We have adopted the statement of faith from the Association of Messianic Congregations

WHAT WE BELIEVE
THE ASSOCIATION OF MESSIANIC CONGREGATIONS

 

The Scriptures
We believe that the Scriptures, both the Tenach (Hebrew Scriptures) and the Brit Hadasha (New Covenant), are fully inspired and are God’s complete and final revelation to man until the Messiah returns. The 66 books of the Bible are inerrant in the original Hebrew and Greek autographs. They are true and authoritative in every category of knowledge to which they speak. (Proverbs 30:5,6; Isaiah 40:7,8; Jeremiah 31:31; Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Pet.1:19-21)

The Tri-unity
We believe that God is one but has manifested Himself in three separate and distinct Persons. Hence, we believe that God is a Tri-unity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is the creator of all things. He is infinite and perfect, eternally existing in three equal persons, each possessing the nature of deity, as well as the characteristics of personality. He is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 48:16; Matthew 28:19; John 6:27; Acts 5:3,4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:8)

Part 1: God the Father – We believe He is Father over all creation, and thus its sovereign ruler; Father of Israel, whom He has chosen as His unique people; Father of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), whom He sent into the world to redeem mankind and creation; and Father of all who trust in His gracious provision. (Exodus 4:22; Matthew 3:17; John 1:12, 3:16; Acts 17:29; Galatians 3:26)

Part 2: God the Son – We believe that God the Son became flesh in the person of Yeshua of Nazareth, the promised Messiah of Israel, who was conceived of the Spirit of God and born of the Jewish virgin, Miriam (Mary). We believe in His full deity and full humanity, His sinless life, and His miracles. We believe that Messiah Yeshua arose from the dead bodily, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for believers. He will come again in glory establishing His literal Millennial kingdom on earth. (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6,7; Jeremiah 23:5,6; Micah 5:2; Luke 1:26-79; John 1:1,2,14-18)

Part 3: God the Holy Spirit – We believe the Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit) is a Person. He possesses all the distinct attributes of deity and personality. He does not call attention to Himself and is ever present to glorify and testify of Messiah Yeshua. We believe the Spirit of God is active today, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates, seals, and sets the believer apart to a holy life. At the moment of salvation, each believer is baptized with the Spirit into the body of Messiah and at the same moment is permanently indwelt by the Spirit. All believers are complete in Messiah and possess every spiritual blessing. We believe that at salvation the Holy Spirit sovereignly imparts at least one spiritual gift to every believer for the purpose of edifying and equipping the body of Messiah.
(Nehemiah 9:20; Psalm 139:7; John 15:26, 16:13-15; Acts 5:4; 1 Corinthians 2:10,11; 12:11; 2 Cor. 13:14)

Satan and Demons
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, the Adversary of God. Satan is the originator of moral evil and the god of this world. He and his agents are active in blinding mankind to spiritual truth, inciting anti-Semitism and attempting to defeat believers. Believers can and should resist him by applying Scriptural truth. (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; 2 Corinthians 4:3,4; 10:3-5; Ephesians 2:1,2, 6:10-18; 1 Timothy 3:6; 2 Peter 2:4)

Angels
We believe a great company of angels are before the throne of God, praising, worshiping, adoring, and glorifying Him. They are sent forth to bring about God’s intended plans and purposes, and to minister to all believers. (Isaiah 6:1-7; Daniel 10:10-21; Luke 15:10; Hebrews 1:13,14; Revelation 7:11-12)

Man
We believe that man was created in the image of God. Adam sinned and consequently experienced not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God. All human beings are born with a sinful, corrupted nature, and sin in thought, word, and deed. Man’s state of sin has so infected his will that he is unable to choose God’s provision of redemption in Messiah Yeshua without the work of the Holy Spirit in his understanding. (Genesis 1:26,27, 2:16,17, 3:6, 6:5; 8:21; Exodus 33:19; Psalm 14:1-3; Isaiah 53:6, 64:6; Jeremiah 17:9, 31:33; Mark 7:20-23; John 2:24,25, 3:3-5, 6:44; Romans 3:23, 5:12-19, 9:1-18; Ephesians 2:1-10)

Salvation
We believe that anyone who by faith trusts Messiah Yeshua as Savior and Redeemer is immediately forgiven of sin and becomes a child of God. This salvation is not the result of any human effort or merit, it is the undeserved favor of God. Further, there is no other way of salvation apart from faith in Messiah Yeshua for any person, whether Jewish or Gentile. We believe that Messiah Yeshua died as the sacrifice for man’s sin and that all who believe in Him are declared righteous on the basis of His shed blood alone. We believe that all believers are kept eternally secure by the power of God through the new birth and the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 15:6; Leviticus 17:11; Deuteronomy 9:4-6; Habakkuk 2:4; John 1:12,13; Acts 2:37-39; Romans 1:16,17, 3:28, 8:9,15-17; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8,9,19; Titus 3:5)

The Body of Messiah
We believe that all believers in Yeshua are members of the universal body (community) and bride of the Messiah. The body of Messiah began at Shavuot (Pentecost) with the baptism of the Holy Spirit after the ascension of Yeshua. Membership in the body is based solely on faith in Messiah. This body is distinct from Israel and is composed of both Jews and Gentiles made one in Messiah. These members are under the solemn duty to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of love. We believe that the ordinances of the local congregation are water immersion and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that the purpose of the local congregation is to glorify God through worship, instruction, accountability, discipline, fellowship and outreach. Its eldership is open to men who fulfill the qualifications for elder as set forth in the New Covenant. The Scriptures encourage the active participation and regular assembly of believers in the local body. (Matthew 16:15-18 Luke 22:24-27; Acts 1:5, 2:14-36; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:11-18, 5:23-27; Colossians 1:18, 3:14,15)

The Gifts and Present Day Ministry of the Holy Spirit
We believe that at salvation the Holy Spirit imparts at least one spiritual gift to every believer for the purpose of edifying and equipping the body of Messiah. We believe that God sovereignly distributes Spiritual Gifts to believers and so giving undue emphasis to any one particular gift can be divisive. We believe that God heals in accordance with His will. This may occur miraculously, medically, or naturally. Supernatural healing may occur in response to prayer and in accordance with God’s sovereign will. However, physical healing cannot be claimed solely on the basis of the atonement. We believe that the filling of the Holy Spirit is the ongoing process of God to which we yield whereby He sanctifies us (sets apart) and brings forth the fruit of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:13-14; 1 Corinthians 12:28-31; 13:1-3,13; 1 Corinthians 14:12, 19, 23, 27-28; Galatians 5:22-23)

Israel
We believe Israel is God’s special people, distinct from the body of Messiah, chosen by Him to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. The election of Israel is irrevocable. Jewish believers in Yeshua have a unique twofold identity. They are the spiritual remnant of physical Israel and at the same time are part of the body of Messiah. We believe the Abrahamic Covenant is an irrevocable, unconditional covenant God made with Jewish people. This covenant provides title to the land of Israel for the Jewish people and promises a descendant (the Messiah) who would come to redeem Israel and bless the entire world. The spiritual blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant overflow to all the nations. God will ultimately fulfill every aspect of the covenant in the Messianic Kingdom, both physical and spiritual. We believe that Israel’s eternal covenant relationship with God does not grant atonement to individual Jewish people. Therefore, it is the believer’s privilege and duty to tell the Good News of Messiah Yeshua to the Jewish people. (Genesis 12:1-3, 15:1-21, 17:1-21; Romans 11:1-29; Galatians 3:14-17)

The Believer and the Law of Moses
We believe the Law of Moses as a rule of life has been fulfilled in the Messiah and therefore believers are no longer under its’ obligation or condemnation. While the Law of Moses is no longer obligatory for believers, the Law has much to teach us regarding a joyfully Jewish way of life. Both Jewish and non-Jewish believers have the freedom in Messiah to maintain any aspects of the Law of Moses which do not violate the entirety of the rest of scripture. (Acts 21:24-26; Romans 6:14;8:2;10:4;14:1-23; 1 Corinthians 9:20; 2 Corinthians 3:1- 11; Galatians 3:3,3:10-13;6:2; Ephesians 2:14 )

Last Things
We believe that upon physical death believers enter into the joyous presence of God, whereas non-believers enter into conscious suffering apart from God. We believe in the personal, bodily, visible, and pre-millennial return of the Lord Yeshua. At that time He will lift the corruption which now rests upon the whole of creation, totally restore Israel to her own land, give her the realization of God’s covenanted promises and bring the whole world to the knowledge of God. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men. Believers shall be resurrected to enjoy eternal life with God. Non-believers shall be resurrected to experience judgment and then eternal suffering/separation apart from God. (Jeremiah 30:7 Daniel 9:24-27; Ezekiel 20:33-40; Matthew 24:30; Acts 1:11; Romans 8:19-23; 11:25-27; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; 5:1-11; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10 )
Revised and Approved by the AMC Board of Directors – August 28, 2003

We value the testimony of the Messiah; we exalt His Name above all others; evangelism and outreach are taught, conducted and encouraged. (Rom. 1:16)

We value the congregation, as disciples of Yeshua in mutual and loving accountability in the Lord. (Matt. 16:18)

We value ministry by the fellowship, where the Congregational Leader prepares the believers for service. (Eph. 4:12)

We value diversity of service, which gives opportunity for each member and where counsel and encouragement for ministry is provided. (1Pet. 4:10-11, Luke 10:38-42)

We value leadership for effective ministry, where a Congregational Leader is raised up, and we do only those ministries which we have personnel to properly accomplish. (Prov. 29:18, 1 Tim. 3:5)

We value clarity and orderliness, because life and love are not well expressed in chaos; so communication is a priority through a Constitution, bulletins, budgets, etc. (1 Cor. 14:40)

We value a Messianic form of worship; as Messianic Jews and Gentiles we express our faith in a Jewish cultural religious context, e.g. terminology, holidays, etc. (Rom. 11:1-2, 11-15, 17-24, 31)

We value our children; the congregation provides instruction in the faith in a Jewish frame of reference. (Ps. 127:3, Mk. 10:14)

We value discipleship, and have personal and group discipleship for all; members are disciples. (Matt. 28:18-20, 2 Tim. 2:2)