Our Story
Providence was established in the Summer of 2000. The original body of members and friends that formed the ministry committed themselves to two principles. The first was to follow the Scriptures of the Christian Bible to establish a Biblically ordered church government system. The second was to have a casual environment where people could worship God freely. Over time, both objectives have been met. Now, Providence is allowing God to mature its government, its ministry, and its worship. Many influences have come to bear on the personality and environment present at Providence.
When a person comes into the Kingdom of God, they first come under the government of God. Our government is apostolic and grounded in Biblical eldership. The other side of the Kingdom model is ministry. We believe the Ephesians 4:11 model to teach what is referred to as 'the five fold ministry.' We believe when Jesus ascended into Heaven, He gave ascension ministry gifts to the body of Christ and He is still giving those today. These are the gifts of: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. We also encourage women to pursue their callings and gifting in every area of ministry without exception.
Our Vision
We believe that the following expression of our vision comes directly from the mind and heart of God. This is His will for us. We also understand that the vision for any local church is, by its very nature, ever expanding and growing yet never reaching full maturity. Therefore, the following vision statement is to be viewed only as a starting point. We will use it to guide our attempts to minister to the Body of Christ and advance the Kingdom. Under further revelation from the Holy Spirit, we may deem it necessary to revise or modify the thrust of our ministries. Until such time, let it be noted that we have...
A Vision for the Nations
We have committed ourselves to support full-time mission work. Currently, we are supporting Rick in Brazil, Leif Hetland in Islamic Pakistan, and 'Tabitha's Place' in Jesup. In the Spring of 2002, we began our own foreign mission work by establishing a leadership school in Pemba, Mozambique for the purpose of training and equipping Spirit filled pastors, church planters, and missionaries. As we develop, we intend to be a local body who actively engages in missionary sending and church planting. We will co-op with like minded mission groups as the Holy Spirit directs.
A Vision for Diversified Worship
Providence was born out of a revival that fell on a small Baptist church in the Spring of 2000. Because of that, we have a strong desire to introduce believers from traditional backgrounds into the Spirit filled life. We want Providence to be a place where people of all faiths can worship together...freely, as the Spirit moves each individual. Our motto is, "Freedom To Worship And Power To Live." We are also aware that many people have suffered abuse in legalistic churches - traditional and Spirit-filled alike. Providence will always strive be an oasis where people can heal and recover. We are going to do our very best to incorporate new people with diverse gifts and fresh perspectives into our fellowship.
Our desire is to see the marriage of two very special worship components: the ministry of the Word and the ministry of the Spirit. Satan has long been successful in separating Word centered churches from Spirit centered churches. He knows that he must keep the two apart because, if they are ever united, as the church was in the early days of the Gospel, His cause will suffer great loss.
We have a warfare oriented praise and worship format using a variety of contemporary praise and worship songs. Ultimately, we want worship to be a rich, colorful, and diverse expression of the historic Judaeo/Christian faith that includes a restoration of the arts to the Christian worship experience.
A Vision for Leadership and the Equipping of the Saints
We are actively pursuing the full restoration of the 'five fold ministry' to the church and encouraging the development of individual ministries within our body. It is our desire to use our facilities and resources for seminars, conferences, and workshops that are designed to mature and equip the Body of Christ for ministry. We will work to cultivate relationships with other ministries of like-heart and mind, crossing denominational, social, ethnic, and all other man made barriers.
What We Believe
- The Holy Bible -- We believe in the verbal inspiration of the Holy Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. Its words are completely true and without error. It is our guide for faith and practice.
- God -- We believe in one God revealed in three Persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He is holy and perfect. To Him we owe our highest love, reverence and obedience. We believe that God is omnipotent--all powerful; omniscient--all knowing; and omnipresent--everywhere.
- Jesus -- We believe that Jesus is the sinless, perfect Son of God, Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. His death on the cross made provision for the redemption of sin. He was raised from the dead on the third day, with a new glorified body. After spending some forty days on the earth, He ascended to the right-hand of the Father, always making intercession for us there. We anxiously await His glorious return when He will come in person, and with power, to judge this world. (Note: It is not necessary that we all believe alike concerning whether He is coming before, during or after the Great Tribulation.).
- Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts -- We believe the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity whose purpose in the redemption is to convict of sin, regenerate sinners, guide the believer into understanding the Holy Scriptures, indwell and give gifts to believers as He wills, that they may minister as Christ would to men. We believe that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit recorded in 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 shall operate in the churches today which yield to the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe a believer can be baptized with the Holy Spirit during the time Jesus is regenerating him, or anytime subsequent to his regeneration (new birth) experience. We believe that the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance, is available for all believers as promised by John the Baptist, was witnessed by the early disciples of Christ, and is evidenced in the lives of many present day believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Man -- We believe that man, in his natural state, is a sinner, lost, undone, without hope, and without God.
- Salvation -- We believe that the terms of salvation are repentance toward God for sin and a personal, heartfelt faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This salvation is entirely by the grace of our Lord and not of works. Works are excluded except as fruit of salvation.
- Local Church -- We believe that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a local expression of a Body of Believers who have been baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; who are under recognized, delegated authorities; and, who assemble to worship, carry forth the Great Commission, and minister as the Holy Spirit leads.
- Ordinances -- We believe that the two ordinances of the church are water baptism and communion.
- Separated Life -- We believe that believers should seek, as the early disciples did, to practice the separated life from the world and unto Jesus Christ and to set standards of conduct which shall exalt our Lord and His church.
- Heaven and Hell -- We believe the Holy Scriptures clearly set forth the doctrines of eternal punishment for the lost and eternal bliss and salvation for the saved -- Hell for the unsaved and Heaven for the saved.
- Divine Healing -- We believe that God uses doctors, medicines, and other material means for healing. However, we believe that divine healing has been provided for us in the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. Divine healing may be received through the laying on of hands by Elders, laying on of hands by believers, by the prayer of an anointed person gifted for healing the sick, by the anointing with oil and the prayer of faith, or by a direct act of faith where the believer receives healing from the Lord Jesus Christ without ministry from anyone else.
- Government of the Church -- We believe that the New Testament Church should be apostolic in nature and governed by delegated authorities. Those authorities at Providence are the 'set man' (senior minister) and the elders. When it is deemed best for the life of the church and testimony of the Lord, the set man and the elders may discipline, in the spirit of love, any member who departs from the Statement of Faith of this Body of Believers. Every time a child of God rebelled against the man of God, whether as an individual or as a group, there was always a serious consequence to contend with. In order to be in full fellowship with those who we worship with, and to be under the umbrella of protection that the church offers. We must be under the authority of the leadership.
- Tithes and Offerings -- We believe that God's plan of finance for His work is by tithes and offerings and that it is a joyful duty for His children to acknowledge His Lordship in this manner.
- Security of the Believer -- We believe that salvation is not only a gift from the Lord, but also is sustained by the Lord. Therefore, since salvation is wholly of the Lord apart from the works of man, we hold that the believer shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation.
- Reality of the Supernatural -- Demons and Angels: We believe that angels are created beings. They are immortal, infinite Spirit beings who are the servants and messengers of God. They are sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation. We also believe that there are demons. Demons are fallen angels who serve their master, Satan. They have only one objective and that is to destroy the Saints of God through whatever means necessary. We believe that there is a battle going on between good and evil and that this "warfare" is not with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. We believe that those of us who are Christians, who understand that there is a battle, can walk in victory through the power and authority given to us by Jesus Christ.
- Celebration Worship -- We at Providence Church believe that celebration worship is a key ingredient to the believer's walk with Christ. The definition of "worship" is "to recognize His worth-ship in our lives." The Bible says that the Lord is seeking those who will worship Him. We believe that true worship is a response of all that man is to all that God is and does. The Bible describes it as an offering and a sacrifice. To Providence Church, worship is not a habitual activity, but a supernatural meeting of mortal man with an Essential. It is not an option, but an imperative. To abstain from worship is to forfeit one of the greatest privileges that believers will have this side of Heaven. We encourage every member of Providence to participate in joyous celebration and heartfelt worship!
