Home » Who We Are » Our Beliefs » Our Beliefs About ...
ASSIMILATION AND CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
We believe in the importance of serving the body of
Christ by offering clear paths for people to start and develop healthy
and growing relationships with others in the church body. We value an
intentional plan to help every interested person enjoy godly
relationships in the church. Church membership is a by-product of people
who are growing in Christ and who grasp the importance of serving the
Lord by using their gifts to serve others in the local church.
MEMBERSHIP
The New Testament
clearly indicates that groups of people who were followers of the Lord
Jesus Christ identified themselves with and committed themselves to a
particular local body.
In order to implement
the principles of accountability and commitment to the local body of
Christ, as defined in the New Testament and practiced in the early
churches, Harvest Bible Chapel recognizes the need for formal
membership. Membership at Harvest Bible Chapel is for all who are
believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and have visibly demonstrated that
commitment through believer's baptism.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITMENT
The effectiveness of our
joining together will be determined by the level of the commitment we
make. In a society where so few make commitments and fewer still keep
them, Harvest Bible Chapel is seeking a group of people who are
determined to know the joy Christ intended for His body, the church. To
this end members of Harvest Bible Chapel must be willing to live in
submission to our doctrinal statement. Further they must be willing to
abide by the entire membership commitment:
-
I have, by faith, become a follower of Jesus Christ and I have been baptized as a visible way of demonstrating that commitment.
-
I am committed to
worship Christ. As part of my worship-lifestyle, attending Sunday
services at Harvest is a high priority for me. Further, I am financially
supporting the ministry of our church by giving back to the Lord a
biblical portion of my increase.
-
I am continuing to
walk with Christ and in fellowship with other Christ-followers through
regular and personal study of the Bible, prayer, personal witness,
involvement in a small group and by avoiding criticism of others and
always seeking to Biblically resolve any conflict.
-
I am at work for Christ and have found my place
of service at Harvest. I am committed to fruitful ministry by using my
spiritual gifts for God’s glory.
While the term of
membership continues as long as the believer desires fellowship with
Harvest Bible Chapel, the membership commitment will be renewed at a
service designated for that purpose. The purpose of this renewal is to
ensure that the believer's commitment to one another and to the ministry
God has called us to is a genuine and continuing one.
PROCEDURE FOR MEMBERSHIP
1. Attend the Peak
Performance classes. This class is a clear and concise overview of who
Christ is, how one becomes a Christian, and how to be meaningfully
connected to the church.
2. Upon completion of the class any person professing personal faith in
Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour who has expressed that commitment
visibly by being baptized, or are willing to be baptized at the next
available service, should indicate their desire for membership on the
membership application form and submitted to the church office for
further review and a follow up interview.
3. Your name will be placed in the bulletin or posted at the church for a
period of two weeks. During this period members will be encouraged to
clear up any relational or other difficulties which could hinder your
ministry among us. This is done in the spirit of Matthew 18:15-17 so that both you and the Harvest family will benefit.
4. At the end of the two week period those who remain as candidates will be welcomed into membership.
BAPTISM AND COMMUNION
Baptism and communion are the two ordinances required
in the church. We believe that Christian baptism by immersion in water
is a public identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial and
resurrection.
Although baptism is not required for salvation, it is commanded of all believers and is for believers only (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 41; Acts 18:18).
Scripture shows that a person was baptized after personally receiving
forgiveness of sin by accepting Jesus Christ. The waters of baptism are a
symbol of death, burial, and resurrection to newness of life that
happens when a person becomes a new creation in Christ (Colossians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:1-4).
Communion is the commemoration by believers of
Christ’s death and a reminder—through the bread and the juice—of the
Savior’s broken body and shed blood. Communion is to be a time of
confession of sin and should be preceded by careful self-examination (Acts 4:13; Romans 6:3-6; 1 Corinthians 11:20-29).
SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE
We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the
Scriptures and that they contain all the words of God that we need in
order to completely trust and obey Him. The Scriptures are inerrant in
their original writings (Psalm 119:97-104; Psalm 119:160; Matthew 5:18; John 5:46-47; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15-16) and are infallible in their instruction (Proverbs 6:32; 2 Peter 1:19), eternal in duration (Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:23-25); the final authority and the standard for faith and practice (Matthew 4:4; Psalm 119); and sufficient for counsel in every issue of life (Psalm 19:14-17; 2 Timothy 3:16).
We believe that the very words of Scripture in the original Hebrew,
Greek and Aramaic are inspired by God. Therefore, we believe that the
Bible versions which translate God’s Word most literally into modern
English should be preferred.
CREATION, EVOLUTION AND GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
We believe God created the universe in six 24-hour
days and that, before He created the universe, nothing except God
existed (Genesis 1; Exodus 31:17; Psalm 33:6-9; Acts 17:24; Hebrews 11:3; Colossians 1:16).
God chose to create the universe and all that is in
it to reveal His glory, divine nature, eternal power, infinite wisdom
and supreme authority. (Isaiah 43:7; Psalm 19:1-2; Jeremiah 10:12; Romans 1:20; Revelation 4:11).
We deny the theory of evolution, which states that nonliving substances
gave rise to the first living material, which then reproduced and
diversified to produce all living creatures.
We believe that all people are descendants of Adam
and Eve, whom God created personally and individually and as complete
human beings (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:7; Genesis 2:21-22; 1 Corinthians 11:8-9).
The fall of Adam and Eve infected all people with sin and death, but
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ gives the opportunity to
receive God’s gift of eternal life. (Romans 5:18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22).
God rules over His creation and cares about and is involved in the lives of individual people (Job 12:10; Acts 17:25; Acts 25:28; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:13; Ephesians 4:6).
SALVATION AND SECURITY
It is God’s divine decision to save a person (John 6:37; John 6:44; John 6:65; Romans 8:29-30; Romans 9:11-18; Acts 13:48; Acts 16:14; Ephesians 1:4-6; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 1:3) and it is God’s kindness, forbearance and patience that lead that person to repentance (Romans 2:4).
The Bible also teaches that each person is responsible to embrace or
reject Jesus as Savior and Lord and that God welcomes all who come to
Him by faith apart from works (Matthew 22:1-14; Luke 15:7; Luke 20:9-18; John 6:37; John 7:37; Romans 10:9-13; Acts 16:30-34; Acts 17:30.)
Both of these two truths—God’s sovereignty in salvation and man’s
decision to embrace Christ—are taught in the Scriptures. Their
co-existence is a mystery and is completely understood only in the mind
of our omniscient God.
All glory for the salvation of every believer belongs to God alone (Romans 3:21-31; Ephesians 1:7-9; Ephesians 2:8-9, Jude 1:24-25).
Those who are born of God’s Spirit through Jesus Christ persevere in the faith (Matthew 13:13; John 15:4-8; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; 1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Timothy 2:10-13; 1 John 4:13; 2 John 9). God is faithful to His people, and empowers them to persevere in the faith (1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 1 John 2:19-20).
We believe that everyone who is born of God’s Spirit
through Jesus Christ is assured of salvation from the moment of
conversion (Ephesians 1:13-14).
This assurance relies on God’s decisive and faithful grace rather than
on the works of the Christian. Obedience, good works and fruit-bearing
do not earn or retain the believer’s salvation, but indicate the reality
of the person’s love of Christ and profession of faith (Luke 6:46; John 14:21; James 2:17-18).
Eternal security in salvation relies on the Lord’s guarantee of each believer’s adoption as His son or daughter (Galatians 4:4-7), and His seal of the believer by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14) and the conviction that God gives the Holy Spirit to each believer as a down payment toward future bliss in heaven (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).
A person who professes genuine faith in Christ immediately becomes His possession (Luke 23:42-43; Acts 2:40-41; Acts 16:30-34), and nothing can snatch that person out of His hands (John 10:27-29).
Having been bought with the price of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion as
complete payment for sin, Christians are not their own. They are
Christ’s possession (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). This assurance is absolutely certain, reserved in heaven, protected by God’s unlimited power (1 Peter 1:4-5).
PROCESS OF SANCTIFICATION AND MATURITY
Mature disciples walk with Christ, worship Christ and
work for Christ. A person committed to a relationship with Christ
focuses on a personal walk with Him, worship of Him and work for Him.
That person will experience significant growth in personal
sanctification and, therefore, will experience a closer personal
relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and will become complete in
Christ (Colossians 1:28).
We are committed to multiplying the godly characteristics of leaders’ lives into others (2 Timothy 2:2). This multiplication of ministry is key to the healthy growth of the church.
We believe the disciples of Jesus Christ should
minister to one another in the local church, rather than one or a small
number of professional pastors bearing total responsibility to care for
the entire congregation. God has given spiritual gifts to all of His
people to provide mutual ministry in the context of the healthy and
strong local church (Ephesians 4:11-12).
WORSHIP
The chief purpose of mankind is to glorify God by loving Him with the entire heart, soul, mind and might (Deuteronomy 6:5; Isaiah 43:7; Matthew 22:37). All believing men, women and children are to glorify God and thus fulfill the purpose of their existence.
Worship glorifies God through adoration (Psalm 95:6), praise (Psalm 99:5), prayer (Daniel 6:10-11), thanksgiving (Nehemiah 12:46) and a complete yielding to Him (Romans 12:1). Worship declares His worth, pays Him homage and celebrates Him in a life of devotion.
We seek to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth (Exodus 15:1-21; 2 Samuel 6:14-16; Psalm 5:7; John 4:23-24; Revelation 4:11; 5:12).
Several tenets guide our worship. We seek to:
WOMEN IN MINISTRY
Harvest Bible Chapel affirms the God-ordained and
significant role that women should play in establishing and leading the
local church. Every leadership opportunity is open to women except those
that are excluded by Scripture. The Scriptures clearly state that men
are to serve in the office of Elder and that women are not to serve in
church positions in which they exercise authority over men or in which
they teach doctrine to men (1 Timothy 2:12; 1 Timothy 3:1-2; Titus 1:6-9).
We do not see this as an issue of equality, for men and women are equal
under God. The Bible is clear that men and women do not have the same
roles. Qualified women should serve in any leadership position that is
not forbidden in the Scriptures.
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Satan and his demonic servants viciously oppose the work God performs in and through His people (1 Peter 5:8; Genesis 3:1-7; Ephesians 6:12). God, who by His nature is infinitely more powerful than Satan, in due time will have complete and total victory over Satan (1 John 4:4; Revelation 20:1-10).
Although it is
appropriate to pray in Jesus’ name for protection against demonic
activity, the Scriptures do not instruct the Christian to “bind Satan in
Jesus’ name.” Rather, the Scriptures instruct the Christian to combat
Satan by:
-
-
-
-
-
Putting on the armor of God’s truth, righteousness, readiness to share the gospel, faith, salvation and prayer (
Ephesians 6:11-20);
-
COUNSELING PHILOSOPHY
The Lord changes lives and accomplishes His purposes
directly through reading and applying the Scriptures, meditating on the
truths of the Scriptures and prayer. The Lord also uses those who
minister His Word as they encourage, exhort, admonish, edify, implore,
reprove, rebuke, console and support others toward godliness.
God needs no new or unique insight into the human
condition in order to change lives, regardless of whether that insight
is gained through psychology or some other tool of human origin.
Psychological theories that may help people live healthier and more
effectively are embellishments of principles already revealed in the
Scriptures. Although some forms of human wisdom are true, they are not
the Word of God. They are infinitely subordinate to, and not to be
compared with, the matchless value of the Scriptures (Psalm 119:160; Isaiah 40:8; John 17:17).
Problems that are approached by integrating the
Scriptures with psychological theories tend to deceive individuals into
diminishing the God of the Scriptures and into believing that He has not
provided and cannot provide sufficient truth, insight and wisdom to
change their lives (Colossians 2:8-10).
There are occasions when a medical doctor may
diagnose a physical problem that manifests itself in attitudinal,
behavioral or emotional struggles. In those occasions, the use of
medications may be appropriate. However, when psychology and other
social sciences step beyond observing human behavior and seek to explain
the causes of that behavior, they enter spiritual territory. Only the
omniscient God can explain such causes and offer solutions that lead to
godliness and a fruitful, joyful life.
God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). He changes us as we discipline ourselves through obedience to the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Timothy 4:7; 2 Peter 1:5-11). Each Christian’s passion should be to become more like Christ (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2) and fulfill the Great Commandment to love the Lord will the entire heart, soul, mind and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30; Matthew 22:37-38). The Christian who learns and applies the Word becomes mature and, in turn, can help others mature (2 Timothy 2:2).
The Lord’s church is a community of faith—a living body with Jesus Christ at the head (Colossians 1:17-18)—that
influences, supports and helps bring men, women and children into
healthy relationships with the Lord and with others of the church. A
healthy church body applies biblical principles to relationships at all
levels, i.e. the overall church context, ministries within the church,
families within the church and individuals within the church.
God-honoring application of biblical principles throughout the church
leads to healthier relationships at all levels (Ephesians 4:14-16; Hebrews 12:12-13). This application also helps ensure the integrity of the church’s corporate and individual witness to a watching world (1 Peter 2:12).
CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT
Every Harvest Bible Chapel is a non-charismatic,
conservative, evangelical body that welcomes all who know Jesus Christ
as their Savior and all who are seeking Him. Those who claim to possess
the gift of tongues and other sign gifts are welcome to worship and
fellowship with us if they are willing to be a source of unity rather
than division within our church body.
We believe that the Christian life is supernatural and that the Lord
continues to perform miracles. We also believe that current displays of
the gift of tongues distract from the main task of the local church,
which is to glorify God through the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
Current displays of the gift of tongues:
-
Give unwarranted prominence to the gift, which
is described in the New Testament as being only one of many spiritual
gifts (1 Corinthians 12);
-
Emphasize speaking in tongues as the primary
manifestation of the Spirit’s work in a person’s life, while minimizing
the Spirit’s work in producing a holy life (
2 Corinthians 3:17-18;
2 Timothy 1:9) and a life that displays the fruits of the Spirit (
Galatians 5:22);
-
Often suggest that speaking in tongues is a
required proof of being Spirit-filled or of possessing salvation in
Christ, even though the Scriptures do not teach this.
Harvest Bible Chapel seeks to prevent the propagation
of doctrines that would cause divisions within an individual church.
Therefore, members to and adherents of Harvest Bible Chapel are not to
propagate the teachings and emphases of the current charismatic
movement. Although we do not control personal, individual interactions
with the Lord, the expression of tongues and other sign gifts are not to
be overtly expressed at meetings that are under the organization and
authority of Harvest Bible Chapel.