Article I - Organization & Beliefs
Section 1. Name.
This organization shall be known as the First Christian Church of Mooreland, Indiana.
Section 2. Purpose.
Its aim shall be to promote Christian fellowship by maintaining public worship and spiritual instruction, by exercising care over its members and forwarding the moral, spiritual and intellectual interests of the community, and by seeking the conversion of men and women as revealed in the Word of God.
Section 3. Government.
A. The government of this church is vested in its members, who exercise the right of control in all its affairs, subject in legal matters to the Articles of Incorporation granted it by the Secretary of State of the State of Indiana, Homer L. Cook, on the 29th of April, 1916.
B. Any items of business not covered by this constitution shall be conducted according to Roberts' Rules of Order (Revised edition).
Section 4. Principles.
We do hereby recognize and maintain the following principles:
- First – The Holy Bible is our Creed
- Second – The Lord Jesus Christ, the only head of the Church and our only Savior
- Third – Christian, a sufficient name for Christ's followers
- Fourth – A respect for another's opinion and interpretation of scripture
- Fifth – Christian character of life, the only test of fellowship
- Sixth – The union of all the followers of Christ, that they shall all be one even as Christ prayed.
Section 5. Statement of Faith.
A. We believe in the only true God, the Eternal Spirit, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Cor.
8:6: Heb. 9:14; Jn. 3:16,17)
B. We believe that God is a triune God (Mat. 28:19; II Cor. 13:14). The Father is in the Son,
the Son in the Father, and the Holy Spirit is equal in essence and being with both. (Jn. 17:21; 14:9-26)
C. We believe that God created the heaven and earth and everything in them (Gen. 11; Neh. 9:6, and furthermore He sustains, governs, protects, and supports the same. (Mat. 6:26; Col. 1:16)
D. We believe Jesus Christ is True God and True Man, having been conceived of the Holy Ghost
and born of the Virgin Mary. (Mat. 1:23; Jn. 1:14) This Jesus is Savior and Mediator of the whole human race if they will accept and abide in Him (Jn. 3: 16,17; I Tim 2:5,6; I Jn. 2:1,2; Jn. 15:4-7) He has come to us sharing our common lot (Phil. 2:7,8; Heb. 4:15), conquering sin (Jn. 1:29; I Jn.1:7), and was crucified, buried, and rose again on the third day. (I Cor. 15: 3, 4) Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9) and sits on the right hand of God to intercede for us (Col. 3:1) and He shall come again to receive His own (I Cor. 15:3-8, 19,23; 1 Thes. 4:14-17; Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 Jn. 3:2) and to judge the quick and the dead. (II Tim. 4:1)
E. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord and of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment. (Jn. 5:28-29; I
Thes. 4:14-18; Rev. 20:11-14)
F. We believe in the personality of Satan. We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and
the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of, God and man; and that he shall
be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12, 17; Mat. 4:2-11; 25:41: Rev.
20:10)
G. We believe that Jesus calls us into His Church to accept the cost and the joy of discipleship (Mat 16:24; Lk. 14:25-33), to be His servants in the service of men (Mat 20:27, to proclaim the Gospel to all the world (Mk. 16:15; Acts 1:8), to resist the power of evil (Rom. 6:2; James 4:7), to share in Christ's baptism (Mat. 28:19; Acts 2:38), and to eat at His table, joining Him in passion and victory. (Lk. 22:19; 1 Cor. 11: 23-26)
H. We believe in the Holy Spirit. (Mat 28:19; Lk. 1:35) He comforts the faithful and guides them into all truth. (Jn. 14:16; 16:13) By the Spirit we are born into God's Kingdom, (Jn. 3:5, 6; Titus 3:5) and it is the Spirit Himself who bears witness to our spirits that we are the children of God. (Rom. 8:16; I Jn. 3:24) We believe the Holy Bible, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life. (II Tim. 3:15-17; II Pet 1:21; Rom. 10:17)
J. We believe that man was created in righteousness and after God's image (Gen. 1:26, 31) but fell into sin and is therefore lost, and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be. (Gen. 1:16; 3:6-7; Rom. 3:22-23; Jn. 3:3, 5-7)
K. We believe that one must have faith in Christ (Jn. 1:12; 20:31), truly repent (Acts 3:19; II
Pet 3:9), receive forgiveness of sins (I Jn. 1:7, 9) if he is to receive from God the gift of eternal life. (Jn. 15:4-7)
L. We believe that water baptism and the Lord's supper are ordinances to be observed by
the church during the present age but are not compulsory on any member. Baptism is a sign of cleansing and rebirth. We believe that it is an outward sign of an inward change. When one is baptized "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," the value of the rite is accepted for life by our church. The communion service of Holy Communion is observed in memory of Christ's Last Supper with his disciples. The bread and juice are symbols of the sacrifice of Jesus and should be taken in deep reverence. When members are sick or infirm, the elements may be carried by the pastor and deacons, and the communion service observed in the home. It may be administered, when it is desired, to a bride and groom during the marriage ceremony.
M. We believe in and encourage the dedication of children unto the Lord, where parents or a
guardian dedicates a child, making a solemn pledge that the child will receive Christian nurture. The church also shares in this pledge and responsibility to the child and the parents. Again, this act of dedication is not compulsory on any member.
N. We believe that the true Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ of which He is Head. (I Cor. 12:12-13; Col. 1:18, 24)
O. We believe those who are a part of the body of Christ are eligible for membership in the local church.
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