We teach the following:
All those who put their faith in Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united body, the church. (1 Cor 12:12-13)
The church began on the Day of Pentecost. (Acts 2) It will be completed when Christ takes the church to heaven at the rapture. (1 Cor 15:51-52; 1 Thess 4:13-18)
Christ is the Head of the church and its supreme authority. (Eph 1:22; Col 1:18) This authority is delegated to elders to direct their local church fellowship and the congregation is to submit to their leadership. (Heb 13:7,17)
We teach that women may have the same opportunities for service in the church as men except in roles of leadership positions such as pastor or elder. For further details please see Roles of Men and Women in the Church.
The commission of the church is to make disciples of all nations. (Matt 28:19-20)
The church has been given two ordinances, neither of which are required for salvation:
- Baptism by immersion, which is for believers only. (Mark 1:10; Acts 8:38; Matt 28:19)
- The Lord’s Supper, which is a remembrance of Christ’s sacrificial death. (Luke 22:19)
