Disciples of Christ
The Disciples of Christ is a Church in Togo, West Africa, created in 2003. The founder and senior pastor Rev. AWADZIE Atsu Mawussi has at the present 11 congregations in two regions: the zio prefecture of the Maritime region and the kloto prefecture of the plateaux region. We have a staff of nine members working on various departments: - Church planting and evangelization - Health and sanitation education - Youth and children education - projects designed to improve food production and nutrition - The training of men and women for ministry
Togo
- Our mission is to proclaim and spread the Gospel to reach the poorest, save souls and reach out to the lost for his kingdom. - Improve and develop health and sanitation education in the rural communities. - Youth promotion for development - Maintain peace and justice with the communities and where needed.
THEFOUNDER-JESUSCHRIST
-WebelievethatChristHimselfinstitutedHisChurchandthatHereceivedfullauthorityfromGod
todoso(Mark9:7).InMatthew16:18,JesustellsHisdisciplesthattheChurchwouldbebuilton
Him,andbecauseofthisSatanwouldhavenolastingpoweroverit.
THEMOTIVATION-LOVE
-WebelievetheChurchisfoundedontheloveofGod(John3:16).Thisisanunchanginglove,alovethatcares
tenderlyforapersonevenwhensheorheiswrong.God'slovelovesthesinner,buthatesthesins
intheperson'slife."ButGodcommendethhislovetowardus,inthat,whilewewereyetsinners,
Christdiedforus(Romans5:8).
THENEWTESTAMENTCHURCH
-TheDisciplesofChristisaNewTestamentChurch.Thisdoesnotinanyway
precludeourbeliefintheOldTestament,foritservedasaschoolmastertobringustoChrist.But
afterfaithiscome,wearenolongerunderaschoolmaster(Galations3:23-26).Webelievethe
entireBiblefromGenesistoMalachiandMatthewtoRevelation;tobetherevealedWordofGod.
WeareaNewTestamentChurchbecauseoursalvation,hope,andeternallifecamethrough
ChristJesus.
THEMEMBERS"DISCIPLES"
-WebelievethatChristdesignatedanamebywhichHisfollowersaretobecalled.Thatnameis
"Disciples"(Matthew10:42;Luke14:26;John8:31).WebelievethatbecauseChristchosethis
nameforHisfollowers,itshouldbeheldinreverence.
THEEMBLEM-THEFISH
-AmongthefirstDisciplesofChristnearly2000yearsago,itissaidthatinthestruggleofthe
Churchwiththecivilauthorities,theearlyDisciplesusedthesignofthefishasasecretcodeto
protecttheiridentityinthemidstoftheirenemies.TheChurchofChristDisciplesofChrist
carriesthatsameemblemtoday.
THEPERSONSOFTHEGODHEAD
TheDoctrineofGod
-WebelievethatGodcreatedallexistenceandwithoutGodwasnotanythingmade.Webelievethat
thereisbutoneGod,whoisinfinitelyperfect,existingexternallyinthreePersons:Father,Son,
andHolySpirit.
THEWORDOFGOD
-WebelievethatthedoctrineoftheChurchofChristisscripturallyandspirituallybasedonthe
WordofGod(Matthew16:18,Acts1:8).WebelievethattherevealedwordofGod(scripture)isthe
onlyauthoritybywhichDisciplesofChristaretobegoverned.Webelievethatallclaimsof
spiritualknowledgemustbesupportedbytheBible).WebelievethatthewordofGodisthefinal
revelationintheirfaithfromGod(Isaiah8:16;Revelation22:18-19).WebelievethewordofGodis
complete,andwasmadecompletewhenChristredeemedusfromthesentenceofhellbyoffering
Himselfasaransomforoursins(Romans5:8).
ThewordofGodistheswordoftheSpirit(Heb.4:12).TheSpiritisquick(effectiveand
fast-acting),powerful(aliveandactive),sharp(piercing,tothepoint,daggersharp),anddiscerning
(revealing).WebelieveallscriptureisgivenbyinspirationofGod(revealed),andisprofitablefor
doctrine(teaching),forreproof(criticism),forcorrection(rightingwrongordiscipline),for
instructioninrighteousness(directionforholyliving)and(2Timothy3:16).
THEDOCTRINEOFJESUSCHRIST
-IntheGospelofJohn,wehearitmostdirectly:"TheWordwaswithGod,andtheWordwasGod"
(John1:1).Christisnotjustaman,sentfromGod(likeJohntheBaptist).Hewasnotjusta
prophetoranangel.HeisEmmanuel,Godwithus(Matthew1:23,John14:8-11).Webelievethat
JesusChrististheonlytrueSonofGod.WebelievethatChristwasinthecreationactwithGodin
thebeginning(John1:1).WebelievethatJesuswasincarnatedthroughthegivingofbirthbya
youngvirginnamedMary.Jesuscametoforgivemenandwomenofsin,healofsickness,give
abundantlife,saveofitsshortcomings,andtointroducetheHolySpirit.WebelieveChristdiedon
acrossinCalvary,andthenHerosefrombothdeathandthegrave.WebelievethatChristisactive
inthelivesofallwhoworshipHim.WebelievethatHeispreparingarestingplaceforHisChurch
(John14:3).
THEDOCTRINEOFTHEHOLYSPIRIT
-TheHolySpirit(HolyGhost)isaPerson.TheHolySpiritistheSpiritofGodHimself,therefore
theHolySpiritissomeoneandnotsomething.ReceivingtheHolySpiritbringsaboutconviction,
sanctification,regeneration,adoption,salvation,guidance,comfort,teaching,gifts,fruit,and
eternallife.TheHolySpirit,empowersthebelievertomanifestthegiftsoftheHolySpirit/
workingof/listedinCorinthians12and(wordofwisdom,wordofknowledge,faith,healing,
miracles,prophecy,discerningofspirits,tongue,interpretationoftongue,andthetenthgift,the
giftoflove(towhichPauldevotestheentire13thchapterof1Corinthians).Believersalsogainthe
fruitofthespiritandfruit(love,joy,peace,long-suffering,gentleness,goodness,faith,meekness,
andtemperancelistedinGalations5:22-23..
THEORDINANCESOFTHECHURCHOFCHRIST
THEGREATCOMMISSION
-TheChurchofChrist,DisciplesofChristInternationalrecognizespreachingandteachingthe
GospelasitsfirstpriorityinobediencetothecommandgiventothefirstdisciplesbyJesus
Himself."Goyetherefore,andteachallnations,baptizingtheminthenameoftheFather,andof
theSon,andoftheHolyGhost:TeachingthemtoobserveallthingswhatsoeverIhavecommanded
you"(Matthew28:19-20).
WATERBAPTISM
-WebelievethatifoneistofollowthepathofrighteousnessofJesusChrist,sheorhemustbe
totallysubmergedunderwater,whichisknownas"waterbaptism."Baptismsymbolizesdeathand
newlifeinChristJesus."WeareburiedwithHimbybaptismintodeath:thatlikeasChristwas
raisedupfromthedeadbythegloryoftheFather,evensowealsoshouldwalkinnewnessoflife"
(Romans6:4).
THELORD'SSUPPER
TheBreadandtheFruitoftheVine
-WebelievethattheobservanceoftheLord'sSupper(Communion)byallbelieversisessential.The
Lord'sSuppersymbolizesGod'sloveforusthroughChrist'ssufferinganddeathforoursalvation.
Webelievethatasoftenaswekeepthisobservance,weshowforth(symbolize)Hisdeathand
suffering(John13:15;John13:1-7;Luke22:19-20).
FEETWASHING
-Webelievethat,accordingtoscripture,Christdemonstratedoneofthegreatestactsofhumility,
love,andself-sacrificebyloweringHimselftowashHisDisciples'feet.Whileweagreethatfeet
washingisnotinandofitselfaprerequisitetosalvation,wedobelievethatallwhoconfess
salvation(baptismoftheHolySpirit)shouldpartakeintheordinanceofthewashingofone
another'sfeet.
ONSALVATIONANDGRACE
-Webelievethatmenandwomenarecarnaland,thereby,sinful.Becauseweareborninsin,there
needstobeanatoningandredeemingprocessundertakenbetweenChristandtheindividual.We
canonlyberestoredtodivinefavorthroughsalvation.Thisredemptiveoperation,whichcomes
onlythroughtheinitiationoftheHolySpirit,isbroughtaboutbyrepentance(achangeofheart)
towardGodandfaithinourLordJesusChrist,whichbringsaboutconversionandsanctification
(purifying)(Romans10:8-13).
