Evangelical Christian Baptism
The Universal Church
We believe that the universal church is an invisible gathering in heaven and on earth of spiritually born-again people, redeemed by Jesus Christ from all peoples and all ages, who have been united with the Body of Christ through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which takes place at the time of the new-birth (Jh. 3:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; Heb. 12:33).
The universal church of Christ is not a continuation of Old Testament Israel, but was born in the torments of Calvary and created by Jesus Christ on the Day of Pentecost on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. The universal church reveals itself as a new people of God, an invisible temple of the Lord, a living spiritual organism, whose head is Jesus Christ, and His body is all believers (Mt 16:18; Acts 2; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 1:22-23, 2:19-22; Col. 1:18).
The universal church of Christ, after the completion of the age of grace, will be raptured to meet the Lord in the clouds to be with Him thereafter forever (1 Thess. 4:16-17).
Belonging to the universal (invisible) church does not exempt a person from the responsibility to belong to a local church, for only in the local church can he fulfill his responsibilities towards his brothers and sisters in Christ (Heb. 10:25; Mt 18:17).
The Local Church
We believe that the local church is a component part of the universal church, and is a visible gathering of born-again people who live in the same area, and are united by one faith on the basis of the Word of God and constant “devotion to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42; Phil. 1:1; Eph. 4:4-6).
The local church is called to establish the Kingdom of Christ on earth by means of preaching the Gospel to the world (Mt 28:19; Mk 16:15), jointly worshipping and glorifying the Lord (Eph. 5:18-20), and mutual love and unity between believers in agreement with the High Priestly Prayer of Christ (Jh. 17:21-23).
In the local church God teaches ministers and endues each church member with the necessary gifts for ministry and for the building Christ church (Eph.4:11-13)
Christians join to the local church through the Baptism by faith (Acts 2:41).
New Testament Ordinances
Baptism by faith
We believe that baptism is a commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was established for those who have been converted from their sins, believed in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and been born again. It is an act of obedience to God and a testimony of one’s faith to people around him (Mt 28:19).
Baptism by faith is an external sign which symbolizes the death of the believer to sin and his resurrection with Christ unto new life (Rom. 6:3-11; Gal. 3:27).
Baptism by faith is performed by ministers of the churches (presbyters) by means of full immersion in water of people who, being of mature age, consciously confess their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and God, who have been taught in the church the fundamentals of the faith, and who adhere to the commands of the Word of God in their practical lives (Mk 16:16; Acts 2:41, 8:36-38; 1 Pet. 3:21).
The Lord’s Table
We believe that Communion is a commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was established in order to remember and proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes (1 Cor. 11:23-26; Lk 22:17-20).
Communion is an expression of gratitude and the union of believers with Christ and each other (1 Cor. 10:16-17).
The bread and wine signify the body and blood of Jesus Christ, and while receiving these signs, the believer has spiritual communion with Him (Mt. 26:26-28).