A summary of our beliefs and stances on theology are found below. If you have more questions or would like to learn more about our stance on different issues the full document of Zion's Statement of Belief and Practice is available upon request. Please contact the church for more information.
We believe the original texts of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, which the Church historically accepted as the Holy Scriptures, are God-breathed. These Scriptures are truth, written by holy men who were chosen and equipped by God for this special task.
The primary content of the revelation is truth about God himself, about his acts in history, about man in his sinful condition, and about the relationship that can be established and maintained between God and man through the person and work of Jesus Christ who completed God's plan of salvation.
We believe the Scriptures, errorless in the original documents, are divine authority in all matters which they address. Since God the Holy Spirit is the source of the message as well as the mover and supervisor of those who recorded it, the Bible is reliable in what it communicates and is the supreme authority for faith and practice. Nothing may be taken from it and nothing may be added.
We believe in the one and only true God who is spirit. He is self-existent, infinite, personal, unchangeable, and eternal in his being. He is perfect in holiness, righteousness, love, justice, goodness, wisdom and truth. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He is the creator and sustainer of all things both visible and invisible. He is both immanent in and transcendent to the creation. The one triune God exists and reveals himself as three persons, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We acknowledge that all we know about God is by revelation. Now we know only in part, but we look for the day when we will know as we are known.
We believe in God as our Father. In his nature and in his relationships, we understand him best as Father. While a human father imperfectly loves and cares, the heavenly Father perfectly loves and cares. He is good in all he does and in everything he gives, including his discipline.
The Father loved the world enough to send God the Son, Jesus Christ, as the Savior of the world. Anyone who knows the Father also knows the Son. Through a personal relationship with Christ, we come to know God as our Father and can say, “Abba, Father.”
God The Son came into the world to make the Father known. Jesus affirmed that he and the Father are one.
We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, was made in the likeness of men. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, thus blending organically and permanently his divine nature with human nature in one, unique person without a third nature being formed.
The purpose of the incarnation was to reveal God and to redeem man. This redemption was accomplished by Christ's death and resurrection.
After death and resurrection, He ascended into heaven and is now at the right hand of God interceding for us.
Jesus Christ, though ascended, is the head of the Church which is his body.
Ultimately every knee shall bow to him and every tongue shall confess that he is Lord.
We believe the Holy Spirit is God, eternal in existence.
His ministry, since his coming on the day of Pentecost, is broad and varied.
The Holy Spirit works for unbelievers by convicting and convincing the world of sin, of righteousness and judgment. He also the progress of evil until God's purposes are accomplished.
The Holy Spirit works at the moment of salvation by regenerating, giving new life to those who repent of their sins and exercise faith in Jesus Christ. He comes to live in all believers at the moment of their regeneration and baptizes all believers into the body of Christ.
The Holy Spirit works in believers by instructing, comforting, helping, and guiding all believers. He is sanctifying and producing Christ-like qualities in believers as they yield to his control. He is equipping and empowering all believers for witness and service.
The Holy Spirit works in the Church by indwelling the Church. He produces unity in the Church and enables believers to love each other. He also equips the Church for ministry by giving spiritual gifts to each believers.
More information below about spiritual gifts.
We believe that man was created by an immediate act of God.
He was created in the image and likeness of God. He was without sin, enjoyed fellowship with God and was capable of full obedience to his will.
He was created in order that he might glorify God and enjoy him forever. In so doing, man finds his greatest measure of blessedness and true enjoyment.
We believe that man was confronted with a moral choice in the garden.
By voluntarily transgressing God's command and yielding to the enticement of Satan, man lost his original condition, became physically, morally, intellectually and spiritually depraved and was alienated from God.
In consequence of this act of disobedience, the entire human race became guilty before God with the result that each one of us possesses a sin nature. Both our sin nature and our acts of sin make us deserving of the righteous judgment of God.
Therefore all men are sinners and guilty before God, are dead in their sins, and unable to save themselves.
We believe that there are two eternal, conscious destinies for man; heaven for the righteous and hell for the unrighteous.
After the great White Throne Judgment, and after all the enemies of God are consigned to their place of eternal punishment, the present order of things will be dissolved, and the new heaven and the new earth, wherein dwells righteousness, shall be revealed as the eternal abiding place in which the righteous shall dwell.
We believe that God must and will punish sin because he is holy and cannot tolerate it. This punishment must come either to the guilty person or to a satisfactory substitute. Because it is not God's will that any should perish, he has provided the way of salvation. Jesus Christ voluntarily offered himself on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for sin so that all who believe in him may be redeemed. Initially salvation requires repentance and faith which results in justification, regeneration and sanctification and culminates in resurrection and glorification. Some of these are at times simultaneous in man's experience but are hereafter described separately for the sake of clarity.
We believe the Scriptures teach that repentance must accompany regeneration as well as be an ongoing act that accompanies sanctification.
Genuine repentance is a necessary attitude of man as a condition for a holy and just God to forgive man's sins. It is produced in man by the kindness of God. It involves godly sorrow for sin and a proper reverence for God's holiness. It results in confessing and forsaking sin and whenever possible and appropriate, making restitution to those sinned against.
We believe that faith is essential to salvation. It is the means by which the Word of God is received as true. It is both the gift of God and the response of man.
Faith is confidence based upon good evidence. It is an assurance born of complete trust in God as revealed through Christ. By faith one trusts in the death of Christ as the only efficacious sacrifice for his sin.
We believe that justification is a judicial act of God in which he declares the sinner free from condemnation and punishment and restores him to divine favor and privilege. It takes place when the sinner repents and trusts Christ for salvation.
We believe that regeneration is wholly of grace and free to all but must include repentance toward God and faith in Christ as Savior.
Regeneration is the impartation of divine life. By the operation of the Holy Spirit through the Word, the believer is given a disposition to love and obey God. What was destroyed in Adam is renewed in Christ.
Other terms used in Scripture to describe regeneration are “born again,” “converted” and “saved.”
Some evidences of regeneration are: the witness of the Holy Spirit, a personal knowledge of the forgiveness of sin, peace with God, love for God's Word, newness of life, and reconciliation with any against whom sin has been committed.
God has always required that his people should be holy because he is holy.
Sanctification is that action whereby God sets apart his people from sin. It has its source in what Christ has done through his blood, making believers a people of his own possession and calling them holy ones (saints). This holy position is granted when the Christian first believes in Christ. It is neither earned nor achieved by good works but is followed by good works.
Sanctification is also a process in the Christian life and involves the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, setting one apart from a sinful walk and producing a Christ-like character. This process is experienced through faith and obedience which includes consciously yielding the whole life to God and continually letting the Holy Spirit be in control. The results include a manifestation of spiritual fruit and progress in Christian growth, which are the will of God for every Christian.
The process of sanctification will be completed upon entering the presence of Christ when the Christian will enjoy a perfectly holy state.
We believe that every Christian can have a valid sense of assurance concerning his salvation, his relationship with God and his destiny. Through faith in Jesus Christ, a knowledge of the Scriptures and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, such assurance becomes real and personal.
There is no need for any believer to be anxious about God's ability or his gracious purpose to keep the believer for himself.
However, the Scriptures have ample warning for anyone who might be inclined to presume upon the love of God by careless or sinful living.
Therefore, it is necessary to examine ourselves to see whether our faith is genuine, a faith that is expressed in attitude and actions by obedient works. Without that kind of faith, there is no Scriptural assurance. The most complete basis for the believer's assurance is found in 1 John.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, and because he lives, we too shall live.
At the return of Christ, the bodies of the righteous dead will be raised and will, with the living believers, be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. We will be changed so as to have immortal bodies like unto Christ's own glorious body.
Our glorification is the culminating act of God’s redeeming and sanctifying believers and will be realized when we see him as he is.
We believe the Church, in its universal context as the body of Christ, is composed of all believers regardless of name, race, nation or generation.
The local church, as a part of that body, is composed of a group of believers in Christ who have voluntarily joined together and are devoted to one another in love, so that the church can fulfill its purpose and mission.
The mission of the Church is to make disciples for Jesus Christ.
Central to this mission is the proclamation of the Word of God for the equipping of each believer to become an effective witness so that the Church will grow to the glory of God.
The local church seeks to accomplish its mission by gathering together to participate in worship, instruction, fellowship and service, so that each believer will grow into the full measure of the stature of Christ and, in obedience to him, will reach out in witness to unbelievers. As the Church makes disciples, it becomes a force for restraining evil and producing righteousness in the world.
To help accomplish this mission worldwide, local churches may unite as a denomination. The denomination may cooperate with inter-denominational groups of like faith and convictions.
The pastor is called by God to serve the Lord Jesus Christ through leading the congregation to achieve its purpose and mission.
This leadership is best expressed as the pastor lovingly leads, feeds, equips and protects the flock under his care.
The Role of Leadership
Within each congregation God calls some believers to serve Jesus Christ through positions of leadership in the church's ministry.
This leadership is for the purpose of working with the pastor so that the church may achieve its purpose and mission.
Such leadership is best expressed as these persons function as models, shepherds and servants for the congregation.
The Role of the Congregation
God calls every believer to serve Jesus Christ through active participation in the church's ministry.
Such participation is best expressed as each believer:
- consistently grows in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,
- respectfully submits to the leadership in the congregation,
- recognizes and joyfully uses spiritual gifts for ministry for the common good,
- obediently reaches out in witness to unbelievers.
We believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the universal spiritual experience of all true Christians, not a post-conversion experience that is evidenced by what some refer to as sign gifts. At the moment of conversion, the Holy Spirit places the new believer into the universal church. The believer now has the capacity to be under the Spirit’s empowerment for character transformation and ministry.
Spiritual gifts are special endowments or abilities given by the Holy Spirit to each believer, as He determines, enabling the believer to participate effectively in the church's ministry. Properly exercised and received by the body, every gift brings honor to Jesus Christ, produces unity, develops spiritual maturity within the body, and helps to complete the mission of the Church.
We believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit spoken of in the New Testament were distributed to all believers for the common good. Concerning the “sign gifts” (e.g., tongues, interpretation of tongues, revelatory prophecy, gifts of healing) we discourage any inference that these gifts indicate special spiritual attainment and/or superiority. We believe the practice of spiritual gifts is to “be done in a fitting and orderly way.”
We believe the “sign gifts” accounts as recorded in Acts are descriptive of the events that occurred at the birth of the Christian Church. We do not regard the practice of “sign gifts” in any of our ministry gatherings (such as public worship or small groups) as necessary for the local church or the individual believer. Nor do we believe that the public exercise of these gifts must occur for the spiritual growth of the individual or the numerical growth of the church.
We believe that an ordinance is an outward ceremony symbolic of a spiritual truth or experience which was instituted by Christ for perpetual use by the Church. It is not a means of salvation but becomes a source of spiritual inspiration and strength as one is obedient to the Lord's command. We believe that the Christian ordinances are baptism and the Lord's Supper.
1. Baptism
We believe water baptism symbolizes the experience of regeneration and union with Jesus Christ.
It is a public confession of the believer's identification with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection.
Baptism is to be administered to believers only, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. All modes of baptism are recognized as a clear symbol of its spiritual significance. Water baptism does not save or cleanse from sin. It is the answer of a good conscience toward God. Because of the scriptural instruction to baptize those who believe, because of the scriptural example that those who believed were baptized, and because of the clear meaning of baptism as indicated above, we recognize only baptism administered after a person has confessed faith in Jesus Christ, and we expect that all believers will be baptized.
2. The Lord's Supper
We believe the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ on the night of his betrayal and is to be observed by his Church until he returns.
We believe the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ's death, an expression of fellowship with God and with other believers, a testimony to saving faith, a visible seal of Christ's redemptive covenant, and the assurance of his promised return.
The Lord’s Supper consists of partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, symbolizes the broken body and shed blood of Christ for the remission of our sins and reaffirms our continuing dependence upon him. Its observance is to be preceded by honest self-examination.
The communion table shall be open to all believers who know themselves to be in right relationship to God.
We believe in the personal, visible and premillennial return of Christ.
We believe this will be accomplished in two phases. In the first, Christ will descend from heaven to claim his waiting bride, which is the living Church, as well as departed believers.
In the second phase, he will descend with his saints to establish the long-promised kingdom and reign upon the earth for one thousand years.
We believe the believer's works will be judged for rewards at the judgment seat of Christ at the time of his coming, the believer’s sins having been judged in Christ upon the cross.
The unbeliever will appear before God for judgment at the great white throne after the millennial reign of Christ and will then be consigned to the lake of fire to suffer torment forever and ever with the devil and his angels.
We believe one day of the week was divinely set aside for rest and worship. The Jewish Sabbath (the seventh day) was obligatory upon those who lived under the Jewish law. (Genesis 2:2b-3; Exodus 20:8)
In commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, the Church has set aside the first day of the week as a special day to honor her Lord in the celebration of worship, the joy of fellowship, and the love of service. (Acts 20:7a; Romans 14:6a)
Rest is experienced through spiritual exercises as well as through physical relaxation and recreative activities. Although rest should be viewed in contrast to one's daily routine, works of mercy and necessity should not be left undone. Discretion is to be exercised in the context of love rather than legalism. (Mark 2:27-28)
Zion Church of Wauseon is not currently a part of any denomination. The Administrative Board is investigating the option of joining one in the future.
We believe God's ownership of all things by creation and by redemption is clearly indicated in the Scriptures. Since we are saved by grace and the death of Christ provided our ransom, our whole being--spirit, soul, and body--should be freely given to God, which is our reasonable service. Our stewardship responsibility thus extends to our time, talents, and temporal goods. (Psalm 24:1; Haggai 2:8; 1 Corinthians 6:20)
We believe that giving of our temporal possessions is an act of worship out of a motive of love for Jesus Christ.
The believer is to give systematically, proportionately, cheerfully, prayerfully, and liberally. (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 8:8-10, 9:6-8)
Before the Mosaic law, tithing was voluntarily practiced by Abraham (Genesis 14:20) and Jacob (Genesis 28:22). The law in the Old Testament teaches the system of tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:10-12). The New Testament emphasizes systematic, generous, and gracious giving (2 Corinthians 8-9). As an expression of grace, believers are encouraged to follow the principle that the tithe of personal income is a minimum expression of their stewardship, with offerings beyond the tithe an expression of their generosity.
We believe the Scriptures teach that children are of great value and God has a special concern for their well-being. Indeed, Jesus indicated their significance by tenderly taking them into his arms. The Scriptures relate instances where children were publicly dedicated. Therefore, we encourage Christian parents to dedicate their children to the Lord publicly in prayer. (1 Samuel 1:24-28; Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:16; Luke 2:21-24)
We believe marriage is a sacred institution ordained of God as a permanent and totally intimate relationship between one man and one woman. It is intended to endure until it is broken by the death of one of the partners. (Matthew 19:5-6) We believe the Scriptures do not give liberty for a believer to marry a non-believer. (2 Corinthians 6:14)
We believe divorce is a basic violation of God’s original intention for marriage. (Matthew 19:3-9) Divorce is nowhere encouraged in the Scriptures. Because reconciliation is central and basic to Christianity, it should be pursued with zeal as opposed to divorce. Due to the hardness of the human heart, reconciliation may not always be possible. There are two clear cases in Scripture where divorce, though not encouraged, is permitted:
A person who obtained a divorce deemed biblically legitimate may enter another marriage relationship. (See Article X.3)
We believe God instituted the family for a husband and wife to share mutual love, concerns, joys, ideals, ambitions, and responsibilities. The practical patterns for experiencing a God-honoring family may vary, but the underlying principles are constant and clearly defined. (Ephesians 5:21-23, 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-19)
The family is also the institution designed for procreation and basic nurture of children. Christian parents should train and teach their children by such means as living godly, exemplary lives; praying for them; leading them in family worship; instructing them in the Scriptures; and disciplining them in a manner pleasing to the Lord. (Genesis 1:27-28; Deuteronomy 6:4-7; Psalm 78:1-8; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4)
In light of this it is strongly encouraged for the entire family to attend Sunday service together regularly to teach their children and the other children of the church the importance of worshiping God corporately. The desire of our church is for husbands and wives and their children to worship the Lord both at the church and at home and for all persons to be intentional in their participation in church sponsored events.
Children are to obey their parents while under their care and are always to maintain a spirit of love, honor, and respect. (Ephesians 6:1-3; Colossians 3:20)
We believe the Christian is called to follow Jesus Christ in faith and obedience, which results in being transformed into Christ's likeness with ever-increasing glory. This transformation is demonstrated through loving mutual submission and maintaining the unity of the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18) The Christian seeks to grow in his faith and obedience in order:
This process of growing in Christ is progressive and life-long. God commands the Christian to grow and provides the power to do so through the presence of his Holy Spirit. Some tools God provides for the Christian to grow are his Word (1 Peter 2:2), prayer (Matthew 26:41), the local body of believers (Hebrews 10:24-25), and trials. (James 1:2-4)
The Christian is commanded to put Christ first in every area of their life. The cost of being a disciple is everything. (Matthew 10:37-39, 16:24; Luke 14:25-35) A person must count this cost at one’s conversion to Christ. A person is not permitted to come to Christ with other gods in tow. (Matthew 19:16-24) As one grows in Christ, the Holy Spirit will open their eyes to areas of their life that are not in submission to Christ. The Christian is then commanded to bring that area into submission and obey the Master. A Christian is required to exercise a faithful stewardship of time, possessions, and abilities. All belongs to God and should be dedicated to God.
The Christian's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and should not be defiled or abused in any way. Therefore, the Christian will seek to maintain attitudes and actions which are not harmful to them or others and which bring honor to Jesus Christ and his Church. (1 Corinthians 6: 19-20, 10:31)
As Christians submit to Christ, they will increasingly experience the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23a) This fruit will be evident to others and equip one to be useful for Christ in the church and useful for Christ in sharing the gospel with the lost.
The Christian is to maintain a distinctive lifestyle that reflects the Savior in order to draw non-Christians to the Savior. (Matthew 5:13-14) Christians are to be in the world, but not of the world. (John 17:15-18; 1 Corinthians 5: 10) They are to be in the world to lead others to the Savior. A Christian is not to behave immorally like a non-Christian or be conformed to the pattern of the world. (Romans 6:12-13, 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:22-24) The Christian should be willing to identify openly with Jesus Christ and, when necessary, stand alone for what is right. Therefore, relationships which involve practices that conflict with one's allegiance to Jesus Christ, with the truth of the gospel or with the spirit of its expression should be avoided. (Matthew 25:14-30; 2 Corinthians 6: 14-7:2, 8-9)
We believe God instituted and established civil government to direct justly the interaction of society by maintaining good laws, commending those who do right and punishing those who do wrong. Its function is to be carried out by people of integrity, justice and moral courage. (Romans 13:1; Exodus 18:21-23; Romans 13:2-10)
Though our primary allegiance is to Jesus Christ, it is our duty to pray for those in government; to respect those in authority; to proclaim truth; to demonstrate love and justice; to witness against corruption, discrimination and dishonesty; to pay taxes and to obey all laws that do not conflict with the principles of God's Word. (Matthew 22:17-21; Acts 5:29; Romans 14:9-13; 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Titus 3:1-2; 1 Peter 2:13-17)
We believe the teaching of Scripture enjoins believers to love their enemies, to pray for their persecutors and to overcome evil with good. They are instructed to make every effort to live peaceably with everyone. (Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:18, 12:21)
We do not believe it is God's will to promote strife among individuals, groups, classes, or nations. Because of this principle we uphold our Christian youth who, because of their faith and conscience, choose to express the law of love uniformly in personal, social and civil relationships and to seek exemptions from or alternatives to combat service. (Romans 12:20)
Although we oppose war and urge nations to find peaceful means of conflict resolution, Zion Church of Wauseon loves and supports those who choose to serve in the armed forces. We are committed to providing pastoral ministry to members of the armed forces and their families both during their service and after their return home. We will support those serving through prayer and welcome their participation in the ministry of the church once they return.
We also respect the right of individual conviction and recognize that various positions will be taken on military service and law enforcement. Therefore, we support those who choose to serve in agencies of civil government, such as the military or a police force, because civil government is recognized as God's servant. (Roman 13:4)
In any event, we should give instruction, spiritual aid and encouragement so that our youth may make prayerful, honest decisions and may exert a positive testimony for Jesus Christ in whatever area of service chosen.
We believe the Scriptures teach that it is a sin to use the name of the Lord irreverently or to speak of sacred things in a blasphemous, frivolous or light manner. The Christian's speech should be above reproach at all times. (Exodus 20:7; Ephesians 4:29)
We respect the right of our members to affirm the truth in place of swearing a judicial oath. (Matthew 5:33-35, 37; James 5:12) Christians are obligated to speak the truth whether in legal matters or in the normal course of life. (Exodus 20:16; Psalm 15:2; Ephesians 4:16)
We believe all sickness is fundamentally the result of man's sin from which the condition of spiritual death was immediately incurred and from which the course toward physical death was set into motion through aging, sickness and suffering. (Genesis 2:17, 3:17, 19, 5:5; Revelation 9:27)
The work of Jesus Christ provides for the eventual and complete redemption of the body through resurrection. (1 Corinthians 12:21-23, 15:44; Philippians 3:20-21; Romans 8: 22-23)
Until the complete redemption of our bodies, we believe that God may work through human instrumentality or directly and without human means to alleviate human suffering. Therefore, we believe that we may accept and appropriate human medical knowledge or aid as a token of divine mercy and blessing. We also believe prayer may be made for the sick in accordance with Scriptural instructions. By whatever means and whenever God chooses to heal, it is always for his glory. (John 9:1-7; James 5:14-16)
We also recognize there are times when the Lord in his wisdom and for his sovereign purpose chooses not to heal one who has an ailment. While we may not always understand the Lord's will, sickness may be permitted for such diverse reasons as proving our faith, developing righteous qualities or bringing about the termination of earthly life which enables us to enter into the Lord's presence. (Psalm 119:67; Acts 9:37, 2 Corinthians 5:6, 8, 12:7-10, Hebrews 12:5-7, James 1:2)
Because we believe in the sacredness of human life, which is created in the image of God; and because we believe that human life begins at the moment of fertilization, we abhor and decry any attempt to deliberately induce the extraction or expulsion of the human fetus with the intent of terminating life at any time between fertilization and birth.
When medical science concludes that a mother’s physical life is endangered by prolonging pregnancy, it is appropriate for the family to consider separating the unborn child from the mother. At such time, every attempt should be made to save both mother and child.
There are seven explicit passages within the Word of God which refer to homosexual behavior. (Genesis 19:4-5; Leviticus 18:22-23; Leviticus 20:13; Judges 19:22-23; Romans 1:18-25; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:8-11) All of these scriptures clearly present such behavior as immoral and sinful. Beyond these seven references the whole of Scripture bears witness that God created human sexuality to be practiced only within the marriage relationship between a man and woman.
The Church must realize that, although God’s Word clearly forbids homosexual practice, God offers to all persons not only cleansing and forgiveness but also healing and the power to change. The Good News of Jesus Christ is a gospel of forgiveness and new life, not a gospel of condemnation. This gospel of forgiveness and new life has been given by God to the whole world and we, as members of the body of Jesus Christ, are responsible to lovingly share this gospel with the whole world. We are to boldly confess that God has identified homosexual behavior as sin while at the same time selflessly demonstrate the love of God to those ensnared by this sin.
The New Testament (1 Timothy 3:1-7) lists qualifications for Christian ministers. Included among these is the instruction that a minister must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, and self-controlled. It is clear that anyone practicing homosexual behavior is living contrary to these qualifications and is therefore unqualified to hold a leadership position at Zion Church of Wauseon.
We believe that marriage is a sacred institution ordained of God as a permanent and totally intimate relationship between one man and one woman. It is intended to endure until it is broken by the death of one of its partners.
Scriptures reveal that God designed marriage to be between one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:3-6; Ephesians 5:31) For this reason our pastors should not officiate in same-sex marriages and same-sex marriage ceremonies should not be performed in our church facility or upon church owned property.
Due to the hardness of the human heart, divorce is a reality in our world. The Scriptures do give indication that in some cases divorce, though not encouraged, is legitimate. Only those persons who obtained a divorce which can be deemed biblically legitimate may enter into another marriage relationship, for example, desertion (1 Corinthians 7:15) and adultery (Matthew 19:9). Those obtaining a divorce for any other reason than one deemed biblically legitimate are not free to remarry at this church or be married by any of our staff until all sin has been dealt with and the former partner has died or remarried. (Romans 7:1-3, 1 Corinthians 7:39) While this is God’s ideal we will treat all married couples, regardless of their past marriage status, with the same love and respect.
In dealing with this sensitive and important issue, church leadership must seek to apply biblical principles to each individual situation. The goal of all actions should be to honor God in both the process and the outcome of dealing with broken relationships in a fallen world.