What is the Church?
The church is a people set apart for God’s own possession to live on mission for the glory of His great name. This is the Great Commission found in Matthew 28 – “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”. The church exists for the display of the glory of God because all things exist for His glory. The church is the gathering of the redeemed, the household of God, the bride of Christ and the body of Christ. First Corinthians 12 speaks of many members within the same body. Just as a human body relies upon mutual dependence of individual members for proper functioning, so the body of Christ requires sacrificial and responsible service by its individual members. Likewise, a member of the church cannot say to another member that he or she is unnecessary. We all have gifts that differ according to the gracious provision of the Holy Spirit.
(Eph. 2:19; Rev. 21:2,9;1 Cor. 12:12-31;1 Cor. 12:21; Rom. 12:3-8).
Contrary to the beliefs of our culture, we need each other, and we must fight the cultural norm of serving ourselves over serving one another as we have been served in Jesus Christ. Breese Community Church is made up of God’s people gathered and scattered. In an effort to fulfill this covenant we will equally seek to bear the weight of our shared expectations and responsibility. We will gather to celebrate what Christ is doing within and throughout our scattered Missional Communities.
(Eph. 2:19; Rev. 21:2,9;1 Cor. 12:12-31;1 Cor. 12:21; Rom. 12:3-8).
Contrary to the beliefs of our culture, we need each other, and we must fight the cultural norm of serving ourselves over serving one another as we have been served in Jesus Christ. Breese Community Church is made up of God’s people gathered and scattered. In an effort to fulfill this covenant we will equally seek to bear the weight of our shared expectations and responsibility. We will gather to celebrate what Christ is doing within and throughout our scattered Missional Communities.
A Missional community is a group of people, about the size of an extended family, who are united through Christian community around a common service and witness to a particular neighborhood or network of relationships. The Missional Community doesn't exist for anything less than making disciples of Jesus among these networks or neighborhoods. The participants of missional communities find their primary identity of “church” within the missional community, rather than a larger worship service or small group. In essence, this group of people becomes a close-knit spiritual family on mission together.
Statement of Basic Beliefs
We believe the gospel of Jesus Christ started before the beginning of creation and will continue through new creation. That gospel message has the power to change and transform everyone to look like the image of Jesus. It is by this gospel that we stand in Christ and it is by this gospel that rests the hope of all creation.
We believe...
The Scriptures are true, authoritative, and sufficient.
(Psalm 19:7-11; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
There is only one true God, Creator of heaven and earth, who eternally exists in three distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
(Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-6, 46:9-10; John 17:3; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Genesis 1:26; Psalm 45:6-7, 110:1; Matthew 3:13-17, 28:17-20; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
All things exist for the glory of God.
(Psalm 148; Proverbs 16:4; Isaiah 61:3; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Ephesians 1:3-14).
All humanity, Christ excluded, is sinful by both birth and action.
(Genesis 6:5; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23, 5:8, 5:12-21, 7:18; Ephesians 2:1-3).
The deserved penalty for sin is physical and spiritual death.
(Genesis 2:15-17, 3:19; Romans 5:12, 6:23; James 1:14-15).
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, was born of a virgin and is both fully God and fully human.
(Matthew 1:20; Luke 2:52; John 1:1-4, John 1:14; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:1-3).
Jesus Christ died as the sacrificial substitute to pay the penalty for sin.
(John 1:29, 10:1-18; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 1:4; 1 Peter 3:18).
Jesus Christ physically rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and will one day physically return.
(Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-53; John 1:20-21:25, 14:3; 1 Corinthians 15:12-34; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 9:28; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 1:7).
There will be a future physical resurrection of the dead. Only those who turn from sin and to Jesus in faith and repentance will be raised to eternal reward. Those who do not turn from sin and to Jesus will be raised to eternal punishment.
(Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15).
Only through faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ and repentance from sin can one be reconciled to God and experience true life and joy
(John 3:18, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:21-26; 1 Timothy 2:5-6).
We believe...
The Scriptures are true, authoritative, and sufficient.
(Psalm 19:7-11; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
There is only one true God, Creator of heaven and earth, who eternally exists in three distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
(Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-6, 46:9-10; John 17:3; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Genesis 1:26; Psalm 45:6-7, 110:1; Matthew 3:13-17, 28:17-20; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
All things exist for the glory of God.
(Psalm 148; Proverbs 16:4; Isaiah 61:3; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Ephesians 1:3-14).
All humanity, Christ excluded, is sinful by both birth and action.
(Genesis 6:5; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23, 5:8, 5:12-21, 7:18; Ephesians 2:1-3).
The deserved penalty for sin is physical and spiritual death.
(Genesis 2:15-17, 3:19; Romans 5:12, 6:23; James 1:14-15).
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, was born of a virgin and is both fully God and fully human.
(Matthew 1:20; Luke 2:52; John 1:1-4, John 1:14; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:1-3).
Jesus Christ died as the sacrificial substitute to pay the penalty for sin.
(John 1:29, 10:1-18; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 1:4; 1 Peter 3:18).
Jesus Christ physically rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and will one day physically return.
(Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-53; John 1:20-21:25, 14:3; 1 Corinthians 15:12-34; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 9:28; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 1:7).
There will be a future physical resurrection of the dead. Only those who turn from sin and to Jesus in faith and repentance will be raised to eternal reward. Those who do not turn from sin and to Jesus will be raised to eternal punishment.
(Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15).
Only through faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ and repentance from sin can one be reconciled to God and experience true life and joy
(John 3:18, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:21-26; 1 Timothy 2:5-6).
Statement of Theological Distinctives
While the doctrines expressed in the Statement of Basic Beliefs are recognized to be universal and primary within the Church, there are a number of secondary beliefs that we as Elders are passionate to proclaim. Not all Christians hold these beliefs, but they are nonetheless important and true as the Elders understand the Scriptures. Complete agreement is not required for membership, but it should be known that the Elders will preach, teach, and counsel in accordance with these convictions.
These distinctives represent the following areas of doctrine and practice:
These distinctives represent the following areas of doctrine and practice:
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The gifts of the Holy Spirit
The gifts of the Holy Spirit live as the Holy Spirit himself lives. We do not forbid openly practicing the gifts of the Spirit, but we require anyone who desires to express the gifts of the Spirit to do so in a way that spurs on orderly worship and edifies the church. The complementary roles of men and women Men and women exist in complete equality within the church. God has gifted both women and men with different roles within the church to complement one another to the glory of God and to the building of the bride of Christ. Baptism by immersion Baptism should come after the point of spiritual regeneration/conversion, and that the sacrament is to be administered to those who can affirm they have experienced moving from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of the Son. We believe that baptism is a means of grace in which God allows us to physically experience a symbolic act that professes the spiritual reality of dying in Christ, being buried in Christ, and rising to new life in Christ. |
The Bible teaches that elders are to teach the Word, set a godly example for the flock, and oversee the
affairs of the church (1 Tim. 3:2; 1 Pet. 5:3; 1 Tim. 5:17). Scripture therefore calls all Christians to
“submit” to the leaders of our churches (Heb. 13:17). At the same time, Scripture teaches that the
congregation as a whole has final authority in matters of discipline (Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:4-5) and
doctrine (Gal. 1).
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Read more in our membership covenant:
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