What Does Palmer Christian Church Believe...?

Basic Christian Beliefs

Palmer Christian Church does not require that members subscribe to a formal creed. In a very real sense, "we have no creed but Christ, no book but the Bible." The twin bases of our unity are our faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and our adherence to the Bible as the inspired text for our teaching and the one sufficient constitution for governing congregational life.

One Church - Unity!

We seek a unity of understanding in the essentials of our faith, yet we do not suggest that we must agree on all things pertaining to our walk in Christ. We have the freedom to disagree on many issues when the matter is not an essential - or doctrine of the faith. Unity in the body depends upon harmony and mutual trust.

The Trinity -
God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

God is three in one. Separate but different, but all equally God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – the Creator of all things visible and invisible.

Genesis 1:1, Acts 17:24-28, John 1:1-4, John 14:9-21

Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, died for our sins, rose again on the third day, ascended to heaven, and will return again. He is the only way for salvation.

Matthew 24:36-42, John 14:1-7, Acts 1:10-11, Acts 10:39-42

The Bible

The Bible is the inspired Word of God and the final authority for the church.

Matthew 5:17-18, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21

Baptism

We practice baptism of the repentant believer by full immersion in water, confident that this expresses the form and purposes of the New Testament precedent. The New Testament teaches that all believers receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in relation to their faith, repentance, and baptism.

John 3:16 (NIV) - “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) - “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Creation

God is the absolute and sole creator of the universe. The literal, 7-day creation was by divine, supernatural direction as recorded in scripture.

Genesis 1:1 (NIV) – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

John 1:3 (NIV) - “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

Communion

Communion was commanded by Jesus to remind us of His saving grace and we have hope of eternity through Him. We partake of communion together every Sunday and often at other times we meet together as the congregation. We invite all followers of Christ whether visitors or members of PCC to take communion with us.

Matthew 26:26-29, Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Prayer

We are a praying church. We daily lift before God fervent prayers of praise, confession, thanksgiving and petition

New Covenant

Jesus instituted a new covenant with God that succeeded and transcended His former covenant with the people of Israel; hence, we accept the Old Testament as preparatory to the New Testament, and we rejoice that we are related to God through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and not through the Law of the Old Testament.

Membership

Our congregation stands as an independent congregation under the Lordship of Christ Jesus. As Paul instructs in Ephesians 5:23, Christ is the head of the church, and thus, we operate independently of denominational oversight, guided by the wisdom and leadership of our Elders. Our governance and doctrinal stances are shaped by scripture, particularly aligning with the principles found in Acts 20:28, which charges church leaders to shepherd the church of God.

In our commitment to the Great Commission, as commanded by Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20, we engage in collaborative efforts with fellow believers, fostering unity in the body of Christ to spread the gospel.

For church membership, we adhere to the biblical standard of faith and discipleship. As outlined in Acts 16:31, belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God is fundamental. Prospective members must exhibit a heart of repentance, as emphasized in Acts 2:38, and acknowledge Jesus as Lord, following Romans 10:9-10, which speaks of confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection. This confession is complemented by the act of baptism through full immersion, as instructed in Matthew 28:19, demonstrating obedience, transformation, and a commitment to lifelong discipleship under Christ's authority.

Spiritual Gifts

The New Testament teaches the ministry of all believers, recognizing that the Holy Spirit gives various gifts to members of the body so that every member can make a contribution to the effective ministry of the entire church.

Missions

As a church committed to mission work, we actively engage in and support evangelistic and charitable endeavors locally in Palmer, throughout Alaska, and globally. Our financial planning includes allocating funds from our general fund to support these missions.

Our engagement extends to bettering community life. In obedience to Jesus’ teachings, we strive to feed the hungry, provide water to the thirsty, welcome strangers, clothe the needy, care for the sick, and visit prisoners, fulfilling the directives of Matthew 25.

Stewardship

God calls for prudent stewardship of our financial and material assets in both personal and church contexts. Scripture affirms that all we possess and our very selves are God’s property

(Psalm 24:1).

We advocate for the tithe, representing ten percent of our income, as the foundational contribution Scripture instructs us to give back to God

(Malachi 3:10).

Beyond this, an offering is a voluntary act of generosity, stemming from a spirit of gratitude, signifying giving that exceeds the tithe

(2 Corinthians 9:7).

We confidently teach the tenets of Christian stewardship, echoing the words of Jesus that our financial priorities reflect the orientation of our hearts

(Matthew 6:21).