The corporate name of this church shall be the Evangelical Christian Church.

SECTION 1

SECTION 2

To provide a program that will bring believers under the influence of the five-fold shepherd ministry gifts of apostle, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers which Christ has set in the church with the designed intention that believers of this Assembly shall be:

a. trained for the work of the ministry,

b. built up as a collective group,

c. united in the faith once for all delivered unto the saints,

d. united in the knowledge of the Son of God Himself,

e. transformed into a closer character likeness to Jesus,

SECTION 3

SECTION 4

To establish and maintain such organization structures - committees, departments, institutions, etc., as may be necessary for the propagation of the Gospel and the work of this Church.

SECTION 5

To have the right to own, hold in trust, use, sell, convey, mortgage, lease or otherwise dispose of such property, real or chattel, as may be needed for the prosecution of its work.

ARTICLE III - STATEMENT OF FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS

This Assembly shall accept the Holy Scriptures as the revealed will of God, the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice, and for the purpose of maintaining general unity, adopts the Statement of Fundamental Truths following herewith:

SECTION I - The Scriptures Inspired.

We believe and accept the entire Bible as the infallible Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit; the only and perfect order of our faith and manner of living, superior to conscience and reason; to which nothing can be added or taken away, which is the power of God unto Salvation to believers . (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Tim. 3:16,17; Rom. 1:16)

SECTION 2 - The One True God

We believe there is only one living and true God, eternal, with unlimited power, Creator of all things; and in the one God are three distinct persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 4:6; Matt. 28:19; 1 John 5:7)

SECTION 3 - The Savior

We believe that the historical Jesus Christ is God made flesh through the Virgin Mary, and so is true God and true man; that He is the only Savior who suffered death in reality, not only for original sin imputed to man, but also for the actual sins of man. (John 1:14; Lk. 1:27-35; 1 Peter 3;18)

SECTION 4 - Satan

We believe in the existence of a personal devil who is Himself a fallen angel of Cod and who with a highly organized host of evil spirits seeks the control of mankind through obvious and devious ways against which the Christian must daily fortify himself although Satan and his hosts are destined for eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire. (Isa. 14:12; 2 Peter 2:4; Eph. 6:11-18; Dan. 10:12,13; 1 Pet. 5:8,9; 2 Cor. 11:14; James 4:7; Matt. 25:41)

SECTION 5 - Man, His Fall

We believe Man was created good and upright, for God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness." But man, by voluntary transgression, fell, and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God . (Gen. 1:26-31; 3:1-7; Rom.5:12-21)

SECTION 6 - The Salvation of Man

a. Conditions of Salvation - We believe that Salvation is in the Person, Jesus Christ, alone and that the New Birth without which man "cannot enter the kingdom of God" is experienced through "repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ." (John 3:16; 1 John 5:11; John 3:5; Acts 20:21; John 1:12,13)

b. The Evidence of Salvation - We believe the Inward Evidence to the believer of his Salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit; the Outward Evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness. (Rom. 8:16; 1 John 2:3-6)

SECTION 7 - Baptism in Water

a. Conditions - We believe the ordinance of baptism by symbolic burial with Christ should be observed by all who have in reality repented of their sins and in their hearts truly believe in Christ as Savior who died for their sins and Lord who lives to sustain them.

b. Administration - We believe single immersion should be administered in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit by one recognized as having been set apart for the work of the ministry. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:47, 48; Rom. 6:4)

SECTION 8 - The Lord's Supper

We believe the ordinance of the Lord's Supper consisting of the elements, bread and the fruit of the vine, the symbols of the body and blood of our Lord, should be regularly observed by believers only as a memorial of His suffering and death, a witness to the unity of all believers in Christ, and a reminder of His Second Coming. (I Cor. 11:20; Matt. 26:16-29; I Cor. 10:16, 17)

SECTION 9 - The Baptism in the Holy Spirit

We believe the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father and the Command of Christ to all believers as an experience to be received distinct from the New Birth, for endurement with power for life and service and which experience indicates the believer at that moment has voluntarily surrendered his faculties to the Holy Spirit's control (Acts 1:4,5; Acts 2:39,40; Acts 19:1-7; Acts 1:8) 

SECTION 10 - The Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

We believe there are many signs of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, but speaking in a language one has never known is always the first physical evidence that the Spirit has come into full control. (Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:2,6; Acts 1:8; 2:42,43; James 3: 1-10)

SECTION 11 - Sanctification

We believe in the holiness without which no man shall see the Lord and that by the power of the Holy Spirit the Christian can live separate from voluntary sin though not free from the temptation to sin; and that, the Christian is credited with our Lord's sanctification while in pursuit of perfection. (Heb. 12:14; Rom. 8:13; 1 Cor. 1:30; Heb. 6:1)

SECTION 12 - Abstinence

We believe it is necessary to abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled and from fornication, as decreed by the Holy Spirit in the General Assembly held at Jerusalem according to Acts 15:28-29; 16:4; 21:25.

SECTION 13 - The Church

We believe the true church of Christ is both a universal and local body of Christians which exists interdenominationally but consists exclusively of these persons only who through the New Birth are in Christ; and that, the church has been divinely commissioned as a holy priesthood to offer true worship to God, and as ambassadors of His Kingdom to show mankind the way of the Lord. (Matt. 13:24-30; Rev. 2:1; Job. 3:3-5: 1 Pet. 2:5; John 4:23,24; Matt. 5:13-16; Act. 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:30)

SECTION 14 - The Ministry

We believe special men set apart for the work of the ministry by the call of our Lord Jesus Christ are uniquely commissioned to the Leadership, but not Lordship over the flock of God; and because of this high calling should receive the love honor, respect, deference, and material support of the people of God. (Eph. 4:8-12; 1 Pet. 5:1-3; 1 Thess. 5:12,13; Heb. 13:17; Gal.6:6; I Cor. 9:7-14)

SECTION 15 - Evangelism

We believe it is the primary mission of the church to the world to proclaim that "Christ died for our sins … was buried ... rose again on the third day ... that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life..." in "...new heavens and a new earth, in which dwelleth righteousness;" and that "all means morally and Scripturally correct should be employed to influence commitment of people to Christ providing such means do not usurp the primary mission of the Church. (I Cor. 15:3,4; John 3:16; 2 Pet. 3:13; 1 Cor. 9:22; Gal. 1:6-11; 1 Cor. 2:2)

We further believe that to this mission at home and abroad every Christian should give himself zealously; especially those in the Ministry and in particular those called to be Evangelists because the Return of our Lord and the establishment of His Kingdom cannot occur until the Gospel is first preached to all nations for a witness. (Rom. 10:14, 15 Matt. 28:19,20; 2 Tim. 4:5; Eph. 4:11; 2 Cor. 5:11,14; Matt. 24 : 14)

SECTION 16 - Divine Healing

We believe deliverance from sickness, with or without means for healing (including the services of a physician) is the will of God provided for in the Atonement as a privilege for all believers in proportion to whose faith healing may be administered to New Testament precedent by anointing with oil by the elders and the laying on of hands by believers. (Isa. 53:4; Matt. 8:16,17; Lk. 17:14; John 9:6,7; Lk. 18:42; James 5:14; Mk. 16:18; Acts 19:12)

SECTION 17 - Rapture and Resurrection

We believe that Jesus Christ will soon return to this world with physical characteristics identical to those with which He ascended into Heaven; and the bodies of living Christians shall be changed instantly into His likeness and both living and dead Christians shall be caught up to be with the Lord in Heaven, thus escaping the judgment of God that shall come upon a Christ-rejecting society. The dead in Christ are said to Resurrect; the living, Translated: both are Raptured. (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 4:16,17; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 5:9)

SECTION 18 - The Millennial Reign of Christ

We believe that after the Tribulation Jesus Christ and his followers will literally rule the world in righteousness for a period of 1000 years in fulfillment of God's promise to David and the prophetic image of the rise and fall of nations revealed in Nebuchadnezzar's dream in which Daniel interpreted. (Rev. 20:1-7; 2 Sam. 7:16; Dan. 2:44,45)

SECTION 19 - The Lake of Fire

We believe the devil and his angels, the coming world dictator referred to as the beast in Scripture, and his religious aid referred to in Scripture as the false prophet, and whosoever is not found written in the Book of life, shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (Rev.19:20; 20:10-15)

SECTION 20 - The Kingdom of God: New Heavens and New Earth

We believe according to promise in a coming Kingdom of God comprised of new Heavens and a new Earth endowed with all this world's secular good essential for total fulfillment in the new Earth, minus sin, plus the literal presence of Jesus Christ; and that Christians, cited for faithfulness here, together with Christ, shall administer the affairs of the coming world order forever (Lk. 1:33; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1,4; 22:2; Rev. 5:10; 2:26; 3:21)

SECTION 21 - The Tithe

We believe that one tenth of every Christian's increase should be given joyfully to the local church on the first day of the week in respect of God's command and ownership of all our substance; and that God enters into a contractual Covenant of Blessing with faithful tithers through which He promises both prosperity of substance and protection from wasting. (Matt. 23:23; Mal. 3:8-11; Lk. 6:38 2 Cor. 9:6-8)

We further believe tithing is a continuing test of the Christian's managerial integrity and sense of responsibility and will be significant in determining the degree of responsible leadership with which he shall be entrusted in the coming world order. (Lk. 12:41-48; 19:11-17; 1 Cor. 4:2)

Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the profession of our faith having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God, angels, and this Assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body of Christ.

For the advancement of This Church - We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of the church, in knowledge, holiness and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrines.

As Christian Stewards - To contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor and the spread of the gospel through all nations.

Alone and at Home - We also engage to maintain family and private devotion; to educate our children religiously; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances.

Before the World - To walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting and un-Christ like anger; and to be zealous in our effort to advance the kingdom of our Savior.

Toward One Another - We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and, mindful of the rules of our Savior, to secure it without delay ...

When We Move - We, moreover, engage that when we remove this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other church, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word. 

Some Beliefs We Cherish -

1. We believe that the Bible is God's unerring Word to man and that it is the only sufficient authority as the rule of doctrine and practice.

2. We believe in a regenerated church membership and that regeneration through faith in Christ is a prerequisite to Church membership.

3. In the New Testament the candidate was taken to the water, not the water brought to the candidate; the candidate was placed in the water, not the water put on the candidate; so we believe in immersion only as answering Christ's command of baptism and symbolizing the heart of the gospel message, death, burial and resurrection.

4. We believe in the New Testament order of baptism and the Lord's Supper. New Testament Christians were baptized before taking the Lord's Supper.

5. We believe, in an endowment with the power of the Holy Spirit for witnessing, evidenced initially by speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance as a promise and command of Christ unto as many as the Lord shall call, in addition to and subsequent to the regeneration of man.

6. We believe the pastoral ministry is one of the five ministry gifts Christ has set in the Church and because of this ordination, we, therefore, accept the leadership of pastoral guidance in the fear of Cod.

7. We believe in the right of each active member of the church to a voice in its government, plans, and discipline.

8. We believe in the freedom of the individual conscience; in the voluntary principle, in the

Coercive principle, in religion.

9. We believe in the autonomy of the local church while retaining loyalty and cooperative fellowship with the Christian Church of N.A.

10. We believe in the total independence and separation of church and state. 

SECTION 1 - Ordinances

a- The Ordinances of Baptism by Immersion in Water (Matt.28:19) shall be administered to all these who have repented of their sins, and who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 6:4-5)

b. The Ordinance of the Lord's supper shall be regularly observed as enjoined in the Scriptures. (Lk. 22:19,20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26)

SECTION 2 - Practices

a. Dedication of Children - (Mk. 10:13-16; Lk. 18:15,16)

b. Prayer for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit - (Acts 8:15-17)

c. Prayer for the sick - The sick should be prayed for, with the anointing with oil and laying of hands, upon their request.(Mk. 16:18; James 5:14)

d. Christian marriage for Christians only - (2 Cor. 6:14)