Bible Authority

While the Bible is believed by THE WORD WORKS MINISTRIES, INC., as the only complete and sufficient guide in all matters of Christian faith and practice, we believe certain truths should be set forth as basic doctrinal guidelines and are set forth herein as our Statements of Faith. We view these as important for our Christian instruction and unity and not as limitations on the doctrinal beliefs of the membership of this church, which final authority is conceded to the Bible alone.

Statements of Faith

WE BELIEVE that the Bible is the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God where He reveals Himself to us. It is Truth and is the Guide for our faith and our way of life. (2Tim.3:15-17; 1Thes 2:13; 2Peter 1:21)

WE BELIEVE that there is one living and true God, who has always existed, and is the creator of heaven and earth. His name is JEHOVAH, the eternally self-existent, self-revealed I AM. In the unity of His being, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one in divine perfection. (Isaiah 43:10; Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22)

WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of Man and has always existed without beginning or end. Jesus was born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit and lived a perfect life, completely without sin. He was anointed by God and full of the Holy Spirit to work miracles. His death on the cross paid the price for the sins of all mankind and became the perfect substitute to provide redemption for every person who believes. He was raised from the dead by the power of Holy Spirit and has conquered death, hell and the grave. Today, He is seated at the right hand of God until the appointed time for His return to rule and reign forever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Rev. 1:8; Mt. 1:23; Luke 1:31,35; Heb. 7:26; 1Peter 2:22; Acts 10:38; 1Cor 15:3; 2Cor 5:21; Mt. 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1Cor 6:14; Phil 2:9-11)

WE BELIEVE that Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and that He inspired men to write the Bible and gives understanding of the Truth. He exalts Jesus, convicts of sin and draws all men to the Savior. He is our Comforter, Counselor, and Helper. He anoints us to be witnesses and gives spiritual gifts to believers. We also believe that the “sign” of being baptized in the Holy Spirit is the same today as was originally experienced when they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance; and that the subsequent “evidence” of this Baptism is the experiencing of spiritual power in the believer to witness of Christ and to give proof of His resurrection through miracles being wrought which are similar to those which Christ performed prior to His crucifixion, showing that He is the same yesterday and today and forever. (2Tim 3:16; 1John 5:6; John 16:7-8; Acts 1:8; 1Cor 12; Heb 13:5)

WE BELIEVE that salvation is deliverance and redemption from the curse of sin, its consequences and from spiritual death. Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We believe for lost people to be saved, Holy Spirit convicts them of their sinfulness, repentance is made before God, they put their faith or belief in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and confession is made that Jesus is Lord! (John 3:3; Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 1:7; 1John 1:7; Acts 4:12)

WE BELIEVE in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost. The saved are resurrected into eternal life in the presence of God and the lost are resurrected into eternal condemnation and separation from God. (1Cor 15:51-52; 1Thes 4:16-17; Rev. 20:11-15)

WE BELIEVE that the church is the body of Christ, consisting of all who accept Jesus Christ as their only Savior from sin, who trust the merits of His sacrifice and of His blood as the only remission of their sins, and who confess Him as Lord and master of their own lives. The Body of Christ is collectively all believers, and individually each believer. Christ lives in the believer and He expresses His ministry of compassion, His love, His life, and His words through every Christian believer, who is His church, His Body, regardless of gender, race, age or class. The sacred duty of every member of the Body of Christ is to seek to actively identify with a local congregation of Christian believers in order to observe the ordinances of Christ, to proclaim the Gospel, to receive instruction and edification, and to fulfill the general purpose of the Church. (Acts 2:47; 16:5; Heb 10:24-25; Eph 1:22-23; 1Cor 12:27; Rom 12:4-5; Col 1:18-24)

WE BELIEVE that after we have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, that we are to be God’s representatives here on this earth. We believe that we have been commissioned to be witnesses and share the Good News of the Gospel and God’s love with all nations and every person. (Ps 2:8; Isa 45:22; Mt 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18)

WE BELIEVE that all people are precious to God and that He showed the value that He places on people when He freely gave Jesus to be the sacrifice for our sin. We believe that God has a plan for each individual life and that each person was created in the image of God, regardless of their race or gender.

Equality in Creation

The Bible teaches that both man and woman were created in God’s image, had a direct relationship with God, and shared jointly the responsibilities of bearing and rearing children and having dominion over the created order. (Gen 1:26-28)

The Bible teaches that woman and man were created for full and equal partnership. The word “helper” (ezer) used to designate woman in Gen 2:18, refers to God in most instances of OT usage. (1Sam 7:12; Ps 121:1-2) Consequently the word conveys no implication whatsoever of female subordination or inferiority.

The Bible teaches that the forming of woman from man demonstrates the fundamental unity and equality of human beings. (Gen 2:21-23) In Gen 2:18,20 the word “suitable” (kenegdo) denotes equality and adequacy. The Bible teaches that man and woman were co-participants in the fall: Adam was no less culpable than Eve. (Gen 3:6; Rom 5:12-21; 1Cor 15:21-22) The Bible teaches that the rulership of Adam over Eve resulted from the fall and was therefore not a part of the original created order. Gen 3:16 is a prediction of the effects of the fall rather than a prescription of God’s ideal order.

Equality in Redemption

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ came to redeem woman as well as man. Through faith in Christ we all become children of God, one in Christ and heirs to the blessings of salvation without reference to racial, social standing or gender. (John 1:12-13; Rom 3:14-17; Gal 3:26-28)

Equality in the Church

The Bible teaches that at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came on men and women alike. Without distinction, the Holy Spirit indwells women and men, and sovereignly distributes gifts without preference as to gender. (Acts 2:1-21; 1Cor 12:7, 11; 14:31) The Bible teaches that both women and men are called to develop their spiritual gifts and to use them as stewards of the grace of God. (1Pet 4:10-11) Both men and women are divinely gifted and empowered to minister to the whole Body of Christ, under His authority. (Acts 1:14; 18:26; 21:9; Rom 16:1-7; 12-13,15; Phil 4:2-3; Col 4:15; Mark 15:40-41; 16:1-7; John 20:17-18; Judges 4:4-14; 5:7) The Bible teaches that in the NT economy women as well as men exercise the prophetic, priestly and royal functions. (Acts 2:17-18; 21:9; 1Cor 11:5; 1Peter 2:9-10; Rev 1:6; 5:10)

Equality in the Family

The Bible teaches that husbands and wives are heirs together of the grace of life and that are bound together in a relationship of mutual submission and responsibility. (1Cor 7:3-5; Eph 5:21; 1Peter 3:1-7; Gen 21:12) The husband’s function as “head” (kephale) is to be understood as self-giving love and service within this relationship of mutual submission. (Eph 5:21-33; Col 3:19; 1Peter 3:7)

The Bible teaches that both mothers and fathers are to exercise leadership in the nurture, training, discipline and teaching of the children. (Ex 20:12; Lev 19:3; Deut 6:6-9; 21:18-21; 27:16; Pro 1:8; 6:20; Eph 6:1-4; Col 3:20; 2Tim 1:5; Luke 2:51)

WE BELIEVE in miracles; that our salvation is a miracle and that physical healing in us by Jesus is a miracle. We believe that the Word of God teaches that Jesus is the same today as He was in Bible days and that nothing is impossible for Him. The apostolic church taught and practiced divine healing for the physical body. The ministry of the Church as instituted by Christ and confirmed by the Holy Spirit through the apostolic church remains unchanged today. (Ps 103:2-3; Mt 4:23; Jeremiah 32:17; 1Peter 2:27; John 14:12; Heb 13:8; Mark 2:1-11)

WE BELIEVE that the Lord’s Supper consists of bread and wine, as symbols of Christ’s body and blood, partaken of by Christian believers, in memory of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. By these emblems, Christians show their faith in Christ’s love, in His redemption of our lives, in His acceptance of all judgment which we deserved for our sins and their consequences, and in eternal life through His resurrection. (Luke 22:19-20; Mark 14:20-26; Mt. 26:26-30; 1Cor 10:16; 11:27-30)

WE BELIEVE that those who believe in and confess Jesus as their personal Savior follow His example by being baptized in water. It is an outward sign of an inward work, a public testimony that symbolizes the fact that, as Christ died on the cross, so we reckon ourselves now dead to sin. As Christ was buried, so we are buried with Him by baptism. As Christ was raised from the dead, so we are raised from the water with His new life in us. (Rom 6:4; Acts 8:36-38; Mt 3:5-6; 28:19; Mark 16:16)

WE BELIEVE that the primary responsibility, and privilege, of all Christians is to give the Gospel to every creature in all the world. To accomplish this, all Christians are told by the Scriptures to contribute financially of their material means for the ministries of the church. Inasmuch as God created the wealth of this planet for the use and the prosperity of His children who do His will, the financial support for all ministries of His church is to be provided by Christians who: -- Honor the Lord with their first-fruits; -- Who bring their tithes into the storehouse, and; -- Who give of their gifts for the Gospel ministries of the Church. In so doing, God wills that they prosper financially, and that they be in health, even as their souls prosper. God wills that they increase in material possessions, according to His law of sowing and reaping, in the same way that a farmer reaps more than is sown, in order to have more to sow and thus more to reap. (Pr 3:9-10; Mal 3:10; Luke 6:38; 2Cor 9:8 1Tim 6:17-19; Pro 10:22; Gal 6:7)

WE BELIEVE that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interest and good order of human society. Officials are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of God as expressed in His Word. (Rom 13:1-7; 1Peter 2:13; Mt 22:21; Tit 3;1; 1Tim 2:1-8)

WE BELIEVE that the most concise form of the broad trans-fundamental Christian doctrine is set forth in the historic and revered Apostles’ Creed:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

Born of the virgin Mary,

Suffered under Pontius Pilate,

Was crucified, dead and buried.

He descended into hades.

The third day He rose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God Almighty;

From there He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the one universal and apostolic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and life everlasting.