Our Churches
PRESERVING ORTHODOX FAITH AND WORSHIP
The Believers Eastern Church believes that the ancient faith handed down to us by Christ through His Apostles is timeless and capable of meeting the spiritual needs of any culture and generation. Jesus Christ, represented by the Holy Church, is the answer to the problems of this world and the individuals within it. Our church lives out this timeless faith in the power of the Holy Spirit and regularly brings Christ to those around us, both near and far.
When people come to our churches, they should first and foremost experience two things. The first one is Jesus Christ. Through our times of worship, the love of our members, and all the ministries of the church, people should experience Jesus' love and presence.
Second, they should experience a church whose faith and practice are the same as those of the early Church. The book of Acts is our God-given blueprint for what the Church should be and do, and each one of our parishes seeks to embody the same spiritual DNA as the Church found within its pages. Our desire is not to be innovative in any way, but to teach, practice, and believe the ancient faith, and to do so in a way that reaches and engages our generation. As someone once said, “Orthodoxy is not something to invent, but to perpetuate.”
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR OUR PARISHES
Each parish is part of a larger body: its diocese, the Believers Eastern Church, and the “one, holy and apostolic Church.” Because we share the same spiritual DNA, each of our parishes is on its own journey to Christlikeness. Some may embody one aspect more than the other, but the following ideals and principles are what we strive to attain:
TO BE A COMMUNITY OF CHRIST
We believe the Eucharist to be the epicenter of our worship, and we read and teach the Holy Scriptures in our worship services in accordance with the ancient tradition.
The Bible is foundational for the individual believer. We encourage each member of our Church to read, memorize, and meditate on the Scripture daily. Families include it as part of their family devotion.
The Bible, however, is not a book of doctrines and theology for us, but rather the living story of God interacting with His people. Through God’s Word, we learn of His love for us and how we can reciprocate that love. Therefore, to love God is to obey His Word (St. John 14:21).
To be Christ’s followers also means that we are a people of prayer who pray both individually and corporately. Embracing a sacramental life is the normal way for a Christian to live.
TO BE A LOVING COMMUNITY
Jesus told His Apostles that the world would know they were His disciples by “their love for one another” (St. John 13:35). This is the primary goal of our church life. When we gather as as a church or as families, our greatest desire is that we will truly love each other as Christ loved us.
Christ’s love was not only for His disciples but for the world. Therefore, our parishes diligently serve our communities as Jesus did. We seek to embody the compassion that moved Christ so often as He looked upon the poor, needy, and suffering multitudes (St. Matthew 9:35–38).
TO BE A WORSHIPPING COMMUNITY
The Triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—is the reason, focus, and aspiration of each of our parishes. When we gather, it is to be around Him and worship God in a manner pleasing to Him.
More important than doctrines, buildings, and traditions is the supremacy of Jesus Christ. The goal of each parish and believer is to know Him and to become like Him. We not only praise Jesus with our lips, but also exalt Him with our very lives.
We acknowledge that the Christian life is impossible without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. However, when the Holy Spirit is given His proper place, each believer and parish becomes a positive force to impact their community and world for Jesus Christ.
TO BE A MISSION-ORIENTED COMMUNITY
Jesus never intended for His Church to be self-centered or to spend its time within the four walls of the church building. He sent them out to minister to the world, just as He did. The book of Acts shows us what God intended for the life of the Church, and it centers on fulfilling Jesus’ call to take His love to a needy world in both word and deed.
