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Statement of Faith
I. The Faith of the Church
The Only True Everlasting God: Existing from eternity past (Revelation 4:8), since the beginning (Psalm 90:2, Exodus 3:14), the Triune, ever-living true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9)—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14, Revelation 4:9). He created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1) and upholds all things (Hebrews 1:3).
The Deity of Christ: Jesus Christ is God's only begotten, beloved Son (John 3:16, Luke 1:31). All things were created through Him (John 1:3). He became flesh (John 1:14), was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Matthew 1:20), lived a sinless life on earth (Hebrews 4:15), died on the cross to redeem our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3, Colossians 2:14), resurrected from the dead (Romans 1:4), ascended to heaven with glory (Hebrews 1:3), and will return in glory and power (Revelation 1:7, Matthew 24:30).
The Ministry of the Holy Spirit: The Lord Jesus ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9) and poured out the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:2-4). Through His indwelling (John 14:16), He convicts people of sin and regenerates them (John 3:5) to become children of God (John 1:12), empowering them (Acts 1:8) and leading them to live a godly life (1 Timothy 4:7-8). The Holy Spirit works in the believers (Philippians 2:13) leading them in all things to glorify Christ (John 16:13-14).
The Word of God: The Bible is the sole inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16) and His unchanging revelation (Psalm 119:89). It testifies of Christ (John 5:39), and no one may add to or take away from it (Revelation 22:18). It serves as the sole standard and foundation for a believer's conduct (Psalm 119:105, Acts 20:32, 1 Thessalonians 2:13) for the perfecting of the man of God (2 Timothy 3:17).
God's Redemption: God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:27), but man was condemned due to rebellion (Romans 5:16) and fell short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Yet, because of God's mercy and great love (Ephesians 2:4), Christ became the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2). He is the only mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), and is the only salvation for mankind (Acts 4:11-12). Sinners are regenerated by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3) and are saved by grace through faith, not by works or observing rituals, nor by themselves (Ephesians 2:8-9).
God's Judgment: God has appointed Christ as the Lord of the judgment in the last day (Acts 10:42, 2 Timothy 4:1). The dead will all be resurrected (John 11:24, 6:40); those who believe will have life, and those who do not believe will be condemned (John 3:18, 11:25).
II. The Church is the House of God
The church is the assembly of those who are called out of the world by God (John 17:16, Colossians 1:13). They are moved by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18) to become the house of God (1 Timothy 3:15), sharing the life of Christ (Colossians 3:4), receiving the teaching of the anointing (1 John 2:27), and standing together as the testimony of Christ Jesus (Acts 1:8, Revelation 19:10). Christ laid down His life (Mark 10:45) to redeem the church (Acts 20:28) in order to present a glorious church to Himself, holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:27). He personally builds His church (Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 2:20) and through the church fulfills God's eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:10).
Since Christ possesses the whole fullness of deity (Colossians 2:9), He is the head over all things (Ephesians 1:22). He is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18), and the church is His body (Ephesians 1:23). We are all baptized by one Spirit into one body and given the one Spirit to drink (1 Corinthians 12:13). We are members of one another, joined together (Romans 12:5). According to the gifts given by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:11), each member of the body functions in their respective roles (Ephesians 4:16) to build up the body of Christ together (Ephesians 4:12), attaining to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13), becoming a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22), and awaiting the glorious return of Christ (Philippians 3:20, Colossians 3:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Revelation 19:7).
III. The Church Gatherings
Since the church is the house of God, the whole family gathers in the name of the Lord before God (Matthew 18:20, 1 Corinthians 14:23) to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24) and to glorify Him. We allow the Holy Spirit, in the freedom of Christ (Galatians 5:1), to lead us to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). We are not bound by outward formality, rituals, or traditions (Colossians 2:23), recognizing in the New Testament established by the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:19, Luke 22:20) that the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Gatherings are without confusion, done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40), manifesting the testimony of Christ Jesus (Revelation 19:10).
The types of gatherings include the breaking of bread (Acts 2:42, 46; 20:7), prayer (Acts 1:14, 4:31), fellowship, preaching, Bible reading (Acts 17:11, 18:26, 19:10), and evangelism (Acts 2:14, 3:12, 10:44, 13:16). The nature of these various gatherings is as follows:
Breaking of Bread: On the first day of the week, we gather to break bread and remember the Lord (Acts 20:7), as the Lord taught us to often break bread and lift the cup in remembrance of Him, proclaiming His death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:26).
Prayer: We make petitions, prayers, intercession, and give thanksgiving for all people (1 Timothy 2:1). Praying incessantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17), without losing heart (Luke 18:1), continually offering a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15), presenting requests to God with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6), asking according to the Lord's will (1 John 5:14), and offering our prayers before the Lord (Revelation 5:8, 8:3) as priests to God the Father (Revelation 1:6).
Fellowship: We live by the Spirit of the Lord, sharing freely and exercising our gifts to edify the church (1 Corinthians 14:4), avoiding self-exaltation, and not quenching the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). We speak one by one in turn (1 Corinthians 14:31, 40), without chaos or disorder, for God is not a God of disorder, but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). We praise God with hymns (Ephesians 5:19); We sing and make melody in our hearts, praising the Lord together with gratitude (Colossians 3:16).
Preaching and Bible Reading: We focus on the Word of God for the supply and nurturing of life, rather than the seeking and transmitting of mere knowledge. The speaker shares the word before God, and the saints receive it as they are moved by the Holy Spirit; thus, God causes their lives to grow together in love (1 Corinthians 3:6, John 3:6, Ephesians 4:16).
Evangelism: We all participate, striving together with one mind, in the proclamation of the gospel (Philippians 1:5), to demolish strongholds, leading people to God (Colossians 1:28), bringing them to obedience in faith (2 Corinthians 10:4-5), and baptizing them into Christ (Romans 6:3).
IV. The Arrangement of the Church
The church is God's family; God is the Lord of the house, and everyone becomes a member of God's household through the life of the Son of God (Ephesians 2:19). The church is the body of Christ, and Christ is the head of the church and the head of every individual (Ephesians 1:22, Colossians 1:18, 1 Corinthians 11:3). The church's primary duty is to submit to Christ (Ephesians 5:24), to be connected to the Head (Ephesians 4:15), and to give Christ the preeminence in all things (Colossians 1:18).
Every member receives life from Christ as a child of God (John 10:10, 1:12) and is called by God to serve Him as a fellow servant (Revelation 19:10). In the New Testament, everyone is a royal priest by God's election (1 Peter 2:9); therefore, there are no useless members, as all are indispensable parts of the body (1 Corinthians 12:22). There should be no special intermediate class of people or clerical hierarchy to serve God on behalf of the congregation.
Each person's service to God is done within the body, functioning according to the gifts given by the Holy Spirit and the ministries established by Christ (1 Corinthians 12:4-5). The whole body is joined and held together, with every joint doing its work, so that the body gradually grows (Ephesians 4:16) and brings glory to God the Father (Philippians 2:11).
The Holy Spirit appoints overseers and deacons in the church (Acts 20:28, Philippians 1:1) to lead and govern the flock as a team, preaching, exhorting, caring, and shepherding. They act in God's household according to God's will and in obedience to His Word (1 Timothy 3:15), emphasizing spiritual reality rather than titles or positions.
The local church is a gathering of God's children in a locality. It is not subordinate to any organization or institution; rather, it has spiritual fellowship with God's children everywhere, based on the life of Christ (Romans 16:2, Acts 18:26, Titus 3:13, Colossians 4:16).
Furthermore, each person offers money as moved by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 16:2, Malachi 3:10), so as not to appear before God empty-handed. Each one gives as he has decided, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:5-7). Most importantly, everyone is to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice, which is pleasing to God (Romans 12:1).