OUR BELIEFS

All humans were made in the image of God and are worthy of love, respect, dignity, and compassion. But we believe marriage and sexual intimacy are good gifts from God and in keeping with Christian teaching through the ages and throughout the Church universal. We believe that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union. We believe that God intends faithfulness in marriage and celibacy in singleness. God created marriage.(Genesis 2:22,24; Matthew 19:5-6; Ephesians 5:31; Leviticus 18:22; Leviticus20:13: Romans 1:24-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9)

We believe that the Ekklesia should live out the Great Commission given by Christ, which is found in Matthew 28:18-20. The Ekklesia represents the Kingdom of God and therefore should influence earthly governance

The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation, together with those who are alive and remain unto the Lord, is 6:23; Titus 2:13; 1 Cor. 15:51,52).

We believe in (a) “that blessed hope” (rapture) and in (b) the personal and visible return ofour Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom. (a) Rapture ̶ Titus 2:11-13; John14; I Thessalonians 4:13-18. (b) Return to earth – Psalm 24; Isaiah 9:6, 24:22-23; Zechariah14:4; Acts 1:10-11; Jude 14-15; Revelation 20.

The revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven, the salvation of national Israel, and the millennial reign of Christ on the earth are Scriptural promises and our hope (2 Thess. 1:7; Rev. 19:11-16; Ro. 11:25; Rev. 20:l-7)

The devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and whosoever is not found written in the Lamb's Book of Life shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake which burns fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Rev. 19:20; 20:10-15).

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and lost. The saved will appear in Heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive rewards and to dwell with Him for all eternity. The lost will be judged at the Great White Throne and cast into eternal hell. John 5:29; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 3:11, 15; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation20:11- 15

We, as promised in the Scriptures, look for a new heavens and a new earth wherein righteousness dwells (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21: l)

We affirm that God is both the Creator and the Judge of all people. We therefore should share his concern for justice and reconciliation throughout human society and for the liberation of men and women from every kind of oppression. Because men and women aremade in the image of God, every person, regardless of race, religion, colour, culture, class, sex or age, has an intrinsic dignity because of which he or she should be respected and served, not exploited. Here too, we express penitence both for our neglect and for having sometimes regarded evangelism and social concern as mutually exclusive. Although reconciliation with other people is not reconciliation with God, nor is social action evangelism, nor is political liberation salvation, nevertheless, we affirm that evangelism and socio-political involvement are both part of our Christian duty. For both are necessary expressions of our doctrines of God and Man, our love for our neighbour and our obedience to Jesus Christ. (Acts 17:26,31; Genesis 18:25; Isaiah 1:17; Psalm 45:7; Genesis 1:26,27;James 3:9; Leviticus 19:18; Luke 6:27,35; James 2:14-26; John 3:3,5; Matthew 5:20; 6:33; 2Corinthians 3:18; James 2:20

We recognize that such a position on women in ministry is sometimes challenged based on certain Scripture passages (1 Tim 2:12, 1 Corinthians 13). However, We believe that all pertinent Scriptures need to be interpreted in the light of their immediate contexts, as well as in the context of Scripture as a whole. We believe that God has progressively revealed in the Scriptures his purpose to call, equip and empower women for full opportunity of ministry in the church. Galatians 3:28 states that in the Christian era “There is neither . . . male nor female.” Further to the cause of Christ, his death, burial, resurrection and ascension, He has positioned the church and gave gifts to his body, some Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher. These offices are not gender based, as his confirmed in Romans 8: 14: The sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. It affirms a position in Christ. This is a general principle of Scripture. Any Scriptures that at first appear to contradict this general statement must be understood in light of the general principle of Galatians 3:28. Clearly the spiritual and heavenly identity proclaimed in Galatians 3:28 has precedence over the earthly, administrative identity. We also look to all the Old and New Testament examples of women pastoring and/or leading on every level.

Just to name a few:Miriam: Prophetess (Exodus 15:20) and leader (Micah 6:4)Deborah: Prophetess, Judge. National Leader (Judges)Huldah: Prophetess (2 Kings 22:14ff.; 2 Chron. 34:22ff.)Female Disciples (Mark 15:40-41; Luke 8:1-3)Mary Magdalene: Brought message of Jesus after resurrection (Mark 16, Matthew 28, Luke24. John 20)Phoebe: Deaconess in charge of spreading the letter of Romans to house churches (Romans16)Priscilla: Lead a house church along with her husband, Aquila. (Romans 16:3-4, Acts 18:26)

We believe that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit, setting forth the essential facts of redemption – the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Baptism also sets forth the essential facts in the experience of the believer – death to sin and resurrection to newness of life. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the Lord’s death until He comes (Matthew 28:19)