The Experience

We believe, and use as our foundation, the Bible as the supreme and infalable revelation of God's word to mankind. Every promise is for today, every principal contained therein, when properly applied, will lead to a more rewarding and enlightened life. There are three major revelations that the early church experienced:

Repentance - "About Face"

It's not enough to say "I'm sorry". The word repentance truly means to "turn around". We are all born into sin, with a human nature that is inherantly self-destructive. It is only when we realize that our own self-centered ways will lead us further into trouble, that we can make a decision to turn around and seek a higher path.

Baptism by Water - "Cleaning Out the Closet"

Once we have recognized our sin and asked God for forgiveness, we are still left to deal with the guilt and shame that accompany this awareness. But, good news! When we are baptized in the name of Jesus, His blood is applied to our lives and covers the stain of sin to give us a clean slate. The Bible teaches us that the apostles always baptized in the name of Jesus, and that they always emmersed their disciples under the water. This is symbolic of the burial of Christ and His resurrection.

Baptism by Spirit - "Plugging in to a New Source of Power"

Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be born of the water and of the spirit to enter the kingdom of Heaven. The early church experienced not only water baptism in Jesus name, but on the day of Pentecost, received a baptism of the spirit that transformed their very character forever. Every person in the upper room, and all accounts throughout the book of Acts afterward, are recorded to have spoken with tongues as an initial evidence of this baptism. It was not a product of what they believed, it was a product of who they believed in. Not a religion, but an experience. The same is available to us today! While it is controversial for some, it has become a worldwide phenomenon. It is produced by worship and it results in greater worship to the true and living God. Peter asked the disciples of John the Baptist, "Have ye recieved the Holy Ghost since ye believed?". What he was asking them was, have you plugged in to your new source of power? Jesus told the apostles that they would recieve power after the Holy Ghost had come upon them. This power is necessary in every believer's life in order to overcome the obstacles that sin has placed in our lives. That is why plugging into the power of the Holy Ghost is the most important step in our walk with God.