What We Believe
Our Confession
We believe there is one true and living God, who created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. God has made himself known by acting repeatedly in human history to reveal and accomplish his will. God has revealed himself as one God in three person: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
The pinnacle of this self-revelation came in the person, Jesus of Nazareth, who we confess as the eternal Son of God who took on humanity in the incarnation. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He proclaimed the Kingdom of God as good news to the poor, captive, blind, and oppressed, and announced it with healings, exorcisms, and a life of love, mercy, and justice towards all people. He lived his life fully aligned with the will of the Father, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and faithful to his identity without being marred by sin. Innocent and humble, Jesus was nevertheless crucified by the authorities, and the Powers behind them, as the King of Israel. He was buried, descended to the grave and broke the chains of death, and was raised in power from the dead after three days. His resurrection was witnessed first by the women at the tomb, then his disciples, and many others.
The fullness of Jesus’ life and his resurrection provide for the forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation for all humanity. Having ascended to the right hand of God the Father as Lord and Savior, he has poured out on his people the Holy Spirit who empowers our faithful living and is at work transforming us to be conformed to the divine nature. This community, the church, is the first fruits of the new creation and the renewal of the heavens and the earth.
We eagerly await Jesus’ return where he will cast down the Powers, Sin, and Death. He will judge both the living and the dead as Lord. He will restore and reconcile all things, whether on earth or in heaven, to God the Father as creation is filled with the full presence and richness of the Triune life.
About The Churches of Christ
As descendants of the American Restoration Movement, the Churches of Christ have historically valued the importance of the Bible as both divinely inspired scripture and the chief witness to Jesus the Messiah. The Churches of Christ believe in the autonomy, independence, and self-governance of the local church. We believe in the importance of baptism by immersion as our participation in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and the beginning of our walk in the Way of the Father, Son, and Spirit. We share the Lord’s Supper every Sunday as the grace-filled covenant meal where, in the Spirit, we commune with the Father through the flesh and blood of the resurrected Jesus in the bread and the cup.
The Core Values of The Keizer Church of Christ
Our mission statement is: Reaching Up, Reaching In, Reaching Out, All To The Glory of God. Below you’ll find our expanded core values that we’ve put together to clarify what exactly that mission means to us.
Reaching Up
Word Centered
We believe the Scriptures are the authoritative wisdom and guidance of God and therefore offer relevant and challenging teaching for all age groups. We believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnate Word of God, equipping and empowering every believer to imitate Him.
“Indeed, the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged word, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; He is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.” Hebrews 4:12-13
“All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16
Spirit-Led
We believe in the active work of the Holy Spirit and seek to discern His will through prayer, meditation, communion, and engagement with the community. We believe that God’s children have been gifted by the Holy Spirit; we seek to honor and utilize those gifts in service to the Kingdom.
The Holy Spirit has been poured out “on all humanity…sons and daughters shall prophesy…young men shall see visions…old men shall dream dreams.” Acts 2:17
“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.” Galatians 5:22-23
Worshipful
We are people shaped by praise and worship as we commune with God and one another in authentic expression of our faith. We strive to make our worship accessible and edifying; our collective voices serve as the instrument of our praise.
“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” John 4:23
The church is taught to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.” (Colossians 3:16).
Reaching In
Intergenerational
We believe every individual from each generation uniquely contributes to the health and vitality of our congregation. We are intentional to offer events, activities, and ministries that create interactions, connections, and relationships between members of all age groups.
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
Communal
We believe in the importance of connectedness and fellowship within God’s family, seeking to imitate the early church’s spirit of community. We cherish our time together and aim to build genuine relationships within our congregation.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25
Peaceful
We embrace our common identity as the family of God amidst a diversity of perspectives, backgrounds, and gifts. In imitation of Jesus’ life of forgiveness and reconciliation, we work toward unity with transparency, openness, and trust.
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
The church is taught to “work on your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13).
Reaching Out
Accessible
We believe that God’s love, forgiveness, and covenant are available to all people regardless of age, health, language, race, ethnicity, education, income, social status, or politics. We strive to be a welcoming congregation with a desire to reflect and serve the diverse community in which we live.
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are
all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26-28)
Missional
We believe we are ambassadors of God’s kingdom within our community and beyond. We desire to share the gospel of Jesus through our acts of love and service as well as make disciples and build up the brethren in common effort
with other churches.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19
Charitable
We believe that all we have is a gift from God and that the best way to honor those gifts is to be generous with them. In imitation of God’s grace and blessings, we willingly offer our time, energy, resources, and spiritual gifts.
We “know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9