HEARTLAND CONFESSION

Heartland Uniting Church and Family

Necessity of harmony between the separate jurisdictions of the local church and the family.

Introduction

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe that the church and the family are holy institutions, ordained and established by the Sovereign Triune God Who created the heavens and the earth. God’s infallible revelation, the Bible, reveals that the family is an integral part of the unfolding of His eternal purpose for the redemption of sinners. This great and gracious salvation—purposed by the Father, accomplished by the Son, and applied by the Holy Spirit—is in great measure passed on to succeeding generations as parents faithfully disciple the children God gives them. Therefore, the biblical order and unity of the family are crucial to the stability and health of the Church of Jesus Christ. In light of this, we recognize that the family—and especially fathers—are the focus of a fierce and unrelenting attack by the world, the flesh, and the Devil. This has escalated to the point that Christians must rise up in defense of the church and family in uncompromising biblical defense.


Rather than helping in this battle, church leadership has sometimes unwittingly contributed to the problem. Despite the good intentions of many of these leaders, they bear a level of responsibility for the vulnerability of the family in the face of its enemies. Lack of understanding and even unfaithfulness to God’s Word in our pulpits have contributed to the decline of biblical Christianity and the dissolution of the family in our churches. The minimizing of scriptural authority in the church leads to unbiblical practices. This in turn leads to the perversion of the biblical roles of men and women, the destruction of our children, and the collapse of our society. Traditions, which have originated in the minds of devils and fallen men, are counterfeits to God’s authority. False doctrines derived from Darwinism, Marxism, Feminism, Secular Humanism, Psychology, and countless other unbiblical sources, have emerged from a society that has discarded Divine Revelation and have contaminated or replaced God’s standards in many professing churches of the Lord Jesus Christ. One of the bitter fruits of this is the fragmentation of the family.


We believe that the only resolution to this problem is repentance and reformation. We must confess our failures, reject the traditions of men, and wholeheartedly return to God’s revelation for the establishment and nurture of the family in loving obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. Our fervent prayer is that our God will raise up Spirit-filled, Christ-centered, family-integrated assemblies from the ashes of our man-centered, family fragmenting churches.


Article One — Scripture is Sufficient
We affirm that our all-wise God has revealed Himself and His will in a completed revelation—the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments—which is fully adequate in both content and clarity for “everything pertaining to life (salvation) and godliness (sanctification)” including the ordering of the church and the family (2 Pet. 1:3-4; 1 Tim 3:15; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).


We deny that God’s people should treat His Word as inadequate for church and family life by supplementing His completed revelation with principles from humanistic psychology, corporate business models, and modern marketing techniques.


Article Two — God Created Church and Family
We affirm that Almighty God is the sovereign Creator and Preserver of His people and all the institutions that bring blessing to mankind—including the church and the family—and is thus deserving of our highest honor and humble obedience (Col. 1:16-17).


We deny that we, being mere creatures, have a right to refashion the church and family according to our vain imaginations by altering God’s prescribed government, worship, gender-based roles, or any other normative patterns revealed in Scripture.


Article Three — Satan is a Deceiver
We affirm the warning of Holy Scripture that Satan, the father of lies and deceiver of the brethren, has used his subtle trickery from the beginning to question God’s Word: “Yea, Hath God said...?” (Gen. 3:1).


We deny that the children of God should embrace and employ the philosophies, goals, and methods of this fallen world in our churches and families, and thus succumb to the Adversary’s deception.


Article Four — Church’s Head is Christ
We affirm our Lord Jesus Christ as the Head of His church, having purchased it with His own blood and having instructed it through His Word in order to make known the manifold wisdom of God and bring glory to Himself (Col. 1:18).


We deny/reject the self-importance and pride of man to usurp Christ’s headship of His church by introducing man made programs and rules that disregard the Law of Christ.


Article Five — Church’s Leadership and Ministry
We affirm God’s revealed pattern in Scripture that the church be led and fed by a plurality of biblically qualified elders whom the Holy Spirit raises up from within the local church, who equip all the saints to do the work of ministry, and who may or may not be remunerated (Acts 14:23; 20:28; Eph. 4:11-12; 1 Tim. 5:17-18).


We deny/reject the two unbiblical extremes of our day: authoritarian, one-man leadership/one-man ministry that impedes the biblical functioning of the body, and leaderless house churches that disregard the biblical necessity of elders.


Article Six — The Church is a Family of Believers that Includes Families
We affirm that local churches are spiritual households that include individual family units which are separate and distinct jurisdictions that should be cared for and strengthened to fulfill their God ordained roles, not only as individuals but also as families (1 Tim. 3:15, Ephesians 5:22-33, Ephesians 6:1-4).


We deny/reject the current trend in churches that ignores the family unit, is blind to strengthening it, systematically fragments it and does not actively work to equip her members to be faithful family members.


Article Seven — Family is a Building Block
We affirm that the biblical family is a scripturally ordered household of parents, children, and sometimes others (such as singles, widows, divorcees, or grandparents), forming the God-ordained building blocks of the church (2 Tim. 4:19).


We deny/reject the modern trend embraced by many churches to undermine the purpose and government of both family and church, by substituting family-fragmenting, age-segregated, peer-oriented, youth driven, and special-interest programs, which may prevent rather than promote family unity, church unity and inter-generational relationships.


Article Eight — Church and Family Mission is Generational
We affirm that God intends both church and family to carry out evangelism and discipleship through multiple generations, “so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the Lord your God to keep all His statutes and His commandments” (Deut. 6:2; Lk.1:50).
We deny/reject those contemporary “seeker-sensitive,” individualistic philosophies which ignore the transgenerational mission of church and family and therefore fail to “equip the saints” for the next generations.


Article Nine — Church and Family Method is Relationships
We affirm that all the saints of God are to be equipped for spiritual ministry and maturity through the preaching of the Word of God by qualified shepherds and the body building itself up in love and that children are also equipped primarily through family-based, one-on-one, father-directed, heart-level discipleship relationships (Ephesians 4:16;1Tim. 3:4-5).


We deny/reject the popular church system that has replaced heart-level relationships with activity-based programs which often have supplanted father involvement with clergy usurpation.


Article Ten — Church and Family Ministry Occurs in Everyday Life
We affirm that the church’s relationships are nurtured primarily through daily discipleship in everyday life, especially fathers and mothers training their families to fulfill the great commission, living out the gospel in ministry to the saints and witness to the lost (Matt.. 28:19-20; Eph. 5:21-6:4).


We deny/reject the emphasis on family-fragmenting, facility-based programs which disregard the Church as a people in community and which displace family outreach.


Article Eleven — The Biblical Pattern of the Church Reflects Age and Family Integration
We affirm that there is no scriptural pattern for comprehensive age segregated discipleship, and that age segregated practices are based on unbiblical, evolutionary and secular thinking which have invaded the church (Deut. 16:9-14; Josh. 8:34-35; Ezra 10:1; 2 Chr.20:13; Nehemiah 12:43; Joel 2:15-16; Luke 12:42-47; Col 4:14; Acts 20:7; Eph. 6:1-4).


We deny/reject that corporate worship, discipleship and evangelism should be systematically segregated by age, and that it has been an effective method for making disciples.


Article Twelve — Families May be Divided by the Gospel
We affirm that the gospel may divide families because the gospel can “set a man at variance against his father” and that “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me” and that our duty is to obey God rather than man (Matt. 10:35-37; Acts 4:19-21).


We deny/reject that loyalty to the family should ever supercede obedience to God which makes the family an idol.


Article Thirteen — Church is Eternal While the Family is Temporal
We affirm that the church is the eternal “bride” of Christ, and the “family of God” and in heaven “they neither marry or are given in marriage” and that the purpose of the family is temporal for the glory of God which includes the demonstration of the gospel and raising children in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Matthew 22:29-32, Ephesians 6:1-4, Ephesians 5:22-33).


We deny/reject that the earthly family is the ultimate purpose of God or that the family has no
responsibility to be faithful to obey and glorify God in the ways He has commanded in Scripture.


Article Fourteen — Church and Family are Complementary in Role and Function
We affirm that the church and family were designed to be complementary because the family is commanded to raise “godly seed,” which the church needs for the next generation, and is the proving ground for church leaders, while the church gives the family her instruction, discipline, protection, fellowship and worship (Malachi 2:15; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Acts 2:42).


We deny/reject the idea that the church and the family have competing purposes, and that divine commands for family life should be typically disregarded in church and missionary activity.


Article Fifteen — God Requires Examination
We affirm that God enjoins us to “examine everything carefully, and hold fast to that which is good”—moreover, to “let each one examine his own work”—particularly when the people of God are not thriving according to the New Testament pattern (1 Thes. 5:21; Gal. 6:4).


We who shepherd the flock of Christ—whether as fathers or as pastors—have adequately and vigilantly scrutinized the beliefs and practices of the modern church as well as our own role in it.


Article Sixteen — Judgment Begins With the Church
We affirm that God has declared “judgment begins with the household of God” and thus, we Christians are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, looking to judge ourselves lest we be chastened all the more (1 Pet. 4:17; 5:6).


We deny that the church should continue as she has and delay dramatic reformations, or that she will escape the wrath of God for the disintegration and destruction of the family by ignoring or taking lightly biblical roles and responsibilities.

Article Seventeen — God

We believe in the only true God (John 17:3), the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20). He created all things (Revelation 4:11) and upholds all things by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). He is a God of truth and without iniquity (sin). He is just and right in all that He does (Deuteronomy 32:4), and He shall judge the world (Psalm 9:8).

We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections, and are worthy of precisely the same honor, confidence, and obedience (Mark 12:29; John 1:1-4; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 4:3-4).

Article Eighteen — Jesus Christ

We believe in the total deity (God position) of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe He is the manifestation of God in the flesh. I believe He was conceived by the Holy Spirit by the direct orders of God, and born of the virgin Mary. We believe Him to be both true God and true man (John 1:1, 1:14, 1:18; John 14:8-9; 1 Timothy 3:16).

Article Nineteen — Holy Spirit We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:14). The Holy Spirit regenerates the sinner upon belief & confession in Christ, baptizing the believer into one body, of which Christ is the head. The Holy Spirit indwells, guides, instructs, fills, comforts, and empowers the believer for godly & righteous living (Mark 13:11; John 14:26; John 16:13; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16).

The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of God's righteousness and of coming judgment (John 16:8-11). While I believe that the Scriptures do not teach that certain gifts have ceased, they indicate that use of the gifts vary according to the need and movement of the Holy Spirit within each believer.  We do NOT encourage the Body of Christ to focus upon the gifts, or their “manifestations,” but rather the Giver. Instead we teach and focus on the transformational life-principles of the indwelling life of Christ – which emphasizes the more excellent way of love as well as zeal (John 16:8; 13:15; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:22; 4:11-12; Romans 8:9-17; 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 12:4-5, 12:11-13, 12:19; Galatians 5:25; Hebrews 4:1-4; 2 Corinthians 12:12).

Article Twenty — Word of God We believe the Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament are verbally inspired by God and inerrant (without error) in their original writings. We believe the 66 books of the Old Testament and the New Testament are God's complete and sufficient revelation and therefore carry God's authority for the total well-being spiritually, psychologically and physically of mankind. We also believe that the scriptures are to be used as the primary text of ALL teachings, guidance and corrections. (Psalm 119:97-104; Psalm 119:160; Matthew 5:18; John 5:46-47; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15-16).

Article Twenty One — Man We believe man was created in innocence (without sin) under the law of his Maker, but by voluntarily transgressing (willful disobedience), fell from his sinless and perfect state. Consequently, all mankind is sinful due to his seed being infected by sin. All humans born from that day forward were born “into sin” – by way of sin being in the seed of man (Gen. 3:5; I Cor.15:22). Not only does mankind inherit a sinful nature by way of birth, but also by their inability to live righteously without a Savior (I Peter 1:23). Therefore, we believe all of mankind will go to Hell without accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior – thus embracing, without exception, every man and every woman is totally depraved and needs a Savior (Genesis 3:1-6; I John 3:9; Romans 3:10-19; Romans 1:18, Romans 1:32).

Article Twenty Two — Salvation We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice. We believe that each person who by faith receives Him as personal Savior is justified (cleared of consequences) on the basis of Jesus Christ literally paying for our sins by shedding His blood (death) on the cross. Each person who receives Christ as personal Savior is born again of the Holy Spirit (indwelling the believer) and thereby becomes eternally secure as a child of God. We believe all humans are required to go through THREE baptisms – spirit (salvation), water (testimony) and fire (trials & persecutions). Due to this, we believe the Holy Spirit baptizes each believing person into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation and that there is no “second baptism” of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 12:13).  Pray the prayer: click here

Article Twenty Three — Ressurection I believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ, His ascension into heaven and His present life for us as High Priest and Advocate through the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 1:3; Acts 1:9; Hebrews 7:25-26).

Article Twenty Four — Heaven, Hell, and Return of Christ

We believe in the blessed hope: the personal, *dispensational premillennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ. His return has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). We believe in “life after death” of both the saved and the lost. The saved are raised to eternal, conscious bliss in heaven (Matthew 25:34; John 14:2; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Revelation 2:7). The lost are raised to eternal torment in hell in conscious separation from God (Matthew 8:12; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 13:49-50; Mark 9:47-48; Luke 12:5; Revelation 21:8).

Article Twenty Five — Church

Upon accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, a believer becomes part of His body and thus becoming the literal Bride of Christ, which is the church. There is only ONE church and this eternal covenant marriage is composed of all those throughout the world who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Scriptures command & support believers to gather in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, observance of the ordinances (baptism and communion), fellowship, service to the body through the development and use of talents and gifts, and outreach to the world in fulfillment of the command of Christ to disciple all believers. There are NO scriptures commanding believers to form sects and denominations to group the body of Christ. Since the fears of man has resulted itself in forming over 3,000 different Christian governed sects and denominations world-wide, I believe true Christians need to respect and honor those existing authorities, and if a member of a particular local group, submit to their rules of engagement - as long as it does not provoke immoral, illegal or broken ordinances of God (Ephesians 5:23; Romans 12:1; Romans 13:1-7; Acts 2:42-46; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Matthew 28:18-20).

Wherever God's people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the church ¬under the oversight of elders and other supportive leadership. The church's members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ (Ephesians 4:16).

Article Twenty Six — Missions

Realizing that the cause of Christ extends beyond any one local fellowship, I commit myself, and my family, to an ongoing ministry of extending the call of Christ to make disciples around the world. We believe this starts with one’s own family. Once completing the mandate of caring for the family, move to community/neighbor, then to your employment, the state, nation and ultimately to the world (Matthew 28:19-20; I Timothy 5:8).

Article Twenty Seven — Para-Church Orgainizations

We believe that all non-profit ministries are to be considered an extension of the local church. We believe each Para Ministry should function as an outreach to the church as a whole, not as a replacement.

*Dispensational premillennialism is the belief that the Second Coming of Christ will precede the millennium and that God will still give the nation of Israel the land described in Genesis 15:18. This belief also treats the millennium as a literal, future event – which includes pre-tribulationalism (the Rapture – Christ suddenly removing the Bride of Christ).

Article Twenty Eight — Women in Leadership

IOM supports God’s role for women as defined by the Holy Scriptures. The Word clearly states that women are not to exercise authority over a man. We understand this view is not “popular” or “culturally” accepted but we hold to the scriptural guidelines stated for the role of men and women (1 Timothy 2:12; 1 Timothy 3:1-2; Titus 1:6-9). God created men and women equal but we accept the fact that He has clearly established a difference in the roles they are to carry out. We believe the primary role of women are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossip0s nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, sensible, pure workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the Word of God will not be dishonored (Titus 2:3-56).

Wherefore, in light of this our faith, we do hereby resolve to...

1. Rely upon the Scriptures alone for “everything pertaining to life and godliness,” treating the Bible as fully sufficient for the ordering of the church and the family;
    
2. Restore the practice of teaching “the whole counsel of God” through exegetical preaching of Scripture in the church and daily instruction in homes by fathers and mothers;
    
3. Honor Almighty God as Creator and Preserver of the church and the family, and humbly submit to His prescribed order for each of these fundamental institutions;
    
4. Resist Satan’s deception designed to supplant God’s goals and methods with the world’s felt needs and opinion polls, but instead depend on God’s Word, just as our Lord did in the wilderness;
    
5. Submit to the Headship of Christ over His church, embracing His manifold wisdom, not our own, for its structure and operation;
    
6.  Reject the errors of both authoritarian one-man ministry and leaderless house churches, and return to plural leadership by godly elders who equip the saints for ministry;
    
7.  Recognize the church to be a spiritual family who value intimacy and interaction and grow by the multiplication of family-integrated churches;
    
8. Acknowledge families (which include singles, widows, divorcees, grandparents, etc.) as God’s building blocks for the church, and maintain family-integrated rather than family-segregated meetings;
    
9. Develop a multi-generational vision for both the church and the family which stimulates personal sacrifice and maturity and preserves our spiritual posterity;
    
10. Equip whole households for ministry through heart-level relationships rather than activity-based programs, preparing and utilizing fathers as servant-leaders in family and church;
     
11. Pursue outreach through whole families “living out the gospel” in ministry to the saints and witness to the lost, rather than age-segregated programs;
     
12. Scrutinize the beliefs and practices of modern families and churches as well as our own role in both—whether as fathers or as church leaders—and make whatever changes are necessary to conform to God’s revealed patterns from the Word for family and church;
     
13. Seek God while there is yet time so that, seeing our true repentance, He will withhold His hand of judgment upon our worldly families and churches.