Our Purpose and Beliefs

                Our Purpose

            As a group of Christians form the Gray Community and surrounding area, we exist as a congregation of believers in and followers of

            Jesus Christ:

            To reach out to those in our area who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior (Luke 19:10; Acts 1:8).

            To teach, encourage, and support Christian growth (Acts 2:42; Eph. 4:11-16).

            To provide a worship experience patterned after the Church of the New Testament (Acts 2:42); devoted to the Doctrine of the Apostles (teaching),

            fellowship with other Christians, the breaking of bread (communion), and to prayer!

            To promote the spreading of the Good News of Jesus Christ to all parts of the world (Matt. 28:18-20).

            To serve and meet the needs of people within our community and the surrounding area (Mark 10:45; Phil. 2:3-5).

            And above all, to honor Christ who is the head of the church (Col. 1:18).

           We Believe     

        That God is the Father, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that the Holy Spirit dwells in each Christian.

        That Jesus Christ existed in the beginning with the Father, that He was born of a virgin, that He died and was raised from the dead, and that He is coming again.

        That salvation if the gift of God (Rom. 6:23), that this gift is received by accepting Christ as Savior and Lord, and that He has demonstrated God's grace and love

        for us (John 3:16; Eph. 2:8).

       The human response in accepting Christ involves:   

    Faith in Christ (Rom. 10:17; Acts 16:31)

    Repentance, the decision to turn away from sin and turn toward God (Acts 17:30; 2:38)

    Confession of Christ as Savior and Lord (Matt. 16:16; Rom. 10:9-10)

    Baptism, a burial in water with Christ (Ro. 6:3-4) for the forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)

    Living the Christian Life:

    Since all the saved are added by God to the Church (Acts 2:47), the Christian born of the water and the Spirit (John 3:5) meets regularly around the Lord's Table

    with fellow Christians and serves Christ through His earthly body the Church (Heb 10:24-25; Acts 20:7, Eph. 2:10)

    Eternal punishment (hell) awaits those who reject Christ.

    Eternal reward (heaven) awaits those who accept Christ and are faithful to him.