The Christians of Jerusalem Church have been serving the Lord and the New Philadelphia community for over 200 years. We exist to worship God and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus in our time. We are a Bible-believing Church with rich roots in the Evangelical and Reformed Christian Faith (EVANGELICAL CATECHISM of the Evangelical Synod of North America & The HEIDELBERG CATECHISM).
OUR BASIC BELIEFS:
WE BELIEVE:
+ In God, the Father, the Creator of heaven and earth.
+ God has revealed Himself to us through the Scripture; The Bible is the infallible Word of God.
+ God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit (the Trinity).
+ We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
+ We all need the salvation God alone provides through Jesus Christ.
+ Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, born of the Virgin, lived a sinless life and died for the sin of the world.
+ God calls us by His grace alone to a life of following our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
+ God empowers us to repent and believe the Gospel. Believing in Jesus Christ as the Scriptures teach is the only way to be right with God and receive eternal life.
+ Jesus Christ rose again from the dead, in bodily form, on the third day after His physical death on the Cross.
+ Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit, the Helper, to indwell, to lead and guide, and equip and empower His followers.
+ The Holy Spirit continues to indwell, equip, encourage, guide, and convict today and never contradicts the infallible Scripture.
+ Jesus Christ will return someday bringing in the fullness of His Kingdom.
+ We believe in and practice the blessed Sacraments of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
+ We believe in the local and universal Church; We believe we must work alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ to advance His Kingdom on earth.
The Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches (EA). Link: www.evangelicalassociation.org
We do not belong to a denomination but are connected through association with other Bible-believing groups. Both Jerusalem Church and Rev. Hendershot are active members of the EA (link above). Rev. Hendershot serves presently the President of the National Board of Directors for the EA.
Therefore, we affirm the below EA STATEMENT OF FAITH:
*The Trinitarian name of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
*God has revealed Himself fully and decisively as attested in Holy Scripture. We believe the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired and authoritative Word of God. The Scriptures are the guide of faith and life.
*There is only one way to salvation –through Jesus Christ.
*The sanctity of human life at every stage based on our creation in the image of God and our election by God for service in His kingdom.
*The Biblical guidelines for human sexuality: Marriage as the union of one man and one woman, chastity outside of marriage, lifelong fidelity and holiness in marriage for the sake of the Kingdom.
*That the mission of the Church is to spread the good news of the Gospel of salvation in every word and deed. We are sent by Christ into all the world to bring every person into a life of faith, discipleship and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.