OUR MISSION 
Helping EVERYONE Find and Follow JESUS
 
Matthew 28:19 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.”
 
OUR BELIEFS

1) We believe in one God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 5:16, 45; 6:1, 4, 8, 9; James l: 17; John 1:1; 14:9; Genesis 1:2; John 4:24; 14:16-20; 2 Peter 1:21). 

2) We believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of all things visible and invisible (Genesis 1:1; Acts 17:24-28; Hebrews 11:3). 

3) We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Son, my one and only Savior  
(John 1:14; 1 John 4:9; John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:18). 

  • Who was born Jesus of Nazareth, both fully human and fully divine, conceived of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary (Matthew 21:11; John 19:19; John 1:14; Romans 5:15-17; Colossians 2:9; 1 John 1:1; Matthew 1:18;  Luke 1:26-38). 
  • Who suffered and was crucified under Pontius Pilate (Luke 23:1-46). 
  • Who died and was buried, and who rose again bodily from the dead on the third day (Luke 23:44 – 24:8; John 20:24-29; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8). 
  • Who ascended into Heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father (Luke 22:69; Acts 1:1-9; Colossians 3:1). 
  • Who will return to judge both the living and the dead (Matthew 24:36-42; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10-11; 10:39-42; 1 Peter 4:5). 

 

 4) We believe in the Holy Spirit, 

  • Who is an active and operative part of the triune God (John 16:5-15;  Acts 1:7-8; Romans 8:26-27). 
  • Who indwells every Christian (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 2 Timothy 1:14). 

 

5) We believe in the Bible – God’s Holy Word, Scripture. We believe God inspired the autographs (original writings) of Scripture and those autographs were consequently without error (Mark 12:36; John 14:26; 16:12-15; Acts 1:16; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-16; 2 Peter 1:20-21). 

  •  We accept the Bible as the final authority for all matters of faith and practice  
    (Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; Romans 14:4; Hebrews 4:12). 
  •  We believe the Bible teaches that man, created by God, willfully sinned against God and is consequently lost and without hope apart from Jesus Christ  
    (Acts: 4:12; Romans 3:23). 
  •  We believe the Bible teaches that salvation is only available by grace through faith in Jesus; who by shedding his blood in sacrifice made possible the forgiveness of ours sins and reconciliation to God (Matthew 26:28; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:19) 

 6) Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ we are offered the gift of salvation. Receiving Christ in faith necessitates response on our part–one that includes belief, repentance, confession, baptism and perseverance. None of these, in and of themselves, save us, but each of these responses is revealed in Scripture as part of becoming a Christian. We baptize by immersion in water because that was the practice of the New Testament church. It’s not beneficial or effective to argue at which point one is saved. Judgment belongs to God alone. (Romans 5:1-2/Luke 24:45-47; Acts 3:19; 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9/Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9; Philippians 2:11; 1 John 4:15/Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-7; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21) 

 

7) We believe in the Church of Jesus Christ, founded on the Day of Pentecost and consisting of all Christians everywhere (Matthew 16:13-18; Acts 2:14-47). 

 

8) We believe the Bible teaches that the elders are to exercise authority over the local congregation (Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4). 

 

We understand that this Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. We believe that the Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God, speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind and is the sole and final source of all that we believe.  

We understand and accept that for purposes of Okolona Christian Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy and discipline, the Elders of Okolona Christian Church are the final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.