HARVEST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

CONSTITUTION

Article 1:

NAME: The name of the church shall be: HARVEST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

“HARVEST” is taken from Luke 10:2. “CHRISTIAN,” as Followers and Imitators of Christ. “CHURCH,” being a local Body of Believers.

Article 2:

PURPOSE STATEMENT

Harvest Christian Church (HCC) is a fellowship of believers in Jesus Christ saved by grace. We exist to glorify Him. This is expressed through Expositional preaching of the Holy Scripture, the promotion of Godly Worship, the Edifi cation and Equipping of Saints and their children, and the proclamation of the Gospel until His glorious return.

VALUES: Word-Worship-Belong-Proclaim (Acts 2:42-47)

Biblical Priority expressed through the Word of God (v.42)

Truth Matters

God-Priority expressed through Worship (vv.42,46, 47)

Worship Matters

Church Priority expressed through Church-community (vv.44-46)

Community Matters

Lost Priority expressed through Evangelism (v.47)

The Lost Matters

Article 3:

DISTINCTIVE:

For each person to become or remain a member of Harvest Christian Church, they shall be required to subscribe to the following articles of faith:

I. The Scriptures

We believe both the original Old and New Testaments are inspired by God. The Bible is inerrant and without mistakes in the original autographs, making it authoritative. It is the only authority and infallible guide to our daily, practical, moral life and spiritual instructions (John 5:39; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 2:13, 10:11; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).

“Sola Scriptura”

II. The Triune God

We believe that there is one and only true Godhead, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, Holy and glorious, and eternally exists in the three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit —having the same nature, attributes, and perfections and worthy of the same honor, confi dence, and obedience (Exodus 20:2-3; Isaiah 45:5; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; 1 Corinthians 8:6, 2 Corinthians 13:14; Revelation 4:11).

III. Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, has not been created, the second person of the Triune Godhead. He is a coequal, coeternal, co-creator, with the eternal essence of the Father. Jesus Christ was pre-announced in the prophecies of the Scriptures (Genesis. 3:15; Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, 53; Micah 5:2; John 1:1,14 10:30; Luke 1:30-35; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:3, 4:14-15).

We believe that the eternal Son of God came into this world so that He might reconcile men to God and become the only Redeemer of a lost world. We believe that according to the Scriptures, He died and physically rose again on the third day in the same body; though glorifi ed (Genesis 3:15; John 1:14,18; Acts 2:22-24; Romans 3:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 10:1-14; 1 Peter 1:3-5, 2:24).

Jesus Christ is exalted at the right hand of the Father as the Head of the Church (Col. 1:18). He is our High Priest. He fulfi lls the ministry of a Perpetual Representative, Perpetual Intercessor, and Perpetual Advocate to all the saints (Hebrews 4:15, 7:25, 9:24, 10:1-14). Christ will return to rapture His saints (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) and later establish His millennial kingdom (Revelation 19:11ff , 20:3-6).

IV. The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is equal with God the Father and God the Son of the same nature. He was active in creation. He unites believers to Christ in one body and indwells every one of them. As the indwelling One, He is the Source of all power, all acceptable worship and service, and all spiritual gifts (Genesis 1:1,2; Job 33:4; Psalm 104:30;

Isaiah 30:1; Mattew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12, 12:11-14; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Acts 10:19-21; Romans 8:9)

We believe that the foundational spiritual gifts (such as tongues, prophecy, and knowledge), as well as the role of apostleship and the function of signs, miracles, and wonders, have gradually ceased having served their original purposes of attesting, authenticating, and accrediting God’s messengers and their new revelation. We believe that the allocation and manifestation of other spiritual gifts are His will as He determines the edifi cation of the Church and the glory of the Son. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His will, for the sick and affl icted (John 15:7, 16:7-15; 1 Corinthians 12:1-14; Ephesians 4:7-13; 1 John 5:14-15; James 5:14-16).

We believe that the gifts of Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers are suffi cient for the perfecting of the saints today (1 Corinthians 12:1-14:31; Ephesians 4:7-12).

We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He bears witness to the truth of the gospel. For all believers, He is the supernatural agent for regenerating, baptizing, indwelling, guiding, teaching, sanctifying, and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 14:16, 16:8-11,13; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 1:13-14).

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Agent in giving inspired Scripture. He is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truth, and it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be fi lled with the Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 2:20).

V. Creation

We believe in the Genesis account of creation as a literal and historical account, not as an allegory or myth. We believe in the literal six-day creation and not a result of any revolutionary process; that man – spirit, soul, and body –was created by God and not from previously existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from the fi rst parents of the entire human race –Adam and Eve (Genesis. 1-3).

VI. Man, Created and Fallen

We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God and is His representative before all creation. Through sin man fell, consequently losing his spiritual life—he is spiritually dead, totally depraved, and utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. Man stands justly condemned before God (Genesis 1:26-27, John 3:18; Romans 3:22-23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3).

Only through the reconciliation of Christ, by His death, is man able to be saved (Romans 5:10). Sinners are justifi ed by Christ’s blood, and are rescued from the wrath of God. (Ephesians 2:4-5,8).

VII. Salvation Only Through Christ

We believe that no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born again; and that no culture however attractive, no baptism or other ordinance however administered, and no religion however sincere, can save man. God made provision for the salvation of all man through the cross-work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation can only be found through Him! A

new nature imparted from above, a new life implanted by the Holy Spirit through the Word, is absolutely essential to salvation, and only through this the saved become children of God. (John 1:12, 3:16; Romans 1:16-17, 3:22, 6:23; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

“Sola Christus”

VIII. Eternal Security

We believe God eternally keeps all those He called to salvation and that none are lost. God will, however, chasten and correct His own in infi nite love. But having undertaken to save them and keep them forever, apart from all human merit. He who cannot fail will, in the end, present everyone faultless in Christ, and on His merits, before the presence of His glory and conformed image of His Son. Perseverance is the result of the preservation work of God (John 5:24, 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-9; Ephesians 1:3-14; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 John 5:13).

IX. The Church

We believe that the Church, the body and espoused bride of Christ, began at Pentecost and is the spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age. We believe in the autonomy and self-governance of the local church. Free of any external authority or control, and free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations (Acts 2:1-42, 11:15, 13:1-4, 15:19-31, 20:28; 1 Corinthians 3:9,16, 5:4-7, 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:25-27; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 5:1-4). The church is governed according to Scripture, exercising gifts; and its offi cers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifi cations, claims, and duties are clearly defi ned in the Scripture (Acts 14:27, 20:17, 28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).

We believe in the Great Commission as the primary mission of the Church. It is the obligation of the saved witness, by word and life, to the truths of Holy Scripture. The gospel of the grace of God is to be preached to all the world (Matthew. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20). Converts are to be taught to obey the Lord and to testify concerning their faith in Christ as Savior in water Baptism (by immersion) and to honor Christ by holy living and observance of the Lord’s Supper. The elements themselves represent the Body and Blood of Christ in symbol only (Matthew 3:16, 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, Romans 6:3-6; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29).

X. The Tribulation and The Second Coming of Christ

We believe that the next event of God’s prophetic calendar is the imminent rapture of the Church, the “Blessed Hope.” The rapture is imminent, visible, personal, premillennial, and pretribulational (Matthew 24:29-31; John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18, 5:9; 2 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 3:10).

We believe that the rapture of the Church will be followed by the fulfi llment of Israel’s seventieth week during which the Church will be in heaven. The whole period of Israel’s seventieth week will be a time of judgment on the whole earth at the end of which “the times of the Gentiles” will be brought to a close (Daniel 9:24-27; Romans 11:25-27). The period of great tribulation in

the earth will be climaxed by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth (Matthew 24:15-44; Romans 8:19-23).

At the end of the Millennium, Satan will be loosed to deceive the nations and lead the lost in a fi nal revolt. God will destroy them with fi re and cast Satan into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:7-10). Then the unsaved of all ages will be resurrected and judged at the Great White Throne. They will be eternally consigned to conscious torment in the Lake of Fire. The present heavens and earth will be destroyed, and new heaven and earth will be made in which the redeemed of all ages will dwell eternally with God (2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:1-22:5).

XI. The Eternal State

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29, 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5,6,12,13).

We believe that at death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence, and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of their glorifi ed bodies when Christ comes for His own. Whereupon soul and body reunited shall be associated with Him forever in glory; but the spirits and souls of the unbelieving remain after death conscious of condemnation and in misery until the fi nal judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the millennium when soul and body reunited, shall be cast out of the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power into the Lake of Fire (Mark 9: 43-48; Luke 16:19-26, 23:42;1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Hebrews 10:29-31; Revelation 20:11-15).

XII. Separation

We believe that all saved should live in a manner as not to bring reproach to our Savior and Lord. And, that separation from all religious apostasy. All worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations are commanded of God (2 Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1-2, 14:13; John 2:15-17; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1)

XIII. Human Sexuality

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged outside of marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, beastiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance. We believe any person suff ering from these deviations shall receive love and Biblical help (Genesis 2:14, 19:5-29, 26:8-11; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4).

We believe that only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23).

XIV. The Personality of Satan

We believe that Satan is a person, a created being, the author of sin, and the cause of the fall. He is the openly declared enemy of God and man. We believe that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11, 25:41; Revelation 20:10).