OUR BELIEFS

Freedom Fellowship Church

What We Believe

We believe that Jesus Christ gave the church its purpose in Matthew 28:19-20, “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

Therefore, our purpose is to help people free themselves to live a life of faith in Christ so they can bring others to join them on the journey to personal relationship with Christ and the building of God’s Kingdom.

 

God
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each of Whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality. We believe that in the beginning God created out of nothing, the world and all the things therein, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom and goodness. By His sovereign power, He continues to sustain His creation. By His providence, He is operating throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes. Genesis 1:1,26; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1, 3; 4:24; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 1:20; Ephesians 4:5-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14
 

Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary and is true God and true man. We believe He is the Son of God and the One hope for all sinners.  We believe His work on the Cross has the power to save all who believe in the power that raised Him from the dead. We believe He rose on the third day and ascended to heaven and today is seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for believers.

Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:25-38; John 1; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13
 

Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to mankind the saving work of Christ. We believe that He enlightens the minds of sinners, awakens in them recognition of their need for a Savior and regenerates them.

We believe that, at the point of salvation, He permanently indwells every believer to become the source of assurance, strength, and wisdom, and uniquely endows each believer with gifts for ministry. We believe that the Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Scripture. We believe that His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christ-like character and to bear fruit to the glory of the Father. John 14:16-17,26; 15:26-27; 16:8-11,13; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14; 6:19-20; Hebrews 9:14
 
Man
We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from God, and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and become guilty sinners in thought, word and deed. Genesis 1:26-27; 3:1-24; Romans 3:25; 5:12-18; I John 1:8
 

The Bible
We believe that the Bible is the verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God, inerrant in its content. The Bible is our supreme and final authority in faith and life.

 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21
 

Salvation
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice; that He rose victorious from the grave on the third day; and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. Isaiah 53; Matthew 20:28; John 3:16; Romans 3:24-26; 5:1; I Corinthians 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Ephesians 1:7; I John 2:2; Matthew 28:6; Romans 10:9; I Corinthians 15:14

We believe that all who come by grace through repentance and faith to accept the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God. John 1:12-13; 3:3,5; James 1:18; I Peter 1:23; Ephesians 2:8-9
 

The Church
We believe that there is one true Church universal, comprised of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We believe that the Scripture commands believers to gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer, the teaching of the Word, the observance of believers baptism and communion as the ordinances established by Jesus Christ, fellowship, service to the body through the development and use of talents and gifts and outreach to the world.

We believe that wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the Church and that under the watch care of a supportive leadership, its members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ. Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 2:42-47
 
Christ’s Return
We believe in the personal and imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16-17
 

Eternity
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting joy of the saved and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost. John 5:28-29;  

I Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:4-6,11-15
 
Baptism
We believe that all Christians are baptized by the Holy Spirit when they are born again. We believe that water baptism by immersion is the Biblical testimony of the professed believer in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Acts 2:28-41,47; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 8:36-40; 10:47; 18:8; Romans 6:3-4; I Corinthians 12:13
 

Lord’s Supper
We believe that those who partake of the Lord’s Supper should be born-again believers, walking in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 2:42-46; I Corinthians 11:23-29

 

Coming to a Profession of Faith in Christ

Coming to a profession of faith includes the following:

  1. Realizing and confessing that God needs to have first place in your life and

       asking Him to forgive your failures or sins. Romans 3:23, I John 1:9

  1. Believing that Jesus Christ is God’s Son; that He died to pay for your sins; and

       that He rose again and is alive today. John 3:16; Romans 10:9

  1. Accepting God’s free gift of salvation without trying to earn it. Ephesians 2:8-9
 

Our relationship to God is not restored by anything we do, but on the basis of what Jesus already did for us. Please contact us if you have any questions concerning your desire to make a profession of faith in Christ.

 

 

Developing a Personal Relationship with Christ

Developing a personal relationship with Christ is a journey that believers should be engaged in for the rest of their lives. Having a right relationship with God, fellow believers and people we encounter on a daily basis is essential to freeing a person to live life abundantly. These key areas in establishing a personal relationship with Christ are:

Spiritual Growth through Daily Devotional
Developing the character of Christ and becoming more loving, honorable, courageous, and integrity-filled people. Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 4:12-13

Small Groups Bible Study and Fellowship
Finding true community by experiencing true spiritual transformation that only happens in the context of relationships with other believers. Acts 2:42-47; John 13:35

Serving Others in the Church and Community
Developing the spiritual gifts that God has given to all that follow Him, which enable them to lovingly serve one another. Ephesians 6:7; 2:8-9

Stewardship in Giving and Serving
Realizing that all we have is really His and that all we really have is Him. I Corinthians 4:2,II Corinthians 9:6-15

 

What We Value as a Church Community

Praying in Faith is the essential foundation for all effective ministry.

Lost people matter to God and must matter to His church.

God’s truth must be communicated with doctrinal integrity and cultural relevance.

Freedom to cultivate authentic and loving relationships is essential to spiritual growth and health and should permeate every aspect of church life.

God has called every Christian to utilize his/her spiritual gift(s) in ministry and missions.

The church most visibly evidences the love of Christ by ministering with compassion and care to the poor, sick, hurting, lonely, rejected and forgotten people of the world.

Excellence in our service and stewardship honors God and inspires people.

 

Making the Most Out of Church Membership

Definition of an Active Membership

An active member of this Church are those persons who have intentionally gone through the process of membership, committed themselves to be part of and uphold the Church family and its values, and have all the membership rights and responsibilities provided in this article of the by-laws.

 

The Qualifications for Participating Membership

  1. A personal profession of faith in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation.
  2. Scriptural baptism by immersion as a testimony of salvation.
  3. Completion of the church’s membership class.
  4. A signed commitment of agreement with and willingness to abide by the church membership Covenant.
  1. Public affirmation before other participating members of the church family.

 

We ask you to commit to membership for 4 reasons:

  1. A Biblical Reason: Christ is committed to the church. “ …Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Ephesians 5:25
  2. A Cultural Reason: It enriches our society. We live in an age where very few want to be committed to anything…a job…marriage… our country. This attitude has produced “consumer religion.” Becoming a member is an unselfish decision. Commitment always builds character and compassion.
  3. A Practical Reason: It defines who can be counted on. Every team must have a roster. Every school must have an enrollment. Every business has a payroll. Every army has an enlistment. Even our country takes a census and requires voter registration. Membership identifies our family.
  4. A Personal Reason: It produces spiritual growth. The New Testament places a major emphasis on the need for Christians to be accountable to each other for spiritual growth. You cannot be accountable when you’re not committed to any specific church family.
 

Membership is a door of opportunity. A door that leads to greater growth, identity and fulfillment. Membership strengthens the believer because, through membership, the individual becomes a part of the body of Christ. (I Cor. 12:11-31)