Life Church International NZ - Statement of faith

Our values, beliefs, and practices are rooted in orthodox Christian doctrine. Certain core issues provide all that is necessary to define the church as Christian, and therefore sufficient for unity within the broader body of the church worldwide. Then, there are doctrinal positions we take, developed from the heritage of church movement that defines our distinctive, and necessary for unity within the local churches.   All these are held in the fear of the Lord, and inform our understanding of the church and ministry practice. The following summary serves as a guide:

We are Historically Orthodox

We affirm the historic Christian faith, as attested in the divinely inspired canon of Scripture, and articulated in the creeds (2 Timothy 3:16).

We affirm that God is triune and that the three divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are coequal, coessential, and coeternal.

We affirm that the whole of the universe and its systems were created and are sustained by the will of the Father, spoken in the agency of the Son, and given life by the Spirit (Genesis 1-2). 

We affirm that humankind is created by God in His own image and that since God is triune, true personhood can be experienced and seen only in the community.

We affirm that the perfection of creation is corrupted by sin, and as such subject to judgment and death; that the price for forgiveness from sin is paid in the voluntary, substitutionary death of Christ, born of a virgin and resurrected on the third day. We affirm true Christian living is made possible by the empowering of the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:12-18, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Romans 4:25,

We affirm the coming again in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ at which time His kingdom will be set up on earth forever. This is the great hope of the church.

We are distinctly Pentecostal

Pentecostal doctrine draws on a number of influences in church history:

We affirm the supernatural power of the Spirit in actualizing trinitarian relationships within the body of the church. This includes the unique power of the Lord’s table (communion) in accomplishing this.

We affirm a view of salvation whereby God graciously invites all to accept the finished work of the cross for forgiveness of sins, contingent upon the individual’s free will choice to accept that invitation and submit to the Lordship of Christ.

We affirm the distinctive pattern of the “fivefold” gospel:       

Justification: Through the work of the cross, the price for our sin has been paid, to be accepted and received by faith (Ephesians 2:8). Justification satisfies the legal requirements of the law concerning sin.

Sanctification: A distinct work of the Holy Spirit, separate from initial salvation (justification), and continuing through life. Sanctification is the work of holiness and purity of motive through the perfecting of love in the hearts of saints (Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 4:1ff, 11-13, 23-24).

Baptism in the Spirit: The distinct post-salvation experience of emersion in the Spirit. Distinguishing marks are a revelation of the Presence of God, sensitivity to conviction and readiness to repent, a thirst for the word of God, love for the church, speaking in other tongues (Acts 1:4-8, 1-4).

Divine healing and miracles: As signs pointing to the reality of God, that those who see and hear will believe (John 20:30, 31), and as an inflow of the Kingdom into the current experience - a foretaste of the eschatological hope to come.

The return of Christ: The resurrection to come. The great hope unto eternal life, the object of our faith (Hebrews 11:8-10).

We are intentionally inter-denominational

We see ourselves as part of the world-wide body of believing churches, with humility distinct in our convictions, but not separated in our essence.

We seek to honor and enjoy fellowship with the diversity of theological and ecclesial traditions who have experienced the transforming power of Jesus Christ.  

We will speak well of our fellow ministers and church leaders from these different traditions, and cooperate together where able and appropriate.