What We Believe

At First Christian Church of Kissimmee, we believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, without error, and is the standard and authority for all generations.  I Thessalonians 2:13; John 17:17; II Timothy 3:16-17

From the Bible we learn the following:

1.  God is eternal;  He created the universe, and the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the triune (three in one) Godhead.  John 1:1-14, 14:16, 26; Colossians 1:1; I Corinthians 8:6; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 1:1-2

2.  Jesus was the Son of God and also fully human.  Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life and performed many miracles before thousands of eyewitnesses.  He was crucified as a sacrifice for our sins and was bodily raised on the third day.  Until He comes again, He sits at the right hand of God where he rules over His Church and intercedes for God's children.  Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 4:14-15; I Peter 2:21-24; I Corinthians 15:3-5; John 14:1-6; Romans 8:31-34; Luke 1:26-35; Ephesians 1:18-23, 5:23; Acts 1:9-11

3.  A person's conversion is a process of many important elements:

• Hearing the Word of God and obeying it  Romans 10:17

• Repenting of one's sins  Acts 3:19, 2:38

• Publicly acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior  Matthew 16:16; I John 4:15; Romans 10:9-10

• Being baptized (immersed in water) for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit  I Peter 3:21; Colossians 2:11; Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 6:1-7

• Living a new life  Ephesians 2:1-10; Romans 6:1-4, 4:17-32; Galatians 5:13-26

We welcome into membership at First Christian those who have asked God's forgiveness for past sins, publicly confessed Christ as Savior and are baptized by immersion.  Immersed believers from other churches are accepted by transfer of membership.  Unimmersed believers who desire membership are asked to prayerfully consider following the New Testament pattern for baptism.

4.  Each Sunday morning we remember Christ's death on the cross by celebrating the Lord's Supper.  We invite all believers to partake of the bread and the cup

5.  Each congregation should be autonomous (locally governed by itself) as in the New Testament.  Each congregation should be led by overseers (elders) from within the congregation.  Titus 1:1-5; I Timothy 3:1-7; I Peter 5:1-3

We believe in one God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Genesis 1:2; Matthew 5:16; 6:1, 4, 8, 9; John 1:1; James 1:17; 14:19; 2 Peter 1:21

We believe God is the Creator of all things.
Genesis 1:1; Acts 17:24-18; Hebrews 11:3

We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son and Savior of the world. John 1:14; John 3:16; Hebrews 1:1-3; 1 John 4:9
Conceived by the Holy Spirit Matthew 1:18
Born of a virgin Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:26-27
Died on the cross, was buried, and bodily rose again from the grave Luke 23:44-24:8; John 20:24-29; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
Ascended into Heaven; seated at the Father's right hand Luke 22:69; Acts 1:1-9; Colossians 3:1
Who will return to earth to judge both the living and the dead Matthew 24:36-42; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10-11; 10:39-42; 1 Peter 4:5

We believe in the Holy Spirit.
A personality who is part of the triune God Matthew 28:19; John 16:5-15; Acts 1:7-8
Who indwells every Christian 1 Corinthians 3:15; 6:19; 2 Timothy 1:14
Who empowers Christians for works of service 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Who enables us to live Christlike lives Galatians 5:16-25

We believe in the Bible...
God's Holy Word...without error in its original form, and inspired by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; 2 Timothy3:14-16; 2 Peter 1:20-21

We accept the Bible as the final authority for all matters of faith and practice. Isaiah 40:8; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12

We believe that man, created by God, willfully sinned and as a result, is lost and without hope apart from Jesus Christ.
Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23

We believe that salvation -- the forgiveness of sins — comes by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 26:28; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 1:7

We believe the Bible teaches that the pattern to follow to receive Christ as Savior is to believe in Christ as God's Son and Savior to the world, to repent of personal sin, to confess Christ as Lord, and to be immersed in baptism. Each of these is clearly taught in the word of God.
Romans 5:1-2; Luke 24:45-47; Acts 3:19; 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9; Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9-10; 1 John 4:15; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-7; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21

We believe that the church is the body and bride of Christ, founded on the day of Pentecost, consisting of all Christians everywhere.
Matthew 16:13-18; Acts 2:14-47

We believe that God ordained that elders are to exercise spiritual leadership and authority over the local congregation.
Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4

We believe that death seals the eternal destiny of each person.
When Christ returns, He will formally pronounce the eternal fate of each individual, both living and dead. The saved will be assigned eternal life; the unsaved, eternal separation from God. Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; John 6:39; Romans 8:10-11; 19-23

Biblical!
We pattern ourselves after the church as revealed in the Book of Acts, "...continuing steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer."

Independent!
We are an independent church in that we are not governed by any outside denominational structure. We elect our own leaders, and they direct the affairs of the church under the leadership of the Holy Spirit in accordance with God's Word.

Global!
We believe in outreach, locally, nationally and internationally, and support a variety of missions efforts.

Christian!
We seek to be nondenominational, encouraging all believers to put aside man-made creeds and titles. We call ourselves "Christians," Acts 11:26, and use the Bible as our only rule of faith and practice 2 Timothy 3:16-17