Greater Love Fellowship Tabernacle, Inc.
Greater Love Fellowship Tabernacle, Inc.| The Beginnings
The Trinitarian Council, the Godhead is one, manifested in three distinct persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.
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God the Father is the creator and sustainer of the universe who has provided humankind with a revelation of Himself through the natural world and through His son, Jesus Christ. The bible does not seek to prove the existence of God; it simply affirms His existences by declaring, “In the beginning God….” (Genesis 1:1). God has revealed Himself through the physical universe. (Psalm 19:1, Romans 1:19-20)
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God the Son is the Human-Divine Son of God born of the Virgin Mary; the Savior of all humankind that would confess and yield their life to His Lordship; the greatest High Priest who intercedes for His people at the right hand of God; the founder of the Christian church and the central figure of the human race. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
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God the Holy Ghost the third person of the Trinity, who exercises the power of the Father and the Son in creation and redemption. The Holy Spirit if the power by which believers come to Christ and see with the eyes of faith, He is the one that brings a person into a new birth and gives us understanding in our walk with God. (John 3:6, 6:63, 14:16, 26, Acts)
We affirm that the Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God and is the basis for any statement of faith. The church subscribes to the doctrinal statement of "The Holy Bible" as it the inspired, infallible, inerrant, word of God.
We band ourselves together as one body of baptized believers in the name of Jesus Christ personally committed to sharing the good news of salvation to lost mankind. The two ordinances of the church are: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
We believe:(A) the proclamation of both eternal power of Calvary and the potential power of Pentecost;(B) the baptizing power of Jesus Christ for salvation because of Calvary, and(C) the controlling power of the Holy Ghost for service and Holy Victorious living because of Pentecost (Romans 10:8-10, Ephesians 5:18 ; Acts 2: 1-4 Acts 20:27)
We believe in the perpetual and continuing ecclesiastical value of all spiritual gifts for the edification of the body of Christ until the end of this Church Age, which will be consummated by the return of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13, I Corinthians 12-14; Romans 12).
We believe in the Divine persons of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit and the present-day ministry of Redemption and Salvation to all who believes; We further believe in the sovereign distribution of spiritual gifts, which empowers believers for service in the New Testament Church (I Corinthians 12:7-11).
We believe in the Sovereign God as the creator of this world, Jesus Christ as the Savior of man’s sins and the giver of spiritual gifts to the church and the Holy Spirit as our guide and keeper. We further believe spiritual gifts are given for the perfecting of the Saints, for work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the Body of Christ and are given without regard to race, ethnicity, social class, or gender (Ephesians 4:7-12; Galatians 3:26-28).
We believe that man is a created being by God, man was made in the likeness and image of God through righteousness, but because of Adams transgression and subsequent fall, sin came into this world. Corruption and lawlessness entered into the heart of Adam, his (thoughts, deeds, and words) would violate the law of God and shows the deliberate act of his disobedient toward God. We are told in the Word of God not to engage in sin and to sustain from all works and/or workers of evil (1 John 3: 4-8, 3:15, Matthew 9:22, Romans 1:32, 5:12-21, 3:23, 1Peter 2:22)
We believe in the full autonomy of the local church as an independent entity under the Lordship of Christ, through pastoral authority, with regards to:(A) government, polity, and operations (Titus 1:5; Acts 15:1 – 35)(B) discipline (I Corinthians 5:5; Matthew 18:15-17; II Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15)(C) with the added value of the Episcopacy as a covering (Titus 1: 5; Acts 15:1-35).
We believe in the value of biblical terminology for leadership in the New Testament Church: Bishop, Overseer, Pastor, Minister, Elder, and Deacon. We believe all of these are designations for servant-leaders (Jeremiah 3:15; Acts 20:28; II Corinthians 6:4; I Timothy 3:1-7).
We believe in the formal and intentional praise and worship of Almighty God as a proper, spirit-led, corporate acknowledgement and response to His person and work (Psalm 46-50; John 4:23, 24).
We believe in Jesus Christ as the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, who brings men and women at salvation into relationship with Himself and His Body, the Church. We further believe that it is the baptism of the Holy Ghost that places one into the Body of Christ. All Believers have been baptized by Christ with the Holy Ghost (Matthew 3:11; John 1:33; I Corinthians 12:13).
We believe in the indwelling of the Holy Ghost for all Believers and that the Holy Ghost verifies and validates the Believer as part of the Body of Christ (Romans 8:9).
We believe in the spirit-filled life as desirable, valuable, and an issue of obedience for all Believers who are commanded to be filled with the Holy Ghost. We acknowledge that within the Body of Christ, the term, "filled with the Holy Ghost" and "baptism of the Holy Ghost" are distinct, separate, valid, and valuable ministries of the Holy Ghost. When referring to the controlling presence and power of the Holy Ghost, as a result of the submissive will and desire of the Believer, we allow such alternation of terms.
We believe it is the will and command of God that every Believer be "filled," "walk in," "led by," and "live in" the power of the Holy Ghost (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16, 18, 25).
We believe that it is God's desire that all Believers live under the "Divine Direction" of the Holy Ghost. We believe that the filling of the Holy Ghost is an ongoing ministry of the Spirit in the life of the Believer, that enables the Believer to live a life of power, victory, and glory to God (Acts 1:8, 2:4, 4:8, 4:31).
We believe the Holy Ghost fills or empowers Believers for service in the Kingdom of God. Being filled with the Holy Ghost is the result of continuing submission to Divine power and control (Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18).
We believe all Believers are baptized with the Holy Ghost and all Believers should be filled with the Holy Ghost (I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 5:18).
We believe in Water Baptism and the full immersion of the Believer going down into a body of water as commanded by Christ; this ordinance is a symbol of the Christian identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection; it signifies fellowship with the Believer and the church and it applies the Covenant between God and man. During the water immersion of the believer, we believe in the total saving council of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. (Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12, Acts 8:36-39, John 3:5)
We believe the filling of the Holy Ghost and the baptism of the Holy Ghost are distinct, separate, valid, and valuable ministries of the Holy Ghost which may occur simultaneously at salvation.(A) Being filled with the Holy Ghost may and should occur subsequent to salvation in obedience to biblical exhortation.(B) Being filled with the Holy Ghost should not only be a continuous reality, but an ongoing characteristic of the believer's consecrated holiness.(C) The baptism of the Holy Ghost occurs once and for all at salvation (Matthew 3:11; John 1:33; I Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 5:18).(D) We believe in speaking in tongues, as our heavenly language, which builds us up in our holy faith. Tongues are an indicator, not a qualifier of our holiness, unto the Lord. (Jude 20, Acts 19:2-6; Acts 2:1-4; 1 Corinthians 14:14-15)
We believe in Sanctification, Holiness, and Righteousness as our way of life. It is the acceptable lifestyle our Heavenly Father has given to us. The Bible teaches, “Without Sanctification no man can see God”. We believe the Doctrines of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation at Christ return. (Hebrew 12:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Peter 3:18, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 3:12)
We believe in Eternal Life; man’s first step toward salvation must be true sorrow, and repentance for the sins committed he must confess with his mouth and believe in his heart that Jesus saves. (Romans 10:8-10)
We believe in Divine Healing for the physical ill body of humans, we believe our faith in Gods power through the Holy Ghost can cause healing of any matter to be manifested. (Hebrews 11)
We believe in the Resurrection of the Saints and the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) The angles who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)
We believe in Hell and Eternal Retribution, the one who physically and spiritually dies in his sins without confession Jesus Christ as Lord is hopelessly and eternally lost and doomed to the “Lake of Fire”, and therefore has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel and repenting. The “Lake of Fire” is literal (real). The terms “eternal” and “everlasting” are used in describing the duration of the punishment imposed on the unbeliever. (Hebrews 9:27, Revelations 19, 20)
We believe in the Divine order of marriage and the lawful Constitution of the vows of marriage between one male and one female united together in Holy matrimony as accepted by God. We do not believe in same sex marriages and/or relationships of the same sex. (Ephesians 5:31)
We believe that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” and that God did not call us to be the “judge” over His people: We believe that Sanctification must be a daily lifestyle exhibited before Heaven and mankind. We believe that we must demonstrate the Word before the world. (Holy Bible)