Stillwater Community Chapel Purpose Statement
The purpose of this church shall be the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. It shall seek to attain this end through the public worship of God, the preaching of the Gospel, personal evangelism, the making of disciples through Christian education, cross-cultural, missionary endeavor, benevolence, and consistent Christian living by its members. (Matthew 28:18-20)
Stillwater Community Chapel Church Covenant
"Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus as our Savior and Lord, and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God and this assembly, deliberately and joyfully enter into this covenant with one another.
With the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit, we will covenant to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge and holiness; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
We also covenant to maintain personal and family time alone with God; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our family and friends; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our conduct; to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We further covenant to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior, to secure it without delay.
We moveover covenant that, when we move from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with another church of like faith and practice where we can actively carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word."
Stillwater Community Chapel Tenets of Faith and Doctrine
The Scriptures Inspired - The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to man, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12)
The One True Godhead - There is one true God, but in the unity of the Godhead there are three co-eternal and co-equal persons; the same substance, but distinct in subsistence. The Father is God (John 6:27; 1 Peter 1:2). The Son is God (John 1:1-3; 20:28). The Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4; John 3:5-8). God is One (Deuteronomy 6:4).
Man, His Fall and Redemption - Man was created good and upright, for God said, "Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness." But man, by voluntary transgression, fell and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ the Son of God (Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21).
Man's Only Hope of Redemption is Through the Shed Blood of Jesus Christ - On the cross Jesus Christ became sin, providing salvation for all mankind (II Corinthians 5:20), being justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. "For by grace we are saved through faith." "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart - that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:8-10)
The Evidence of Salvation - The inward evidence to the believer of his salvation, is the direct witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16). The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness. "And this is His commandment, the we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us." (1 John 3:23)
Faith and Works - Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and not by human works; however, our works will determine the rewards in eternity (Romans 10:9-11; II Corinthians 5:10).
Baptism in Water - The ordinance of baptism by a burial with Christ should be observed by immersion, as commanded in the Scriptures by all who have really repented and in their hearts have truly believed on Christ as Savior and Lord. In so doing, they declare as a public testimony that they have died with Jesus and that they have also been raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:4).
The Lord's Supper - "And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, 'This is My body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same way after supper He took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (1 Corinthians 11:24-25, 28). In this manner we commemorate the death of Christ on the cross through taking the bread and the fruit of the vine as symbols of His body and blood.
The Evidence of the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit - The evidence of the indwelling of believers by the power of the Holy Spirit is given to understand and witness in public testimony and service (Luke 24:45-49; Acts 1:8).
The Church - The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and have a responsibility to serve within the local church body of believers where God has placed them (Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Corinthians 12:18).
Total Prosperity - Spiritual (John 3:3, 11; II Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10). Mental (II Timothy 1:7; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3). Physical (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24). Financial (Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; II Corinthians 9:6-10; Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Social (Proverbs 3:4).
Blessed Hope - Jesus is coming again to gather all His saints to heaven (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; II Thessalonians 2:1).
The Lake of Fire - Those who have not accepted the redemptive work of Jesus Christ will suffer eternal separation from the Godhead. The devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and anyone whose name is not found written in the Book of Life, shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. This is the second death, the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20, 20:10-15).
The Millennial Reign of Jesus - The return of our Lord Jesus Christ with His Saints from Heaven to rule and reign for one thousand years on earth as the Scriptures promised (Romans 11:25, 27; II Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-7). After this, there shall be a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21).