WHAT WE BELIEVE

Our Tenets of Faith 

 

1.  We believe the Bible to be inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God and that it is supreme and the final authority (II Timothy 3:16-17).
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2.  We believe in the trinity as eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (1 John 5:7).
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3.  We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious death and atonement through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His present priestly ministry (1 Timothy 3:16; Romans 3:25-26).
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4. We believe in evangelistic and missionary fervor and endeavor (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15-18).
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5.  We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.  We further believe in the keeping power of God (Hebrews 9:22; Jude 24-25).
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6.  We believe in sanctification and holiness and the overcoming of life in God’s design for the church, which is the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27)
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7.  We believe that sexual purity is a necessary expression for all of God’s children and requires abstinence from adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, or other sexual relationships or practices forbidden by Scripture (Romans 1:26-27; Hebrews 13:4; I Corinthians 6:18; Leviticus 18:1-30).
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8.  We believe marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime and a sacred institution established by God (Matthew 19:4-6).
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9.  We believe Baptism is an outward expression of an inward acceptance of Jesus (Acts 10:47-48).

10. We believe that Baptism is for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and to be administered by immersion, thus bearing witness to the gospel of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection for us, and our new life in Him Christ (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4).
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11.  We believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost and in the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit as evidenced in charismatic gifts and ministries, and in the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer (Acts 2:4, 10:46, 19:6; Ephesians 4:11; I Corinthians 12:8-11; Galatians 5:22-23).
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12.  We believe that divine healing is obtained on the basis of the atonement (I Peter 2:24; Matthew 8:17).
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13.  We believe that the resurrection of the church (rapture) will occur prior to the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3:10).

 

Statement on Sanctity of Life

 

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image.  Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death.  We are therefore called to: defend, protect, and value all human life (Psalm 139). 

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Statement on Marriage and Facilities

 

Because God has ordained marriage and defined it as the covenant relationship between a man, a woman, and Himself, [the Church] will only recognize marriages between a biological man and a biological woman.  Further, the [pastors/ministers/clergy] and staff of Shepherd's Light Ministry shall only participate in weddings and solemnize marriages between one man and one woman.  Finally, the facilities and property of the church, and all other property in the future shall only host weddings between one man and one woman. 

 

Final Authority for Matters of Belief and Conduct

 

The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. 

 

Statement on Marriage, Sexuality and Gender

 

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female.  These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27).  Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.  We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25).  We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman in the confines of marriage (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4).  We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.  We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).  We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Shepherd's Light Ministry as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to our members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by Shepherd's Light Ministry in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on; Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22).  We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).    We believe that every person must be; afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31).  Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Shepherd's Light Ministry.

 

Statement of Assembly

 

We believe that it is essential for the church to meet in person.  We are mandated in scripture to meet regularly and to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ daily.  The meeting in person is essential to fulfilling the Biblical sacraments as delineated in the Holy Bible.  Lay hands on people, sing praises to God, shout for joy, dance in worship, baptize new believers in water, are a few of the sacraments that must be fulfilled without regard to how many are in attendance; few or many, dozens or thousands, whether sick or well, during peacetime or in a declared war time, indoors or outdoors, as laid out in the Bible.  Shepherd's Light Ministry will hold meetings without restriction as to the presence or absence of apparel, devices, masks, immunizations, vaccines, or other mandates that are not specifically laid out in the Bible. (Zephaniah 2:1; Mark 2:27; Hebrews 10:25).