About the CCOGM & Our Beliefs
WHO WE ARE
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First, and most importantly, we are a group of people trying to follow the way of Jesus together.
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We are a global family of 7,300 churches with 22 of those congregations here in western Canada.
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Our ministry centre in central Alberta is Deer Valley Meadows.
HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION
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The Church of God movement began with a desire for Christians to come together in unity as one church. The name "Church of God" was selected because of its common use in the Bible about the church. It started in the USA in the 1880's and has since spread around the world. Church of God groups around the world associate with one another for the common purposes of mission, theological dialogue, and ecumenical initiatives.
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Our regional team provides leadership both organizationally and spiritual as they support the local churches. We strive to give individual churches the freedom to reach their unique settings, trusting in their ability to hear from God and act accordingly.
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Our beginnings come the Holiness Movement (key words to search on wikipedia: Wesleyan, Arminian, Anabaptist, Free-church, Protestant). We don't hold a formal membership (though many congregations create annual lists of voters for business purposes). We seek what Christians have in common and to build on those things rather than emphasizing differences. We believe strongly in the work of God's Spirit in the church and in the lives of individuals to:
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make us aware of our need for change and transformation
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convince us that we are loved and accepted, forgiven of all wrongs
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give us new life in Christ
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help us to understand and apply the teachings of the Bible
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make us more like Jesus in character
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give us giftings and abilities for service
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SHARED BELIEFS
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The basis for our beliefs comes from the Bible, and while any number of different interpretations can be drawn from scripture, we agree on some of the basics. For example, we believe:
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that God is one but in three expressions (trinity)
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that the Bible is the word of God, which we hold as our guide in life
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that Jesus was born, lived, taught, was killed, and came back to life as was written in the Bible
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that Jesus' death and resurrection act to free us from our lives of sin
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that God has given persons a freewill to choose for Him or against Him
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that God's Spirit lives in those who believe in and follow the way of Jesus-
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in the practise of believer's baptism and the observance of the Lord's Supper
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that Jesus will come back to earth at the end of time
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in eternal judgement and reward - heaven and hell
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