Our vision is meant to be an answer to the following official reports:
·
A "liberal" type of evolution developed in France, many Christians tied to
educations of God’s Word, do not agree to see the sacrificed Judeo-Christian
stocks and want to get involved on this ground.
·
More and more independent churches opened, often by reaction, but think they
are so marginalized, and are therefore vulnerable. Their credibility is
assured all the less as they are isolated and as the minister is sometimes
alone to drive these assemblies.
·
One sometimes reproaches them a lack of theological training, opening the
door to arguable interpretations (even if it is about rare cases, they are
put in an obvious place).
Without any pretentiousness of claiming that we are the only ones to react,
we want to add our stone to the building and to construct a Confederation
answering to the following criteria:
·
A common theological comprehension in all churches
members, the essential common bottom is defined in the
Chapter I - THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
·
Regular relations with the ecclesiastical discipline
exercise, fraternal but measurable with the theological and administrative
"audits" (especially to prove the compliance with laws)
Chapter II – RELATIONS AND ECCLESIASTICAL
DISCIPLINE
·
A permanent research of
the evangelical Christians unit (with other Confederations, Unions and
churches) first and foremost in quite other gathering. Help will be
proposing towards the insulated churches which will accept the vision of our
Confederation unconditionally.
·
A useful presence of our churches in local actions,
when it is possible and particularly to the underprivileged persons.
Chapter III – DEVELOPMENT
Chapter
I - THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
Churches members, the ministers and other ministries acknowledged by the
Confederation promise officially and unconditionally to live and to teach
the following points:
1 - BIBLE TOPICALITY
We
assert, according to the Holy Scriptures that God does not change (Malachy
3.6). We are therefore situated under the triple authority of Jesus Christ,
Holy Ghost, and the sovereign Word of God, the Father of our Lord who
operates on all there.
We
confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior by the Holy Spirit, and across the
Holy Scriptures (absolute rule of faith) .We acknowledge that our ethics of
life must comply with this irremovable Word.
We
respect those who do not participate in this vision but we refuse for
ourselves to corrupt Judeo-Christian morality.
2 - SALVATION
We
confess, in accordance with the Gospels that there is salvation only in
Jesus Christ (Acts 4.12), and that He is the only intermediary between God
and men (1Timothy 2.5).
We
confess that salvation is possible only by creed and by the writings which
are only the fruits of creed.
We
maintain that christening has value only if it is the culmination of a
personal repentance and also a personal commitment to become adherent of
Jesus Christ. It has value therefore only if he answers these criteria. As
show it all educations of Jesus Christ and apostles it is played by
immersion at the request of the concerned person able of making alone this
decision.
We
all respect those who have another vision, but we consider that the only
form of collaboration with different religions consists in constructing
reciprocal relationship of peace and respect. We refuse any form of
syncretism that we consider to be a violation of the will of God (Hebrews
10.29, 2Timothy 2.16).
3 - The CHURCH
We
acknowledge privilege in no church or religious organization to be situated
above the others, neither as model, nor for stronger reason as « means of
salvation ». The Church belongs to Jesus Christ, and He is the one we must
recognize as chief (Ephesians 1.22 and 5.23). Ecclesiastical structures
being only the support of the life of the people of God, every local
community gets organized therefore according to what the Holy Spirit says in
the Church.
Our
relations between churches members of the Confederation, very as with other
names, are therefore meant to be imprinted by respect and by love for all
souls.
A
bridge is therefore desirable between born Christians once again. However,
we refuse any associations purposes of which would be to corrupt the
essential doctrine enunciated in the Word of God (2 Timothy 4.3).
This
concerns the ethics, particularly debates regarding homosexuality, right to
life, genetic manipulations... If we reject any form of homophobia, we
profoundly respect in our churches as for ourselves the sacred rule of
marriage, only between persons of different sexes (Lévitics 18.).
4 - COMMUNION
Communion takes all its sense in the Holy Last Supper. We however draw
attention of each to the importance to participate in this memory of the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in full knowledge of reason, and not as a simple
ritual (Corinthian 1 11.29). We demonstrate our fraternal love by inviting
the Christians to share the bread and the wine, if it wants it, when they
visit our churches.
5 - THE HOLY GHOST FREEDOM
It is
to accept that the Holy Ghost comes on all members of the Church to make
living witnesses of Jesus Christ. Blowing Spirit « where He wants and when
He wants » (Corinthian 1 12.7-11) we do not have to judge anybody in
comparison with their « spiritual donations ». On the contrary, it is up to
us to search them passionately (Corinthian 1 14.12) for the edification of
the Church.
6-THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST
We
think that God fixed a time for the return of Christ. If it is not possible
to us to know the day of its return, it however gave us signs allowing
holding us awakened. We think that He wants to put the Church in the shelter
to celebrate the wedding of the lamb (1 Thessalonicians 4.16-17), and we
must get ready in the realization of this promise (2 Timothy 4.8)
7 - MINISTRIES
All
those who exercise a ministry have to try hard to live in the research of
sanctity, for them even and however the witness they give (1Timothy 3.2 and
3.12).
Ministries are provoked by the Spirit of God and acknowledged by ancient in
place (Acts 13.2). Any self-proclaim ministry could therefore be suspicious.
The freedom of the Holy Ghost also consists in moving an established
ministry, changing it or replacing when it is necessary.
Every
Christian must therefore take the place which Holy Spirit indicates him in
the Church today. The minister more than quite other must search the will of
the Lord and help in the emergence of new vocations.
The
Church is not managing as a firm; it is not either a family business. A
minister must be ready to let his place to a successor at the come instant.
He must help his successor to take over and to get ready in this transition
so that she is not lived as a break, either by the local church, or by him.
Chapter
II – RELATIONSHIP AND ECCLESIASTICAL DISCIPLINE
Our
relations must be transparent.
8 - RECOGNITION OF MINISTRIES
Once
a ministry was disclosed by the local Church, he must be subjected to his
recognition by the Confederation. In order to do that, the President
fulfilling the duties must be informed by the local minister. After
consultation of the Office, and as far as the majority of his members
acknowledge the well-grounded of this ministry, it will be introduced during
a general meeting which is alone competent to make final decision in the
name of the Confederation. It can be asked a grading period or one time to
think if a firm belief was not apparently established. In such hypothesis,
and as far as the Office supports recommendation at the end of cogitation or
of grading delay, case will once again be subjected to the General meeting
which will take position definitely.
Consecration will take place in its church, in the presence of several
attendants, of which at the very least a member of the Office.
9 - AUDIT
Every
member acknowledges the right in the Office of the Confederation to perform
an audit of the local Church, which will be able to hit on:
A
check on the good manners of pounds and lawful documents, the compliance of
education, the help to the regulations of specific problems.
These
audits will have to make member regularly in every association and each
promises to accept them.
In
case of refusal, or if after portrayal of an important and justified
anomaly, the association refuses to undertake necessary corrections; case
must be subjected to the Office which, in fine, will be able after revival
to consider case to be serious breach and to treat it according to the
dispositions of statutes.
Chapter III – DEVELOPMENT
Vision is the development of the Gospel impact, according to vocations or
specific calls of each.
10 - Development of associations
The religious associations not being authorized to have other objectives
than the exercise of worship, it is necessary to create associations.
- From cultural associations, as far as their object is in touch with the
development of Christian creed,
- And/or from associations having vocation the help to the needy.
It is desirable that these associations can collaborate between them, and
the Confederation having vocation to act as link will help them in the
measure of its competences.