The Lords Supper was instituted by Jesus and is celebrated by His followers in remembrance of the Lords death and resurrection and in anticipation of His return. The bread and the cup represent the body and blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Participating in the communion service symbolizes our unity with believers of all times and places. We are to examine ourselves in the light of Scripture before approaching the Lords Table. Reconciliation with God and with brothers and sisters in Christ is an essential preparation for participation. In addition to the ordinances, other practices are important aspects of life and worship in the Christian community. We regard the practice of washing one anothers feet as modeled and taught by Jesus to be a demonstration of love, humility, and service to one another, pointing beyond itself to a way of life. In the life of the church, the foot washing service is an occasion for reconciliation, affirmation of one another, and testimony of Gods grace. The Christian marriage ceremony witnesses to Gods order and design for the union of a man and a woman in a lifelong commitment of love and fidelity. Vows are affirmed and the marriage is celebrated in the context of the congregation, which is called to support the couple in their life together. Christs covenantal, self-sacrificing love for the church and the churchs loving response is the model that husband and wife are to follow. The practice of dedicating children affirms their place in the midst of the congregation. The service of dedication provides an opportunity for parents to commit themselves to the Lord in the care and training of their children. Members of the congregation join with the parents in pledging to pray for and to nurture the children. The gospel includes healing for the ill and deliverance for the oppressed. The church follows scriptural practices in praying for the sick, laying on hands, and anointing with oil in the name of the Lord. The service of divine healing affirms that God responds to the brokenness of the human condition with healing or with grace to endure suffering. When death comes to the community of believers, the funeral provides an opportunity to focus on the risen Lord. The congregation responds compassionately with the bereaved. Death reminds us of our mortality and the hope of the resurrection. Mission of the Church: In Relation to the World Jesus Christ commissions the church to make disciples of all the worlds peoples. The church is called to share the gospel in every culture and stratum of society. Evangelism includes bringing people to a saving faith in Christ and to responsible membership in the church. The people of God are also called to be a redemptive influence in the world, confronting corporate sin and seeking to overcome evil with good. They are to be a voice for righteousness, peace, and justice. The church recognizes the place God ordains for government in society. As Christians, we pray for the state and those who are in authority. At the same time, we believe loyalty to Christ and the church, which is trans-national, takes precedence over loyalty to the state. Selective involvement in the affairs of government are appropriate for believers if loyalty to Christ and the principles of His kingdom are carefully guarded, and if such participation will enhance ones Christian witness and service. Christ loved His enemies and He calls us as His disciples to love our enemies. We follow our Lord in being people of peace and reconciliation, called to suffer and not to fight. While respecting those who hold other interpretations, we believe that preparation for or participation in war is inconsistent with the teachings of Christ. Similarly, we reject all other acts of violence which devalue human life. Rather, we affirm active peacemaking, sacrificial service to others, as well as the pursuit of justice for the poor and the oppressed in the name of Christ. Those who follow Christ are strangers and pilgrims in the world, called to share the light of Christ. In the renewing of our minds by Gods grace, we resist conformity to our fallen, broken world. Nonconformity calls us to reject the worlds unrestrained materialism, its sensual, and its self-contentedness. Rather we seek to express the values of Gods kingdom by a lifestyle of modesty and simplicity. Supporting Scriptures
Posted on: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 08:33:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015