Whether you’ve been a member of Risen Christ Fellowship for a long time, recently joined, attend regularly, or are considering a visit, you may have questions about key issues. These position papers reflect our pastoral responses to the most frequently asked questions. While there are other important topics, we haven’t written papers on them because they are less commonly raised, and our Statement of Faith sufficiently addresses those matters.
The purpose of these papers is not to provide exhaustive explanations or comprehensive defenses of every position, nor are they meant to replace the vital pastoral work of preaching or personal conversations. Instead, they serve as a resource to equip and guide us, offering provide theological answers based on the questions of people we serve.
The purpose of these papers is not to provide exhaustive explanations or comprehensive defenses of every position, nor are they meant to replace the vital pastoral work of preaching or personal conversations. Instead, they serve as a resource to equip and guide us, offering provide theological answers based on the questions of people we serve.
What do we believe about deacons?
This position paper reflects what we, as an elder board, are currently most persuaded by. We want to honestly say on the outset that the office of deacon is simply not that clear in the bible. We pray this document is read with the same sense of humility we have sought in creating it. May it bring clarity and help the unity of our church.
What do we believe about benevolence?
We believe the bible calls us to be generous stewards, and we want to exercise faithful stewardship of the money entrusted to the church to minister and provide benevolence to individuals or families in need of assistance. Our benevolence policy outlines our biblical philosophy for benevolence, as well as our process for evaluating and approving requests for assistance.
Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage
God designed marriage as an exclusive, monogamous covenant between a man and a woman, intended to reflect Christ’s covenant with His Church. Divorce, for any reason, brings deep pain and brokenness. This paper represents our prayerful reflections as pastors and aims to offer a biblical perspective on these matters.
What do we believe about member resignations?
Membership in a church is a voluntary process through which someone submits their discipleship to be overseen by a particular congregation. A member resignation then is when a member formally and voluntarily concludes their membership in our church. This paper reflects what we believe about that process.