We are a Christ-centered church that proclaims Christ’s deity and His Lordship over all. (John 1:1, 14; Phil. 2:5-11)
We are a Bible-teaching church that believes in the divine inspiration and final authority of God’s Word. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17)
We are an evangelical church that preaches salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. (Acts 4:12, Eph. 2:8)
We are an inner-ethnic church that embraces people of all races, colors and ethnic groups. (Acts 10:34, 35)
We are an inclusive church that encourages fellowship and unity among all believers regardless of denominational affiliation. (Eph. 4:4-6)
We are an evangelistic church that spreads the Good News of Jesus Christ by every means at our disposal. (Matt. 28:18-20)
We are a Spirit-filled church that relies on the Holy Spirit to make us effective in our ministry and witness for Christ.
(Acts 1:8; Eph. 5:18)
We are a Spirit-led church that welcomes the orderly exercise of all spiritual gifts, which exalt Christ and edify the church.
(1 Cor. 14:26; 1 Pet. 4:10)
We are a consecrated church that yields to the Holy Spirit as He works in us to cultivate godliness and disciplined living.
(Gal 5:22, 23; 2 Cor. 7:1)
We are a serving church that ministers to the needs of people in our church, our community, and throughout the world.
(Gal. 6:10; James 2:16, 17)
We are a giving church that acknowledges Christ’s Lordship over all that we have including our money, time, and talents.
(Prov. 3:9; Matt. 25:14-27)
We are a praising church that joyfully exalts the Lord through singing and other expressions of worship and praise.
(Psalm 100:4, 5)
We are an expectant church that anticipates Christ’s return to receive His church and judge the world.
(Matt. 24:42-44; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17)
Free Expression During Worship:
We believe, as the Bible teaches, that all things are to be done decently and in order (I Cor. 14:40), but we also believe that the Scriptures encourage God's people to worship Him with great joy and fervor. As a result, we endeavor not to be overly formal or ritualistic. Instead, we consider our services to be a time of celebration and rejoicing.
The Raising of Hands:
The Apostle Paul admonished believers by saying, "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting" (I Tim. 2:8). Psalm 134:2 says, "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord." We lift our hands in worship as an outward expression that we are also lifting our hearts and lives to the Lord.
The Laying On of Hands:
Speaking of believers, Jesus said that they would lay hands on the sick and the sick would recover (Mark 16:18). The Bible also admonishes Christians to "...pray one for another that ye may be healed..." (James 5:16). According to the Bible, when Jesus and others ministered healing to people, it was often done through the laying on of hands. Also, when people were sent out into ministry, hands were laid upon them to formally separate them unto the work to which God had called them (Acts 13:2, 3).
There are a number of situations in which we practice the laying on of hands at Grace Christian Center. We may ask members of the congregation to lay hands on and pray for those around them who request such prayer. At other times, members of the pastoral staff may lay hands on individuals who come to the front of the sanctuary to receive ministry.
On occasion, we also lay hands on and pray over cloths that will be taken to or sent to sick people who are not able to be with us. The biblical precedent for this is found in Acts 19:11, 12
"And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." - Acts 19:11, 12
Manifestations of the Holy Spirit:
In chapters 12 and 14 of First Corinthians, the Apostle Paul discusses the different ways the Holy Spirit moves in the Church and in the lives of believers. The pastoral staff endeavors to be sensitive to the Spirit of God when He might choose to manifest Himself in any of these ways. For instance, God may give "a word of knowledge" regarding those in the congregation with a particular problem whom God is desiring to minister to. Or there may be a "prophecy" -- an inspired utterance -- which edifies, exhorts, and comforts God's people.
The Bible also speaks of different kinds of tongues. In the Book of Acts, when believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke in other tongues (Acts 2:4). There is one type of tongues that requires a public interpretation to be in order. There is another type of tongues that has a devotional purpose, which Paul referred to when he said, "What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also" (I Cor. 14:15).