Update on Our First Meeting

This past Sunday May 18, Charis Home Fellowship had its first meeting.  It was a very small group of just five plus kids, but the Spirit of God met with us powerfully.  We had times of singing, teaching, praying, and sharing.  The text I taught on was Mark 1:1-13.  The gift of prophecy even made an appearance among us!  It was a very exciting time for me personally.  Our next meeting is set up for Sunday June 1 and I can't wait!  I'll be teaching on Mark 1:14-45.  Anyway, we do hope and pray that the Lord will continue to be with us as we gather and continue to give us direction.

The Basics of Who We Are and What We Believe

As a new start-up group, it is good and necessary for us to describe who we are and where we stand.  We say up front that we are "reformed in theology, charismatic in experience".  But what does that mean exactly?  That is a good question and one I would like to now answer.  Our basic doctrinal position may be found here.


There is some debate out there over what exactly makes one "reformed", but we use that term loosely to describe our general orientation concerning God's sovereignty in the world, and especially in the salvation of sinners.  The Protestant Reformation was a movement nearly 500 years ago that sought to bring the Church of Jesus Christ back to the Bible, and away from many of the extra-biblical traditions that the medieval and renaissance church under Rome had embraced. 


Five Latin slogans came about to distinguish the views of many of the reformers from the views of the Roman Catholic Church.  We at Charis embrace these slogans because the Bible teaches the truths they convey.  They are:

• Sola Scriptura  - Scripture Alone (2 Timothy 3:16,17)
• Sola Fide - Faith Alone (Romans 3:21-26; Ephesians 2:8,9)
• Sola Gratia - Grace Alone (John 6:44; Ephesians 2:8,9)
• Solus Christus - Christ Alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)
• Soli Deo Gloria - Glory to God Alone (Isaiah 48:9-11; Ephesians 1:5,6,14)

Furthermore, we understand the term "reformed" to include what are often-times called the Doctrines of Grace, or the TULIP.  Whereas the Latin slogans, or "solas" differentiated the reformers from Rome, the TULIP doctrines differentiated the churches born out of the reformation from those who sought to dilute God's absolute power and sovereignty in salvation.  The TULIP consists of these five doctrines that Charis embraces whole-heartedly:

• Total Depravity - All of humanity is completely dead in sins and utterly incapable of responding to the call of God in the Gospel on his own. (John 6:44; Romans 3:9-19)
• Unconditional Election - Out of the mass of lost and sinful humanity, God chose a company of people He would redeem; not based on any foreseen merit or faith on their part - because there would be none to foresee - but solely based on His sovereign purpose, pleasure, and grace.    (John 6:44; Romans 8:28-30; 9:1-23; Ephesians 1:3-12)
• Limited Atonement - The death of Jesus Christ on the cross was intended for a definite and particular people - the elect.  His death and resurrection fully secured their salvation.  As a consequence, this does not extend to all people without exception, but only to God's chosen ones.  (John 17:9,19; Romans 5:6-9; Hebrews 10:14)
• Irresistible Grace - The chosen ones of God will infallibly come to know Jesus through the Gospel call in their lives.  (John 6:44; Acts 16:14)
• Preservation of the Saints - All those who are called by God in salvation will infallibly persevere and be preserved until the end by God's power and love working in their lives.  Not one will ever lose their salvation and be lost.   (John 6:44; 10:27-30; Romans 8:28-30; 33-39; Hebrews 10:14)

When we say we are "charismatic in experience", we simply mean that God has given to the Church certain endowments called "spiritual gifts".  In fact, the Greek word used for spiritual gifts in the New Testament is the word "charismata".  So, we mean that we believe that God gives to His Church these gifts for the purposes of serving one another and building each other up. 


While all Christians believe this to some degree, there is debate over whether or not specific gifts like speaking in tongues, prophecy, and healing - among others - have continued to be given by God the Holy Spirit until the present time.  We at Charis Home Fellowship believe that these gifts and more are still being given by the Holy Spirit to help equip us for ministry to each other and to the world.


In summary, we do have our distinctive beliefs concerning how salvation has come about and how God empowers His people for ministry.  That being said though, we do still stand in the historic stream of Christian teaching that all Christians have believed and taught throughout the history of the Church.  We are united in the faith with all of those who can embrace the most basic and essential teachings of the Christian faith, even if they can't embrace all of our distinctives.