The One True Church; the Mystical Body and the Bride of the Lord Jesus Christ
(Romans 12:5; I Corinthians 12:12-24, 25-27; Ephesians 1:22,12; 4:4; Colossians 1:24)
That He began to build at Pentecost (Acts 2:4, 5; 47) and will complete at the pre-tribulation rapture (I Thessalonians 4:16, 17) and into which all true believers of the present age are baptized immediately by the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:12,12; Ephesians 4:5). That a Bible-believing congregation of baptized (immersed in water) believers are associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship in the gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 1:9; Philippians 1:4, 5) observing the ordinances of the church, which are two: (1)baptism, and (2) the Lord’s supper. That Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 3:13-16; 28:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 8:36-39). It is a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12) and is prerequisite to membership in a local church congregation (Acts 2:41). That the Lord’s supper is the remembrance of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ by partaking of unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine. It is always to be preceded by solemn self-examination on the part of each participant. This blessed ordinance is to be observed as often as the local assembly of believers desires, until Jesus comes (Matthew 26:17, 26-29; Mark 14:1, Luke 22:15-20; I Corinthians 11:23-29). We emphasize the fact that baptism and the Lord’s supper are ordinances and not sacraments. That’s it’s scriptural officers are two: Bishop (I Timothy 3:1, 2 and Titus 1:7) and Deacon (Acts 6:3-5; Philippians 1:1; I Timothy 3:8) The bishop is the pastor and the presiding elder of the individual flock that God has set him over. Being selected according to the spiritual requirements set forth in (I Timothy 3:2-11) and (Titus 1:5-7), he is to lead the flock with the counsel of the other ordained elders of that local assembly of believers according to the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:11). He is to “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (II Timothy 4:2) and do the work of an evangelist (II Timothy 4:5). Deacons are to be selected according to spiritual qualifications set forth in (I Timothy 3:3-13), and are to serve the church under the leadership of its bishop as he shall call upon them for the administration of business and spiritual matters concerning the church (Acts 6:2-4). These two and any other members ordained by a local church are the elders of that assembly of believers and are to be overseers of the flock, to feed its members with the word of God, and to be examples before them (Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5; I Peter 5:1-3). That the true mission of the church is found in the concept of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). First, to carry the gospel to all the world Second, to baptize them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost Third, to teach them the word of God Fourth, to instruct all believers to do these things also.