Mission of the Church
The mission of the church is to demonstrate the power and reality of the Kingdom of God on the earth by fulfilling Jesus’ great commission to go into all the world preaching the Kingdom of God is at hand. This specifically being through the transformation of people’s lives into the likeness of Jesus by the power of the cross of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The biblical means of accomplishing Jesus’ commission is evangelism and discipleship. God fulfills His purpose for His church through local churches (Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 10:7; Matthew 25:37-40; Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 3:10,11).
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
We believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is distinct from the new birth. It is the initial filling of God’s power for witness and godly living. Those who receive the baptism in the Spirit are able to receive and function in all the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; John 3:3; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 8:14-17; Acts 19:1-7; 1 Corinthians 14).
The Second Coming of Christ
We believe that just as Jesus the Christ came once to save the world, he will soon return again to bring all who claim him as Lord and Savior of their lives into the fullness of the Kingdom of God. This will include all who are alive at the time of his coming and all the saints who have lived before us. The specific day of his second coming will arrive without notice (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
FAITH STATEMENT
"WHAT WE BELIEVE"
The Person of God
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:4-6).
We believe God the Father is eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. God is absolutely holy, righteous and just (Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalms 36:6; Psalms 62:11; Psalms 139:2-4; Psalms 147:5).
We believe in the absolute deity of our Lord Jesus Christ and the absolute humanity of our Lord through His virgin birth. We believe in the sinless life of our Lord, though He was tempted at all points in His humanity. We believe in His suffering and atoning death through His shed blood, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal return in glory and power (Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 53:4-6; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:12-14; John 3:16; Acts 2:22-33; Romans 5:6-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3-7; Ephesians 1:18-23; Hebrews 4:15).
We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, who convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. He is the agent of God in the regeneration of the lost. He is the gift of Christ to the church, indwelling all believers, sealing them in the body of Christ unto the day of redemption. He is the divine teacher who guides believers in all truth. He imparts the gifts of the Spirit as found in Scripture (John 14:16,17; John 15:26; John 16:7-15; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 1:13,14; Titus 3:4-7).
The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testament, to be inspired of God and to be the revelation of God to man, inerrant and infallible. They are the supreme and final authority for faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Peter 3:16).
Man
We believe that man is created in the image of God, but the entire race of man was separated from God through sin. We believe no man can reconcile himself with God. Therefore man remains separated from God until he is regenerated through faith in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit (Genesis. 1:26,27; Romans 3:9-12; Romans 3:22-24; Romans 5:1,10,11; 2 Corinthians 5:17-19; Ephesians 2:8-9). We believe in the family, celibate singleness, and faithful heterosexual marriage as God’s design.
Sin
We believe sin is the lack of conformity to the will of God or transgression of the law of God. Sin is manifest in the selfishness, rebellion and total depravity of man’s attitude, conduct, and behavior before God and man (Romans 3:9-18; Romans 14:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 John 3:4; 1 John 5:17; James 4:17).
Salvation
We believe salvation is the gift of God by grace, received through individual personal repentance, belief that Jesus Christ died and rose again, and a personal confession yielding one’s life to Jesus. (Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:3-12).
The Church
We believe that the church is composed of all those who have received salvation (been born-again) everywhere. We believe that the local church is comprised of believers in Jesus Christ who come together in devotion to the Lord and one another for mutual worship, instruction, conformity to the Lord’s will and Christian service. We believe all believers are called by God into specific local churches (Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 3:9-11; Colossians 1:24; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Peter 2:4-6).
Channel of Love Ministries is available to serve your church or your group. For more information or to schedule a meeting call: 941-405-3550.
