We Believe

We believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments: (II Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; I Peter 1:25, II Peter 1:19-21).

We believe in one God revealed in the Holy Trinity (three persons): The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:15-17, 28:19; John 17).(John 1:1 2, Gen 1:2).

We believe man in his natural state is a sinner lost, undone, without hope and without God (Ephesians 2:1-2, 12; Romans 3:19-23; Galatians 3:22, Rom 6:23, Rom 5:12,19).

We believe Jesus is God come in the flesh and He is both divine and human (Acts 2:36; 3:14-15; Luke 1:26-38; Philippians 2:5-12, 1 John 4:1-3).

We believe in the saving power of the blood of Jesus and His imputed righteousness (Ephesians 1:3-15; Romans 5:1-11, 4:1-9; Acts 4:12). (Eph 1:3-10, 1Pet 2:24, 1John 1:7-9, Rev 1:5).

We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ (Luke 24:39-43; John 20:24-29).(Matt 28:5-10, Acts 1:3).

We believe Christ Jesus ascended to the Father to prepare a way for mankind to have a relationship with God and is interceding for the saints. (John 14:1-6, Romans 8:34, Acts 1:9-11).

We believe in the visible, bodily return of Christ Jesus to this earth to gather (rapture) His Church (Bride) and judge the world (Acts 1:10-11; James 5:8, II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 1:7). It is not necessary that we all believe alike concerning whether He is coming before, during or after the Great Tribulation. (1Thes 4:16, Rev 14:14-16).

We believe the terms of salvation are repentance toward God for sin and a personal, heartfelt faith in the Lord Jesus Christ which results in regeneration of the person. This salvation is entirely by grace of our Lord and not of works.  Works are excluded except as fruit and evidence of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 4:1-5, 5:1; Acts 3:19-20).(Acts 16:31, Matt 3:8).

We believe the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a body of believers who have been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, who are under recognized delegated authorities and who assemble to worship, carry forth the great commission, and minister as the Holy Spirit leads (Matthew 16:18, 28:19-20; Acts 2:40-47, 20-28; I Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 5:22-32).

We believe the two ordinances of the church are Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Baptism: Submersion in water in the name of the Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Ghost (Spirit) (Matthew 3:15-16, 28-19-20; Roman 6:4, Acts 2:38). A symbol of identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.

Lord’s Supper: A memorial of the death, resurrection and second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 22:13-20).

We believe believers should seek, as the early disciples did, to practice the separated life from the world and unto Christ and to set standards of conduct which will exalt our Lord and His Church (Colossians 3:17; Romans 12:1-3; II Corinthians 6:17; Ephesians 5:11; Galatians 2:20).

We believe the Scriptures clearly set forth the doctrines of eternal punishment for the lost and eternal bliss and service for the saved—Hell for the unsaved and Heaven for the saved (John 14:1-3; Matthew 25:34, 41, 46; Luke 16:19-31, Revelation 20:1-15).

We believe the Holy Spirit to be the third person of the Trinity whose purpose in the redemption of man is to convict man of sin, regeneration the repentant believer, guide the believer into ALL truth, indwell and give gifts to believers as He wills, that they may minister as Christ would to men. We believe the Manifestations of the Holy Spirit recorded in I Corinthians 12:8-11 will operate in present-day churches which yield to the Lord (Luke 11:13; John 14:16-17, 167-14, 7:37-39).

We believe the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance is for all believers as promised by John the Baptist (Matthew3:11) and Jesus (Acts 1:4-5, 8) and Peter (Acts 2:38-41) and was witnessed by the early disciples of the Lord.

We believe God uses doctors, medicines and other material means for healing but Divine Healing was also provided in the Atonement (Isaiah 53:5) and may be appropriated by laying on of hands by elders (James 5:14-16) laying on of hands by the believers (Mark 15:18),(Acts 19:11-12), by the prayers of an anointed person gifted for healing the sick (I Corinthians 12:9) or by a direct act of receiving this provision by faith (Mark 11:23) (Matt 9:21-22).

We believe each believer is a priest of the Lord (Revelation 1:6) and has direct access to the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Each person must believe for themself, be baptized for themself, obey for themself and answer to the Creator for themself. (1Pet 2:9).

We believe the New Testament Church should be Apostolic in nature and should be governed by delegated authorities.  These authorities at Joy Fellowship Ministries, Inc. are set forth in Articles IV and V of the Articles of Incorporation and in accordance with the By-Laws of the church (Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws available in the office upon request).

We believe the term “marriage” has only ONE meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25).