THE SCRIPTURES
We believe the Bible to be inspired, the only infallible authoritative Word of God. Inspired by the Holy Spirit it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13; Hebrews 4:12
THE TRINITY
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. These are equal in every divine perfection and execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Mark 12:29; Matthew 28:19; Isaiah 43:10-11.
GOD, THE FATHER
We believe in God, the Father, an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. Isaiah 48:12; Ps. 95:3,6; Is. 40:21-26; Ps. 139:1-12; Jn. 7:37,38
JESUS CHRIST
We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return for His church and with His church in power and glory. Philippians 2:6; Hebrews 1:8; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20; Romans 3:25; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; John 20:31.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, the third Person of the Trinity. In the present age He convicts of sin, of judgment, and of righteousness, He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony, He is the agent in the new birth, indwells all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, baptizes them into the body of Christ, seals them unto the day of redemption, and every believer is commanded by God to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and He bestows gifts as He wills. Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 5:18-20; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.
SALVATION
We believe in the depravity of man, that all men are sinners by nature and by choice and are therefore separated from God and in need of salvation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior are saved. John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Romans 10:9, Epheisans 2:1-9
SANCTIFICATION
We believe that all believers are indwelt with the person of the Holy Spirit at the time of regeneration, given every spiritual blessing, all things pertaining to life and godliness, and empowered with the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit , drawing upon the resources available through the resurrected Christ, to the end that our lives increasingly manifest the very life, character, and power of Christ. Acts 2:38, 2 Peter 1:3, Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 2:1-6, 2 Corinthians 3:16, Romans 12:1-3, Galatians 2:20.
THE CHURCH
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the Head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ who have a credible profession of faith, and have associated for worship, work, and fellowship. We believe that the calling of the church is to be the very presence of Christ in the midst of the world, standing as a testimony of His life and character. We believe that the testimony of Christ’s life is seen most fully in the corporate expression of His life that is the church, and that when God calls people unto life with Himself He necessarily calls them into fellowship with other believers as well. Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14.
HEAVEN AND HELL
We believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell and that all those who place their faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord, while those who reject Jesus’ free gift of salvation will spend eternity separated from the Lord. (Psalm 9:17; Matthew 5:3, 5:22, 18:9 and 25:31-34; Mark 9:42-49; Luke 12:5; John 3:18; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 14:10-11 and 20:11-15)
PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE
We believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church where all believers will meet the Lord in the air and be taken out of this world prior to the Tribulation that will come upon the earth. (Isaiah 26:20; Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 21:36; Romans 1:18, 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-16 and 5:9; 2 Peter 2:7-9; Revelation 3:10, 5:7-10 and 7:13-14)
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST
We believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, which is His personal, visible return to earth and the establishment of His millennial kingdom, in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous and endless separation of the wicked. (Matthew 16:27; Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:11-15)
MARRIAGE, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY
We believe in the creation and God as the Creator. We believe that God created mankind and that He created them male and female. As such, He created them different so as to complement and complete each other. God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. For this reason, homosexuality, and all other “sexual preferences” or “orientations” are unnatural, sinful, and unacceptable to God. Accordingly, this ministry will not perform any marriage ceremonies between two individuals of the same sex. It will not condone or recognize such same-sex marriages civil unions, or domestic partnerships even if the state passes laws that provide for recognition of such unions. Agape Christian Fellowship facilities and property shall only host weddings between one heterosexual, natural born man and one heterosexual, natural born woman. We believe that marriage is exclusively the legal union of one genetic male and one genetic female sanctioned by the state and evidenced by a marriage ceremony. We also believe that legitimate Biblical sexual relations are exercised solely within marriage. Hence, sexual activities such as, but not limited to, adultery, fornication, premarital sex, incest, polygamy, homosexuality, transgenderism, bisexuality, cross-dressing, pedophilia, and bestiality are inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible and the Church. Further, lascivious behavior, the creation, viewing and/or distribution of pornography and efforts to alter one’s physical gender or gender-related appearance are incompatible with a true Biblical witness. (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; John 4:16-18; Romans 1:18-32; I Còrinthians 5:11, 6:9-11, 6:18-20, 7:1-3 and 7:8-9; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5: 21-31)
We believe that every person be treated with compassion, love, kindness, and respect, and be afforded the dignity that is inherently theirs by virtue of being made in God’s image. (Genesis 1:26-27; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated, and are neither in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Agape Christian Fellowship.
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Agape Christian Fellowship as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a Biblical role model to the community it serves, it is imperative that all persons employed by Agape Christian Fellowship in any capacity or who serve as volunteers agree to abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22)
HUMAN 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)
This Statement of Faith, Character, Belief and Ordinances do not exhaust the extent of Agape Christian Fellowship’s beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of our faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, the Senior Pastor and Board of Elders is Agape Christian Fellowship’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.
OVERALL CHURCH CONDUCT
As a Bible believing church, we desire to exemplify our faith by living out our Christian conduct (1 Timothy 3:14-16, 4:7-16, Philippians 1:27-30, 1 Peter 1:13-19, 2 Peter 3:11-12). We believe that God creates each person unique and makes them either genetic male or genetic female (Genesis 1:26-28). Thus, we believe that males and females should be respected as such and live out our lives as well as our faith through Biblical standards (Romans 12:9-13).
THE ORDINANCES
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: water baptism and the Lord’s supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that baptism signifies and symbolizes Christian life begun. We believe that the Lord’s supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death and signifies Christian life continued. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:4.
THE LAST THINGS
We believe the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal blessedness of those made righteous in and through Christ, and the endless suffering of the wicked. Mark 9:43-48; John 5:28-29; John 11:25-26; Revelations 20:5-15.
CONCLUSION
By clarifying some of what we believe at Agape Christian Fellowship, our purpose has been simply to help others gain insight into who we are. It has not been our intention to say that we are right and everyone else is wrong, nor has it been our intention to argue our position with any Christian believer. We are content to agree to disagree, and we desire to have nothing but love and fellowship with anyone who calls on the name of our Lord in truth and sincerity.
Agape Christian Fellowship was founded in June 2020. The philosophy of ministry is from ACTS 2:42: “Continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.” This is accomplished a strong community life – with Sunday morning verse-by-verse studies, and small home-groups throughout the East Valley.
