Sunday, April 18, 2010

Missionary Talk

Today's services were delayed by an unexpected fire alarm that resulted in the evacuation of Lumpkin Hall and the sanctuary. Everyone was forced to the parking lot across the street until the Rock Hill Fire Department had checked things out. Fortunately there was no holocaust this Sunday, and services proceeded although someone had to babysit the fire control panel because the alarm kept misfiring.

Today we had a special visitor, a missionary who was born in Spartanburg and who attended the Church of the Advent, Laura Estevez. She is working in Ecuador with her husband Jorge. It sounds like they are engaged in an important ministry with children of the streets. Donations can be made to "International Teams." Click here for the web site, or click here to donate directly. I think you can designate Laura and Jorge Estevez in the top line, and there is a separate box for comments and prayers.

For your benefit here is the Statement of Faith for the International Teams,
"We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit was born of the virgin Mary, was true God and true man existing in one person and was without sin. We believe in His representative and substitutionary sacrifice, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the Father, His present life as Lord of all, High Priest and Advocate, and His personal return in power and glory.

We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells and gives life to believers, enables them to understand and apply the Scriptures, empowers them for godly living and equips them for service and witness.

We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, without error in the original documents, fully trustworthy, and the final authority in all matters of Christian faith and life.
We believe that each member of the human race is fallen,sinful and lost; that the shed blood of Jesus Christ provides the only ground for forgiveness of sins and justification to all who receive Him by faith; and that only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can they become children of God.
We believe the one, holy, universal Church is the body of Christ, composed of all regenerate people. This redeemed community worships God and seeks to proclaim the Good News to all people.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost."


We believe!

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:23 AM

    Their statement of faith seems rather "old school." I suppose being stuck in the Andes fulfilling the Great Commission keeps one out of the loop when it comes to modern theological developments.

    < /tongue in cheek>

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  2. Randall,

    You are correct. It is something that would not be read as a statement of faith at most Episcopal churches these days.

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