IHI - Dove Theme

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The Motto "God Our Father, Christ Our Redeemer, Man Our Brother" is a great summary of what the African Methodist Episcopal Church believes.

What We Believe

The basic tenants of our faith summarized

. . . The Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, is our primary source of knowledge about God and His plan for our salvation. It was written by men as they were directed and guided by the Holy Spirit.

. . . There is only One True God. He has revealed Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

. . . God the Father is the Creator of the universe with all of its grandeur and beauty, and He alone sustains it with His almighty power. The crown of His creation was Adam and Eve, whom He made in His own image that they might live in fellowship with Him and care for His creation.

. . . Adam and Eve doubted and rebelled against God, and their natures became evil. Now every human being is born with a self-centered (sinful) nature and a tendency for evil that violates God's will and desire. Attempts to change human nature or to please God with our own good are doomed to failure, for God demands perfection. We are not perfect but we are striving toward perfection. Therefore, all of us need forgiveness and new life, which comes only from God through our faith in Jesus Christ.

. . . Jesus Christ is God the Son. In His perfect life on earth, He did what no one can do. Through His death on the cross, He took upon Himself the punishment for our sin and by the shedding of His blood He paid the price that sin brings. By defeating death and rising from the dead, Jesus showed the world that His sacrifice on the cross had been accepted by God the Father, paying for man's sin.

. . . God the Holy Spirit brings us this new relationship with Jesus. The Holy Spirit gives Grace to those who ask for it in Jesus Christ's Name. Then after receiving Jesus, the Holy Spirit teaches, encourages, and guides us in living for God.

. . . The Church is the Body of Christ, and as such, is The Fellowship of all who have come to believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. God has given His Church two great gifts to continue its growth: Baptism, an outward symbol of the grace God gifted us with, and in the same way that infants were circumcised in the Old Testament, we believe infant baptism is 'New Testament', because they too are in God's family; The Lord's Supper, which continually nurtures our faith. The Communion elements are a symbol of His body and blood.

. . . A Christian is a Member of the Church not because of what he has done or who she/he is, but because he/she has willingly entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. While here on earth our imperfections remain with us, and our actions have consequences. But thanks to Jesus, we are justified by our faith and God will perfect us.

. . . Christians are called to live for Jesus, seeking to serve and honor Him in all facets of life. We call this Sanctification, making the choice to live for God! Life cannot be divided into compartments where Jesus is not present, for He is the author and Lord of all of life. To know Him is the only way to know what true life is all about, and serving Him is life's greatest privilege.

. . . Death is no longer something to be feared. Rather, all those who trust in Jesus will live in joy with him in heaven for eternity. Death is now simply a doorway to another level of intimacy with God.

The Apostle's Creed

Our Affirmation of Faith

I Believe in God the Father, Almighty, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; The third day He arose from the dead, He ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I Believe in the Holy Spirit, (I Believe in) the Church Universal, (I Believe in) the communion of the saints, (I Believe in) the forgiveness of sins, (I Believe in) the resurrection of the body, and (I Believe in) the life everlasting. Amen.

The Apostle's Creed is our Affirmation of Faith. It is believed to have been originally written by some of the original Apostles of Jesus Christ, to be used as a basis for all Christian believers, so that we may all have a common creed, or a declaration of faith, of what we each believe. Each statement is biblical and we hold to its truths.