As a non-denominational church, people want to know . . . "What kind of church is The Message Center?

We like to define ourselves as Neo-Pentecostal.

 

Neo-Pentecostal?

What we mean is that we believe the gifts of the Spirit are given to the church to build up the people of God. We believe that God designed and distributed those gifts and that those gifts are operating in the church today. We also believe that all gifts from God should be tempered with love and purpose. We believe in the indwelling, the power and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We do NOT believe that speaking in tongues is the only, nor primary, evidence of a baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit. Careful consideration of Luke-Acts shows us that the Holy Spirit was given for the purpose of turning converts and disciples into witnesses that could boldly spread the good news of Jesus Christ.

(Isaiah 11:1-2; Luke 24:48-49; Acts 1:4-8; John 14:15-17; Eph 4:11-12; 1 Cor 12; 1 Cor 13)

The Purpose of the Church

This is a complex and difficult topic. The church exists because Christ initiated and built it. We stand because of God's desire to have relationship with the people He created. The church is to be a community of believers from different races, cultures, ethnicities, walks of life, political views and socio-economic standings. When the church is diverse we are able to see the technicolor beauty and splendor of God's creation. The church is to be a community of people who love God and seek to please the Almighty. The church is not full of perfect people; but imperfect people journeying together in their faith. We are to be committed to God, committed to each other, and committed to sharing the Message of salvation, love, and redemption.

(Matt. 16:18; Eph. 2:8-9; Acts 2; Phil 3:12-14; Rev 2-3) 

The Authority and Power of the Bible

We affirm the divine inspiration, truthfulness and authority of both Old and New Testament Scriptures in their entirety as the only written word of God; the only infallible rule of faith and practice. We also affirm the power of God's word to accomplish the purpose of salvation. The message of the Bible is addressed to all men and women. God's revelation in Christ and in Scripture is unchangeable. Through it the Holy Spirit still speaks today into every culture and every situation. It then becomes the job of the believer to read, study and know the Word of God so that we might share it with every nation and every people.

(II Tim. 3:16; II Pet. 1:21; John 10:35; Isa. 55:11; 1 Cor. 1:21; Rom. 1:16, Matt. 5:17,18; Jude 3; Eph. 1:17,18; 3:10,18)

Jesus as Savior Christ

We affirm that there is only one Savior and only one gospel, although there is a wide diversity of evangelistic approaches. We recognize that everyone has some knowledge of God through his general revelation in creation, nature and culture. But we affirm that any general revelation points to Jesus as the incarnation and highest revelation of God in this world. Jesus Christ is God wrapped in flesh; He is completely God and completely man. This concept seems difficult to grasp, and has divided the church for thousands of years. But we should remember that we are humans trying to understand what is divine. God, through Jesus, took on all of our sins, iniquities and failures because of His great love for us. Because of that love we have an inheritance of eternal life, and a responsibility in this life. We are to share the Message of forgiveness and love, living it out in front of this world so that they too might experience the grace of God.

(Gal. 1:6-9;Rom. 1:18-32; I Tim. 2:5,6; Acts 4:12; John 3:16-19; II Pet. 3:9; II Thess. 1:7-9;John 4:42; Matt. 11:28; Eph. 1:20,21; Phil. 2:9-11; 1 John 4:7-8)