WE BELIEVE
A Statement of Faith of the Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean)
Third Revision, 2013
#1 We Believe...
that the Bible has been inspired by God, and is the complete and infallible Word of God.
II Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:20, Revelation 22:18-19.
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#2 We Believe...
that there is one God, without beginning and without ending.
Revelation 1:8, Micah 5:2.
#3 We Believe...
that God is a Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:19, II Corinthians 13:14.
#4 We Believe...
that Jesus Christ is God incarnate. He was born of a virgin. He lived a sinless life. He died on the cross in the place of the sinner, and His blood is the atonement for our sins.
John 20:28, Is. 9:6-7, Hebrews 1:1-8, Is. 7:14, Matt.1:23, Hebrews 7:26, I John 2:2, II Cor. 6:21, Eph. 2:13,20, John 8:46.
#5 We Believe...
in His bodily resurrection, and His ascension to the right hand of God, and that He will make a personal return to earth in power and glory.
I Cor. 15:4-8, Matt. 25:31, Acts 1:9-11.
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#6 We Believe...
that all are sinners and lost, awaiting the judgment of God, but God is not willing that any should be lost.
Rom. 3:10,23, II Peter 3:7-9, Romans 11:32.
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#7 We Believe...
that the sinner may have salvation by repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.
Acts 2:38, 20:21, Romans 10:8-13, Hebrews 7:25.
#8 We Believe...
that a saving faith will result in regeneration by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God without which there is no salvation.
John 1:12-13, 3:6-8,16-17, Eph. 5:26-27, I Pet. 1:22-23.
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#9 We Believe...
in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, by Whose indwelling the believer is empowered to live a Godly life in a spiritual unity with Christ.
John 1:33, Acts 8:16-17, Romans 8:2-17, John 14:23, I Cor. 3:16,12:13, I John 2:6.
#10 We Believe...
that both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; the saved unto life eternal and the lost unto eternal damnation.
John 5:28-29, I Cor. 15:51-58.
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#11 We Believe...
that under any and all circumstances, we should speak the truth, and should not swear - obeying the commandment of Christ: "Swear not at all; but let your communication be Yea, Yea; and Nay, Nay."
Matt. 5:35-37, James 5:12.
#12 We Believe...
that government is ordained of God to enforce law and order, and to prevent evil works. Government should, therefore, be supported and obeyed. Laws and ordinances - local, state, and national - are to be respected and conscientiously obeyed, except when to do so violates the commandment of God. The call to military service likewise is to be respected and obeyed, but with limitation to noncombatant service, as taught by Jesus Christ: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."
Matt. 5:44, Romans 13:1-10, I Peter 2:13-15.
#13 We Believe...
that God now commands all men to repent and be baptized, and that immersion is the scriptural mode of water baptism. But WE BELIEVE that baptism should be administered to those alone who have indeed died to sin, and have experienced a spiritual rebirth.
Matt. 28:19-20, John 3:3, Acts 2:37-38, 26:20, Romans 6:1-13, Acts 3:19, II Cor. 5:17.
#14 We Believe...
in the exercise of discipline by the church in order to deal with the presence of sin in the lives of its members.
I Cor. 5:1-13, II Cor. 2:5-11, 5:14-18, II Thess. 3:6, 14-15, Matt. 18:15-17, Hebrews 10:24-26, Gal. 6:1-2, Titus 3:10-11, I Tim. 5:20.
#15 We Believe...
that the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ is an invitation for everyone to live a life of abandonment to Him Who loved us and gave Himself for us - surrendering His personal ambitions and possessions in an unreserved committal to take the proclamation of the Gospel throughout "all the world to every creature."
Matt. 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47, II Cor. 5:18, Luke 14:26-27,33, Luke 5:27-28.
#16 We Believe...
that the gift of eternal life is a present possession of every true disciple of Jesus Christ, and that nothing nor anyone can take it from him; but that it is a realistic possibility, however, for a true believer, once saved, of his own free will to no longer "continue in the faith' - but instead to apostasize, "depart from the faith", return to sin, and consequently forfeit the eternal life he once possessed.
I John 5:11-13, Romans 8:35-39, Hebrews 3:6, 12-14, Romans 6:16, II Peter 2:1-22, Matthew 25:24,30, I Cor. 9:27, 10:1-12, I Timothy 1:18-20, 4:1-3, Revelation 2:10, 3:5, John 3:15-18, 15:1-7.
#17 We Believe...
that in communion "the bread and fruit of the vine in Holy Communion symbolize the body and blood of Christ. Communion is served to members of the fellowship only, following self-examination."
I Cor. 10:16,21,11:17-32; Luke 22:7-20.
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#18 We Believe...
that a veil or head covering should be worn by Sisters in the Lord during prayer and worship, as a symbol of their submission according to God's order of creation.
I Corinthians 11:1-16.
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OUR HISTORY
Since the time of Jesus Christ, God has always provided messengers to propagate the true gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ. A large-scale revival of the true gospel occurred during the Anabaptist movement led by the Mennonites under Menno Simon in the fifteenth century in Europe. In 1825, the revival was enhanced by the missionary zeal of Brother Samuel Henry Fröhlich of Switzerland. Born July 4, 1803, he studied to become minister of the state church. The more he studied the rationalistic theology of the state church, the less he believed in the atoning works of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. However, in April 1825, the Holy Spirit began to convict him of his sinful life of unbelief. The burden of sin drove him to seek a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. During the next two years, the Lord brought about an inner conversion that brought him peace and joy.
In December of 1828, he preached his first sermon to 1,800 souls in the state church; a great awakening followed during the next two years. His preaching of justification by faith and a personal relationship with Christ was unacceptable to church authorities; he was removed from office October 1830, and expelled June 1831 . Although Fröhlich never intended to start a new denomination, he felt a need to shepherd those who found new life in Christ. Because of severe persecution, he moved from town to town preaching the word, starting new churches. He finally had to flee to Strasburg, France, in 1844. There he served the Lord until his death on January 15, 1857, at the age of 53 ½ years.
Brothers John Diebold and Andrew Braun were students of Br. Fröhlich and led the movement in Germany. Similarly, Brothers John Denkel and John Kropatschek led the movement in Hungary. Through the efforts of converts Brothers Joseph Bela and Ludwig and Emerich Hencey, the gospel was spread as far as Bosnia, Slovenia, Serbia and Romania. The believers in these areas were called Nazareans.
Severe persecutions throughout Europe caused many Nazareans to seek freedom of worship in North America. The first immigrants left Europe mid Nineteenth Century. (Brother Andrew Braun and the entire congregation fled to America.) World War I and World War II brought untold sufferings to many believers who found a haven in North America. The first immigrants settled in upstate New York; later many believers went to Illinois, Ohio, and some to Michigan.
Prior to World War I, a number of families had emigrated from Europe and settled in the Detroit area. At first, homes were used for gatherings. The first house of worship was a converted home on 2335 Grayling Street. The building still exists today. To accommodate growth, a new church building was built in 1937 on Arlington street near Davison Avenue and dedicated in 1938. Further growth and movements to the suburbs resulted in approximately one-half of the congregation starting a new gathering in 1962 at the YMCA located in Royal Oak. During the next two years, a permanent place of worship was located at the present site in Beverly Hills. Originally, the house was used by a Baptist congregation, and later purchased and remodeled by our congregation in 1964. A new sanctuary was started in 1971 and dedicated on August 27, 1972.
[In June of 2010 the church building was rededicated after a new fellowship hall was added and the old fellowship hall removed.]
Respectfully submitted by Louis Green
April 13, 2000
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