In the summer of 1991, Chuck Smith asked Calvary Chapel pastors to
prayerfully consider taking teams into the countries of the former Soviet Union
(CIS) to plant churches. As a result I was asked to take a team from Calvary
Chapel of Vista into Moscow, Russia to start the first Calvary Chapel of Russia.
In less than two weeks, a short term mission team of 19 witnessed the birth of
the first Calvary Chapel in Moscow and the beginning of what is now called
Calvary Chapel Church Planting Mission. Initially CCCPM took church planting
teams to Ukraine and Belarus as well as Russia but now focuses almost
exclusively on Russia. God has truly opened a door for the gospel in Russia.
Teams are leaving from various Calvary Chapel affiliates (as well as from what
we call Calvary compatible churches) almost every month. The method and aim of
this ministry is as simple as it is exciting. A group of short-term
missionaries spend about ten days evangelizing the lost and discipling those
that are saved from this evangelism. Another ministry team of mostly Russian
nationals (now) stay behind to ensure that the newly formed church gets the
pastoral and ministry care it needs to grow.
-George Bryson
CCCPM uses contemporary Christian music concerts (with bands from America and Russia to draw mostly young people) to use oriented concerts. During these concerts we do one-on-one evangelism and as well as preach the gospel on the stage. We also use competitive and non competitive sports programs to reach them with the love of Jesus Christ. More recently we have been giving a lot of time and attention to reaching out to orphans.
Concerning the relationship of CCCPM and George Bryson to Calvary of Costa Mesa, the Calvary Chapel movement as a whole and Chuck Smith in particular.
Approved by Pastor Chuck.
The member churches of the National Association of Calvary Chapel in
Russia trace their spiritual and theological roots back to the day of Pentecost,
when the church of Jesus Christ was born (Acts 2). Generally speaking, this is
the view of all orthodox Christian movements from the first century until now
(all over the world). Thus, we make no claim to be the only true representation
of the church of Jesus Christ and recognize all believers in Christ who
believe in the foundational and fundamental teachings of the Bible. We do not
believe we are the only Christians to understand and preach the true Gospel
of Jesus Christ (Rom. 1: 16, 1 Cor. 15: 1-3) or the only Christians to embrace
and faithfully teach the Bible. In fact, much of what we believe, especially
on the most important issues covered in Scripture (and reflected and
represented in this statement of faith) are held by millions of believers in
Russia and elsewhere around the world.
From the time of the Tsars and throughout the Soviet Era, Christians, embracing
the doctrines and practices of our particular tradition-often known as
Evangelicals-survived and sometimes thrived throughout what is now known as the
Russian Federation as well as in many other places throughout the world. After
the collapse of the Soviet Union, when religious freedom was not only tolerated
but officially encouraged and protected in the Russian Constitution (and later
in the laws enacted on the freedom of religion and conscience) we began the
process of registering as local churches and then as soon as possible as a
National Centralized Association of member churches. In some ways, due
to the restrictions and difficulties imposed during the Soviet Era and the new
freedoms found under the modern Russian Federation, the present manifestation
of our movement is concurrent with the Russian Federation. The following
articles, while accurately representing our doctrinal and theological views, are
not original with us and they are not even uncommon among many millions of
other mainstream Evangelicals in Russia and elsewhere around the world.
Article I-THE SCRIPTURES
We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God," by which we understand the whole Bible is inspired in the sense that holy men of God "were moved by the Holy Spirit" to write the very words of Scripture. We believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the writings-historical, poetical, doctrinal, and prophetical-as appeared in the original manuscripts. We believe that the whole Bible in the originals is therefore without error. We believe that all the Scriptures center about the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work in His first and second coming, and hence that no portion, even of the Old Testament, is properly read, or understood, until it leads to Him. We also believe that all the Scriptures were designed for our practical instruction (Mark 12:26, 36; 13:11; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Acts 1:16; 17:2-3; 18:28; 26:22-23; 28:23; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 2:13; 10:11; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21).
Article II-THE GODHEAD
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit-and that these three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience (Matt. 28:18-19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 1:4-6).
Article III-ANGELS, FALLEN AND UNFALLEN
We believe that God created an innumerable company of sinless, spiritual beings,
known as angels; that one, "Lucifer, son of the morning"-the highest in
rank-sinned through pride, thereby becoming Satan; that a great company of the angels followed him in his moral fall, some of whom became demons and are active as his agents and associates in the prosecution of his unholy purposes, while others who fell are "reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day" (Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:11-19; 1 Tim. 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6).
We believe that Satan is the first sinner and as such originator of sin, and that, under the permission of God, he, through subtlety, led our first parents into transgression, thereby bringing about their moral fall and subjecting them and their posterity to his own power; that he is the enemy of God and the people of God, opposing and exalting himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped; and that he who in the beginning said, "I will be like the most High," in his warfare appears as an angel of light, even counterfeiting the works of God by fostering religious movements and systems of doctrine, which systems in every case are characterized by a denial of the efficacy of the blood of Christ and of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone (Gen. 3:1-19; Rom. 5:12-14; 2 Cor. 4:3-4; 11:13-15; Eph. 6:10-12; 2 Thess. 2:4; 1 Tim. 4:1-3).
We believe that Satan was judged at the Cross, though not then executed, and that he, a usurper, now rules as the "god of this world"; that, at the second coming of Christ, Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss for a thousand years, and after the thousand years he will be loosed for a little season and then "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone," where he "shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Col. 2:15; Rev. 20:1-3, 10).
We believe that a great company of angels kept their holy estate and are before the throne of God, from whence they are sent forth as ministering spirits to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation (Luke 15:10; Eph. 1:21; Heb. 1:14; Rev. 7:12).
We believe that man was made lower than the angels; and that, in His incarnation, Christ took for a little time this lower place that He might lift the believer to His own sphere above the angels (Heb. 2:6-10).
Article IV-MAN, CREATED AND FALLEN
We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, and that he fell through sin, and, as a consequence of his sin, lost his spiritual life, becoming dead in trespasses and sins, and that he became subject to the power of the devil.
We also believe that this spiritual death, or depravity of human nature, has been transmitted to the entire human race of man, the Man Christ Jesus alone being excepted; and hence that every child of Adam is born into the world with a nature which not only possesses no spark of divine life, but is essentially and unchangeably bad apart from divine grace (Gen. 1:26; 2:17; 6:5; Pss. 14:1-3; 51:5; Jer. 17:9; John 3:6; 5:40; 6:35; Rom. 3:10-19; 8:6-7; Eph. 2:1-3; 1 Tim. 5:6; 1 John 3:8).
Article V-THE DISPENSATIONS
We believe that the dispensations are stewardships by which God administers His purpose on the earth through man under varying responsibilities.
We believe that the changes in the dispensational dealings of God with man depend on changed conditions or situations in which man is successively found with relation to God, and that these changes are the result of the failures of man and the judgments of God. We believe that different administrative responsibilities of this character are manifest in the biblical record and that they span the entire history of mankind, and that each ends in the failure of man under the respective test and in an ensuing judgment from God.
We believe that according to the "eternal purpose" of God (Eph. 3:11) salvation in the divine reckoning is always "by grace through faith," and rests upon the basis of the shed blood of Christ. We believe that God has always been gracious, regardless of the ruling dispensation, but that man has not at all times been under an administration or stewardship of grace as is true in the present dispensation (1 Cor. 9:17; Eph. 3:2; 3:9, asv; Col. 1:25; 1 Tim. 1:4, asv).
We believe that it has always been true that "without faith it is impossible to please" God (Heb. 11:6), and that the principle of faith was prevalent in the lives of all the Old Testament saints. However, we believe that it was historically impossible that they should have had as the conscious object of their faith the incarnate, crucified Son, the Lamb of God (John 1:29), and that it is evident that they did not comprehend as we do that the sacrifices depicted the person and work of Christ.
We believe also that they did not understand the redemptive significance of the prophecies or types concerning the sufferings of Christ (1 Pet. 1:10-12); therefore, we believe that their faith toward God was manifested in other ways as is shown by the long record in Hebrews 11:1-40. We believe further that their faith thus manifested was counted unto them for righteousness (cf. Rom. 4:3 with Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:5-8; Heb. 11:7).
Article VI-THE FIRST ADVENT
We believe that, as provided and purposed by God and as preannounced in the prophecies of the Scriptures, the eternal Son of God came into this world that He might manifest God to men, fulfill prophecy, and become the Redeemer of a lost world. To this end He was born of the virgin, and received a human body and a sinless human nature (Luke 1:30-35; John 1:18; 3:16; Heb. 4:15).
We believe that, on the human side, He became and remained a perfect man, but sinless throughout His life; yet He retained His absolute deity, being at the same time very God and very man, and that His earth-life sometimes functioned within the sphere of that which was human and sometimes within the sphere of that which was divine (Luke 2:40; John 1:1-2; Phil. 2:5-8).
We believe that in fulfillment of prophecy He came first to Israel as her Messiah-King, and that, being rejected of that nation, He, according to the eternal counsels of God, gave His life as a ransom for all (John 1:11; Acts 2:22-24; 1 Tim. 2:6).
We believe that, in infinite love for the lost, He voluntarily accepted His Father's will and became the divinely provided sacrificial Lamb and took away the sin of the world, bearing the holy judgments against sin which the righteousness of God must impose. His death was therefore substitutionary in the most absolute sense-the just for the unjust-and by His death He became the Savior of the lost (John 1:29; Rom. 3:25-26; 2 Cor. 5:14; Heb. 10:5-14; 1 Pet. 3:18).
We believe that, according to the Scriptures, He arose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He had lived and died, and that His resurrection body is the pattern of that body which ultimately will be given to all believers (John 20:20; Phil. 3:20-21).
We believe that, on departing from the earth, He was accepted of His Father and that His acceptance is a final assurance to us that His redeeming work was perfectly accomplished (Heb. 1:3).
We believe that He became Head over all things to the church which is His body, and in this ministry He ceases not to intercede and advocate for the saved (Eph. 1:22-23; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1).
Article VII-SALVATION ONLY THROUGH CHRIST
We believe that, owing to universal death through sin, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born again; and that no degree of reformation however great, no attainments in morality however high, no culture however attractive, no baptism or other ordinance however administered, can help the sinner to take even one step toward heaven; but a new nature imparted from above, a new life implanted by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, is absolutely essential to salvation, and only those thus saved are sons and daughters of God.
We believe, also, that our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made to be sin and was made a curse for us, dying in our room and stead; and that no repentance, no feeling, no faith, no good resolutions, no sincere efforts, no submission to the rules and regulations of any church, nor all the churches that have existed since the days of the Apostles can add in the very least degree to the value of the blood, or to the merit of the finished work wrought for us by Him who united in His person true and proper deity with perfect and sinless humanity (Lev. 17:11; Isa. 64:6; Matt. 26:28; John 3:7-18; Rom. 5:6-9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 6:15; Eph. 1:7; Phil. 3:4-9; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:18-19, 23).
We believe that the new birth of the believer comes only through faith in Christ, nor are any other acts, such as confession, baptism, prayer, or faithful service, to be added to believing as a condition of salvation (John 1:12; 3:16, 18, 36; 5:24; 6:29; Acts 13:39; 16:31; Rom. 1:16-17; 3:22, 26; 4:5; 10:4; Gal. 3:22).
Article VIII-THE EXTENT OF SALVATION
We believe that when an unregenerate person exercises that faith in Christ which is illustrated and described as such in the New Testament, he passes immediately out of spiritual death into spiritual life, and from the old creation into the new; being justified from all things, accepted before the Father according as Christ His Son is accepted, loved as Christ is loved, having his place and portion as linked to Him and one with Him forever. Though the saved one may have occasion to grow in the realization of his blessings and to know a fuller measure of divine power through the yielding of his life more fully to God, he is, as soon as he is saved, in possession of every spiritual blessing and absolutely complete in Christ, (John 5:24; 17:23; Acts 13:39; Rom. 5:1; 1 Cor. 3:21-23; Eph. 1:3; Col. 2:10; 1 John 4:17; 5:11-12).
Article IX-SANCTIFICATION
We believe that sanctification, which is a setting-apart unto God, is threefold: It is already complete for every saved person because his position toward God is the same as Christ's position. Since the believer is in Christ, he is set apart unto God in the measure in which Christ is set apart unto God.
We believe, however, that he retains his sin nature, which cannot be eradicated in this life. Therefore, while the standing of the Christian in Christ is perfect, his present state is no more perfect than his experience in daily life. There is, therefore, a progressive sanctification wherein the Christian is to "grow in grace," and to "be changed" by the unhindered power of the Spirit. We believe also that the child of God will yet be fully sanctified in his state as he is now sanctified in his standing in Christ when he shall see his Lord and shall be "like Him" (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18; 7:1; Eph. 4:24; 5:25-27; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:10).
Article X-ETERNAL SECURITY
We believe that, because of the eternal purpose of God toward the objects of His love, because of His freedom to exercise grace toward the meritless on the ground of the propitiatory blood of Christ, because of the very nature of the divine gift of eternal life, because of the present and unending intercession and advocacy of Christ in heaven, because of the immutability of the unchangeable covenants of God, because of the regenerating, abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all who are saved, we and all true believers everywhere, once saved shall be kept saved forever.
We believe, however, that God is a holy and righteous Father and that, since He cannot overlook the sin of His children, He will, when they persistently sin, chasten them and correct them in infinite love; but having undertaken to save them and keep them forever, apart from all human merit, He, who cannot fail, will in the end present every one of them faultless before the presence of His glory and conformed to the image of His Son (John 5:24; 10:28; 13:1; 14:16-17; 17:11; Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 6:19; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2; 5:13; Jude 24).
Article XI-ASSURANCE
We believe it is the privilege, not only of some, but of all who are born again by the Spirit through faith in Christ as revealed in the Scriptures, to be assured of their salvation from the very day they take Him to be their Savior and that this assurance is not founded upon any fancied discovery of their own worthiness or fitness, but wholly upon the testimony of God in His written Word, exciting within His children filial love, gratitude, and obedience (Luke 10:20; 22:32; 2 Cor. 5:1, 6-8; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 10:22; 1 John 5:13).
Article XII-THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the blessed Trinity, though omnipresent from all eternity, took up His abode in the world in a special sense on the day of Pentecost according to the divine promise, dwells in every believer, and by His baptism unites all to Christ in one body, and that He, as the Indwelling One, is the source of all power and all acceptable worship and service. We believe that He never takes His departure from the church, nor from the feeblest of the saints, but is ever present to testify of Christ; seeking to occupy believers with Him and not with themselves nor with their experiences. We believe that His abode in the world in this special sense will cease when Christ comes to receive His own at the completion of the church (John 14:16-17; 16:7-15; 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:22; 2 Thess. 2:7).
We believe that, in this age, certain well-defined ministries are committed to the Holy Spirit, and that it is the duty of every Christian to understand them and to be adjusted to them in his own life and experience. These ministries are the restraining of evil in the world to the measure of the divine will; the convicting of the world respecting sin, righteousness, and judgment; the regenerating of all believers; the indwelling and anointing of all who are saved, thereby sealing them unto the day of redemption; the baptizing into the one body of Christ of all who are saved; and the continued filling for power, teaching, and service of those among the saved who are yielded to Him and who are subject to His will (John 3:6; 16:7-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:30; 5:18; 2 Thess. 2:7; 1 John 2:20-27).
Article XIII-THE CHURCH, A UNITY OF BELIEVERS
We believe that all who are united to the risen and ascended Son of God are members of the church which is the body and bride of Christ, which began at Pentecost and is completely distinct from Israel. Its members are constituted as such regardless of membership or nonmembership in the organized churches of earth. We believe that by the same Spirit all believers in this age are baptized into, and thus become, one body that is Christ's, whether Jews or Gentiles, and having become members one of another, are under solemn duty to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, rising above all sectarian differences, and loving one another with a pure heart fervently (Matt. 16:16-18; Acts 2:42-47; Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 1:20-23; 4:3-10; Col. 3:14-15).
Article XIV-THE SACRAMENTS OR ORDINANCES
We believe that water baptism and the Lord's Supper are the only sacraments and ordinances of the church and that they are a scriptural means of testimony for the church in this age (Matt. 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 10:47-48; 16:32-33; 18:7-8; 1 Cor. 11:26).
Article XV-THE CHRISTIAN WALK
We believe that we are called with a holy calling, to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and so to live in the power of the indwelling Spirit that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. But the flesh with its fallen, Adamic nature, which in this life is never eradicated, being with us to the end of our earthly pilgrimage, needs to be kept by the Spirit constantly in subjection to Christ, or it will surely manifest its presence in our lives to the dishonor of our Lord (Rom. 6:11-13; 8:2, 4, 12-13; Gal. 5:16-23; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 2:1-10; 1 Pet. 1:14-16; 1 John 1:4-7; 3:5-9).
Article XVI-THE CHRISTIAN'S SERVICE
We believe that divine, enabling gifts for service are bestowed by the Spirit upon all who are saved. While there is a diversity of gifts, each believer is energized by the same Spirit, and each is called to his own divinely appointed service as the Spirit may will. In the apostolic church there were certain gifted men-apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers-who were appointed by God for the perfecting of the saints unto their work of the ministry.
We believe also that today some men are especially called of God to be evangelists, pastors and teachers, and that it is to the fulfilling of His will and to His eternal glory that these shall be sustained and encouraged in their service for God (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 4:11).
We believe that, wholly apart from salvation benefits which are bestowed equally upon all who believe, rewards are promised according to the faithfulness of each believer in his service for his Lord, and that these rewards will be bestowed at the judgment seat of Christ after He comes to receive His own to Himself (1 Cor. 3:9-15; 9:18-27; 2 Cor. 5:10).
Article XVII-THE GREAT COMMISSION
We believe that it is the explicit message of our Lord Jesus Christ to those whom He has saved that they are sent forth by Him into the world even as He was sent forth of His Father into the world.
We believe that, after they are saved, they are divinely reckoned to be related to this world as strangers and pilgrims, ambassadors and witnesses, and that their primary purpose in life should be to make Christ known to the whole world (Matt. 28:18-19; Mark 16:15; John 17:18; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11).
Article XVIII-THE BLESSED HOPE
We believe that, according to the Word of God, the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of the Lord in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming, and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus, and that this event is the blessed hope set before us in the Scripture, and for this we should be constantly looking (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14).
Article XIX-THE TRIBULATION
We believe that the translation of the church will be followed by the fulfillment of Israel's seventieth week (Dan. 9:27; Rev. 6:1-19:21) during which the church, the body of Christ, will be in heaven. The whole period of Israel's seventieth week will be a time of judgment on the whole earth, at the end of which the times of the Gentiles will be brought to a close. The latter half of this period will be the time of Jacob's trouble (Jer. 30:7), which our Lord called the great tribulation (Matt. 24:15-21).
We believe that universal righteousness will not be realized previous to the second coming of Christ, but that the world is day by day ripening for judgment and that the age will end with a fearful apostasy.
Article XX-THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
We believe that the period of great tribulation in the earth will be climaxed by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth as He went, in person on the clouds of heaven, and with power and great glory to introduce the millennial age, to bind Satan and place him in the abyss, to lift the curse which now rests upon the whole creation, to restore Israel to her own land and to give her the realization of God's covenant promises, and to bring the whole world to the knowledge of God (Deut. 30:1-10; Isa. 11:9; Ezek. 37:21-28; Matt. 24:15-25:46; Acts 15:16-17; Rom. 8:19-23; 11:25-27; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; Rev. 20:1-3).
Article XXI-THE ETERNAL STATE
We believe that at death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body when Christ comes for His own, whereupon soul and body reunited shall be associated with Him forever in glory; but the spirits and souls of the unbelieving remain after death conscious of condemnation and in misery until the final judgment of the great white throne at the close of the millennium, when soul and body reunited shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power (Luke 16:19-26; 23:42; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15).
We believe that God intended for men and women (young or old) to refrain from
sexual activity until and if they choose to be married as adults. If they
choose to be married, we believe that they should remain faithful to one another
in marriage and ideally remain married for life. We believe that there should
be mutual love and respect between husband and wife, and that spousal abuse is
a very serious sin. We believe that if they have children, they should
encourage, care for, nurture, responsibly discipline, and raise up their
children so that when they become mature enough, they would want (of their own
free will) to choose to trust in Christ for salvation and then to faithfully
follow Christ throughout their life. We believe that it is the primary
responsibility of the parents to set an example of godliness, kindness, love of
neighbors and country, and all that this implies, such as good and responsible
citizenship. We believe in modest and restrained forms of discipline, but that
child abuse and neglect in all forms is sinful and displeasing to the Lord.
We believe that Christians should love and be loyal to their country,
responsible citizens in all respects, law abiding, and making a positive
contribution to the health and well-being of the community and the nation. We
believe that patriotism, defined as love and loyalty to country is a virtue and
therefore biblically mandated. We believe that nationalism, defined as hatred
for members of other nations (just because someone is from another country-as
in xenophobia) is a sin and therefore biblically prohibited. We further reject
all forms of ethnic and racial prejudice as sinful and destructive to the
health, well being, strength, and unity of a nation as well as offensive to God
who created all men in His image.
While we do not (as a church or church association) suggest who anyone should
vote for, what to vote for, what political party to join or even that they
should or should not have political affiliations (etc) we do believe that
voting is a privilege and responsibility of a free citizenry and should be
encouraged by all responsible citizens. Though we are not aligned with any
political party, we believe that Christians can and should associate and
support any lawful political party or political activity that they believe is
good for individuals, families and Country. We believe that all political action
on the part of an individual Christian ought to be peaceful. The church of
Jesus Christ is not and should about political revolution but personal
transformation.
We believe that Christians can participate in the defense of their homeland, and serve in the military at all levels. The same moral and ethical obligations that apply to civilians also apply to those in the military. We make a distinction between violence defined as unjustifiable physical harm done to the innocent and physical force used for self defense (both national and personal). This would apply to those in a civilian police force whose primary job it is to protect citizens from evil doers or common criminals as well as those in the military whose primary job is to protect citizens from foreign threats.
We believe that medical science is a gift from God and should be used for the health and well being of our families. Thus, we have no problem with vaccinations or immunizations that have proven to prevent diseases. We believe that it is perfectly acceptable for Christians to use (not abuse) medicine prescribed by a doctor or that does not need (legally) to be prescribed if it is used as directed by the manufacturer.
We recognize that all who believe in Jesus Christ for salvation to be true Christians and part of the same family of God as all others who believe in Jesus Christ, regardless of tradition, national or ethnic origin or previous background. We believe that all Christians should faithfully follow Christ in this life and share the same general spiritual, moral, and ethical responsibilities and are equally accountable to God for what they believe and how they behave.
While we do not agree with the views of non-Christian religions on many
(or most) of the most important issues important to religious communities, we
respect their right to believe differently than we do. We hope they will also
respect our right to believe differently than they do. We believe that open and
honest communication between representatives of different religions can be
conducted in a peaceful and respectful manner. We do not believe true
conversion can be forced or coerced. We believe it would be wrong and sinful to
try and force or coerce someone to believe in God or Jesus Christ.
We believe that all people of all persuasions should be free to hold fast to
their views, freely changes their views (and religion), embrace no formal
religion, secular religions-such as is found in the religion of secular
humanism, and atheism. Although we believe that the Jesus Christ of the Bible
is the only Jewish Messiah, the only Savior of the world, the only acceptable
way to God, we believe God loves everyone in the world as is evidence by the
fact that He sent His Son to dies on the cross for all the sins of all the
sinners in the world.
