FMI Core Beliefs

1. GOD’S HEALING AND PROVISION

God loves every person and desires to extend healing and provision in every area of our life as we repent of our sins and follow Him. Healing of the sick is illustrated in the life and ministry of Jesus and included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples. It is given as a sign, which is to follow believers. It is also a part of Jesus’ work on the Cross and one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. God extends healing and provision for us in many ways, including:

• Spiritual (John 3:3-11, 14:6; II Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10)

• Mental and Emotional
 (II Timothy 1:7, 2:11; Philippians 4:7-8; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3).

• Physical 
(Psalm 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 8:6-7; James 5:14-16; I Corinthians 12:9, 28; Romans 11:29, I Peter 2:24).

• Financial
 (Joshua 1:8; Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; II Corinthians 9:6-10; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalm 34:10, 84:11; Philippians 4:19).

2. HEAVEN AND HELL

We believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell, and that all those who place their faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord. Those who reject Jesus’ free gift of salvation will spend eternity separated from the Lord in Hell (Psalm 9:17; Matthew 5:3, 5:22, 18:9, 25:31-34; Mark 9:42-49; Luke 12:5; John 3:18; Hebrews 12:23; I Peter 1:4; Revelation 14:10-11, 20:11-15).

3. HOLY BIBLE

The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible and inerrant (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26).

4. HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin and to empower for ministry all who believe in Christ (John 16:8-11; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:26, 15:13,16; II Corinthians 3:18; Hebrews 9:14). We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide (John 6:13, 14:16-17, 16:8-11; Galatians 5:16-18; Romans 8:26).

• The Baptism of the Spirit: First given at Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after His Ascension, to empower the Church to preach the Gospel throughout the whole earth. We believe the Holy Spirit will continue baptizing believers in the Spirit until the second coming of Christ when we are face to face with Him in Heaven (1 Corinthians 13: 8-13; Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5,2:1-4, 17, 38-39, 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6; I Corinthians 12-14).

• The Gifts of the Spirit: The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters (Hebrews 2:4; Romans 1:11, 12 :4-8; Ephesians 4:16; I Timothy 4:14; II Timothy 1:6-7; I Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; I Peter 4:10).

5. HUMAN LIFE

Since mankind is created in God’s image, human life is of inestimable worth and significant in all its dimensions, from conception to the grave (Genesis 1:27; Psalms 139:13-16).

6. HUMAN SEXUALITY

We believe God’s plan for human sexuality is to be expressed only within the context of marriage, that God created man and woman as unique biological persons made to complete each other. God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. For this reason, we believe that marriage is exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female. Sexual purity is a necessary expression for all of God’s children and requires abstinence from adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, or other sexual practices forbidden by Scripture (Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 6:18; Hebrews 13:4; Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5-6; Mark 10:6-9; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9).

7. JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind and thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory (John 1:1,14, 20:28; I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6; I Timothy 2:5).

8. ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH: WATER BAPTISM AND COMMUNION

As a sign of those who have followed Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water, by immersion, in the name of Jesus Christ. The entire Godhead–the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all uniquely involved in a believer’s baptism.  (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48).  Jesus also said believers should partake of communion. The bread and juice are taken symbolically in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross (Matthew 26:26-29; I Cor. 10:16, 11:23-25).

9. REPENTANCE

Man was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression he fell.  His only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance, we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation (Gen. 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21; Acts 2:21, 3:19; I John 1:9).

10. SALVATION

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, who shed His blood to pay the penalty of our sin, and rose from the grave, so we can overcome sin and death. Salvation is a free gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts. Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22; Matthew 19:28; Titus 3:5).

11. SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life (I Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; II Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18; II Thessalonians 2:1-3; Romans 8:29, 12:1-2; Hebrews 2:11).

12. SECOND COMING

Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures.  When Christ returns at the end of the age, all true believers will see His face and be with Him forever, reigning with Him in splendor and great glory, through all eternity, in the new heavens and new earth (Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; II Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7)

13. THE CHURCH

Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers.  The Church of Jesus Christ is the universal, spiritual body of believers from every tribe, tongue, kindred and race of peoples, and is indwelt by God through the Holy Spirit and divinely empowered to fulfill ministry and her Great Commission on earth (Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; John 17:11, 20-23).

14. TITHES AND OFFERINGS

The Scriptures teach the necessity for believers to give financially to the local church (the “storehouse”) so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be preached around the world.  Giving of our tithes and offerings should be done regularly, cheerfully and sacrificially (Proverbs 3:9-19; Malachi 3:10; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

15. TRINITY

There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and co-eternal (I John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11).