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Our Teachings
1. God
We believe in the one true God, the source of all life,
who reigns over all things as Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
and who lovingly cares for all creation. God the Father
planned the redemption of humanity and sent Jesus Christ
the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Jesus proclaimed
the reign of God, bringing good news to the poor and triumphing
over sin through His obedient life, death, and resurrection.
God the Holy Spirit empowers believers with new life, indwells
them, and unites them in one body.
2. Revelation of God
We believe God has made Himself known to all people. Beginning
with creation and culminating in Jesus Christ, God has revealed
Himself in the Old and New Testaments. All Scripture is
inspired by God, and is the authoritative guide for faith
and practice. We interpret the Scripture in the church community
as guided by the Holy Spirit.
3. Creation and Humanity
We believe God created the heavens and the earth, and they
were good. Humans, God’s crowning act, were created
in the image of God. Sin has alienated humanity from the
Creator and creation, but God offers redemption and reconciliation
through Jesus Christ.
4. Sin and Evil
We believe sin is individual and corporate opposition to
God’s good purposes and leads to physical and spiritual
death.
5. Salvation
We believe God saves all people who put their faith in
Jesus Christ. By His obedient life, sacrificial death and
victorious resurrection, Christ delivers people from the
tyranny of sin and death and redeems them for eternal life
in the age to come. All creation eagerly awaits its liberation
from bondage into the freedom of the glory of God’s
children.
6. Nature of the Church
We believe the church is the covenant community called
by God through Jesus Christ to live a life of discipleship
and witness as empowered by the Holy Spirit. The local church
gathers regularly for worship, fellowship and accountability,
and to discern, develop and exercise gifts for ministry.
7. Mission of the Church
We believe the mission of the church is to make disciples
of all nations by calling people to repent, to be baptized,
and to love God and neighbor by sharing the good news and
doing acts of love and compassion.
8. Christian Baptism
We believe baptism by water is a public sign that a person
has repented of sin, received forgiveness, died with Christ
and has been raised to new life through the power of the
Holy Spirit. Baptism is also a public declaration of a believer’s
incorporation into the body of Christ as expressed in the
local church.
9. Lord’s Supper
We believe that in obedience to Christ, the church observes
the Lord’s Supper as a remembrance of His atoning death
and to celebrate forgiveness, new life, and the fellowship
and unity of all believers.
10. Discipleship
We believe Jesus calls people who have experienced the
new birth to follow Him in a costly life of service to God.
The power of the Holy Spirit transforms believers from the
unrighteous pattern of the present age into a life of joyful
obedience with God’s people.
11. Marriage, Singleness and Family
We believe that singleness and marriage are honored by
God and should be blessed by the church. God instituted
marriage as a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman
for the purpose of companionship, encouragement, sexual
intimacy, and procreation. Children are a gift from God
and should be nurtured by parents in the ways of God.
12. Society and State
We believe that God instituted the state to promote justice
and to maintain law and order. Christians’ primary
allegiance is to Christ’s kingdom. Believers are called
to witness against injustice, exercise social responsibility,
and obey all laws that do not conflict with the Word of
God.
13. Love and Nonresistance
We believe that God in Christ reconciles people to Himself
and to one another, making peace through the cross. We seek
to be agents of reconciliation, to practice love of enemies,
and to express Christ’s love by alleviating suffering,
reducing strife, and promoting justice. Because violence
and warfare are contrary to the gospel of Christ, we believe
that we are called to give alternative service in times
of war.
14. The Sanctity of Human Life
We believe that God is creator and giver of life, and highly
values each person. Procedures designed to take human life
are wrong. We oppose all attitudes which devalue human life,
especially the defenseless lives of the unborn, disabled,
poor, aging and dying.
15. Stewardship
We believe the universe and everything in it belongs to
God the Creator and that we have been entrusted by God to
manage its resources. All God’s gifts, including money,
time, abilities and influence, are to be received with thanksgiving,
used responsibly, and shared generously.
16. The Lord’s Day, Work and Rest
We believe God’s act of creation provides the model
for work and rest. In work, we use our abilities to glorify
God and serve others. In rest, we express thanks for God’s
provision and trust in God’s sustaining grace. In worship,
we gather to commemorate the resurrection through worship,
instruction, fellowship, and service.
17. Christianity and Other Faiths
We believe God’s atoning work in Jesus is the only
means of reconciling people with God. God has not left any
without a witness to the Creator’s goodness and power.
Christians treat people of other faiths with respect, but
urgently proclaim Christ as the only way of salvation.
18. Christ’s Final Triumph
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will return triumphantly
at the end of this age to destroy all evil powers, condemn
all who have rejected Christ to eternal punishment, and
unite believers with Christ to reign forever with God in
glory.
Last modified July 15, 1999
©2000 General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.
SIDEWALK VERSION
We believe in God as eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God created and sustains the universe. The eternal purpose
of God the Father is to create a people who will bring glory
to God forever. God alone is worthy of worship.
We believe that God became human in Jesus Christ. Jesus
came to restore the world because humans have rejected God
in disobedience. Jesus taught and modeled the way of God’s
kingdom. He died on the cross, making it possible for us
to accept a renewed relationship with God. He rose from
the dead, broke the power of sin and death, and frees us
to live in obedience to God’s will.
We believe that God the Holy Spirit invites all people
to be reconciled with God and to join the global family
of faith. Believers confess their faith, are baptized, and
join in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Through
the power of the Holy Spirit and guided by the Bible, members
of the church seek to live as followers of Christ and invite
others to experience this new life.
As Christians we are called to turn...
- from ignorance of God to a personal relationship with
God
- from bondage of sin and past mistakes to freedom, forgiveness,
and healing
- from individualism to interdependence with others in
the local church
- from lifestyle choices that harm us, others, and the
earth to choices that nurture wholeness, healing, joy
and peace
- from hating enemies and ignoring neighbors to showing
love and justice to all
- from loving possessions to sharing with all in need
- from aimless existence to a mission of representing
and proclaiming God’s kingdom on earth
As Christians we look forward to the day when God will
once again send Jesus to bring all things under God’s
eternal rule.
Last modified July 10, 1999
©2000 General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
Quick links:
Becoming a Member of Central Heights Church:
- Connecting BAPTISM and MEMBERSHIP
- Identifying What You Would be JOINING
- Wrestling With the Logic of MEMBERSHIP
- Illustrating Why MEMBERSHIP is Logical
and Practical
- The Benefits of BECOMING A MEMBER
- Becoming a MEMBER at CENTRAL HEIGHTS
If you would like more details, please contact Pastor
John.
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