Statement of faith

STATEMENT OF FAITH

I. BIBLE:

We believe the Holy Bible to be the inspired Word of God and our standard for faith and practice. We believe it is the standard by which all subsequent revelation is to be evaluated.

II. GOD:

We believe in the one triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit revealed in the Bible. He is Creator, Redeemer, and the Sovereign Ruler of creation. He is the Author of truth, love and faith. God exults in His own glory and passionately displays this glory throughout all of creation.

III. SIN:

We believe that man was created in the image of God. Through rebellion and disobedience mankind is separated from God, and without God he is without hope.

IV. SALVATION:

We believe man’s salvation and reconciliation is through renouncing his own proud self-determination, taking responsibility for his sinful disobedience, and seeking forgiveness from God.

Further, we believe such a penitent person must put a personal faith in Jesus Christ-whom we believe to be the incarnate Son of God, the Messiah, born of a virgin, anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, who was crucified, died substitutionally for man’s transgressions, was raised from the dead on the third day, and who ascended back to the Father where He is now seated and ready to return. We also believe that Jesus Christ is thereby man’s Savior/Redeemer, Healer, Deliverer and, in fact, Lord of all. He is also the appointed judge of the living and the dead.

The scriptural evidence that one has repented and put faith in Jesus Christ includes public confession, baptism in water, and coming under pastoral authority and instruction of the Church to walk in the ways of God.His promise of forgiveness and eternal life begins the moment one commits himself to Him. (From His sovereign perspective He knows those who are His.) He is the source of life and all necessary provision to the one believing. This provision, including both spiritual and natural resources, is available in abundance.

We believe that all who so confess Jesus Christ as Lord and King are part of His kingdom and should live in covenant loyalty with one another. This means laying down their lives for one another, if necessary. On a daily basis, it means learning to love one another in practical ways, forgiving one another, serving one another, and correcting one another in an appropriate fashion when necessary.

God made this New Covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ. When one accepts Jesus as Lord, he pledges his life also to the will of God. Jesus then sends the Holy Spirit to abide in the one believing, thus sealing and guaranteeing the covenant, and writing it in his heart.We believe that all who so confess Jesus Christ at Lord and King are part of His kingdom and should live in covenant loyalty with on another. This means laying down their lives for one another, if necessary. On a daily basis, it means learning to love one another in practical ways, forgiving one another in appropriate fashion when necessary.

VI. CHURCH:

We believe the very nature and purpose of God is revealed in His Church. Jesus came and established it as His Body in the earth. We believe the Church Universal consists of all who confess and live under Jesus’ lordship, while the Church Local is a body of believing people, baptized and joined together, practicing the New Covenant. Since the Church is one, as God is one, the Church Local must seek to walk in harmony with the Church Universal. We believe that Jesus Christ, who is Lord and Head of the Church, has established government and ministry in the Church on earth. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are set in the Church by the Lord to mature it and inspire it to do His work in the earth.

We believe the scriptural norm calls for each local Church to have a plurality of elders or pastors with one pastor presiding. We recognize, however, the validity for variety in Church governments as the Lord may allow other Christian groups.We believe the Lord sets His people in churches, under personal pastoral care for the maturing of character and development of their ministry. We believe the Church should be supported by the tithes and offerings of those committed to its mission. We further believe that when people serve God with a free spirit there is financial abundance to accomplish God’s purpose.

V. COVENANT LIFE:

We believe God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. That is, He has made certain commitments to those who respond to His love and who make certain commitments in faith to Him.His promise of forgiveness and eternal life begins the moment one commits himself to Him. (From His sovereign perspective He knows those who are His.) He is the source of life and all necessary provision to the one believing. This provision, including both spiritual and natural resources, is available in abundance.We believe those who accept His lordship should commit themselves to His will for their lives, and to His appointed pastoral care for them, to love and build up the church as He does. Thus, all those who are in covenant with God are also in covenant with one another.

God made this New Covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ. When one accepts Jesus as Lord, he pledges his life also to the will of God. Jesus then sends the Holy Spirit to abide in the one believing, thus sealing and guaranteeing the covenant, and writing it in his heart. We believe that all who so confess Jesus Christ as Lord and King are part of His kingdom and should live in covenant loyalty with one another. This means laying down their lives for one another, if necessary. On a daily basis, it means learning to love one another in practical ways, forgiving one another, serving one another, and correcting one another in an appropriate fashion when necessary.

VI. CHURCH:

We believe the scriptural norm calls for each local Church to have a plurality of elders or pastors with one pastor presiding. We recognize, however, the validity for variety in Church governments as the Lord may allow other Christian groups. We believe the Lord sets His people in churches, under personal pastoral care for the maturing of character and development of their ministry. We believe the Church should be supported by the tithes and offerings of those committed to its mission. We further believe that when people serve God with a free spirit there is financial abundance to accomplish God’s purpose.

VII. HOLY SPIRIT:

We believe there are many experiences which are valid encounters with God, the Holy Spirit. “Baptism with the Holy Spirit,” “Filled with the Holy Spirit,” and “Anointed with the Holy Spirit” are among those scriptural terms used to describe such encounters with the Holy Spirit. These experiences should produce greater commitment to God’s will, greater realization of His power, and greater education of His Church. We further believe the Holy Spirit imparts gifts or abilities greater than our own to accomplish God’s will. These gifts include miraculous healings, revelations and utterances. These gifts ought to be operative in the Church for the common good, supervised and judged by mature leaders, and ministered in love by Christians whose lives reflect faith and godly character.

VIII. PRIESTHOOD OF THE BELIEVER:

We believe in the priesthood of the believer. By the shedding of His blood, Jesus has become the believer’s high priest and has made it possible for each Christian to have free access to the presence of the Father. In His presence, each one can know God and can receive from Him. Each Christian, likewise, is responsible to come to the Father in confidence and faith as a priest unto Him under the New Covenant and there to minister both the worship of his lips and the worship of his life sacrificially yet freely presented to God.

IX. EVANGELISM:

We believe in world evangelization. We accept the commission of Jesus Christ, who is Lord, to put forth the Gospel and to make disciples to Him in all nations, to baptize them and teach them to observe His commandments. We join with all those believing in Him to complete this divine mandate. We accept this as a personal commission, as well as a corporate Church commission.

X. CHRIST’S RETURN:

We believe Jesus Christ will return to the earth and rule in a visible way. His purpose will be to manifest His government and peace in the earth. Christians are exhorted to be watchful and obedient until His appearing. While there are many viewpoints concerning His second coming, we believe Christians should lovingly look for His appearing, giving full attention to spiritual sensitivity and obedience while He tarries. We believe His appearing will occasion the resurrection of the righteous who have died and are now with Him.

XI. JUDGMENT:

We believe in a final judgment at the end of the age. We believe the righteous and the wicked shall stand before Him and be judged. Those who have a faith producing righteousness will be rewarded with the privilege of ruling with Him and enjoying His eternal friendship and blessings. Those who were rebellious and wicked in relationship to God and man will be eternally separated and punished.

CONCLUSION:

These principles of our faith are foundations for God’s ongoing leadership in our lives. We realize that our statement of faith does not relieve us of the responsibility to live relationally with God by faith. We gratefully acknowledge those who have served Him in ages past and bless them in their eternal state for their faithfulness. We acknowledge those who serve Jesus Christ now, whose doctrinal expressions and life styles are different from our own. We desire to walk in peace with them as brothers and sisters. Our statements are not to be construed as walls, but as doors through which others may communicate with us and we with them. We say ”Amen” to Christ’s own prayer that His church be one as He and the Father are one.