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Mission & Beliefs

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About

Grounded in a Biblical Worldview

Landmark Church is a Bible-based, Christ-centered community of believers in Ocean City, NJ, committed to living out the Great Commission. We aim to represent Jesus not just on Sundays, but in our everyday lives—at work, at home, and in our community. Our mission is to be a landmark of hope and truth, built on Scripture and shining God’s light to the world around us.

We engage real-life issues, cultural conversations, and tough topics with grace and boldness—always grounded in a biblical worldview. Like a city on a hill, we want our lives to reflect God’s love and truth so others are drawn to Him.

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What Makes Landmark, Landmark.

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The church is the redeemed people of God, centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Every program, sermon, hiring, and decision must center on the Gospel as our defining reality.

Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice.

All policies, decisions, and teachings must submit to God’s Word, not pragmatism or culture.

Church leaders are servant-shepherds who follow the example of Christ.

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Leadership hiring, appointing, and evaluation must prioritize biblical qualifications (character, teaching, and shepherding ability) above management style or competency. Those with professional leadership experience are a gift to the church when their abilities are shaped by biblical servant-leadership.

The church exists to make and equip disciples of all nations by Gospel proclamation by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Every ministry must align with this mission. Success is measured in faithfulness and fruitfulness in discipleship.

The church exists to make and equip disciples of all nations by Gospel proclamation by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Every ministry must align with this mission. Success is measured in faithfulness and fruitfulness in discipleship.

The church is a covenant family not a consumer-driven organization.

Church discipline, staff relationships, and membership (Landmark Covenant), must be guided by biblical accountability and love. 

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The church is called to be holy as God is holy, marked by repentance and restoration.

Staff discipline is an act of faithfulness, not failure, when done biblically and redemptively.

The church exists to equip all believers to minister, not to entertain or create spectators.

All programs and ministries must be designed to develop disciples. In addition to our responsibility to the congregation, staff members themselves must also be equipped and actively discipled. Our ministry philosophy is based on the intentional replication of disciples of Jesus—beginning within the staff and extending to the body.

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The church must steward the faith for the next generation through teaching, modeling, and entrusting.

Hiring and vision casting should prioritize the continuity of the faith, not just innovation, trend, or cultural relevance.

Faithfulness to Christ includes enduring suffering and carrying the cross.

Staff expectations must include perseverance and humility, not entitlement.

The church, as one body under the headship of Christ, exists to glorify God, not to elevate leaders, preserve traditions, or pursue numerical success.

Decision-making, platform-building, and vision casting must reject self-promotion, brand promotion, and the pursuit of influence for its own sake.

Experience It for Yourself

The best way to understand what we believe is to see it lived out—join us this Sunday and be part of a service.

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Learn What We Believe

Landmark 101

Dive deeper into our mission, beliefs, and how you can get connected through Landmark 101.

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Our Beleifs

One God, Three Persons

We believe there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and preeminence; that this triune God created all, upholds all and governs all;

(Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:8; 48:16)

Personal, Perfect, & Providential

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love; that He concerns Himself providentially in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

(Matthew 28:19-20; John 10:30; Hebrews 1:3; Romans 5:8)

Jesus' Life, Death, & Resurrection

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings; His substitutionary atoning death; bodily resurrection; ascension into heaven; perpetual intercession for His people; and personal, visible return to earth.

We believe that He is one and the same as God. He was fully human and fully God.

(Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; Mark 16:19; Luke 1:34-35; John 1:1-2, 8:58 and 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 1:2; Revelation 1:8)

The Holy Spirit

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, indwell, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Christ.

At the moment of salvation, every believer is baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ and sealed for redemption.The Holy Spirit continually fills and empowers believers for holy living, effective witness, and service according to His sovereign gifting.

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the proper exercise of all biblical gifts, always expressed under the authority of Scripture and evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit.

(Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18; John 16:8-11; Romans 8:26; 15:13, 16; Hebrews 9:14).

The Supremacy of Scripture

We believe that all the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts and that they are the infallible rule of faith and practice.

(Isaiah 28:13; Nehemiah 8:8; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:3-4 and 1:21)

Sin & Salvation

We believe all people are by nature separated from God and responsible for their own sin, but that salvation, redemption, and forgiveness are freely offered to all by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. When a person repents of sin and accepts Jesus Christ as his/her personal Lord and Savior, trusting Him to save, that person is immediately born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit, all of his/her sins are forgiven, and that person becomes a child of God, assured of spending eternity with the Lord;

(Acts 8:15-17; Ephesians 2:1-3 and 8-9; Romans 3:10, 23, 5:8, 6:23, 10:8-10; Titus 3:5)

Christ, the Head of the Church

Christ, the Head of the Church

We believe in the universal Church, in the living spiritual body, of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members.

(Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 5:24; Col. 1:18, 24)

The Rapture & Coming of Christ

We await the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church, and we believe in the literal Second Coming of Christ with His saints to rule the earth, which will be personal and visible. This motivates us to holy living, heartfelt worship, committed service, diligent study of God’s word, regular fellowship, and participation in baptism and Communion.

(Matthew 16:27; Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:11-15; Revelation 14:10-11 and 20:11-15)

Baptism & Communion

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the Church: 1) baptism (age of accountability), and 2) the Lord’s Supper. We practice baptism by immersion and regularly celebrate Communion according to the Scriptural guidelines found in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.

(Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 11)

Laying on of Hands & Anointing

We believe in the laying on of hands for the sending out of pastors and missionaries, and in conjunction with the anointing of oil by the elders for the healing of the sick.

(Acts 6:6; Acts 13:3; James 5:14)

Marriage

We believe that marriage is exclusively the union between one man and one woman in a lifetime commitment to each other. Marriage reflects the relationship between Christ and the Church and provides for procreation, intimate companionship, and we believe is the only basis for any form of sexual expression. We believe that any intimate sexual activity outside of marriage is sin.

(Genesis 2:23-24; Matthew 19:4-6; 1 Thess. 4:3; Ephesians 5:3).

Genders

We believe that we are created in the image of God and that there are only 2 genders—male and female. And because of this established creative order, it is displeasing to God to alter one’s gender (as revealed at birth) through surgery, medicine, appearance, or other means, and thus is sinful. However, the Gospel of Jesus Christ can save anyone from anywhere who has done anything if they turn from their sin and come to Him (See statement about Sin & Salvation above).

(Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 5:2; Matthew 19:4; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Sanctity of Life

We believe that all human life is sacred, from the womb to the tomb, and that the moral worth of human beings is absolute and eternal. Scripturally speaking, God is more than pro-life, He is pre-life; and because all human life is created in the image of God, it ought not be terminated by man prematurely. We believe the intentional taking of human life is wrong, including the belief that abortion is the murder of a human and thus sinful. However, the Gospel tells us that Jesus Christ died for our sins and offers forgiveness to anyone who repents (See statement about Sin & Salvation above).

(Psalm 139:13-16 and Jeremiah 1:5; Genesis 1:27)