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Abingdon Church of God of Prophecy | Abington VA[[@Headword:C119]]
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- Our Beliefs: The Beliefs of the Church of God of Prophecy
- Abingdon Community Church | Abingdon Oxfordshire United Kingdom[[@Headword:C120]]
- Core values - are you with us
Abingdon Church of God of Prophecy | Abington VA[[@Headword:C119]]
Our Beliefs: The Beliefs of the Church of God of ProphecyFrom its beginning, the Church of God of Prophecy has based its beliefs on the "whole Bible rightly divided." We accept the Bible as God's Holy Word, inspired, inerrant, and infallible. We believe the Bible to be God's written revelation of Himself to mankind and our guide in all matters of faith; therefore, we look to the Bible as our highest authority for doctrine, practice, organization, and discipline. It was a strong desire to rely solely on the Bible that led the early pioneers of the church to declare their willingness to be free from all man-made creeds and traditions, to take the New Testament as their only rule of faith and practice, and to give each other equal rights and privileges to read and interpret the Bible as their consciences might dictate. These basic tenets remain intact today; however, as the church grew and spread throughout the world, it was seen that there was safety in a "multitude of counselors" when making doctrinal decisions. Thus, today, all doctrinal matters are agreed upon in one accord by the General Assembly. The Church of God of Prophecy is firm in its commitment to orthodox Christian belief. We affirm that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in the deity of Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in the physical miracles He performed, in His atoning death on the cross, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory at His Second Coming. We profess that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential for the salvation of sinful man. We believe that sanctification by the blood of Christ makes possible personal holiness. We affirm the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling we are able to live godly lives and have power for service. We believe in the ultimate unity of believers, as prayed for by our Lord Jesus Christ in John 17. We believe in the sanctity of human life; we are also committed to the sanctity of the marriage bond and the importance of strong, loving Christian families. Furthermore, the church makes prominent other biblical doctrines that have clear New Testament support but may not always be espoused by modern Christianity. These "Important Bible Truths" constitute some of the doctrinal beliefs and practices that enable the Church of God of Prophecy to be named among those organizations that preach the fundamental principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. These truths are an indication of our continuing commitment to walk in the light of God's Holy Word to the best of our knowledge and ability.
Core values - are you with us?When we looked again at our core values, we took the opportunity to give a few questions that challenge each of us in the church as to whether these are values we are really living by together! If you attend elsewhere (or nowhere), you may also find these questions helpful. We are certainly not the perfect Church but we would like you to grow more into these things, so either come along or be fully committed into a church near you - receiving all that God has for you there, but also giving back what God has put in you. 1) Called to... live in the presence of God. Are you with us? Are you hungry for more of God's presence - do you think about it often? Are you feeding on God's word regularly - are you communing with Him? Do you meet regularly with others to pray and/or study the Word? Do you give yourself fully in worship both on your own and with the Church? Do you come expecting to encounter God & ready to share what He's given you? Do you make the most of opportunities to be in His presence together in a special way e.g. meetings, days away, conferences, soaking sessions? Are there areas of your life that you are hesitant to let God touch & direct? Are there past hurts or present sins that you need God to set you free from? Do you step out in Spiritual gifts regularly - expecting the supernatural? 2) Called to... be the family of God. Are you with us? Do you see yourself as part of this church because you attend its meetings or do you feel ‘part of the family’ – treating others as your brothers & sisters? Do you regularly get together with others outside meetings, especially to eat? Are you regularly part of a small group – the best connection to family? Where does your tithe go? (Whether you tithe is about you and God but where it goes is a good indication of your ‘home’, your family!) Do you regularly pray with others in the church? Are you willing to receive fatherhood/motherhood from others in church? Do you prioritise important family gatherings (OCC celebrations, summer camps, men’s/ladies’ days, other Salt & Light events)? Do you take your part of the responsibility to care for/support others in the family? Do you seek to be inclusive, relating to everyone in the family and welcoming new people whenever you can? 3) Called to... continual growth in God. Are you with us? Are you committed to the ongoing transformation that comes with being a disciple? Do you constantly look to the Spirit to challenge and change your thinking, attitudes and actions? Do you have a personal mentor who knows what’s going on at and under the surface in your life, to whom you are accountable and from whom you accept challenge and provocation? Are you aware of your God-given SHAPE (Skills, Heart, Abilities, Personality and Experiences), and seeking ways to use this to serve God both in the church and more widely for His kingdom? (as a starter think about 'motivational' gifts in Rom 12:3-8) Do you make the most of opportunities for training in character, content (theology!) and conduct (ministry, using your God-given talents)? Are there things holding you back in your walk with God that you need to walk free of, by the Spirit's power? Do you look for opportunities ('eagerly desire') to step out in new ways as the Spirit leads (e.g. what about new gifts like those in 1 Cor 12:7-11)? Do you look for practical ways to apply the Word God speaks to you - whether from the Bible, through church talks, in small groups or coming through other individuals? Do you ask/allow those around you to hold you to account for these? 4) Called to... reach the lost. Are you with us? Do you believe you are called to be a ‘fisher of men’? Are you ready to give the reason for the hope that you have? (1 Pet 3:15) Are you a joyful witness to what God has done in your life? Do you know the gospel, and are you convinced it has power to change lives? Do you need to deal with unbelief in yourself with regard to seeing people you know come to saving faith in Christ, get baptised and become disciples? Do you have good relationships with not yet Christians? Do you prioritise making friends with and loving them as best you can? Do you go out of your way to make contact with lost and needy people? Do you regularly offer to pray with those you meet who are in need of a touch from God – for healing, for deliverance, for provision, for peace etc? How often to you invite people to find out more at Alpha, Journeys, in your home or by coming to church / Sunday cafes / other events? Have you ‘popped the question’ to anyone recently? Are you ready to? 5) Called to... transform our community. Are you with us? Are you passionate about seeing God change Abingdon and its surrounding area? Has God given you vision for a particular area/ group / part of the community? Are you praying for our town, community, society and government (at every level)? Are you active in making a difference in our community? Do you get involved in petitioning for righteousness & justice at various levels? Could you get involved with one of these projects running already or hoping to start up? STREET PASTORS, TOWN CENTRE CHAPLAINCY, GOOD NEIGHBOUR SCHEME, CHRISTIANS AGAINST POVERTY, FOODBANK, SCHOOLS & YOUTH WORK, HANDS OF FRIENDSHIP, ARCHWAY, MARKET STALL Directory: cfs-filesystemfile.ashx -> key -> CommunityServer.Discussions.Components.Files CommunityServer.Discussions.Components.Files -> Various Messages from Samuel Logan Brengle CommunityServer.Discussions.Components.Files -> Eternity! Eternity CommunityServer.Discussions.Components.Files -> Annotated Bibliography CommunityServer.Discussions.Components.Files -> [The first seventeen verses of Matthew consists of Jesus' family tree CommunityServer.Discussions.Components.Files -> The life and times — of — benjamin franklin, — by — joseph franklin, and CommunityServer.Discussions.Components.Files -> The flying inn CommunityServer.Discussions.Components.Files -> Abraham, or the Obedience of Faith CommunityServer.Discussions.Components.Files -> Library of Hebrew Bible / Old Testament Studies CommunityServer.Discussions.Components.Files -> Library of Hebrew Bible / Old Testament Studies Download 2.08 Mb. Share with your friends:
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