A very normal question arises when people meet us: they want to know what denomination (sect) in Christianity we are and what our doctrinal statement is. These are common and expected ways religious groups have of identifying and labeling themselves. Perhaps the following will serve as an answer to that type of question.
We are not affiliated with any denomination, non-denomination, or inter-denomination of the Christian faith, but seek only, under the Headship of Christ Jesus, to be in fellowship with the Godhead and the saints. Our hearts are open to God’s entire people that desire to be ready for the soon return of our Lord.
You will find it difficult, if not impossible, to fit us into any religious category. We actively acknowledge Christ Jesus as the Head of His Body, the Church and look to Him to feed the sheep from the Word as we have need. Our "doctrinal statement" is the Bible. The Bible stands as a testimony, both old and new, of the living God as represented by Jesus the Christ.
Even Paul, with all the revelation he had, said, "We know in part, and we prophecy in part." (I Cor. 13:9). Proverbs 4:18 says, "The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day." The mistake men have made has been to establish rigid systems of doctrinal interpretation and practice out of their partial understanding and in so doing have created sects. Thus we have, at the least, hundreds of doctrinal systems at serious variance with one another and keep the siants from fellowship with Him and each other. What shall we believe? Which set of "religious glasses" shall we use when we hear the Holy Spirit or read the Bible?
Religion wants to fit us with glasses; the Lord Jesus wants to open our eyes to see His truth. Religion, if it shows us the Living Word at all, shows it to us through a filter of tradition and/or interpretation. The Lord wants us to be free to preach, believe, and live the Living Word as He is. What happens with doctrinal traditions and/or interpretations is that they become a substitute for the Word Himself. Instead of a priesthood of all believers being called and taught by the Lord to minister as He reveals and anoints, they are indoctrinated and trained to become defenders and promoters of their tradition. Even where they may believe some true things, all to often, the truth is dead and ineffective.
With this in mind, We offer this as a proposed Statement of Faith. The basic principles for rule and discipline of the church as well as for its articles of faith are recorded in the Word of God and brought to light and life by God Holy Spirit. Any statement of faith or operating policy should be in harmony with those principles. Based on this premise: That the Word of God is the truth therefore WE BELIEVE:
1. In One God, creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in Three Persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
2. That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, truly God and truly Man, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross, a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was resurrected bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven where at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Advocate.
3. That the ministry of the Holy Spirit, fully God and Teacher and Guide in this age of grace to all men, is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. He is working in the regeneration of sinners, the sanctification of believers, to indwell, instruct and empower for godly living and Christian service.
4. That the Scriptures (Bible), both Old and New Testaments, are the divine inspired Word of God, the complete revelation of His Will for the salvation of men, and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.
5. That man was created in the image of God, but through disobedience he became a lost sinner, and only through regeneration can salvation and reconciliation with God be obtained through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
6. That the one and true Church is composed of all redeemed persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ are united together in the one body of Christ of which He is the Head and His Spirit inhabits and directs the church and its members. We believe in the royal priesthood of believers and in the exercise of spiritual gifts in the church with signs and wonders following believers to confirm the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
7. That water baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper are ordinances to be observed by the church. They are, however, not to be regarded as the means of salvation. The washing of feet is observed as exemplified by our Lord.
8. In the Kingdom of God as proclaimed and established by our Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry, and as taught and perpetuated by His apostles.
9. In the foundational truths of repentance from dead works, faith toward God, the doctrine of baptisms, of the laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
10. We believe in the Personal Second Coming of Christ. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment of all mankind, the eternal reward and everlasting life of the believers and the eternal judgment of the unbelievers.
STATEMENT OF MISSION
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