Statement of Beliefs

The leadership of the While We’re Waiting ministry believes that the following statements are true, according to the Word of God.  Those who attend our retreats and support group meetings are not required to share these beliefs, only to respect the right of the leadership and other members of the group to hold and articulate these beliefs.

1. God comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort others with the comfort which we ourselves have received from God.  (II Corinthians 1:3-4). 
2. Healing of broken-heartedness is possible through the power of Jesus Christ.  (Psalm 34:18; Psalm 147:3).  We grieve, but not as those who have no hope.  (I Thessalonians 4:13).
3. God is sovereign over the length of every person’s life.  The time of our death is determined by God.  (Psalm 139:16, Psalm 39:4, Matthew 6:25-28, Job 14:5, Ecclesiastes 8:8).
4. There are mysteries we will not fully understand in this life, such as reconciling God’s sovereignty with the choices of man.  We must accept that the secret things belong to Him (Deuteronomy 29:29).
5. Grief, sorrow, and tears are not sin.  Jesus Himself was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3) and yet He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).  However, we must guard our hearts carefully to make sure our grief does not lead us into destructive behaviors, attitudes, words, and actions. (Proverbs 5:23, Galatians 5:19-21). 
6. Our children have not died as punishment for our sin … Our sin was paid for by Jesus on the cross (Isaiah 53:5-6, Romans 8:1, Psalm 103:10-12).
7. Our children have not died because God needed them in Heaven … He does not need anything (Acts 17:24-27). 
8. Our children have not died because God is evil or cruel … God is love and He is always good (Romans 5:8, Isaiah 55:8-9, Romans 8:28).
9. Death came into the world when man chose to disobey God in the Garden of Eden.  We live in a fallen world, and as a result, bad things happen, including death (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 5:12-14, Romans 6:23, Hebrews 9:27). 
10. Satan is the father of lies and wants us to feel condemnation, guilt, and shame in regard to our child’s death, but we can and must resist him and draw near to God, who will then draw near to us (I Peter 5:8-11, John 8:42-44, James 4:7-8a).  There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
11. If we do bear some responsibility for our child’s death, forgiveness is available from God (Psalm 32:1-7, I John 1:8-9, Romans 8:1, 31-39).  By accepting God’s forgiveness, we can be set free from condemnation (Galatians 5:1).
12. When others intentionally or unintentionally hurt us with their words or actions, it is our responsibility, with God’s help, to extend grace and forgiveness to them (Matthew 6:14-15, Ephesians 4:1-3, Matthew 18:21-22, Romans 12:14-18).  However, that does not mean we must continue to associate with someone who is intentionally hurting us.
13. Anger at God places us in the position of being the judge of God’s motives and actions.  Certainly we have times where we have angry feelings toward God … but we need to be sure we don’t settle into a position of being angry at God.  God does no wrong (Job 40:6-14; Job 42:1-6; Deuteronomy 10:17-18; Psalm 136:1-9).
14. People do not become angels when they die.  Men are created in the image of God; men and angels are different created orders (Genesis 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:3, Luke 20:34-38).
15. Consulting with mediums and/or attempting to communicate with the dead is forbidden.  We do not believe that our children send us “signs” from Heaven, but we do believe that God may use other people, things in nature, and situations to bring us comfort and encouragement (Leviticus 20:6-8, Deuteronomy 18:10-12, I Chronicles 10:13-14, Isaiah 8:19, Acts 16:16-18 1 John 4:1-6, Galatians 5:19-24). 
16. Only those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will go to Heaven when they die.  The manner in which they die is irrelevant if they have depended upon Jesus Christ for their salvation.  We cannot know a person’s heart; their salvation is between that person and God, so we are not in a position to judge whether or not someone’s child is in Heaven. (John 3:14-18, Romans 5:6-11, Romans 10:8-10, 1 John 5-10).  We want to encourage the parents themselves to be sure they have a relationship with Jesus so that they will go to Heaven when they die.
17. Our salvation is based on grace, not on works.  We can never be “good enough” to get to Heaven on our own.  It is the free gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
18. The Bible does not clearly state whether unborn babies, infants, and very young children go to Heaven.  However, we do know that God is merciful, righteous, and just, and He does not wish that any should perish.  Based on His gracious and loving nature, the leadership of the While We’re Waiting ministry believes that babies and very young children go to Heaven (2 Samuel 12:16, 22-23; Matthew 19:13-15; 1 Timothy 2:4-6; 2 Peter 3:9; Colossians 1:15-20). 
19. A person who has accepted Jesus Christ as his or her Savior goes immediately to Heaven at the time of death (2 Corinthians 5:1-10, Luke 23:43) regardless of the cause of death. 
20. While we’re waiting for our reunion with our Savior and our children, we are to be doers of the Word (James 1:22).  We are created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:20).  Grief is not an excuse to isolate ourselves from the Body of Christ.  We have been given a gift … a new perspective regarding what matters in life.  Let us encourage one another and run the race set before us.

“God’s Healing in Grief” by Ron and Kathleen Duncan and published by Precepts Ministries International was used as source material for this Statement of Beliefs.