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- We believe the Scriptures to
be the inspired and inerrant word of God, and as such, they are revelation
from God to man, the infallible rule of faith and conduct. (1Tim. 3:16; 1
Peter 2:2.)
We believe in one God, eternal and self-existent,
self-revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29;
ls.43: 10-11; Matt. 28:19.) - We believe that Yahshua Jesus Christ
is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Ghost and born
of the virgin, Mary. (John 1:1,14; Matt. 1: 18; Luke 1:26-27; Luke 2:7;
1Tim. 2:5.)
- We believe that Jesus Christ
died on the cross and shed His blood as a sacrifice for our sins; He arose
bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right
hand of the Majesty on High. (1 Pet. 2:24; Heb. 9:11-14; 1 Cor. 15:3-8;
Acts 2:32-36; Heb. 10:12.)
- We believe in the ministry of
the Holy Spirit to glorify Christ, to convict men of sin, righteousness,
and judgment, and to empower the believer. (John 15:26, John 16:8, 14;
Acts 1 :8.)
- We believe that man was
created in the image of God, but fell into sin. (Gen. 1:26-31; Gen. 3:1-7,
Rom. 5: 12-21.)
- We believe that man can be
justified only by grace through per personal faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ. (Eph. 4:11-12; Rom. 3:24-28.)
- We believe that water baptism
identifies us with the death and burial of Christ, and that we should
arise to walk in newness of life. (Rom.6:3-9; 1Pet. 3:21.)
- We believe that the true
Church is composed of such persons who, through saving faith in Jesus
Christ, have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. (1 Pet.2.4-5;
Eph.2:19-22.)
- We believe in the personal,
literal, second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to judge both the quick
and the dead. (Thess. 4:16; Heb 9:27; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; Rev. 20:11-15; Acts
24:15.)
- We believe in the bodily
resurrection of all the dead. (Acts 24:15; 1 Cor. 15:35-44; Rev.20:11-15.)
- We believe in everlasting
blessedness for the believer, with judgment and everlasting punishment for
the unbeliever. (Matt. 7:21-23; Rev. 20:11-15; John 5:29.)
- We believe that Christ wants
the members of His Church to carry the Gospel into all the world. (Matt.
28:18-20; Acts 1:8.)
- We believe that the Holy
Spirit is at work today within the Church through His gifts, fruit, and
anointed ministers. (Acts 2:39; Rom. 12:6-8; I Cor. 12;1-11; Gal. 5:22-23;
Eph. 4:11; I Cor. 12:28.)
- We believe that the gifts of
the Holy Spirit are given to every believer and need to be activated and
exercised to fulfill their Divine purpose of blessing the Body of Christ.
(Acts 2:39; Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:1-11; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 4:11; I
Cor.12:28.)
- We believe in the baptism of
the Holy Spirit wherein the Spirit is sent to gift each believer with
their own private prayer/ praise language used to edify themselves, and
that such a baptism empowers the believer to be effective for Christ.
(Acts 1:8; Acts 2:39; 1Cor. 14:2; Jude 20; 1Cor. 14:18; Acts 19:1-6.)
- We believe in Divine healing
of the body as part of the atoning work of Jesus Christ. This healing can
be received and also ministered to others by various gifts. (1 Cor
12:8-10; Matt.8:16-17; 1 Pet. 2:24)
- We believe in perfecting and
equipping the saints so they can enter in the functions of the fivefold
ministry which were given into the work of their ministry thereby edifying
the whole Body of Christ. (Eph.4:11-16; I Cor 12:28.)
- We believe in the present-day
ministries of the apostles and prophets which Christ has set in the Church
as foundational and revelational ministries.
- We believe these two
ministries will be restored to function in full power and authority before
the literal second coming of Christ. (Eph. 2:20, Acts 3:2 1.)
- We believe that the Church of
Jesus Christ is God's instrument to establish and extend God's Kingdom
until the literal coming of Christ to reign over all the earth.
(Rev.11:15.)
- We believe in the full
restoration of the corporate Body of Christ. (Acts 3:21)
- We believe in proclaiming
present-truth for the purpose of establishing dynamic, growing local
churches, building on the foundational ministries of the apostles and
prophets.
- We believe in the autonomy of
each local church and that itinerant ministries should be based out of and
related to a local church with accountability to a senior minister. (Acts
13:1; Acts 15.)
- We believe that the Church is
the Body of Christ expressed as the church individual, the church local,
and the church universal and invisible. As such, we believe the Church to
be more than just a building or a gathering of people. It is a Body living
in relationship and harmony under direction of the Head, Jesus Christ.
(1Cor.6.15; 11Cor. 1:1; Rom. 16:5, 1 Pet. 2:4-5, Eph.2:19-22, I Cor.
12:12-31 Rom. 12:4-5; Eph. 4:11-16.)
- We believe in church
discipline administered within the relational group in a spirit of
meekness and confidentiality. The purpose of such discipline is the
restoration of the one subject to the discipline and/or the purification
of the relational group. The steps are: one on one private confrontation,
private confrontation with witnesses, and finally, exposure to the
relational group for judgment leading to restoration or separation. (Matt.
18:15-20; Gal. 6:1; ROM. 16:17; 11 John 9-11; I Cor. 5; 11Cor. 2:6-8,
1Tim. 5:20.)We believe as members of the same Body of Christ, baptized by
one Spirit into one Body, that we must endeavor to keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace, and as such, that we should not bring a
lawsuit against another Christian individual or ministry unless all
scriptural principles have been complied with thorough efforts of
mediation.
- We believe that all such
disputes should be resolved within the Body of Christ without taking them
before unbelievers for judgment. (I Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:36.)
- We believe that God speaks
today. There are at least five avenues of prophecy by which God speaks to
His people. They are the office of the prophet, prophetic preaching,
prophetic presbyters, the gift of prophecy, and the spirit of prophecy.
All five avenues are received and encouraged in this association of
churches.
- We believe that hearing from
God, both individually as members and corporately as a church and
association of churches, through prophecy or any other biblical means
chosen by God to communicate, is essential to our faith and walk with God.
Prophecy and prophetic utterance is only one method of discerning God's
will and direction. It is recognized that the methods or avenues of
prophecy will not always be 100 percent accurate. Actions should not be
taken on the basis of prophetic words alone without other confirmation.
- We believe that prophetic
presbytery serves the purpose in the Body of Christ in activating,
establishing, releasing, commissioning, and ordaining gifts to their
office, function, and place of relationship and/or leadership. (1 Cor.
14:3, Eph.4:11; Eph. 2:20; 1Tim. 4:14; Acts 13:1-3; Titus 1:5; Rom. 12:6;
1 Pet.4:10; 1 Cor. 14:39; 1 Cor. 14:1; 1 Thess. 5:19-21; 1Tim. 5:22;
11Tim. 1:6.)
- We believe that in all
matters concerning the Body of Christ, in its direction, discipline,
ministry, and functioning; that specific guidance and instruction,
revelation, and discernment of truth from falsehood, is available, by the
leading of the Holy Spirit, who enables us to know spiritual things by the
Spirit. (Acts 13:1-3, 1 Tim. 1:18; Rom. 8:14; 1 Tim. 5: 22; John 16:13-15;
1Cor. 5:3)
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