 “The problems are not the communities’ problems—they’re our problems! They’re not the government’s problems. The government can’t fix the problems because—although it may have a little bit of money—it has no love. Money does not solve problems. Love does! And if the government does it, God does not get the glory. But when the church does it with love, God gets the glory.”
Gary
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Our Core Beliefs
SummaryWe believe that Jesus is King and His primary agenda is to advance the Kingdom of God by making disciples of all nations. The key agent in this task is the local church, ministering wholistically and incarnationally, and always operating intentionally from the biblical worldview.
We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4; Luke 3:21-22). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Dan. 7:13-14; Eph. 1:20-22; Phil. 2:9-11; Rev. 19:16). We proclaim with the prophet Isaiah: “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.” (Isaiah 9:7) His primary agenda is to advance the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:9-10) We believe Christ’s purpose is to establish and advance His Kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.” (Gen. 12:1-3; Matt. 6:9-10; Matt. 6:33; Matt. 9:35; Luke 4:43; Gal. 3:8) This Kingdom comes as a worldwide reality and exists wherever the Lordship of Jesus is acknowledged in repentance, faith, and obedience to His revealed will. (Isaiah 9:6-7) The Kingdom is a present reality. It offers present hope for substantial healing and restoration, though its fullness is yet to come. (Matt. 13:33; Luke 11:20; Luke 16:16; Luke 22:15-26; Rev. 11:15; Rev. 21:1-2, 23-26) The ministry of the church must be wholistic (Colossians 1:19-20) We believe God is Lord of all. Therefore, His redemptive concern is comprehensive. He seeks to bring healing and resoration to all things by means of Christ’s shed blood on the cross. (Gen. 1:31a; Rom. 8:18-23; Col. 1:19-20) The Kingdom advances as local churches reflect God’s comprehensive, redemptive concern for the whole of creation. (Matt. 4:23; Luke 4:18-21) Therefore the ministry of the local church must be wholistic. It must minister to whole persons; spiritual, physical, social, and mental. Further, it must encompass their relationships with God, with others, and with creation. Ansewrs to questions such as these should set the agenda for the local church: What would our village look like if Christ were chief? What would our city look like if Christ were mayor? What would our nation look like if Christ were King, President, or Prime Minister? The ministry of the church must be incarnational (John 17:15-19) We believe the church is the body of Christ, just as Jesus was God in human flesh. The church manifests Christ as it ministers in the midst of the broken world. (John 1:14; Rom. 13:14a; Eph. 5:1; Phil. 2:5-8) Christ’s compassion, love, sacrificial service, and humble obedience should be clearly reflected as the watching world looks at the church. The God head is a community; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Therefore, God’s nature and character are more clearly manifested in the world as the church lives out the Kingdom life in incarnational community. (Eph. 4:11-13) The local church must operate intentionally from the biblical worldview (Colossians 1:15-18) We believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible, powerful, and authoritative Word of God. (John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Bible presents a comprehensive worldview, revealing God’s truth to all peoples about the nature of ultimate reality, the source of evil, the origin and nature of the physical universe, the meaning and purpose of human life, and the goal of history. Christ’s disciples must be transformed by the biblical worldview. They must have their minds renewed by actively putting off false worldviews; distortions of the truth that Satan uses to enslave individuals and nations. (Matt. 22:37; Rom. 1:18-23; Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Col. 2:6-8; 1 Peter 1:13) The discipleship of nations requires that Christ’s followers allow the biblical worldview to enlighten every area of their lives and carry it outward into every sphere of society. (Isaiah 11:9b; Matt. 28:18-20; John 8:31-32) By making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) We believe the Kingdom advances as individuals hear and accept the Gospel by faith, are born again, and experience inward regeneration and transformation, expressed by their obedience to “all I have commanded.” Nations are discipled as the church makes the Kingdom visible within its culture, by faithfully obeying God’s Word in every area of life and every realm of society, including the family, community, arts, science, media, law, government, education, and business. (Gen. 1:26-28; Col. 1:18b). His key agent in this task is the local church (Ephesians 3:9-11) We believe the church (the body and bride of Christ) is God’s principally ordained agent in advancing the Kingdom of God. (Matt. 16:18-19; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 3:8-11) The present expression of the universal church is the living, worldwide body of redeemed people who have placed their faith in the person and work of Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins, have been adopted as children of God, and have been given the Spirit of God as a pledge of their inheritance. (Eph. 2:14-22; 1 Peter 2:9-10) The local church is an intentional, community-based expression of the universal church. It meets regularly for worship, fellowship, teaching, equipping, and deployment for service. Each local church is called to live as the incarnate Body of Christ. As the church follows its Head, the message of the Kingdom becomes credible within the church’s community of service. Nations are discipled as local churches send their members into every sphere of society. Acting as agents of transformation, these members use their skills and God-given gifts for ministry and service to others. By lifestyle and intentional action, they promote the reign of Christ in each of their respective spheres. (Eph. 4:11-13) |