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Cork Full
Gospel Fellowship
(Charity No. 20015039)
(Known popularly as)
UPPER ROOM CHURCH, CORK
Statement of Aims, Beliefs, and Constitution
Preface:
As
a local Christian Church, we are patterned on - the Bible - (Old and
New Testament, sixty six books in all).
Our starting point (or model) is the
first church, founded in Jerusalem after the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension
to heaven of the Lord Jesus Christ, and launched into public activity by the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
We seek to follow their example,
and that of other local churches mentioned in the New Testament, by following
the teachings of the scriptures and obeying the commands of our Lord Jesus
Christ and his apostles, by the help of the Holy Spirit.
In accordance with this aim, our statement
of beliefs is as follows below, and our constitution obliges us to live in
accordance with this.
From the Charities Aspect, we seek to
bring to people of all backgrounds, classes and nations, the good news of God's
love, power, forgiveness, and hope, in the Gospel. In this connection, where
possible, and within our means, we want to relieve poverty, discrimination, and
anxiety, and give hope and comfort where we can. (Sometimes , by supporting
existing charities that specialize in some of these aspects, and sometimes by
localized activities of our own - such
as our former Day Centre, in Cork, and our present branch church in Congo).
We do not appeal to the public for
money, but encourage our own members to give, as they are able, for the work of
God.
Our main focus, however, is not financial, but
spiritual. Through prayers, and sharing God's Word, listening, encouraging and
counselling, we engage with people in their hopes, fears, and problems. We seek
to see lives changed for the better, and people brought into a living,
conscious relationship with God, that will give hope and peace, instead of
despair. This has always been the main aim of our ministry, and will continue
to be so. We also pray for healing for the sick - and while we are not able to guarantee
the outcome, we have seen many positive answers to prayers, and some miracles.
STATEMENT OF BELIEFS
1. The DIVINE INSPIRATION and AUTHORITY of
the HOLY SCRIPTURES (that is the BIBLE)
The Lord
Jesus said,
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from
the mouth of God," (Mathew 4:4).
The apostle Paul wrote, “All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness," (2 Timothy 3: 16).
2. ONE GOD: Eternally
Existing in Three Co-Equal Persons ("Hypostases"), and identified
as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
"In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God,"
(Gospel of John, 1:1, 2)
Jesus said, “God
is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship him in spirit and
truth, (John 4: 24).
"The
true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the
Father is seeking such to worship Him,” (John
4: 23).
"Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," (Ephesians 1:3).
Jesus
said, "I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper
(Greek Parakletos") that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of
Truth") – you know Him for He dwells with you and will be with you. I
will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14: 16, 17, 18).
“And now,
O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with
You before the world was, (John 17:5).
Make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:19).
.
3. CREATION:
Of the universe. “In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth,,,, and the Spirit of God was
hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and
there was light.” (Genesis1:1 to 3).
“In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with
God. All things we made by Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made,
(John1:1to 3).
Of Human Beings, and the
Human Race. “So God created man in his own image; in the image of God he
created him: male and female He created them” Then God bless them, and God said
to them , “ Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it,” (Genesis1:27,
28).
“And Adam called his wife’s name
Eve (“life”, or “living”) because she was the mother of all living,” (Genesis 3:20).
“And He
made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth”,
(Acts17:26).
4. MANKIND’S FALL
INTO SIN: First the woman and then the man, fell
away from their relationship of loving trust and closeness to God, by
listening to, believing, and acting on the lie of Satan that they would become
their own authority, independently of God – in other words they would become
their own gods in opposition to Him…….
“Then the serpent said to the woman, “you will
not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it (that is the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil) then your eyes will be opened, and you
will be like God, knowing good and evil,”
(Geneses 3:4, 5).
From this
time on, they became afraid of God, and wanted to hide from Him, because
they felt guilty and unclean. “And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the
presence of God, so (Adam) said, “I was afraid because I was naked: and I hid
myself”, (Genesis 3:8, 10).
The guilt
of that first sin, with the fear, and the wish to hide behind excuses, because
of guilt, has been passed on through our moral genes to the whole human race. “Therefore
just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin,
because all have sinned” (because we were present in Adam, carried in his genes),
(Romans5: 12).
“All have
sinned”, (Romans 3: 23).
All the
natural creation ( earth, animals, space and stars, as well as humans beings
have been effected by the fall into sin, and only God Himself can reverse this,
when Jesus comes again.
“For the
earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits the revealing of the sons of
God. For the creation was subjected to futility not willingly,, but because of
him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be
delivered from the bondage of corruption ( decay, death) into the glorious
liberty of the children of God,” (Romans 8: 19 to
21).
5. THE
CONSEQUENCE’S OF SIN. These are, inherited guilt, and inward
moral corruption; but also, if something is not done to take these things away,
everlasting sorrow and suffering because of conscious separation from
God, after physical death.
“It is
appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,” (Hebrews 9: 27).
“There
will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” (Matthew
25: 30).
“Hell
(Greek Gehenna) fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire it not
quenched,” (Mark 9: 47, 48).
This awful
condition waits, for those who keep on resisting the warnings of conscience,
the inward reasoning and pleading of the Holy Spirit, and the clear and plain
message of God’s Word. But, thank God, in His great love and mercy, He has made
for us a way of escape.
6. THE LOVE AND
MERCY OF GOD IN THE GOSPEL. “God so loved the world that he gave His only
begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal
life,” (John 3: 16).
“But God,
who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even
when we were dead in trespasses (sins),” (Ephesians
2: 4, 5).
“The lord
is longsuffering (patient) towards us, not willing that any should perish but
that all should come to repentance,” (2 Peter 3:
9).
7. THE
INCARNATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
This was promised long before, in the
Old Testament.
God,
speaking to Satan, “Her seed (Descendant); shall bruise (crush) your head, and
you shall bruise His heel,” (Geneses 3: 15).
“The
virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His
name Immanuel (that is, God is with us”, (Isaiah
7; 14).
“For unto
to us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: And the government
will be upon His shoulder; And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty
God, Everlasting father, Prince of Peace,”
(Isaiah 9: 6).
8. THE WILLING
SACRIFICE OFJESUS AS OUR SUBSTITUTE AND SAVIOUR, AND HIS RESURRECTION FROM THE
DEAD.
“Christ
Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be
equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a
bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men.
And being
found in appearance as a man He humbled himself and became obedient to the
point of death, even the death of the cross,” (Philippians
2: 5 to 8).
“Who
Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree,” (1
Peter 2; 24).
“All we
like sheep have gone astray: we have turned everyone to his, own way: and the
Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all,” (Isaiah
53: 6).
“This
Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witness, “(Acts
2:32).
9. THE
SUFFICIENCY OF JESUS’ ONCE-FOR-ALL SACRIFIVE , TOGIVE PARDON (JUSTIFICATION)
AND ACCEPTANCE BEFORE GOD, ON THE ONE CONDITION OF FAITH IN HIM
“For by grace you have been saved through
faith,,, not of works, lest anyone should boast”, (Ephesians 2: 8, 9).
“He who believes (trusts completely) in
Him is not condemned” (John
3: 18).
“The blood of Jesus Christ His son
cleanses us from all sin” (1
John 1:7).
“For Christ also suffered once for sins,
the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, (1 Peter 3:18).
10. CONVERSATION:
REPENTANCE; FAITH; AND THE NEW BIRTH BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Because sin, which is in every human being, is a willful condition, involving
pride, self-well, and resistance to God as Lord and Master - repentance (a
change of mind and attitude) is needed, before we are ready to surrender
ourselves in faith and obedience, to Him.
This change of mind and
heart must be accepted and agreed to by us … but we
have not got the power in ourselves to produce it. We need the life-
changing, new -creating power of the Holy Spirit for this.
But
when God sends his message (the Gospel) of hope and warning to our hearts,
the presence of the Spirit, (like the wind, unseen but powerful), comes to give
us faith, as we are willing to accept it. As we then believe, and
surrender to God as he speaks to us through the gospel, we are born from
above (or born again), and become new people inwardly.
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins maybe blotted out”,
(Acts 3.19).
“What must I do to be saved?” “Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved”, (Acts 16:30).
“That which is born of the flesh (physically) is
flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I
said to you, “you must be born again”.
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the
sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone
who is born of the Spirit”, (John
3:6 to 8).
11. BAPTISM IN WATER
Baptism (meaning "submerging "or "immersion ") is an
outward, physical symbol picturing the fact that the soul, (the inward person,
including heart and mind and will) has become willingly and spiritually joined
together with the Lord, who has died and risen again from the dead, for us…. It
symbolizes what has taken place in the new birth, and declares to the world
that we have willingly become Christians (which means "Christ ones “).
“"Buried with him in baptism, in which you also were raised with
him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead," (Colossians 2:12).
12. THE LORD’S SUPPER ("COMMUNION ")
Like water baptism, the Lord’s Supper is a
symbolic, not an automatically life-conferring service. But, also like baptism,
it is commanded by the Lord, and is deeply meaningful.
It
consists of believers coming together, and taking bread and wine (grape juice
or equivalent) in order to remember, in a meaningful way, the Lord’s death us – and that now, by the Holy Spirit, he is the living Source of a new
and eternal life.
Both
of these symbolic rites (baptism and communion) are given to help us think on
the meaning of the Cristian faith, and to be strengthened in it.
Speaking
in advance of His death, about the way in which his true disciples would feed
on him, Jesus said; “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh (the
physical, the material) profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and
they are life,” (John 6:63).
At
the last supper, He said, as he broke the loaf and handed the bread to
them, “Take, eat; is this is my body,” (Matthew 26-26).
Then,
He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying "Drink from
it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for
many for the remission (forgiveness) of sins ", (Matthew 26:28).
(Clearly, his body had not yet been broken, nor
his blood yet shed, on the cross. He was showing them, in advance, the meaning
of what was soon afterwards to happen).
The
apostle Paul wrote:
“The Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was
betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, he broke it and said,
"Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you; do this in
memorial of me ".
"In
the same manner he also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is
the new covenant of my blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of Me. “
And
Paul wrote again;
As often as you eat this bread and drink this
cup, you proclaim (preach) the Lord's death till he comes, (1 Corinthians 11: 23 to 26).
13. THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
This baptism (or immersion, or overwhelming) is not the same as baptism
in water. Nor is it the same as the spiritual, recreating baptism into
Christ which brings us, through new birth, into living fellowship with
other true Christians, as members of his body, the church, (See Colossians 2:12, 13:; 1 Corinthians 12:13).
New
birth, which makes us members of (sharers in) Christ, and the Fellowship of
His church (His body) is normally followed, in scripture, by baptism in
water,
(Mark 16:16; Acts 16:30 to 34).
But the baptism in
the Holy Spirit normally (though not always) comes after water
Baptism, (Act 8:14 to 17; 19: 1 to 7).
It is the filling of already re-born Christians with the Spirit’s Divine
energizing power (Greek “dunamis”), to enable them to be convincing witnesses to the world, of
the truth of the gospel. "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and
John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained man, they marveled.
And they realized that they had been with Jesus, “(E.g. Acts 4:13).
“Now when they saw the boldness
of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated men, they marveled.
And they realized that they had been with Jesus,” (Acts 4: 13).
It is the
power of Pentecost,
(Luke 24:49; Acts 1: 8) and it opens up the way for the Spirit to impart His
supernatural gifts, “as (and when) He wills” (Hebrews 2: 3, 4; 1 Corinthians 12: 11).
Behold, I send the Promise of My
Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with
power from on high,” (Luke
24; 49).
“But you shall
be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now,” (Acts 1:5).
“You shall
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be
witnesses to Me,” (Acts 1: 8).
“So great a salvation,,,, God
also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles and
gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His will,” (Hebrews 2: 3, 4).
“But one and the same Spirit
works all these things distributing to each one individually as He wills,” (1 Corinthians 12: 11).
It lifts
the level of the sense of God’s presence with His people to a greater intensity than before (Acts 19: 1, 2) and, in the New Testament, was typically marked by “speaking
in tongues” (other languages not known to the speaker). (Acts 19: 5, 6; Acts
10: 44 to 46). (See also, Romans
8: 26).
“And finding some disciples
(Paul) said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And
they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy
Spirit,” (Acts 19: 2).
“They were baptized in the Name
of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit
cane upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied,” (Acts 19: 5, 6).
14. SANTIFICATION (or HOLINESS)
Even though repentance and
conversion means that the inward and outward life has been surrendered to God –
daily continuation and progress are needed. Private and family prayer, further
repentance when necessary, and the ministries of worship, teachings and
fellowship and prayer in the local church, are needed throughout life.
“And they continued steadfastly
in the apostles doctrine (teaching) and fellowship, in the breaking of bread,
and in prayers,” (Acts 2: 42).
“Not forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together,” (Hebrews
10:25).
“Present you bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service,” (Romans 12: 1).
15. THE CHURCH IS NOT A PHYSICAL , MATERIAL BUILDING, BUT A
CUMMUNITY OR FELLOWSHIP OF PEOPLE, WHO ARE UNITED TOGETTHER IN THE WORSHIP OF
CHRIST.
“But you are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own
special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out
of darkness into His marvelous light,” (1Peter 2:9).
And because Christ lives in them
by the Holy Spirit, they are, “one body in Christ, and individually members
of one another,” (Romans
12: 5).
This will obviously affect the
spirit, and the methods of direction and decision – making in the church.
16. LEADERSHIP OF A LOCAL CHURCH, MEETING IN ONE LOCATION, IS BY
A GROUP OF ELDERS, OFTEN UNDER THE PRESIDENCY OF A SERIOR ELDER, OR PASTOR.
Paul “sent to Ephesus and called the elders of
the church ,,, ( and) he said to them,,, “take heed to yourselves and to all
the flock , among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd
the flock of God which He purchased with His own blood,”
(Acts 20: 17, 18, 28).
But Paul also sent
individuals, ordained ministers, to establish and have responsibility for
teaching and organizing local congregations, with their elders.
“For this reason I left you in Crete, they you
should appoint elders in every city,”
(Titus 1: 5).
“And He Himself (that is, the risen Christ in
heaven, by the Spirit) gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some
evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,” (Ephesians 4: 11).
“To the angel (messenger) of the church in
Ephesus write ,,, (Revelation 2:
1).
“Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which
was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of hands of the presbytery, (or
“council of elders”), (1Timothy
4: 14).
“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of
season. Convince, rebuke, exort, with all longsuffering and teaching”, (2Timothy 4: 2).
Whilst prayers and mutual study of the scriptures,
should be sufficient to indicate the best way to proceed in most situations,
the final summary and decision may be given by the presiding pastor, or leading
elder.
“ “And after they had become silent, James
answered, saying,,, then I judge that we should ,,, “then it pleased the
apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their
company,,, “ “ ( Acts 15: 13, 19, 22).
The local church, then, while it is one small part of the worldwide, universal church,
and is subject to the teachings of the scriptures (the Bible), is
nevertheless a unit that is responsible to God and its members, to act in a way
consistent with its own conscience and understanding of the scriptures.
The pastor and elders should, as and when necessary, and by prayerful agreement, be ready to appoint
suitable men from the congregation to serve with them as elders, after they
have been tested and trained, (1Timothy 3: 1 to 7).
17. MEMBERSHIP OF THE LOCAL CHURCH
Membership
is credited to those who regularly attend the meetings for worship, prayer, and
teaching: whose lives are in harmony with scripture’s teaching, and whose
beliefs likewise; and who have chosen to make this particular local church
their spiritual home.
“ Let
us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking
the assembling of ourselves together, as
is the manner of some, but exhorting one
another , and so much the more as you see the Day approaching,” ( Hebrews 10: 24, 25).
Membership can be suspended (or even terminated), by decision of the elders in cases of serious
sin. (But always with the hope and prayer that the offending person will
show evidence of repentance, and can be reinstated).
For
example:-
"it is actually reported that there is
sexual immorality among you…and you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned , that he who has done this
deed might be taken away from among you…”
(1 Corinthians 5: 1, 2).
“This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for
such a man, so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive ad comfort
him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore, I
urge you to reaffirm your love to him, “(2 Corinthians 2: 6 to 8).
18. FINANCES
We should not solicit
funding from individuals or organizations outside of our
own membership, or accept such from those who do not share our basic beliefs
and purposes.
However, gifts from
likeminded individuals, or groups with similar goals, may be received.
"In these days prophets came from Jerusalem
to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit
that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also
happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to
his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This
they also did, and sent it by the hands of Barnabas and Saul,” (Acts 11:24 to 30).
Distribution
of funds may be, to relieve poverty and suffering, (see scripture
from Acts above). Or it may be, to support reliable workers for the Gospel,
whose whole time and strength is needed for their preaching or other work.
"Now
you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the Gospel, when I departed
from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but
you only, for even in Thessalonica you sent once and again for my necessities,
" (Philippians 4:15, 16).
Funds must be handled
ethically and transparently, “Titus…went to you…and we have sent with him
the brother….who was chosen by the churches to travel with us with this
gift…avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift, which is
administered by us - providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the
Lord, but also in the sight
of men,” (2 Corinthians 8:16 to 21).
If any of our staff, at any time, should receive
a wage or salary, it must be only a reasonable, not an excessive amount, to be
agreed on by the pastor and elders.
JESUS’ COMING AGAIN; THE FINAL
JUDGMENT; AND THE ETERNAL STATE.
His coming
will be on the clouds of heaven, and true believers will be gathered to Him,
while those who have not believed will mourn.
“The sign
of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth
will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory. And he will send His angels with a great sound of a
trumpet, and they will gather together His elect (chosen ones) from the four
winds, from one end of the heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24: 30,
31).
Those who
have believed and surrendered to Jesus will enter eternal life… but those who
have refused, will go away into eternal suffering.
“When the
Son Of Man comes in His glory…he will sit on the throne of His glory. All the
nations will gather before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as
a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. Then the king will say to those on
His right hand, “Come.. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you “ .. Then He will
also say to those on the left hand , depart from Me, you cursed, ….And these
will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life”,
(Matthew 25: 31 to 46).
DISPOSAL OF ASSETS
If at some
time, the church should cease to function, and it should be decided close it
down, any remaining funds (including proceeds from the sale of the building;
or, alternatively, possession of the building itself), will be donated to
another charity (or charities) having the same or similar beliefs and aims to
our own.
The decision
to close would be made by the pastor and elders, but the disposal of funds
would be decided by the trustees, (Trustees should number no less than three,
and no more than five, and should be appointed by the pastor and elders.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Bible quotations used in this constitution are
from the NEW KING JAMES VERSION, copyright 1982, by Thomas Nelson Inc...
Upper Room Child Protection Policy
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Upper Room Child Protection Policy
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