VISION & BELIEFS

IT IS OUR VISION TO:

  • share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the hundreds of thousands of residents in the Greater Sarasota County area.

  • gather 100's, even 1,000's of Spirit Filled believers together each weekend for the purpose of Celebrating the presence and power of God through powerful contemporary Worship, relevant life changing Preaching, and opportunity of response through commitment.

  • develop people to spiritual maturity through Daily Bible reading and Devotions, discipleship training, Small Group Ministry, seminars, and Leadership Training.

  • see 100's of Small Groups meeting weekly throughout the Gulf Coast area for fellowship, ministry, and evangelism. It is our vision to minister to the total person their spiritual, emotional, physical, and social needs.

  • be a church where the Leaders are free to lead and the Members are free to minister, a place where everyone can discover and develop their Spiritual Gifts and be involved in significant ministry.

  • send out 100's of persons on the mission field on short term mission trips and as career missionaries for the purpose of building the Kingdom of God by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and planting churches.

  • target and adopt an Unreached People Group for the purpose of sharing the Gospel and Church Planting. It is also our vision to send out teams to plant daughter churches.

  • develop a Youth Ministry that reaches and touches every teenager in our area with the Life Changing Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the vision of equipping every teenager as a disciple of Jesus Christ in order to make other disciples.

  • make a significant positive impact in each of the public high schools in our area with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

  • develop a Children's Ministry that teaches our children the foundations of the Word of God and helps them begin to apply God's principles to their lives.

  • have age appropriate teaching and experiences that will enable each child to develop a healthy relationship with God.

  • have a campus that will serve as a regional church for the Greater Sarasota County area with beautiful, yet simple, facilities that can adequately facilitate our Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry, Leadership Training Center; a counseling and prayer center; and a Worship Center that can comfortably seat everyone that God sends our way.

Our vision is what we see God doing thru us as a community. It is only through the power of God can this vision be accomplished.

What is baptism?

Following the example and the instructions of Jesus Christ, we believe that when a person chooses to believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and they repent of their sins, their next step is to be baptized with water.

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

Baptism is a symbol.

Baptism is a public symbol to the world that you are now a Believer in Jesus Christ. It also identifies you with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

”Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.” Romans 6:3-5

Baptism is also a symbol of the death of your old life and the resurrection of your new life in Jesus Christ.

”For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.” Colossians 2:12-13

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

How should we be baptized?

Following the example of Jesus we are baptized by being immersed in water. The word “baptize” comes from the Greek word “baptizo” which means “to immerse or dip under water.”

”As soon as Jesus as baptized, he went up out of the water.” Matthew 3:16

Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion under water. The book of Acts shows us that this was the norm for every believer.

”Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water…” Acts 8:38, 39

Who should be baptized?

Every person who has made the decision to believe in Christ should be baptized.

(Jesus) “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19

When should a person be baptized?

Believers in the New Testament were baptized the same day. As soon as a person decided to believe in Christ, he can be, and is encouraged to be baptized.

”Those who accepted his message were baptized.” Acts 2:41

Where should I be baptized?

The baptisms in the Bible were experienced in a public manner. Although special accommodations can be made, we encourage baptism to be experienced in the context of the Church Family as a witness to the body of Christ and a testimony to the world of a new and changed life.

”Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day - about 3,000 in all.” Acts 2:41 (NLT)

If you would like to be baptized, contact Pastor Rick at rick@alcsrq.com.

OUR BELIEFS

  • God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.

  • Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is one with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

  • The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He works in the believer's lives through the distribution, manifestation, and ministry of spiritual gifts . As Christians, we are commanded to "Be filled with the Holy Spirit", and we seek to live under His control daily.

  • The Bible is God's Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error.

  • People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God's creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called "sin". This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life.

  • Salvation is God's free gift to us but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty. When we turn from our self ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

  • The end of this age and the coming of the New Kingdom will be marked by the personal return of Jesus Christ. He will come at a time when he is least expected. When he comes back he will take back to heaven those who have trusted him with their lives and have accepted the free gift of salvation; first those who have died, and then those who are still alive.

  • People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.

Want to learn more about the vision and beliefs of ALC? Consider attending our ALC101 class. Contact the church office to sign up.

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