let us always put Jesus first in all things.
Church History