WHO WE ARE

Great Lakes Church of God is a diverse community of ordinary individuals who bravely place their trust in Jesus, allowing Him to perform extraordinary feats.

what we believe

declaration of faith

The Church of God believes the whole Bible to be completely and equally inspired and that it is the written Word of God. The Church of God has adopted the following Declaration of Faith as its standard and official expression of its doctrine:

  • In the verbal inspiration of the Bible.
  • In one God eternally existing in three persons; namely, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
  • That Jesus Christ is the, only begotten Son of the Father, conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary.
  • That Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead. That He ascended to heaven and is today at the right hand of the Father as the Intercessor.
  • That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that repentance is commanded of God for all and necessary for forgiveness of sins.
  • That justification, regeneration, and the new birth are wrought by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.
  • In sanctification subsequent to the new birth, through faith in the blood of Christ; through the Word, and by the Holy Ghost.
  • Holiness to be God's standard of living for His people.
  • In the baptism with the Holy Ghost subsequent to a clean heart.
  • In speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and that it is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
  • In water baptism by immersion, and all who repent should be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
  • Divine healing is provided for all in the atonement.
  • In the Lord's Supper and washing of the saints' feet.
  • In the premillennial second coming of Jesus. First, to resurrect the righteous dead and to catch away the living saints to Him in the air. Second, to reign on the earth a thousand years.
  • In the bodily resurrection; eternal life for the righteous, and eternal punishment for the wicked.
mISSION AND VALUES

1. PRAYER

We commit ourselves to making prayer the highest priority of the church demonstrated by:


Every local church becoming a house of prayer for all nations. Emphasizing communication with God as the highest privilege and greatest responsibility of every member. Modeling by all church leadership of an active and effective prayer life. Uniting with other believers in corporate and intercessory prayer.


(Isa. 56:7; Mark 11:17; Rom. 8:26; 1 Cor. 14:14, 15; I Thess. 5:17; I Tim. 2:1-4, 8; James 5:14, 15)

mISSION AND VALUES

2. PENTECOSTAL WORSHIP

We commit ourselves to gather regularly as the local expression of the Body of Christ to participate in Pentecostal worship that exalts God, engages the heart, mind and soul, and challenges to deeper commitment and discipleship. This commitment will be demonstrated by:


Assisting local churches in planning and preparing for meaningful, anointed worship. Equipping pastors and other worship leaders to lead authentically expressed, spiritually alive worship. Modeling varying styles and forms of worship that glorify God and encouraging outreach and service. Emphasizing the importance of Biblical stewardship and the centrality of God's Word as elements of worship.


(John 4:24; Psalm 29:2; Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Isa. 58; Mat. 25:31-46)

miSSION AND VALUES

3. WORLD EVANGELIZATION

We commit ourselves to intentionally reaching the unconverted, baptizing them in water, and leading them to unite with the church. This commitment will be demonstrated by:


Viewing all the nations of the world as our mission field.

Encouraging our local churches to adopt and intercede for an unreached people group. Resource materials will be provided by the World Missions Department. Asking all national churches of the Church of God international to adopt and implement measurable steps to evangelize and disciple unreached people groups inside and outside of their own regions (Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 15:19-24; Revelation 5:9). Encouraging every local church to increase a minimum of 10% per year through conversion growth. Cultivating a genuine passion for the lost that will compel members to personally communicate the gospel of Jesus and demonstrate His love to those outside the faith. Discipling new believers and passing on our faith to the next generation. Practicing life-style evangelism.


(Mat. 9:37-38; Mat. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-18; Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:13-15)

mISSION AND VALUES

4. CHURCH PLANTING

We commit ourselves to gather regularly as the local expression of the Body of Christ to participate in Pentecostal worship that exalts God, engages the heart, mind and soul, and challenges to deeper commitment and discipleship. This commitment will be demonstrated by:


Assisting local churches in planning and preparing for meaningful, anointed worship. Equipping pastors and other worship leaders to lead authentically expressed, spiritually alive worship. Modeling varying styles and forms of worship that glorify God and encouraging outreach and service. Emphasizing the importance of Biblical stewardship and the centrality of God's Word as elements of worship.


(John 4:24; Psalm 29:2; Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Isa. 58; Mat. 25:31-46)

miSSION AND VALUES

5. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

We commit ourselves to identifying and developing individuals whom God has called and given leadership gifts and challenging them to become servant-leaders. We will demonstrate our commitment by:


Creating an environment in which men and women with ministry gifts are developed to serve as servant-leaders. Equipping, empowering and releasing lay leaders to serve as ministry partners both inside and outside the local church. Providing relevant resources and training opportunities for both clergy and laity. Encouraging pastors to lead through vision, to communicate the vision to the congregation and to organize the body and each of its ministry groups so the vision can be realized.


(Mark 3:13-15; 2 Tim. 2:2; 2:15; 3:14-17; Eph. 4:11-13)

mISSION AND VALUES

6. Care

We commit ourselves to the challenge of being a church that genuinely cares for one another and for those who are lost, hurting and needy. We will demonstrate our commitment by:


Building loving, caring relationships within families, between members, and within the communities we serve. Obeying the Care Commission of Christ in Matthew 25. Cultivating compassion and showing mercy to the unloved, the undesirable and the unreached of our society. Establishing in each local church some type of outreach ministry that demonstrates our genuine concern and love for the disadvantaged or oppressed.


(Psa. 86:15; Mat. 25; Luke 6:36; Acts 20:28)

miSSION AND VALUES

7. INTERDEPENDENCE

We commit ourselves to the principle of interdependence, acknowledging our interconnectedness and dependence on all the members of the Body of Christ. We will demonstrate our commitment by:


Reaching out to others in the Body of Christ for collaboration, resource sharing and learning opportunities. Encouraging local churches to build relationships with like-minded and like-hearted churches in their communities to work together to reach the lost. Involving clergy in the processes of mentoring, coaching and consulting on the local, state, regional, national and international levels to increase the level of trust and support among ministers. Engaging in dialogue and partnership with local, national and international organizations who seek to fulfill the Great Commission of Christ.


(Col. 2:19; 1 Cor. 12:14-31; Gal. 6:1-6)

our Beliefs

Doctrinal Commitment

The following Doctrinal Commitments represent the core beliefs of the denomination as outlined in Scripture:

REPENTANCE

(Mark 1:15; Luke 13:3; Acts 3:19)

JUSTIFICATION

(Romans 5:1; Titus 3:7)

REGENERATION

(Titus 3:5)

NEW BIRTH

(John 3:3; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 3:9)

SANCTIFICATION SUBSEQUENT TO JUSTIFICATION

(Romans 5:2; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Hebrews 13:12)

HOLINESS

(Luke 1:75; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; Hebrews 12:14)

WATER BAPTISM

(Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9, 10; John 3:22, 23;

Acts 8:36, 38)

BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST SUBSEQUENT TO CLEANSING; THE ENDUEMENT OF POWER FOR SERVICE

(Matthew 3:11; Luke 24:49, 53; Acts 1:4-8)

THE SPEAKING IN TONGUES AS THE SPIRIT GIVES UTTERANCE AS THE INITIAL EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST

(John 15:26; Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:1-7)

THE CHURCH

(Eexodus 19:5, 6; Psalm 22:22; Matthew 16:13-19; 28:19,20; Acts 1:8; 2:42-47; 7:38; 20:28; Romans 8:14-17: 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; 12:12-31; 2 Corinthians 6:6-18; Ephesians 2:19-22; 3:9, 21; Philippians 3:10; Hebrews 2:12; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:6, 7; Revelation 21:2, 9; 22:17)

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

(1 Corinthians 12:1, 7, 10, 28, 31; 1 Corinthians 14:1)

SIGNS FOLLOWING BELIEVERS

(Mark 16:17-20; Romans 15:18, 19; Hebrews 2:4)

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

(Romans 6:22; Galatians 5:22, 23; Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 1:11)

DIVINE HEALING PROVIDED FOR ALL IN THE ATONEMENT

(Psalm 103:3; Isaiah 53:4, 5; Matthew 8:17; James 5:14-16; 1 Peter 2:24)

THE LORD'S SUPPER

(Luke 22:17-20; 1 Corinthians 11 : 23 - 26)

WASHING THE SAINTS' FEET

(John 13:4-17; 1 Timothy 5:9, 10)

TITHING AND GIVING

(Genesis 14:18-20; 28:20-22; Malachi 3:10; Luke 11:42 ;

1 Corinthians 16:2 ; 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 ;                  Hebrews 7:1-21)

SIGNS FOLLOWING BELIEVERS

(Mark 16:17-20; Romans 15:18, 19; Hebrews 2:4)

PREMILLENNIAL SECOND COMING OF JESUS. FIRST, TO RESURRECT THE DEAD SAINTS AND TO CATCH AWAY THE LIVING SAINTS TO HIM IN THE AIR

(1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1

RESURRECTION

(John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:5, 6)

ETERNAL PUNISHMENT FOR THE WICKED

(Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 3:29; 2 Thessalonians 1: 8, 9; Revelation 20:10-15; 21:8)

ETERNAL LIFE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS

(Matthew 25:46; Luke 18:30; John 10:28; Romans 6:22; 1 John 5:11-13)

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