Our Beliefs

We are a part of a vibrant and growing network of churches called the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) which has 1100 member churches across Canada, and missionaries in over 65 nations of the world. Below is a summary of our beliefs. For a full statement of our movement's doctrine you can go here. 

 

We Believe...

... in the ONE True and Living God revealed in three persons as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:33, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 2:18)
... in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ; in His virgin birth; in His sinless life; in His miracles; in His vicarious and atoning death; in His bodily resurrection; in His ascension and in His High Priestly Ministry. (John 1:1, Isaiah 7:14, 1 Peter 1:22, Acts 2:31-33, Hebrews 7:24-25)
... the justification by faith and the new birth as essential for personal salvation. (Galatians 1:16, John 3:5-7)
... in the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit to teach and guide all followers of Christ, and the supernatural empowerment available to believers through the filling or 'baptism' of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit's work is shown by the fruit and gifts of the Spirit activated in a person's life. (Acts 1:8, 2:4, Galatians 5:22-23, 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13 and 14)
... that divine healing for the body is provided by Christ's death. (Isaiah 53:4, Matthew 8:16-17, James 5:14-16)
... in the observance of the ordinances of Christian Baptism, by immersion for believers, and the Lord's Supper. (Matthew 28:19, Acts 8:37-38, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
... in the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 4:1, Acts 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
... in the eternal destiny of individuals in either Heaven or Hell according to their acceptance or rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. (John 5:28-29, 14:2-3, Revelation 20:6, 20:11-15)

What We Do... 

Some of our practices may be different than what you are used to. We try to model our worship and experience of God, as much as we can, after what we read in scripture because that is our guide. So here are some of the things we do and scritpural reasons why we do them:

Why We Raise Our Hands

"Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord." (Psalm 134:2)
"I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer..." (1 Timothy 2:8)

Why We Praise God & Pray Audibly

"After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: 'Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.' Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: 'Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.'" (Revelation 19:1,6, Acts 4:24)

Why We Sing

"Be filled with the Spirit ... Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:18-19)
"Let the Word of God dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your heartsto God." (Colossians 3:16)

Why We Have Speaking in Tongues & Interpretation of Those Tongues

"Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues." (1 Corinthians 14:39)
"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good ... to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:7, 12:10)

Why We Prophesy

"But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort." (1 Corinthians 14:3)
"I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified." ( 1 Corinthians 14:5)

Why Musical Instruments Are A Part of the Worship Service

"Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the strings and flute, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals." (Psalm 150:3-5)

Why We Receive Tithes and Offerings

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. 'Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.'" (Malachi 3:10)

Why We Publicly Invite People To The Altar

"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in Heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33)

Why We Dedicate Babies

"When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 'Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.'" (Luke 2:27-32, 1 Samuel 1:1-28)

Why We Have Water Baptism

"Therefore go and 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)

Why We Have Communion

"The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)