GOD’S WORD AS INSPIRED, AUTHORITATIVE AND TRUSTWORTHY. We
believe that the Bible is God’s inspired Word, the authoritative and trustworthy
rule of faith and practice for all Christians from which comes our Tenets of Faith. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2:15)
GOD’S MANIFESTED PRESENCE THROUGH BIBLICAL PRAISE AND WORSHIP.
To enjoy God’s felt-realized presence is our passion as a church. We believe
there is a presence of God available to God’s people as they follow the Biblical
order of worship as seen in the Psalms and birthed in the Tabernacle of David
in the Old Testament. Within this belief is the concept that we as believers are
to be spiritual priests who offer up spiritual sacrifices to God. One of the
primary sacrifices is the “fruit of our lips” or our audible worship given to God.
Biblical worship is spontaneous and demonstrative and is characterized by the
biblical expressions of clapping, shouting, singing, dancing, lifting hands,
bowing and kneeling. (Psalms 22:3, Hebrews 13:15)
THE HOLY SPIRIT’S ACTIVITY IN OUR LIVES AND OUR CHURCH. We welcome
the moving of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the gifts of the Spirit
enumerated in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 are not only for today, but should be
desired, sought after and evidenced in the church. It’s our mission to see every
person functioning in their gifts and callings. If there was ever a time that
these gifts were needed, it is today. We do not believe that these gifts were
only for the early Church 2000 years ago. They are to be a part of the Church
right up to the return of Christ for His Bride. The baptism of the Holy Spirit and
the gifts of the Holy Spirit are part of our basic belief system. (1 Corinthians
12:1-14:39, Ephesians 4:16)
THE LOCAL CHURCH AS THE HOPE OF THE WORLD. We believe that the
Church which began with great power and anointing fully functioning as
God’s instrument in the earth went through a period of serious spiritual and
doctrinal decline through the Middle Ages. Since the days of Martin Luther,
God has been in the process of restoring the Church to her former glory and
power. We believe that God is focusing on building the local church in these
days. While we all recognize and understand that the larger Body of Christ
encompasses all believers, every believer must find himself or herself in right
relationship to God and to a specific local church. We believe that the
extension of the Kingdom of God is the function and ministry of the Church.
The Church, which is composed of both Jew and Gentile, is God’s instrument
in the earth to establish God’s rule and His reign. The Church is the instrument;
the Kingdom is the message. If the Church is going to fulfill its God-given
calling, it must reclaim its primary function of bringing the lost to Christ and
extending the borders of God’s kingdom until the glory of the Lord covers the
earth as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 60:1-5)
THE GENEROUS GIVING OF OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS. We are a church
that is committed to the giving of tithes and offerings. A tithe in the Greek and
Hebrew means a tenth. We believe God wants us to be faithful stewards over
all that we have, and a good steward knows that all their money and
possessions belong to God. Giving a tenth is saying, “Lord, I’m not addicted to
it. It doesn’t have me. I have it.” We believe the tithe is the Lord’s, and goes into
the storehouse where you’re being fed. Offerings are above the tithe and goes
where the Lord directs you. We believe that we are to not only meet the
spiritual needs of people, but also doing whatever we need to do as a local
body to wisely meet the natural physical needs of people; not only to assist
those in our church family with needs, but to also reach out to be a channel of
blessing in our community in many different ways. We will always be generous
in our giving to special speakers, our fathers in the faith, and to missionaries
and those ministering overseas. If we sow bountifully, we will also reap
bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6-10, Malachi 3:8-12)
THE FAMILY – HEALING MARRIAGES AND STRENGTHENING PARENTS. We
believe that at the same time God is restoring His Church, He is also restoring
the natural family to its proper place and function. God is turning the hearts of
the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers. God is
in the process of healing marriages, strengthening parents and teaching men
and women more about their God-given roles. He is doing this because He
wants to use a godly seed in this generation to rise up and destroy the works
of the wicked one. Such a prodigy will need to be parented by those who
understand God’s purpose and have kingdom priorities established in their
life. We express this commitment in our strong emphasis on family in
preaching, teaching, available counseling, standing with and supporting
families who choose any of the following ways to educate their children:
public schools, Christian schools, and home school. (Jeremiah 31:1, Malachi 4:6,
2 Timothy 3:2, Ephesians 6:1-4, Proverbs 22:6)
THE SPIRIT AND PRINCIPLE OF UNITY AND NOT CONFORMITY. Unity may
express itself in a variety of ways but still maintain the same principles and
convictions so as to flow together in accomplishing vision. We believe that we
as a local church should be inclusive and actively seek to include all peoples
of all races, ethnic origins and social and economic standings. The Church of
Jesus Christ is a multi-ethnic group that has within it the seeds for
demolishing the scourge of racial prejudice. God’s purpose is to make all
people into one for the glory of God. We will unite and fellowship with other
Pastors and churches in our region to see John 17 fulfilled, realizing we cannot
do the job by ourselves. We need each other to successfully bring in the
harvest. (Psalm 133:1-3, John 17:1-26, I Corinthians 1:10)
THE HOLINESS OF GOD EXPRESSED IN CHARACTER AND CONDUCT. Holiness
is not legalism that is measured by outward looks, but is a true cleansing of
the believer by the power of the Holy Spirit that is evidenced in Christian
character and conduct. (1 Peter 1:14- 16)
FERVENT PRAYER AS THE PIPELINE THROUGH WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT
MOVES. The voice of prayer is heard as we pray out loud together in our home
prayer groups and pre-service prayer times. This principle of prayer is believed
to be the motor or powerhouse to our church life. Individual praying and
fasting and prayer for the whole church are absolutely essential if the Church
is to succeed. The New Testament Church was birthed in prayer, it continued
steadfast in prayer and bathed all of its activities and ministries in prayer. In
fact, when the Bible labels the Church or the House of God, the label it gives it
is “a house of prayer for all nations”. If that is the name that God has chosen for
His house, prayer should be a major focus of the Church. Prayer is a pipeline
through which the Spirit moves. (2 Chronicles 7:14, James 5:16, Isaiah 56:7)
EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING CONNECTING TO GOD’S WORK. We believe God
deserves the best we have to offer; therefore, we seek to maintain a high
quality of excellence in everything connected to the work of God. We believe
that excellence honors God and inspires people. (Exodus 31:1-3, Colossians
3:23)
RELATIONSHIPS – TO LOVE AND ACCEPT ONE ANOTHER UNCONDITIONALLY.
To love and accept one another unconditionally is our goal as we endeavor to
make this practical through interacting in one-on-one relationships, as well as
small groups, men and women’s Bible studies and accountability groups,
where every believer is encouraged to develop deeper relationships with other
believers that result in encouragement and accountability. We will guard our
hearts and commit to not allow offenses to linger, but we will be quick to ask
forgiveness, forget, and move on! (Psalms 133, Matthew 5:21-26, Matthew
18:15-17)
GODLY CHARACTER AS BEING MORE IMPORTANT THAN CHARISMA. There is
no substitute for godly character in the life of the believer. We hold this value
in highest esteem and filter all other values through this one. Integrity,
uprightness, trustworthiness and transparency are our best foundation stones.
We believe character is more important than charisma. (2 Timothy 2:2, Titus
1:6)
RAISING UP AND RELEASING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS. We
believe that five-fold ministers are to be servant leaders that equip and release
every member of the local congregation to function in their God-ordained
ministry. Our constant goal is to raise up leaders who will become lay ministry
as well as others who will become church planters, and missionaries to the
nations. (Ephesians 4:11-16)
