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Discussion Forum : Scriptures and Doctrine : Do we need statements of faith?

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 Re:

Statements of faith can also be very deceiving. All the right words yet don't reflect the true spirit of the congregation or the elders. Currently, there is a thread here where several are upset at an organization which probably has a world-class statement of faith, yet seems to be swindling many congregants and sheep, worldwide.

I'll consider your statement of faith, but I want to see the "small print", too and open up the church financial books. Amazing that a church of Jesus Christ even has financial books. But, that's business for you.

 2016/1/25 14:49
Koheleth
Member



Joined: 2005/11/10
Posts: 530
NC

 Re: Do we need statements of faith?

No. They do not bring any definite benefits that cannot be accomplished better using different means. And they often contain mistakes in doctrine or practice, even among the scrupulous.

 2016/2/25 1:19Profile
Lysa
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Joined: 2008/10/25
Posts: 3699
East TN for now!

 Re:

Quote:
by Julius21
No, we do not need statements of faith. We have the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Statements of Faith just serve to divide brethren.


I agree. Christian's are so oriented toward their own doctrine of faith that one misspoke or out-of-place word and they'd all be up in arms!

"Statements of faith" won't save anybody or take anyone to heaven, they are a breeding ground for the spirit of contention and strife.


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Lisa

 2016/2/25 7:20Profile
dolfan
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Joined: 2011/8/23
Posts: 1727
Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama

 Re:

Confession: I used to be "all about" statements of faith. Now, not really. Some good observations in this thread. I think the reason they are used is as an explainer for new people researching a church's online presence. "Here's us in a theological nutshell." That can be a helpful thing to know (i.e., if I want to visit a Pentecostal church and come across a United Pentecostal Church International congregation's website, I'd like to know that since they are modalists and non-Trinitarian; of course their women in long denim skirts and Ph.D. hairdos will give that away without a statement of faith most of the time ----- not criticizing that, but it is a very obvious outward identifier of them, and they like it that way, so I'm not insulting them).

But, aside from easy-to-spot issues that remove churches far outside historically orthodox biblical Christianity, statements of faith are more like marketing pieces, and they're used that way. So many are as intentionally vague as they can be while saying just enough to sell a message that "hey, we're Christians, too!".

I wrote statements of faith for two churches. One of them still appears online at the church's website and has been there for, I guess now, 7-8 years or more. I tried to be thoughtful and biblically correct, but I also intended to be "relevant" and "conversational". I guess I did it right. I wouldn't do it again.


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Tim

 2016/2/25 10:36Profile





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