MCC's Theological Convictions
Theology is the study of God, his Word, and the relation of both to our world - it is “faith seeking understanding.” The following statement of faith is a summary of the principal theological convictions of Minier Christian Church based on the foundational truths revealed in the Bible. Our ministry and mission flow from these biblical doctrines. For the purposes of MCC’s teaching, practice, and policy, our elders are the final institutional authority.
Because we are a church in the Restoration Movement tradition and one of our Core Values is unity in gospel truth, a prospective MCC member is not required to affirm these convictions in order to officially join our church body. While MCC leadership - elders and ministry staff - are expected to align with these doctrines, members are only required to be or have been baptized as believers upon a faith confession.
Because we are a church in the Restoration Movement tradition and one of our Core Values is unity in gospel truth, a prospective MCC member is not required to affirm these convictions in order to officially join our church body. While MCC leadership - elders and ministry staff - are expected to align with these doctrines, members are only required to be or have been baptized as believers upon a faith confession.
THE TRINITY
We believe that God is one united being in three persons - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - co-existing in perfect community and harmony; distinct in divine expression but unified in mission. Each has a unique and particular purpose, but all share one inseparable character and nature. A variety of biblical passages confirm both that there is only one God and that three persons are called God in the scriptural writings.
God has existed eternally and is the creator of everything that exists in the universe, both physical and spiritual, seen and unseen. He is actively involved in sustaining all things in the universe and also supernaturally intervenes in human existence to achieve his purposes. He has made mankind in his image and has gone to great lengths to demonstrate that he wants to be in a loving relationship with people.
God has existed eternally and is the creator of everything that exists in the universe, both physical and spiritual, seen and unseen. He is actively involved in sustaining all things in the universe and also supernaturally intervenes in human existence to achieve his purposes. He has made mankind in his image and has gone to great lengths to demonstrate that he wants to be in a loving relationship with people.
GOD THE FATHER
We believe God the Father is not a distant deity, not an impersonal power, and not an indifferent creator content on merely observing his world from afar. He is personal, involved, moving, and active. God the Father sent Christ to be our brother and the Holy Spirit to be our comforter, and adopted faithful believers as sons and daughters into his family and granted us citizenship in his royal and everlasting kingdom. God made the universe out of his own glorious might and to share his glory with others. He knows and loves us deeply, and his greatest desire is for us to know and love him in return.
GOD THE SON - JESUS
We believe Jesus is the Christ, God the Father’s begotten (not created) son, our one and only savior. Though the Son exists eternally as a co-equal member of the trinity, Jesus came to earth to be born as a human after being conceived through the power of God’s Holy Spirit. He then lived a fully human but sinless life, performing miracles and proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God. He died as an atonement for sin, earning the opportunity for salvation for mankind. He rose from the grave, defeating sin and death forever for those who believe. He ascended back to heaven to rule and reign with the Father, and he will return again to judge the world, redeem all things, and remake creation. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is what makes it possible for sinful humans to again have an eternal relationship with God. Jesus is the only way to the Father. He established the church to defend and advance this truth.
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Holy Spirit is the active presence of God in the world, he is the creative power and the life-giving essence of God. The Holy Spirit operates in the world and also in the hearts of the faithful, and his main goal is to empower us to be more like Jesus. The Spirit convicts us of sin, spurs us on toward righteousness, and prepares us for the judgement to come. The Spirit indwells Christians individually, but his presence is experienced most fully through the corporate family of Christians: the church. He is our comforter, guide, teacher, helper, the one who gives us spiritual gifts for service and shapes us in the likeness of Jesus, and the one who marks us for the day of salvation.
HUMANS
We believe that humans, being made in the image of God, have inherent value in every stage and condition, from conception to natural death. We were created by God to know him, experience his love, and enjoy him forever. God - desiring us to truly love him in return - granted us free will, including the freedom to choose him or reject him. When we sin (disobey his commands and live outside of his design for our lives), we reject him. All humans, except Jesus, have sinned and fall short of God’s hope for us. Therefore, we are totally reliant on God’s grace and forgiveness, which he offers freely to everyone.
SALVATION
We believe that salvation - the forgiveness of sins and the reconciliation of our relationship with God - was purchased by the blood of Jesus on the cross. We cannot earn our salvation; Jesus earned it for us. God saves those who have faith. Faith means accepting God’s truths and trusting God’s promises (i.e. belief), repenting (turning from sin), confessing (proclaiming faith out loud to witnesses), being baptized (as a believer, by immersion). We are called not just to faith but to faithfulness: walking with God all the days of our lives. We can summarize our teaching on God’s plan for salvation like this: we are saved by grace, through faith, in baptism, for good works.
THE CHURCH
We believe the church consists of all faithful Christians, everywhere, across time and place. Its purpose is to continue Jesus’s earthly ministry by making disciples of him. The church is not a building, but the family of believers whose identity as the people of God supersedes all other identities. The church gathers together in local groups to worship God by means of singing the word, praying the word, reading the word, preaching the word, practicing the word (fellowship and service), and seeing the word (baptism and the Lord’s Supper/communion).
Since the time of Jesus, faithful believers have emphasized baptism and the Lord’s Supper (also called “communion” - where the faithful share in a symbolic meal celebrating and remembering what Jesus did and anticipating what he will yet do) as essential aspects of Christian discipleship. These two practices combine with the congregational singing of praises and hymns, the reading of scripture, prayer, preaching, financial offering, and fellowship to comprise the regular, Sunday morning gathering of the church for worship. God’s Word is holy scripture, and Christ Jesus is “the Word made flesh” (John 1:14). So, we can say that when the church gathers to worship, it does so to sing the Word, pray the Word, read the Word, preach the Word, and witness the Word (baptism, communion, and mutual service).
All believers are called and commanded to actively participate in the life of the church and use their Spirit-given gifts to love and serve each other, share the good news of the gospel, and grow together in community and Christlike character. When Jesus established his church, he also established positions of leadership. These include elders, pastors/ministers, and deacons. The primary responsibility of church leaders is to equip believers for ministry.
Since the time of Jesus, faithful believers have emphasized baptism and the Lord’s Supper (also called “communion” - where the faithful share in a symbolic meal celebrating and remembering what Jesus did and anticipating what he will yet do) as essential aspects of Christian discipleship. These two practices combine with the congregational singing of praises and hymns, the reading of scripture, prayer, preaching, financial offering, and fellowship to comprise the regular, Sunday morning gathering of the church for worship. God’s Word is holy scripture, and Christ Jesus is “the Word made flesh” (John 1:14). So, we can say that when the church gathers to worship, it does so to sing the Word, pray the Word, read the Word, preach the Word, and witness the Word (baptism, communion, and mutual service).
All believers are called and commanded to actively participate in the life of the church and use their Spirit-given gifts to love and serve each other, share the good news of the gospel, and grow together in community and Christlike character. When Jesus established his church, he also established positions of leadership. These include elders, pastors/ministers, and deacons. The primary responsibility of church leaders is to equip believers for ministry.
THE BIBLE
We believe the Bible - the protestant canon of the Old and New Testament scriptures - is the uniquely inspired word of God and is God’s chosen revelation of his character, expectations for his people, and plan for redeeming the world. It is infallible and inerrant in what it teaches, and provides clear and sufficient instruction regarding the essentials: who God is, who we are, and the plan of salvation.
As such, the Bible is authoritative for the lives of Christians. In fact, for all matters of faith - theology, doctrine, morality, truth, ethics, relationships, and daily Christian living - it holds ultimate and final authority, over and above any church denominations/traditions and all church leaders. We seek to uphold what the scriptures clearly assert and practice freedom in what it doesn’t. We work to avoid the dual mistakes of adding things to our teaching and practice that the Bible doesn’t command, nor neglecting that which it does.
As such, the Bible is authoritative for the lives of Christians. In fact, for all matters of faith - theology, doctrine, morality, truth, ethics, relationships, and daily Christian living - it holds ultimate and final authority, over and above any church denominations/traditions and all church leaders. We seek to uphold what the scriptures clearly assert and practice freedom in what it doesn’t. We work to avoid the dual mistakes of adding things to our teaching and practice that the Bible doesn’t command, nor neglecting that which it does.