THINGS THAT MATTER TO US
The world is marked by division. We polarize over every issue, demonize those with differing viewpoints, and categorize everyone with unkind labels. The Church of God, Allegan, Michigan will not take part in this behavior. First and foremost, we care about people. Even common language has become divisive. Words such as affirming and welcoming have varying meanings and cause pain, hurt and division within the church and to those in our community. This behavior and language distorts our identity, divides the body, destroys our witness, and distracts us from our mission.
Throughout Scripture, we see God the Father often taking the side of the outcast, and during Jesus’ life, He spent much of His time fighting against injustice and looking out for those oppressed, especially those oppressed by the religious leaders of the day. We follow God’s footsteps. Through active discovery, listening, and paying attention, we learn, and as we know better, we do better. In our shortcomings, we look to God’s power of love to grow more in us as we continue to progress each day.
Paul said, “for to me, to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). He identified himself as a servant of Christ. His identity was found completely in the Lord Jesus, and he said it’s the same for us.
Therefore, we set forth the following beliefs:
- We believe in Jesus’ command to Love our neighbor.
- We recognize all human beings as worthy and loved by God.
- We believe all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that forgiveness is found in Christ and Christ alone.
- We believe that all have been invited to follow the Way of Jesus.
- We welcome and embrace the God-given gifts that each person brings to the life of our congregation.
- We believe that transformation is relational.
- We are called to support, pray for, and help each other on this journey of faith.
- We were created for community and relationship with each other.
- As a Church, we exist to be a place of healing, hope, transformation, and restoration.
- We are called to be a people of grace not judgement.
- The Holy Spirit convicts and does not condemn – that is our standard.
The Church should be a place for all people, Christian and non-Christian alike to come and experience the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are a church where it is safe to discuss, learn from each other, and to disagree and remain united in the love of Jesus.
Statement of basic beliefs
At the Allegan Church of God, we believe the church is a living, breathing organism. Christ gives us our life and all of life has DNA. It is what makes us who we are. You will find our DNA in everything and everywhere. It is who we are, and it is who we want to become. It is the destination and the journey. It is refreshingly simple, biblical, relevant, and clear. Our DNA is...
Biblical Truth
Loving Relationships
Being Sent
We invite you to come and join us on this journey of discovering and living out our DNA!
We Believe
The Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) is a global movement of people seeking to fulfill God’s mission in the world. We’re committed to studying the Word of God and faithfully living it out. We’re committed to the mission that Jesus Christ gave every believer: to make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:18–20).
We have not issued any official belief statement, and we have no formal creed. Yet, the following statements reflect the heart of the Church of God:
- Jesus is Lord. The singularity, the exclusivity, the divinity of the one Lord Jesus is central to who we are. He is the Bread of Life. The Lamb of God. The Way, the Truth, and the Life. The one Mediator between God and humankind. The Lord of lords, the King of kings. The Son of Man. The Son of God. The Word become Flesh. The Name at which every knee shall bow. Jesus is the subject (Acts 2:36).
- Holiness. The Person, the work, and the power of the Holy Spirit is fundamental to who we are as a people. We unabashedly own the truth that the Spirit can transform us, possess us, equip us, and empower us. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that sanctifies us, makes us holy, sets us apart for sacred service, and seals us for eternity’s sake. It is the Spirit that convicts us of sin and enables us to overcome sin. It is the Holy Spirit that can breathe supernatural gifts into us, for Jesus’ sake. He is the Comforter promised by Jesus and the witness of our redemption (Gal 5:22–23).
- Unity. We are a people uniquely called by God to be a catalyst for Christian unity, believing that the division of the body of Christ is hell’s greatest weapon to thwart heaven’s ends in this world. We are convinced that the splintering of the body is not the Lord’s work, but the enemy’s; we believe that hell trembles at the prospect of a people united, redeemed by the blood, and possessed by the Spirit (John 17:21).
- The Great Commandments. Love God with your whole self. And, love your neighbors as yourself. The Scripture tells us this is the sum of the Law and the Prophets. When a teacher of the Law sought to test Jesus (Luke 10), asking, “What must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus asked him what he read in the Scripture. When the man replied with the Great Commandments, Jesus approved, saying, “You have answered well; do this and you will live.” It was this exchange that birthed the seminal parable of the Good Samaritan. As a people in the pursuit of holiness, the Great Commandments clothe us.
- The Supremacy of Scripture. We are a people of the Bible—the Old and New Testaments, supernaturally inspired, preserved across time, cultures, and continents, delivered to us, useful for reproof and instruction, for righteousness. The Scripture is our backstop, the ultimate field of inquiry and judgment, the measure of conduct, faith, and practice. Whatever the question, whatever the test, whatever comes before us, in the end, it is the Scripture, above all other disciplines, that informs and defines us. All other sources of knowledge fall beneath its shadow (2 Tim 3:14–17)
- Great Commission. To go and make disciples is the divine privilege and responsibility given to each of us. We champion the work of evangelism and discipleship in our own neighborhood, as well as the sending of international and home missionaries to places beyond our individual reach (Matt 28:19–20).
- Kingdom of God. The rule and reign of God is a present reality to be embraced and experienced today. His kingdom is not of this world and will therefore never be about earthly politics. As children of God, the spiritual riches of the King of kings are ours to claim and steward as we preach the good news of the kingdom to the world (Luke 17:20–21)
- The Trinity. Though difficult for the human mind to fully comprehend, our one God expresses himself in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity serves a unique role to bring God glory and accomplish his purposes in the world (Gen 1:26; 2 Cor 13:14)
