Our Beliefs

We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and that we embrace a Pentecostal experience. Our beliefs are as follows :-

1.The Scriptures Inspired: The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible authoritative rule of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:15-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Peter 1:21}.

2. The One True God: The One True God has revealed Himself as the Eternally Self-Existent “ I AM”, The Creator of Heaven and Earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as a Trinity embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10-11; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22).

3. The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ: The Lord Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declares: -
a) His virgin birth (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31, 35);
b) His sinless life (Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22);
c) His miracles {Acts 2:22; 10:38);
d) His substitutionary work on the cross (1Corinthians 15:3, 2 Corinthians 5:21);
e) His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28.6;Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:4); and
f) His exaltation to the right hand of God (Acts 1:9, 11; 2:23; Philippians 2:9 l l; Hebrews 1:3}.

4.The Deity of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the Executive of the Godhead Working in every sphere,
both physical and moral. Through the Spirit, God created and preserves the universe. Through the Spirit -
"The Finger of God" (Luke 11:20) - God works in the spiritual sphere, converting sinners and sanctifying and sustaining believers. The Holy Spirit deity is proved from the following facts. Divine attributes are ascribed to Him. He is Eternal, Omni-present, Omnipotent and Omniscient. (Hebrews 9:14; Psalm 139:7-10; Luke 1:35; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11).

5.The fall of Man: Man was created good and upright, for God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness". However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God (Genesis 1:26; 2:17; 3:6; Romans 5:12 19).

6. The Salvation of Man: Man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God:
(a) Condition to Salvation - Salvation is received through repentance before God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God according to the hope of eternal life (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Romans 10:13 15; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; 3:5 7).
(b)The Evidence of Salvation - The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24; Titus 2:12). Inwardly, the believer has the assurance of the Holy Spirit that he/she belongs to Jesus (Romans 8:12-17; I John 5:13 15).

7. The Ordinances of the Church:
(a) Baptism in Water - The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the scriptures, All who repent and believe on Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord are to be baptized. Thus, they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47, 48; Romans 6:4)
(b) Holy Communion - The Lord's Supper, constituted of the elements of bread and the fruit of the vine, is the symbol that expresses our sharing the divine nature of Our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4), and memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26). It is enjoined on all believers "Till He Comes!"
(c) Washinq of the Saints Feet - Jesus said "If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet, for I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you". (John 13:1 17).

8. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit: All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian church. With it comes the endowment of power for life and service, as well as the bestowal of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4, 8; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

This experience is distinct from and may be subsequent to the experience of the New Birth (salvation) (Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9). With the baptism in the Holy Spirit should come such experiences as an overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37 39; Acts 4:8), and deepened reverence for God (Acts 2:43; Hebrews 12:28), an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work (Acts 2:42), and a more active love for Christ, for His word, and for the lost (Mark 16:20}.

As stated in the Book of Acts, the baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit may be witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4). The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the Gift of Tongues (1 Corinthians 12:4-10, 28), but different in purpose and use. Additionally, following the physical sign of speaking in tongues, a believer must demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. (Galatians 5:22 23).

9. Sanctification:
(A) An act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God (Romans 12:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 13:12}. The scriptures teach a life of holiness “without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey the command: "Be ye Holy, for I am Holy" (1 Peter 1:15, 16).

Sanctification is realized in the believer by:
·Recognizing his identification with Christ in His death and resurrection.
·Reckoning daily by faith upon the fact of that union, and
·Offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:1-11, 13; 8:1, 2, 13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12, 13; 1 Peter 1:5).

(B) Sanctification is also God's act by which He sets each believer apart as His own child, belonging exclusively to Him. (1 Peter 2:8, St. John 17:17).

10. The Church and Her Mission: The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of “The General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn which are written in Heaven”. (Ephesians 1:22,23; 2:22; Hebrews 12:23). Since God's purpose concerning man is "to seek and to save that which was lost", to be worshipped by man, and to build a body of believers in the image of His son, The Berean Church of God International exists as a part of the universal Church
(1) to be an agency of God for evangelizing the World (Mark 16:15-20);
(2) To be a corporate body in which many may worship God {John 4:23, 24), and
(3) To be a channel of God's purpose to build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His son {Ephesians 4:11). This is to be done in the New Testament Apostolic pattern by teaching and encouraging believers to be obedient to the scriptures.(See Mission Statement).

11. The Ministry of the Clergy:�A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided for by our Lord for leading the church in its previously mentioned three fold mission. In addition, in keeping with teachings of the scripture, we believe in the priesthood of all believers. As such, all members have been spiritually gifted and are expected to utilize them in the total ministry of the church. (Eph. 4:11-16; 1Cor. 12, Rom. 12).

12. Divine Healing: Divine Healing is an integral part of the gospel and is sovereign of God. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers. (Isaiah 53: 4, 5; Matthew g: 16, 17; James 5:14 16).

13. The Blessed Hope: The resurrection of those who have died in Christ, and their translation together with those who are alive and remain at the coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:I; 17; Romans 8:23; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52).

14. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb: This provides a bridge between the terrors of the Tribulation and the wonders of the Millennium. It pictures a great celebration in Heaven and torment and torture on earth (great tribulation). (Revelation 19:1-10}.

15. The Millennial Reign of Christ: The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on the earth for one thousand years (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24: 27, 30; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-14; 20:1-6). This Millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel (Ezekiel 37:21, 22; Zephaniah 3:19, 20; Romans 11:26, 27) and the establishment of universal peace (Isaiah 11:6-9, Psalm 72:3 8; Micah 4:3,4).

16. The Final Judgment: There will be a final judgment in which the wicked will be judged according to their works. Whoever is not found in the “Book of Life” will be consigned together with the devil and his angels The Beast and The False Prophet - to everlasting punishment in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, the second death. (Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 19:20; 20:11-15; 21:8).

17. The Hew Heaven and The New Earth: “We, according to His promise, look for New Heavens and New Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21;22}.

The Berean Church of God International has traditionally viewed five of the previously mentioned doctrines as cardinal. That is not meant to imply that any one doctrine is greater than another. Yet these five seem to express the spirit of all the others. These doctrines form the central message of our fellowship:
1.   Emphasis on the Word of God as the final authority.
2.   Salvation through the blood of Christ. (By grace through faith, Ephesians 2:8).
3.   The Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
4.   The divine healing of the sick through the prayer of faith.
5.   The soon and certain visible and bodily return of Christ to receive His Church.