We profess the following
corporately and individually:
corporately and individually:
The Triune God
God the Father, YHWH Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth;
Jesus the Messiah (Christ), the Son of Man and the Son of God,
only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth (John 1:14), fully human and fully God in one person, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of Virgin Mary (Luke 1:31-35), who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the only person by whom we can approach God (John 14:6) and be saved (Acts 4:12); and
The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth and life (John 14:17; Romans 8:2), our Helper and Comforter (John 14:16, 26), who proceeds from the Father (John 14:26) sent by Jesus our Lord (John 15:26);
Jesus the Messiah (Christ), the Son of Man and the Son of God,
only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth (John 1:14), fully human and fully God in one person, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of Virgin Mary (Luke 1:31-35), who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the only person by whom we can approach God (John 14:6) and be saved (Acts 4:12); and
The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth and life (John 14:17; Romans 8:2), our Helper and Comforter (John 14:16, 26), who proceeds from the Father (John 14:26) sent by Jesus our Lord (John 15:26);
The First Coming of Jesus our Lord
The first coming of Jesus our Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit
(Luke 4:14) and the Kingdom of God at hand (Mark 1:15);
His ministry of healing, restoration, deliverance and miracles
(Luke 4:18; Matt 4:24);
His crucifixion, death (Luke 23) and bodily resurrection on
the third day (Luke 24) by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11)
for the forgiveness of sin of the world (John 1:29),
reconciling to the Father
those who repent and believe in Him (Romans 5:10);
His ransom for us (Matt 20:28) and
His victory over sin, death, Satan and all demons,
putting them to public shame
(Romans 5:18; 2 Timothy 1:10; Colossians 2:15); and
His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Acts 7:56),
where He intercedes for us (Romans 8:34);
(Luke 4:14) and the Kingdom of God at hand (Mark 1:15);
His ministry of healing, restoration, deliverance and miracles
(Luke 4:18; Matt 4:24);
His crucifixion, death (Luke 23) and bodily resurrection on
the third day (Luke 24) by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11)
for the forgiveness of sin of the world (John 1:29),
reconciling to the Father
those who repent and believe in Him (Romans 5:10);
His ransom for us (Matt 20:28) and
His victory over sin, death, Satan and all demons,
putting them to public shame
(Romans 5:18; 2 Timothy 1:10; Colossians 2:15); and
His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Acts 7:56),
where He intercedes for us (Romans 8:34);
The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Pentecost (Acts 2) and
the subsequent baptisms of the Holy Spirit
(Acts 1:5, 4:8, 8:17, 9:17, 10:44-45, 19:6; Galatians 3:2),
by which the Holy Spirit now dwells with us (John 14:16)
and in us (Romans 8:11) as a seal
for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30);
His ongoing sanctification of the saints that sets us free
and gives us life (Romans 6:18, 8:2, 8:11);
The continued exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit
(1 Corinthians 12), which are given irrevocably (Romans 11:29)
as the Spirit wills (1 Corinthians 12:11)
for the common good of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7),
and the maturity of which is evidenced
by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:18-25); and
The continued mandate, initially given to the twelve (Matthew 10) then to the seventy-two (Luke 10), for ALL the saints
to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons and proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 10:7), making disciples of all nations and baptizing them (Matthew 28:19),
for which Jesus commanded us to wait for the Holy Spirit
to receive His power (Acts 1:4-8) and
confirms by the accompanying signs (Mark 16:20);
the subsequent baptisms of the Holy Spirit
(Acts 1:5, 4:8, 8:17, 9:17, 10:44-45, 19:6; Galatians 3:2),
by which the Holy Spirit now dwells with us (John 14:16)
and in us (Romans 8:11) as a seal
for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30);
His ongoing sanctification of the saints that sets us free
and gives us life (Romans 6:18, 8:2, 8:11);
The continued exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit
(1 Corinthians 12), which are given irrevocably (Romans 11:29)
as the Spirit wills (1 Corinthians 12:11)
for the common good of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7),
and the maturity of which is evidenced
by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:18-25); and
The continued mandate, initially given to the twelve (Matthew 10) then to the seventy-two (Luke 10), for ALL the saints
to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons and proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 10:7), making disciples of all nations and baptizing them (Matthew 28:19),
for which Jesus commanded us to wait for the Holy Spirit
to receive His power (Acts 1:4-8) and
confirms by the accompanying signs (Mark 16:20);
The Second Coming of Jesus our Lord
The second coming of Jesus our Lord,
the consummation of the marriage supper of the Lamb and the Kingdom of God yet to come (Revelations 19; John 14:2);
The destruction of all evil, demons and even death
(1 Corinthians 15:24-25; Revelations 20:10);
The bodily resurrection (Revelations 20:4-5) and
the judgment of all the living and the dead (Revelations 20:11-15); and
The restoration of the new heaven and the new earth,
and the new Jerusalem
where God will dwell with us (Revelations 21);
the consummation of the marriage supper of the Lamb and the Kingdom of God yet to come (Revelations 19; John 14:2);
The destruction of all evil, demons and even death
(1 Corinthians 15:24-25; Revelations 20:10);
The bodily resurrection (Revelations 20:4-5) and
the judgment of all the living and the dead (Revelations 20:11-15); and
The restoration of the new heaven and the new earth,
and the new Jerusalem
where God will dwell with us (Revelations 21);
The Word of God
The word of YHWH God,
revealed by the prophets, spoken by Jesus,
inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16),
and canonized in the Bible (the Scriptures),
is inerrant (Psalm 19:7-8; Luke 21:33) and profitable
for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness
(2 Timothy 3:16); and
Our God speaks (Genesis 1:3; John 10:27)
and continues to speak today (Acts 9),
by the Scriptures and by His prophets
(Acts 11:27-30, 20:27, 21:10-11, 26:27)
for He desires that the people of God live by every word
that comes from the mouth of God
(Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4);
revealed by the prophets, spoken by Jesus,
inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16),
and canonized in the Bible (the Scriptures),
is inerrant (Psalm 19:7-8; Luke 21:33) and profitable
for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness
(2 Timothy 3:16); and
Our God speaks (Genesis 1:3; John 10:27)
and continues to speak today (Acts 9),
by the Scriptures and by His prophets
(Acts 11:27-30, 20:27, 21:10-11, 26:27)
for He desires that the people of God live by every word
that comes from the mouth of God
(Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4);
The Church
The Church is the body of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:12)
and the bride of Jesus Christ, the beloved of the Lord,
for whom He gave himself so that He might present her as holy and blameless (Ephesians 5:24-25, 27);
The Church is not an institution nor an organization
but the people of God with the presence of God in their midst,
called to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation
(Exodus 19:6), starting from the garden of Eden,
exemplified by the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38),
the first Temple (1 Kings 8:10-11, 8:14, 9:3-9),
the New Testament Church, and the New Jerusalem (Revelations 21:3);
At the heart of the covenantal relationship between YHWH our God and the people of God is worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), and
the people of God are called to love YWHW our God with all our heart (emotion), mind (intellect) and strength (will) -
that is with all of our soul (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27), and follow Him in obedience,
in so doing we abide in Jesus our Lord (John 15:10) ;
The Church is commanded by Jesus to love one another sacrificially, even as Jesus has loved us (John 13:34, 15:12-13),
giving witness to the world that we are His (John 13:35); and
Jesus our Lord gave to the Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers to equip the saints into ministry
and to build up the Church for the purpose of
achieving unity of the faith and
of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord
unto spiritual maturity (Ephesians 4:11-13).
and the bride of Jesus Christ, the beloved of the Lord,
for whom He gave himself so that He might present her as holy and blameless (Ephesians 5:24-25, 27);
The Church is not an institution nor an organization
but the people of God with the presence of God in their midst,
called to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation
(Exodus 19:6), starting from the garden of Eden,
exemplified by the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38),
the first Temple (1 Kings 8:10-11, 8:14, 9:3-9),
the New Testament Church, and the New Jerusalem (Revelations 21:3);
At the heart of the covenantal relationship between YHWH our God and the people of God is worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), and
the people of God are called to love YWHW our God with all our heart (emotion), mind (intellect) and strength (will) -
that is with all of our soul (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27), and follow Him in obedience,
in so doing we abide in Jesus our Lord (John 15:10) ;
The Church is commanded by Jesus to love one another sacrificially, even as Jesus has loved us (John 13:34, 15:12-13),
giving witness to the world that we are His (John 13:35); and
Jesus our Lord gave to the Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers to equip the saints into ministry
and to build up the Church for the purpose of
achieving unity of the faith and
of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord
unto spiritual maturity (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Discipleship
Discipleship is NOT a program or a curriculum
but an IDENTITY we choose to be: a FOLLOWER of Jesus.
Jesus met people where they were at, but He was NOT content to
"walk with them" wherever they were; Jesus consistently CALLED people
to leave what they were doing to follow Him (Matthew 4:19);
Discipleship starts with an encounter with Jesus, and
Jesus consistently heals them, forgives them of their sins and commands them to "sin no more" (Luke 5:17-20; John 5:14, 8:11);
Jesus' invitation to follow Him was always a costly invitation -
one that requires denying oneself and taking up the cross;
"For whoever would save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it;"
the path of discipleship is by necessity a path of the cross
(Matthew 16:24-25);
Some left their livelihood and careers immediately, even leaving behind loved ones (Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 5:11, 5:28);
Some were called to forsake their wealth (Matthew 19:21, 19:29);
"What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and
forfeits his soul?
What shall a man give in return for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26);
"Many are called, but few [have] chosen" (Matthew 22:14)
Jesus Himself only did what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19); Similarly, Jesus called the disciples to do the things that He did -
heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons (Matthew 10:7-8; Luke 9:1-2, 10:9);
As His last command, He told the disciples to be disciple-makers and to "teach them to observe all that I have commanded you"
(Matthew 28:19-20);
We can't be disciple-makers unless we are first disciples ourselves,
following Jesus and doing what He is doing;
As Apostle Paul said, the call of discipleship is
"follow me, as I follow Christ"
(1 Corinthians 11:1).
but an IDENTITY we choose to be: a FOLLOWER of Jesus.
Jesus met people where they were at, but He was NOT content to
"walk with them" wherever they were; Jesus consistently CALLED people
to leave what they were doing to follow Him (Matthew 4:19);
Discipleship starts with an encounter with Jesus, and
Jesus consistently heals them, forgives them of their sins and commands them to "sin no more" (Luke 5:17-20; John 5:14, 8:11);
Jesus' invitation to follow Him was always a costly invitation -
one that requires denying oneself and taking up the cross;
"For whoever would save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it;"
the path of discipleship is by necessity a path of the cross
(Matthew 16:24-25);
Some left their livelihood and careers immediately, even leaving behind loved ones (Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 5:11, 5:28);
Some were called to forsake their wealth (Matthew 19:21, 19:29);
"What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and
forfeits his soul?
What shall a man give in return for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26);
"Many are called, but few [have] chosen" (Matthew 22:14)
Jesus Himself only did what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19); Similarly, Jesus called the disciples to do the things that He did -
heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons (Matthew 10:7-8; Luke 9:1-2, 10:9);
As His last command, He told the disciples to be disciple-makers and to "teach them to observe all that I have commanded you"
(Matthew 28:19-20);
We can't be disciple-makers unless we are first disciples ourselves,
following Jesus and doing what He is doing;
As Apostle Paul said, the call of discipleship is
"follow me, as I follow Christ"
(1 Corinthians 11:1).