What We Believe

THE BIBLE is the Word of God and contains one harmonious and sufficiently complete system of doctrine. We believe in the full inspiration of the Word of God (II Timothy 3:16). We hold the Word of God to be the only authority in all matters and assert that no doctrine can be true or essential, if it does not find a place in this Word.

THE FATHER-We believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Author and Creator of all things. The Old Testament reveals God in diverse manners, by manifesting his nature, character, and dominions. The Gospels in the New Testament give us knowledge of God the “Father” or “My Father”, showing the relationship of God to Jesus as Father, or representing Him as the Father in the Godhead (I John 5:7), and Jesus himself that Son (St. John 17:21, 14:20). Jesus also gives God the distinction of “Fatherhood” to all believers when he explains God in the light of “Your Father in Heaven” (St. Matthew 6:8).

THE SON-We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Second person in the Godhead of the Trinity or Triune Godhead (I John 5:7). We believe that Jesus was and is eternal in his person and nature as the Son of God who was with God in the beginning of creation (St. John 1:1). We believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin called Mary according to the scripture (St. Matthew 1:18), thus giving rise to our fundamental belief in the Virgin Birth and to all of the miraculous events surrounding the phenomenon (St. Matthew 1:18-25). Jesus Christ gives us peace with God and has granted us access to God by the Holy Ghost (Ephesians 2:13-18). We believe that Jesus Christ became the “suffering servant” to man; this suffering servant came seeking to redeem man from sin and to reconcile him back to God, his Father (Romans 5:10). We believe that Jesus Christ is standing now as mediator between God and man (I Timothy 2:5). We believe that Jesus Christ the Son of God should be honored as the Father (John 5:22, 23) as all judgment has been committed unto him.

THE HOLY GHOST-We believe the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity (I John 5:7), proceeds from the Father and the Son, is of the same substance, equal to power and glory, and is together with the Father and the Son, to be believed in, obeyed, and worshipped. The Holy Ghost is a gift bestowed upon the believer for the purpose of equipping and empowering the believer, making him a more effective witness for service in the world. He teaches and guides one into all truth (John 16:13; Acts 1:8).

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST-We believe that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is an experience subsequent to conversion and sanctification and that tongue-speaking is the consequence of the baptism in the Holy Ghost with the manifestations of the fruit of the spirit (Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-48, 19:1-6; Galatians 5:22-23). When one receives a baptismal Holy Ghost experience, we believe one will speak with a tongue unknown to oneself according to the sovereign will of Christ. To be filled with the Spirit means to be Spirit controlled as expressed by Paul in Ephesians 5:18-19. Since the charismatic demonstrations were necessary to help the early church to be successful in implementing the command of Christ, we therefore, believe that a Holy Ghost experience is mandatory for all men today.

STATE OF MAN-We believe that man was created holy by God, composed of body and soul. We believe that man, by nature, is sinful and unholy (Romans 5:12; Psalm 51:5). Being born in sin, he needs to be born again (John 3:3,5-7), sanctified and cleansed from all sins by the blood of Jesus (Ephesians 1:13; Philippians 2:15; I Thessalonians 5:23). We believe that man is saved by confessing and forsaking his sins (I John 1:9, 3:5-7), and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9,10), and that having become a child of God (John 1:12; I John 3:1-3), by being born again and adopted into the family of God, he may, and should, claim the inheritance of the sons of God, namely the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

SIN-The Bible teaches sin began in the angelic world (Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 14:12-20), and is transmitted into the blood of the human race through disobedience and deception motivated by unbelief (I Timothy 2:14). Adam’s sin, committed by eating of the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, carried with it permanent pollution or depraved human nature to all his descendants. Sin is defined as a willful transgression against God and a lack of conformity to the will of God. We, therefore, conclude that man by nature, is sinful and that he has fallen from a glorious and righteous state from which he was created, and has become unrighteous and unholy. Man, therefore, must be restored to his state of holiness from which he has fallen by being born again (St. John 3:7).

SALVATION-Salvation deals with the application of the work of redemption to the sinner with his restoration to divine favor and communion with God. This redemptive operation of the Holy Ghost upon sinners is brought about by repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ which brings conversion, faith, justification, regeneration, sanctification, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Repentance is the work of God, which results in a change of mind in respect to man’s relationship to God. (St. Matthew 3:1-2, 4:17; Acts 20:21). Faith is a certain conviction wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, as to the truth of the Gospel and a trust in the promises of God through Jesus Christ (Romans 1:17, 3:28; St. Matthew 9:22; Acts 26:18).
Conversion is that act of God whereby He causes the regenerated sinner, in his conscious life, to turn to Him in repentance and faith (II Kings 5:15; II Chronicles 33:12-13; St. Luke 19:8, 9; Acts 8:30).
Regeneration is that act of God by which the principle of the new life is implanted in man, and the governing disposition of soul is made holy and the first holy exercise of this new disposition is secured.
Sanctification is that gracious and continuous operation of the Holy Ghost, by which He delivers the justified sinner from the pollution of sin, renews his whole nature in the image of God and enables him to perform good works (Romans 6:4;5:6; Colossians 2:12; 3:1).

THE CHURCH-The Church forms a spiritual unity of believers of which Christ is the divine head. It is animated by one Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. It professes one faith, shares one hope, and serves one King. It is the citadel of the truth and God’s agency for communicating to believers all spiritual blessings. The Church then is the object of our faith rather than of knowledge. The word “CHURCH” or “EKKLESIA” was first applied to the Christian society by Jesus Christ in St. Matthew 16:18, the occasion being that of his benediction of Peter at Caesarea Philippi.

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST-We believe in the second coming of Christ; that He shall come from heaven to earth, personally, bodily, visibly (Acts 1:11; Titus 2:11-13; Matthew 16:27; 24:37-44; Luke 21:27) and that the Church, the bride, will be caught up to meet Him in the air (I Thessalonians, 4:16-17). We admonish all who have this hope to purify themselves as He is pure.

DIVINE HEALING– We believes in, exercises, and has witnessed Divine Healing. It is a commandment of Jesus to the Apostles (St. Mark 16:18). Jesus affirms his teachings on healing by explaining to His disciples, who were to be Apostles, that healing the afflicted is by faith (St. Luke 9:40-41). Therefore, we believe that healing by faith in God has scriptural support and ordained authority. St. James’ writings in his epistle encourage Elders to pray for the sick, lay hands upon them and to anoint them with oil, and that prayer of faith shall heal the sick and the Lord shall raise them up (James 5:14,15). Healing is still practiced widely and frequently and testimonies of healing in our Church testify to this fact.

THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH

It is generally admitted that for an ordinance to be valid, it must have been instituted by Christ. When we speak of ordinances of the church, we are speaking of those instituted by Christ, in which by sensible signs the grace of God in Christ, and the benefits of the covenant of grace are represented, sealed, and applied to believers, and these in turn give expression to their faith and allegiance to God. We recognize three ordinances as having been instituted by Christ himself and therefore, binding upon the church practice.

1. THE LORD’S SUPPER (HOLY COMMUNION)

The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ on the night before He died that confirms the covenant made with God through the blood of Jesus Christ. It is a fulfillment of the eternal covenant of the Passover feast which God commanded the Israelites to observe. The first communion was given to Abraham, by Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, consisting of bread and wine (Genesis14:18). Jesus Christ, was “made an High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:20). We believe that the Lord’s Supper should be administered to all believers that have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and that are filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues (I Corinthians 11:23-30). Also we believe that no one should partake in this sacred ordinance unworthily (I Corinthians 11:28-30).

The bread represents the broken body of Jesus Christ, and the wine represents the blood that He shed for our redemption. We believe that water should not be served as blood, but wine only should be served. The Lord’s Supper may be administered as often as one deems necessary (I Corinthians 11:25-27), in order to avoid administering the Lord’s Supper as a monthly ritual or pious habit that no longer represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and loses its significance as the redemption of our sins.

Note: We recognize the Lord’s Supper to be the highest sacrament given to the New Testament church directly from the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we advise that all Pastors prepare believers for the Lord’s Supper prior to the date of sacrament in the following manner; repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, confession, consecration, fasting, and praying weeks before the actual administration of the sacrament.

2. FOOT WASHING

We believe that foot washing is a part of the Lord’s Supper and should at no time be left out, except in certain circumstances, as our Lord Himself gave an example on the night of the sacrificial supper. We believe it symbolizes humility and brotherly love to each other (St. John 13:13-15). The procedure for foot washing shall be followed by each pastor as given in St. John 13:2-5.

3. WATER BAPTISM

We believe that water baptism is an ordinance of the church and that it symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We further believe that it is a public confession and sign of a true follower of Jesus Christ. We believe that water baptism should be administered in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19- “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” This may sound contradictory to some, but at this time Jesus had not ascended into heaven, therefore Jesus always gave reverence and made reference unto God as His Heavenly Father prior to His crucifixion and ascension. When Jesus instructed his disciples how to pray, he said, “When thou pray, say Our Father.” This phrase is indicative of God’s majesty, glory, and holiness which Jesus never failed to acknowledge before His crucifixion.

After Jesus was crucified, we find not one reference where the disciples carried out a single act in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Acts 1:2 gives us to know that He directed his disciples through the Holy Ghost. The disciples used the name of the Lord Jesus. Colossians 3:17 – “And whatsoever ye do in words or deeds do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” This the disciples did according to Acts 2:38, Acts 8:19, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5, Romans 6:4, and Ephesians 1:22; 3:14,15.