***************************************************************************************************************** Doctrinal Statement We believe that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. – II Timothy 3:15 & 17. We believe that God, the Father and Son, by the Holy Spirit, Created the physical Universe and all things therein, including mankind who He made in His own Image and Likeness. (Genesis 1:1 & 2, and John 1:1-3, and Genesis 1:26). We believe that the Father delegated all Power and Authority over His Creation to mankind whom he called Adam (Genesis 5:2) and that, through an act of rebellion (Genesis 3:6) Adam surrendered that Power and Authority into the hands of his Father's enemy who is called Lucifer and Satan, and thus man became perpetually subject to the bondage of sin [rebellion] for all subsequent generations until Christ (Hebrews 2:14-15, and Romans 3:23). We believe that Jesus Christ came in the flesh (I John 4:1-3, and Hebrews 2:14); that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16, and Mark 15:39); that He came to give His life as a ransom (I Timothy 2:6, and Hosea 13:14) to reconcile mankind back to the Father (II Corinthians 5:18, and Romans 5:10); that He is the only mediator between God and mankind (John 14:6, and I Timothy 2:5, and Acts 4:12); and that He alone must have the preeminence in all things (Colossians 1:17). We believe that at the point in time experience commonly known as being "born again" (John 3:7, and I Peter 1:23) those who are Called from before the foundation of the world to salvation in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:4-6, and Romans 8:29-30) are supernaturally born in His image from the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, that they receive a new and eternal nature, and literally become a new species of being which never existed before (Peter 1:23, and II Corinthians 5:16 & 17). We believe that all God-ordained Power and Authority on earth, since the resurrection of Christ, has rested solely upon the ekklesia as the church in Law (Isaiah 9:6 & 7, and Luke 10:19, and James 4:12, and I Corinthians 6:1-5, and Titus 2:15), and that all who occupy positions of secular authority (not in the Name of Christ) are de facto (self proclaimed) and are, by their fallen nature, in opposition to the "higher powers" and Law of God (Hosea 8:1 & 4, and Romans 13:1). For it is written in the Law, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God! (Romans 14:11) We believe the primary mission and purpose of the ekklesia must always be to preach and teach "the ministry of reconciliation" - i.e. mankind to the Father through the Blood of Christ – (II Corinthians 5:17-20) and that reconciliation can only come about as we yield our self-will (John 3:30) in obedience to His full Lordship (for many call Him Lord but do not the things He says - Matthew 7:21-23, and Luke 6:46). We believe our Lord instituted two holy observances for the New Testament church to practice today: 1. water baptism – which symbolizes and demonstrates to the world our literal oneness and unity with Christ as we are "baptized into His death" and then resurrected to a new life in Christ (Acts 8:35-38 and Romans 6:3-5); and, 2. the Lord's supper – to remember and "show the Lords death till He comes" (Matthew 26:26-28 and I Corinthians 11:23-34). We believe in "the laying on of hands" by the ekklesia that believers may receive the indwelling of the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:14-17 and Acts 2:38 & 39) to be "endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49) "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:" – Ephesians 4:12 & 13. As the ekklesia we believe in, practice and promulgate the actual, and literal Lordship of Christ over all areas of life for any believer who wishes to separate himself unto Christ alone, for it is written that no servant can serve two masters (Romans 14:11 and Ephesians 1:22 & 23 and Luke 16:13). Likewise, we believe in the actual and literal Calling and Appointment of those who are His actual and literal ambassadors (II Corinthians 5:20, and Ephesians 6:20). In other words, we believe in an actual and literal expression of our faith. We believe in the scriptural command calling for true believer everywhere to come out from among them (II Corinthians 6:14-17) and Come out of her, my people. (Revelation 18:4) regarding so-called "church" corporations, schools, institutions, organizations, groups, governments, militaries and all other secular humanist gatherings of the natural man which represent the dead idols they create in their own dead image, for it is written, " They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them." – Psalm 115:1 - 8. The Twentieth day of the Seventh month in the Year of our Sovereign Lord and Saviour Jesus the Christ, Two thousand three et ab initio mundi usque ad hodiernum diem. Repented - 3rd Edition *