GOD’S WORD: The Word of God is the divinely inspired expression of the will of God. Perfect in its original transmission and without error, the Bible is sufficient and complete in the canon of the Old Testament and New Testament in all things pertaining to life and godliness, faith and practice, which include but are not limited to family, marriage, financial stewardship, giving, and growing spiritually as disciples of Jesus Christ. We are also called to be diligent in rightly dividing the Word of truth. 2 Peter 1:20-21 / 2 Timothy 2:15
GOD: There is only one true God, who is the Creator of the heavens and earth, the Alpha and Omega, the great “I AM,” the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, having no beginning and no end. We believe that God, being omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing),and omnipresent (able to be anywhere and at all places at the same time), chose to express himself in the three persons of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, one God manifested in three Persons. John 1:1,14 / Colossians 2:9 / 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
JESUS CHRIST: Jesus is divine in nature- He is the only begotten Son of God; He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; the only way through which man is saved and reconciled to God; He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, freely laid down his life as a full atonement for our sin, was crucified and buried in a tomb; He rose bodily from the tomb on the third day, was seen by over 500 people, ascended into the heavens and is seated at the right hand of God, interceding for the saints – those born again in Christ Jesus. There is only one redeemer and one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ. (We don’t accept unbiblical teachings of co-redeemers or a co-mediatrix.) Matthew 1:18-25 / John 10:18 and 14:6 / 1 Corinthians 15:6 / 1 Timothy 2:5
MAN’S CONDITION: Man is born into sin, needing redemption-Adam& Eve willingly chose to sin through disobedience; ushering into the world evil and death, both physical and spiritual. It is only by the finished work of Jesus Christ that man can be reconciled with God. This redemption is not based on our striving for perfection, but on the perfect and completed work of Jesus Christ at Calvary. Ephesians 1:7 / Colossians 1:13-14 / Galatians 4:5
SALVATION: Any person can be reconciled to God – Salvation comes only through grace and not as a result of our works. Salvation is a free gift; this gift of grace empowers us to respond to His calling by faith. Salvation comes through confessing that we are sinners in need of a Savior, repenting of our sin (reject and abandon our sinful lifestyle),asking God through Jesus to forgive us of all our sin, receiving His forgiveness, and inviting Him by our free will to reside in us as Savior and Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 / Romans 5:11 / 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 / Mark 1:14-15
SANCTIFICATION: This initially occurs at salvation – and means not only that a believer is holy in God’s eyes through what Christ accomplished, but also that he or she is called to be set apart from unbiblical and worldly behaviors and lifestyles. All have sinned and are in need of God’s mercy and grace; we all have been tempted and are tempted in various ways and times. Thus it is not the thoughts that we are affronted with that are sin, but the embracing and acting out on such thoughts. Therefore, we recognize marriage only as the union of one man who was born male and one woman who was born female. We believe that any form of sexual relationship or lifestyle outside of this description to be contrary to the heart and will of God as Sovereign Creator and Holy God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 / John 10:27 / Matthew 26:41 / Genesis 2:24 / Romans 1:26-29 and 3:23 / 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 10:13 / 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 / Hebrews 13:4
EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH & OBEDIENCE: There are two ordinances for the Church (called the Body of Christ) – (1) Adult water baptism by immersion after repenting of one’s sins and receiving Christ’s gift of salvation. This is an outward testimony of an inward transformation that we have been spiritually crucified and resurrected with Christ, and we are new creations in Christ, our Lord and Savior. (2) Holy Communion (also called “the Lord’s Supper”) as a symbolic remembrance of Christ’s suffering and death for our salvation Communion declares the finished work of Christ on Calvary, where Jesus declared, “It is finished!” Acts 10:48 and 11:15 / 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
SERVANT LEADER GIFTING: This gifting and equipping is for those called and gifted by the Holy Spirit to aid in the maturity and growth of the body of Christ. This gifting and responsibility is neither a church government position title nor to be viewed as hierarchal. NOTE: We reject the teaching of the NAR (New Apostolic Reformation) that teaches that apostles and prophets have been assigned as headship over the church and believe it’s teaching to be a misuse of Ephesians 4:11-12. We believe that the Pastor has been given the primary responsibility and authority in Christ to lead the local body.
These giftings, often referred to as the fivefold ministry, are comprised of the following.
Apostles: We see this gifting operating in church planters, ministry pioneers and Missions building. The ability to see by faith that which is not yet completed as complete. Prophets: These are individuals who God will use to bring edification exhortation and comfort or doctrine reproof and correction to a specific body. This is not for-telling but usually operates as a confirmation that which is specific to that body which then is confirmed by its coming to pass. NOTE: We do not believe in the current day “Prophets”. In other words. There is no NEW prophecy, and secondly any prophetic message will NEVER go beyond, or contradict the “rightly divided” Word of God. 2Tim2:15. Pastors: These men are the Shepherds under Christ, who care for, feed, and watch over the body of Christ. Evangelists preach the Gospel of Christ with power, calling people to repentance and the saving blood of Jesus Christ. Teachers: These gifted individuals bring clarity in understanding and rightly dividing the Word of God to the listener in a way that brings the complex into simple understanding, and that which seems only surface to a greater depth as the Holy Spirit enables them. Mark 10:45 / Ephesians 4:11-12 / 2 Timothy 3:16-17
ETERNAL LIFE: All will have eternal life after death. Those who have rejected Christ will be judged for their sin and consigned to eternal punishment in the lake of fire. Those who received Christ, as well as those who died for Christ during the tribulation, will enter into their reward along with the raptured saints; they will live and dwell with Him forever in a new Heaven and new earth. Revelation 21:1-4 / John 3:16 / Matthew 25:46 / Jude 1:7 / 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 / Philippians 3:20-21
THE CHURCH: We believe that the church is in a dispensational age known as the “church age”. Though no one knows the day or hour, we believe the return of Christ is imminent being the rapture of the church. This event will be followed by a seven-year tribulation period. At the end of this period Christ will return with his saints at which time the Antichrist and the false prophet will be thrown into the lake of fire. Satan will be bound for a 1000-year period known as the millennium at which time Christ will rule and reign upon earth. At the end of this period Satan will be loosed one last time to deceive the nations, at which point he will be thrown in the lake of fire with the false prophet and Antichrist. All who were not harpozo (raptured) will stand before the Great White Throne Judgement. This position is known as a premillennial dispensational view. Revelation 20: 1-10 Zechariah 14: 4,9 Psalm 72, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
GIVING: Giving is not only a privilege but is scriptural– Giving is a form of praise and worship to God and a powerful component in the vitality of the believer’s walk in relation to God and to the body of Christ as a whole. We greatly appreciate those who give to P.A.R. to help us in our mission. We believe that giving should never be out of guilt, shame, or religious compulsion, but as one is led by the Holy Spirit. Thus we encourage you to always pray first seeking the Lord, that you not be compelled or limited in the flesh, but directed by the spirit of God. Luke 6:38 / 2 Corinthians 9:7 / Matthew 25:40
CIVIL GOVERNMENT: We believe that God has ordained and created all authority, consisting of three basic institutions: (1) the home, (2) the church, and (3) the state – Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God. We believe that we must obey the state unless it requires us to act contrary to our faith, at which time we must obey God rather that the state. Matthew 22:15-22 / Acts 5:29 / Romans 13:1-7 / Ephesians 5:22-25 / Titus 3:1-2 / Hebrews 13:17 / 1 Peter 2:13-14
LAWSUITS BETWEEN BELIEVERS: We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes – We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company, as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. Matthew 18:15-17 / 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 / Ephesians 4:31-32
Sanctity of Human Life: PAR (Power for Abundant Recovery Ministries) believes in the sanctity of human life and strives to protect against abortion, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, and the withholding of reasonable medical care to handicapped or elderly.
Induced Abortion. PAR (Power for Abundant Recovery Ministries) affirms that:
- The sanctity of human life as established by God the Creator and believes that such sanctity extends to the child not yet born. Life is a gift from God. All human life, including life developing in the womb, is created by God in His image and is, therefore, to be nurtured, supported, and protected.
- From the moment of conception, a child is a human being with all of the developing characteristics of human life, and this life is dependent on the mother for its continued development. Therefore, we believe that human life must be respected and protected from the moment of conception.
- We (PAR Ministries) oppose induced abortion by any means, when used for either personal convenience or population control.
- We (PAR Ministries) oppose laws that allow abortion. Realizing that there are rare, but real medical conditions wherein the mother or the unborn child, or both, could not survive the pregnancy, termination of the pregnancy should only be made after sound medical and Christian counseling. (Genesis 2:7, 9:6; Exodus 20:13; 21:12–16, 22-25; Leviticus 18:21; Job 31:15; Psalms 22:9; 139:3–16; Isaiah 44:2, 24; 49:5; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:15, 23–25, 36–45; Acts 17:25; Romans 12:1–2; 1 Corinthians 6:16; 7:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–6)
Restoration; PAR (Power for Abundant Recovery Ministries) also recognizes that many have been affected by the tragedy of abortion. Each local congregation and individual believer is urged to offer the message of forgiveness by God for each person who has experienced abortion. Our local congregations are to be communities of redemption and hope to all who suffer physical, emotional, and spiritual pain as a result of the willful termination of a pregnancy. (Romans 3:22–24; Galatians 6:1)
Human Cloning. We (PAR Ministries) oppose the cloning of an individual human being. Humankind is valued by God, who created us in His image, and the cloning of an individual human being treats that being as an object, thus denying the personal dignity and worth bestowed on us by our Creator. (Acts 17:25,28; 1 Timothy 6:13)