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1. We
believe the Full Gospel includes the proclamation of both
the eternal power of Calvary and the potential power of Pentecost;
the baptizing power of Jesus Christ for salvation because
of Calvary and the filling / controlling power of the Holy
Ghost for service and holy victorious living because of Pentecost
(Acts 20:27; 1:8),
2. We
believe in the perpetuity and continuing ecclesiastical value
of all spiritual gifts for the edification of believers and
the body of Christ until the end of this church age is consummated
by the glorious event; the return of our Lord Jesus Christ
(1 Corinthians 12-14; Roman 12:3-7; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Corinthians
13:10).
3. We
believe in the Divine personhood of the Holy Spirit and His
present-day ministry to believers which includes the sovereign
distribution of spiritual gifts to believers for empowerment
for service in the contemporary church (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
4. We
believe in Jesus Christ as the sovereign giver of spiritual
gifts to the church. We believe spiritual gifts are given
for the perfecting of the Saints, for work of the ministry,
and for the edifying of the Body of Christ and are given without
regard to ethnicity, social class, or gender (Ephesians 4:7-12;
Galatians 3:26-28).
5. We
believe in the autonomy of the local church as an independent
entity with regard to matters of government, operation, and
discipline (1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 2 Thessalonians
3:6; 14-15; Acts 6:3-5; 11:22; 14:23; Titus 1:5).
6. We
believe in the value of biblical terminology of leadership
in the contemporary church: Bishop, Overseer, Pastor, Minister,
Elder, and Deacon. We believe all of these are designations
for servant-leaders (Jeremiah 3:15; Acts 20:28; 2Corinthians
6:4; I Timothy 3:1-7).
7. We believe in the formal and intentional praise and worship
of the Almighty God as a proper, spirit-led, corporate acknowledgment
and response to His person and work (Psalm 46-50; John 4:23).
8. We
believe in Jesus Christ as the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit
whereby He by means of the Holy Spirit, brings men and women
at salvation into relationship with Himself and His Body,
the Church. Believers are never commanded to be baptized with
the Holy Ghost; it is in fact the baptism of the Holy Ghost
that makes one a part of the Body of Christ. All believers
have been baptized by Christ with the Holy Ghost (Matthew
3:11: John 1:33: 1 Corinthians 12:13).
9. We
believe in the indwelling of the Holy Ghost for all Christians;
it is in fact this indwelling of the Holy Ghost that verifies
and validates the believer as a part of the Body of Christ
for He only indwells believers (Romans 8:14-27).
10. We
believe in the spirit-filled life as desirable, valuable,
and an issue of obedience for all believers who are commanded
to be filled with the Holy Ghost. We acknowledge that within
the Body of Christ, the term filled with the Holy Ghost is
often used interchangeable with the term, baptism of the Holy
Ghost. When referring to the controlling presence and power
of the Holy Ghost as a result of the submissive will and desire
of the believer, we allow such alternation of terms. We believe
it is the will and command of God that every believer be filled
with Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
11. We
believe all believers are exhorted to be filled, walk in,
be led by, and live in the power of the Holy Ghost (Ephesians
5:18; Galatians 5:16,18,25).
12. We
believe that is God's desire that all believers live their
lives under the control of, or being continuously filled with
the Holy Ghost. We believe there are many fillings and there
is to be the ongoing filling ministry of the Spirit in the
life of the believer for empowerment to effectively and victoriously
live a life that glorifies God (Acts 1:8; 2:4; 3:10; 4:8;
4:31).
13. We
believe the Holy Ghost fills or empowers believers for service
in the Kingdom of God. Being filled with the Holy Ghost is
the result of continuous submission to divine power and control
(Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18).
14. We
believe all believers "are" baptized with the Holy
Ghost and all believers "should be filled with Holy Ghost"
(1 Corinthians 12:13: Ephesians 5:18).
15. We
believe the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the in-filling of
the Holy Ghost are distinct, separate, valid, and valuable
ministries of the Holy Ghost which may occur simultaneously
at salvation. Being filled with the Holy Ghost may and should
occur subsequent to salvation in obedience to biblical exhortation.
The baptism of the Holy Ghost occurs once and for all at salvation.
Being filled with the Holy Ghost should not only be a continuous
reality, but an ongoing characteristic of the believer's consecrated
holiness.
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