the Shepherd's flock Church Ministry

STATEMENT OF FAITH
1. THE AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURE: The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16) presenting to us the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and constituting the Divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice (2 Peter 1:2 1).
2. THE ONE TRUE GOD: We believe there is but one true and living God, who is everlasting, infinite in power, wisdom and goodness; that He is the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, and Preserver of all things (Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:16). In the unity of this Godhead, there are three persons of one individual essence, who are co-equal, co-existent and co-eternal; namely, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost (Matthew 3:16, 17; 28:18, 19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 1:1,2, 18; 10:33; 14:26; 15:26; Philippians 2:6; Hebrews 9:14).
3. THE FALL OF MAN AND NEED FOR REDEMPTION: Man is a created being, made in the likeness and the image of God, but through Adam?s transgression and fall, sin came into the world (Romans 5:12). ?All have sinned and come short of the glory of God? (Romans 3:23).
4. SALVATION ONLY THROUGH CHRIST: Man?s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Jesus Christ is the only way to Salvation. John 14:6 and Acts 4:12 reveal that is no other way to be saved except through Jesus Christ. God did not appoint any sect or denomination to give salvation. Salvation can be received through prayer of acceptance (John 3:16).
5. THE NATURE AND THE CALLING OF THE CHURCH: The true Church, built upon the Foundation of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:20), is the Body of our Lord (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27); Christ being the Head (Ephesians 1:22; Colossians 1:18). The Church, through its members, is delegated the various gifts and offices of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-lI, 27, 28) which are necessary for the successful evangelizing of the world and the perfecting of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 4:11, 12).
6. THE MINISTRY: God, through the Holy Spirit, definitely calls such as He desires to serve as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, and specifically endows the one called with the talents and gifts peculiar to that office or offices (Ephesians 4:11-13). Under no circumstances should anyone be ordained or set apart to any such office unless the calling is distinct and evident.
7. SANCTIFICATION: The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). We believe in the doctrine of sanctification as a definite, yet progressive, work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation (Hebrews 13:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 12 Ephesians 5:26; 1 Corinthians 6:11; John 17:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:23).
8. DIVINE HEALING: Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought by the power of God, through the prayer of faith, and by the laying on of hands (Mark 16:18; James 5:14, 15). It is provided for in the atonement of Christ and is available to all who truly believe.
9. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST: We believe the Bible presents the coming of Christ as personal, imminent, pre-tribulation and pre-millennial. We further contend that this position alone admonishes watchfulness, incites holy living, prevents spiritual declension, and provides maximum incentive and motive for urgency and zeal in evangelizing the unsaved. As demonic deception and satanic darkness deepens, we urge our ministers to maintain and proclaim this doctrinal viewpoint as the ?blessed hope? of the Church.
10. HELL AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT: The one who physically dies in his sins without Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the Lake of Fire, and therefore has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or for repentance (Hebrews 9:27). The Lake of Fire is literal (Revelation 19:20). The terms ?eternal? and ?everlasting? used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned (Matthew 25:41?46) in the lake of fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence, as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the presence of God.
11. TITHES: We recognize the scriptural duty of all our people, as well as ministers, to give tithes as unto the Lord (Hebrews 7:8). Tithes should be used for the support of the active ministry and for the propagation of the Gospel and work of the Lord in general and not given to charity or used for other purposes (Malachi 3:7-Il; Hebrews 7:2; 1 Corinthians 9:7-lI; 16:2).