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Home | About Shelle | Shelle's Faith | Speaker | Youth Speaking | Topics | FAQ | What Others Are Saying | Book Shelle | Calendar | Contact Shelle Statement Of Faith 1. THE BIBLE We believe the entire Bible all 66 books of the combined Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired by God and are inerrant in the original writings. Through the providence of God, the Word of God has been protected and preserved, and is the only infallible and authoritative rule of faith and practice (2 timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21) 2. GOD: We believe that there is only one true, living sovereign, hotly and eternally existent God. He exists in three co-equal persons-Father, son, and Holy Spirit-each being a distinct person and with a distinct function, but all of one essence and all possessing the same nature, perfection, and attributes. The triune god is the creator and sustainer of all things, the source of all truth, and is worthy of worship, confidence, and obedience (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Genesis 1:31 3. JESUS CHRIST: We believe that Jesus Christ is God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed many miracles, shed His blood on the cross as a vicarious substitute, was buried, bodily resurrected, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return literally, visibly, and personally in glory and power (John 1:1-3,14 ; Matthew 1:18-25; Philippians 2:5-9; Colossians 15:1-8; Acts 1:11) 3a. The Resurrection WE BELIEVE in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ (Luke 24:39-43. John 20:24-29). 3b. Christ's Ascension and Beyond WE BELIEVE that Christ Jesus ascended to the Father arid is presently engaged in preparing a place for His people arid interceding for them (John 14:1-6, Romans 8:34). 3c. Christ's Return WE BELIEVE in the visible, bodily return of Christ Jesus to the earth and to rapture His Church (Bride) and judge the world (Acts 1:10, 11, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, II Thessalonians 1:7-10, James 5:8, Revelation 1:7). 3d. Jesus Is God WE BELIEVE that Jesus is God come in the flesh and that He is both divine and human (Luke 1:26-38, John 14:1-3. Acts 2:36, Acts 3:14, 15, Philippians 2:5-12, John 1:1, 14). 4. THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe that the Holy Spirit is God, co-equal and co-existent with the Father and the Son. He is the chief convictor of sin, the chief agent of regeneration and sanctification. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer and empowers every believer to live a godly life (John 14:16-19; 16:7-15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 8:9, 11; Titus 3:5). 5. THE TRINITY WE BELIEVE in the One God revealed in three Persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16, 17, Matthew28:9, John 17). 6. MANKIND: We believe that in the beginning God created mankind in His image, and is not in any sense the product of evolution. Mankind was originally created with the ability to live perfectly for God's glory (Genesis 1:17, 31). 6a. Apart From God... WE BELIEVE that man, in his natural state, is a sinner, lost, undone, without hope, and without God (Romans 3:19-23, Galatians 3:22, Ephesians 2:1,2, 12). 7. SIN: We believe that Adam, the first man, sinned by willful disobedience. This act of open rebellion resulted in the fall of all mankind; therefore, all people have sinned and lost their ability to live for the glory of God. Mankind's fall has incurred both physical and spiritual death on all until there is forgiveness and salvation by the grace of God (Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 3:10-23; 5:12-21; 6:23). 8. SALVATION: We believe the salvation of lost and sinful mankind is a free gift of God's grace apart from human works, based solely upon Christ's vicarious and atoning death, effected by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, and received only through faith in the person and finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21). 9. ETERNAL SECURITY: We believe that since God gives us eternal life through Christ, the believer is secure in that salvation forever. Our salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the efforts of the believer (John 10:29-30; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 5:11-13). 9a. ETERNITY: We believe man was created to exist forever. He will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To be eternally with God is heaven. Heaven and hell are places of eternal existence (John 3:16; 2:25; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15). 10. THE CHURCH: We believe that the church is the body of Christ and the family of God. It is made up of saved and baptized believers, who regularly join together on the Lord's Day for worship, fellowship, and ministry (Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Hebrews 10:25). 11. EVANGELISM: We believe that it is the responsibility and privilege of every Christian to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and to seek to make growing disciples (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). 11a. The Great Commission WE BELIEVE that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:18-20) so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 5:9). 12. BAPTISM AND LORD'S SUPPER: Jesus instructed His followers to remember His death and resurrection. He gave tie church two visible symbols (called "ordinances") as reminders. These two ordinances are baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism by immersion is an act of obedient identification with Jesus as Lord. It serves as an outward sign of conscious confession of repentance and faith. The Lord's Supper is an ongoing symbol remembering our Lord's death, burial, resurrection, and promised return (Matthew 26:26-29; 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32). 13. ORDINANCES WE BELIEVE that the two ordinances of the Church are WATER BAPTISM and COMMUNION (The Lord's Supper). 13b. Water Baptism: Immersion in water in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:15, 16, Matthew 28:19, 20, Acts 8:38, Romans 6:1-4). A symbol of identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. 13c. Communion: A memorial of the death, resurrection, and Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 22:13-20). 14. IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF THE WORLD WE BELIEVE that believers should seek, as the early disciples did, to practice the separated life from the world and unto Christ and to set standards of conduct, which shall exalt our Lord and His, Church (Romans 12:1-3,11 Corinthians 6:17, Galatians 6:14, Ephesians 5:11, Colossians 3:17). 15. INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS WE BELIEVE that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage between a man and a woman (Deuteronomy 22:22). We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality and incest are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex (I Corinthians 6:9-1 1). 16. STEWARDSHIP WE BELIEVE that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church with his time, talent and treasure (Malachi 3:8). We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel (II Corinthians 8 & 9). We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made. 17. SATAN We believe in the personality and depraved character of Satan, who is the great enemy of God and man. We believe that he, along with the company of demonic beings serving him, works out his evil plans through the ungodly world system, limited only by the sovereign rule of God. We believe that he was judged by Christ at the cross and will ultimately meet his doom in the lake of fire, where he will remain eternally. Matt. 4:3-11; Gen. 3:1; John 8:44; Rev. 12:9,10: II Cor. 4:4; I John 5:19; Job 1:6-12; I John 3:8; Rev. 20:10. 17b. Angels and Demons We believe in the reality and personality of angels. We believe that God created an innumerable company of these sinless, spiritual beings who were to be His servants and messengers (Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 148:2; Hebrews 1:14). We believe in the existence and personality of Satan and demons. Satan is a fallen angel who led a great company of angels into rebellion against God (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:12-15). He is the great enemy of God and man, and the demons are his agents in his unholy purposes. He and his demons shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10). 18. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE We believe that God expects every believer to live a life of obedience, in which every area of his life is brought under the lordship of Jesus Christ and the fruit of the Spirit becomes increasingly evident in his life. The goal of the Christian life is to be conformed to the image of Christ. This life is characterized supremely by self-giving love for God and for others. The life and character of Christ, which grows through the Holy Spirit, is noticeably distinct from the life of the world. A believer who resists the gracious working of the Holy Spirit and fails to grow in obedience is chastened in infinite love by his Heavenly Father so he may learn obedience. John 14:21; II Cor. 10:4,5; Gal. 5:22,23; II Cor. 3:18; Matt. 22:37-40; I John 2:15-17; Heb 12:5-14. © 2009 Shelle Frelo All Rights Reserved Site Design , and Development,by: Proverbs31 Publishers