General Non-Member Policies for Children’s &
Youth Workers (7/20/2006)
Grace Bible Church, Wappingers Falls, NY
1) Non- members of Grace Bible Church may assist as workers with various
ministries, but they may not hold a teaching position in any ministry. Each
non-member worker will be knowledgeable with and follow the GBC Children’s /
Youth Worker Policies and will complete and sign the Participation
Covenant and be approved by the Director of the particular ministry prior to
beginning any work with the children. They will knowledgeable of and agree to
follow any particular polices of the ministry in which they are involved. They
must also agree to and abide by the Abbreviated Doctrinal Statement attached
below.
2) All workers are to arrive a minimum of five minutes prior to the starting
time in order to make sure that final preparations of both themselves and the
room are completed and they are ready to receive and welcome the students.
3) All workers are to participate in the meetings called for them by the
Director of the particular ministry.
4) All workers are to take an active interest in the lives of their students
which will include at minimum regular prayer for each student.
5) All workers are encouraged to notify and make prior arrangements as early
as possible with the teacher they are assisting and / or the Director of the
particular ministry for any planned absence. If an absence will be due to
illness or other emergency the teacher they are assisting and / or the Ministry
Director should be notified as soon as possible so that other arrangements can
be made.
6) "The Two Worker Policy" – Any worker with only one student but no other
worker present will join in with another class until there is an additional
worker or student.
7) Discipline. Workers should assist the teacher with children that disrupt.
A child that disrupts is given up to three warnings. On the second warning they
are to be isolated to a chair separate from the rest of the group for the
remainder of the class time. The parent is to be notified after class. On the
third warning the child is sent to the Ministry Director and the matter will be
discussed with the parent / guardian. A child that is habitually disruptive may
be asked to refrain from participation for a month by the teacher in
consultation with the Director of the particular ministry.
Abbreviated Doctrinal Statement
Grace Bible Church, Wappingers Falls, NY
The full doctrinal statement is available in the literature rack in the back
of the church. This abbreviated statement has simplified some of the doctrines
for conciseness and removed secondary issues. These statements express what must
be believed in order to work at Grace Bible Church. At the end of the statement
is a section which lists doctrines which may not be contradicted by those
helping in a GBC ministry though they are not required to be believed.
SECTION A. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.
We believe the Holy Scriptures, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old
and New Testaments, to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God, His
only special Rev. to man, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in
the original writings, infallible and God-breathed (John
16:12-13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Psalm 119:89; Isa. 40:8; Matt. 5:18).
SECTION B: THE TRUE GOD
THE TRINITY: We believe there is one and only one living and true God,
eternally existing in three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), co-eternal in
being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, co-equal in every
divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great
work of redemption. Among the attributes of the Triune God: He is infinite,
immutable, all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere present, inexpressibly glorious
in holiness. He is worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love
(Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:21-22; 48:16; 64:8; Psalm 90:2;
2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Chron. 29:11-12; Rom. 11:33-36; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17; Jer.
32:27; Matt. 19:26; Psalm 147:5; 1 John 3:20; Psalm 139:7-10; Psalm 29:2; Deut.
6:5; Rev. 4:11).
1. GOD THE FATHER. We believe in God the Father, an infinite Spirit, the
Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, and the Recipient of all our prayers
(John 1:18; Col. 1:15; 1 Cor. 2:11-12; Matt. 6:6-13; Phil. 4:6).
2. GOD THE SON.
a. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became
man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit, and
born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful
men (John 1:1-2,14; Luke 1:26-35).
b. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our eternal
redemption through the shedding of His blood in death on the cross as our
representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, and that our
justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead
(Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Cor. 15:3-4).
c. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, and is now
exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the
ministry of representative, intercessor, and advocate (Acts
1:9-10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2).
3. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.
a. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the
Father and God the Son, and of the same nature, who convicts the world of sin,
righteousness, and judgment; that He is the supernatural Agent in the
regeneration Who baptizes all believers into the body of Christ and indwells
and seals them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; 2 Cor.
3:6; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 1:13-14).
b. We believe that He is the divine Teacher who guides believers into all
truth; and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled
with the Spirit (John 16:13; 1 John 2:20,27; Eph. 5:18).
SECTION C. THE SATAN (THE DEVIL).
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan (the Devil),
that he was created by God as an angel, but through pride and rebellion
became the declared enemy of his Creator and man, the accuser of the brethren,
the unholy god of this age, the ruler of all the powers of darkness; that he is
destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire
(Isa. 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matt. 4:1-11; 2 Cor. 4:4; Rev.
12:7-12; 20:10).
SECTION D. THE CREATION AND FALL OF MAN.
1. We believe the Biblical account of the creation of the physical universe,
angels, and man; that man was created by a direct work of God and not
from previously existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from the
historical Adam and Eve, the first parents of the entire human race
(Gen. 1;2; Col. 1:16-17; John 1:3).
2. We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God under the
law of his Maker, but, by voluntary transgression, Adam fell from his innocent
state and that all men are sinners by nature and by conduct and, therefore, are
under just condemnation without defense or excuse and are, of themselves,
utterly unable to remedy their lost condition (Gen. 1:26-27;
3:1-6; Rom. 1:18,32; 3:10-23; 5:12,19; Eph. 2:1-3,12).
SECTION E. THE GRACE OF GOD
1. We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and
received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was
shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. Once a person is saved, he is a
new creation in Christ Jesus: This new birth is instantaneous and not a process
(Eph. 2:8-10; John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
2. We believe that justification is that judicial act of God whereby He
declares the believer righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of
Christ, and that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of
righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s
shed blood (Rom. 3:24; 4:5; 5:1,9; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:9).
3. We believe that sanctification is the divine setting-apart of the believer
unto God, accomplished in a threefold manner: first, an eternal act of God,
based upon redemption in Christ, establishing the believer in a position of
holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior; second, a continuing process in the
saint as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life; and, third, the
final accomplishment of this process at the Lord’s return (Heb.
10:10-14; John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 5:25-27; 1 Thess. 4:3-4;
5:23-24; 1 John 3:2; Jude 24-25).
4. We believe that all claims to the eradication of sin in this life are
unscriptural (Rom. 6:13; 8:12-13; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24;
Col. 3:10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-9).
5. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and
are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-29; Rom.
8:38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:5).
6. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the
assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word; however,
Scripture clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the
flesh (Rom. 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).
SECTION F. THE CHURCH.
1. We believe that the Church, which is the body and the espoused bride of
Christ, is a spiritual organism made up entirely of born-again people of this
present age. The Lord Jesus Christ, Who is glorified in Heaven, is its Head, and
the Holy Spirit on earth is the active agent of the God-Head, Who seeks to bring
about within the church obedience to the Word of God and the Will of God. This
one body unites believers to each other, and all to Christ, and its chief
purpose of existence is to glorify God through the evangelization of the world
and the building up of its members into maturity and Christ-likeness
(Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Acts 2; 15:14; Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 12:12-18;
Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23,27; 2 Cor. 11:2; Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 4:11-16).
2. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is
clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts
14:27; 20:17,28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
ORDINANCES:
1. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in
water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our identification with
the crucified, buried and risen Savior, through Whom we died to sin and rose
to a new life; (Acts 8:36-39; John 3:23; Rom. 6:3-5;
Matt. 3:16; Col. 2:12; Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42).
2. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death
until He comes (1 Cor. 11:23-28).
MINISTRY AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS:
1. We believe members of the church should meet regularly for worship,
exhortation, and fellowship (Heb. 10:25).
2. We believe that the desire to give one’s time and material wealth to
Christ is an attitude prompted by the Word and the Holy Spirit. One’s giving
should be an expression of gratitude and thanksgiving to God and done
cheerfully and not grudgingly or of necessity or in seeking the acclaim of
men. (Gen. 14:18-20; Matt. 6:19-21; Luke 21:1-4; Rom. 12:1-2; 1
Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 8:1-9; 9:7; Heb. 7:1-2; 1 John 3:11-17).
3. We believe that we should carry out the great commission of the Lord in
spreading the Gospel message and making disciples of the Lord to "the
uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19-20).
4. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of His gifts and that
their purpose is for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry to
the building up the body of Christ, (1 Cor. 12-14; 2 Cor.
12:12; Eph. 4:7-12).
5. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer offered in faith, in
accord with His own will for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7;
1 John 5:14-15; James 5:13-16).
SEPARATION:
We believe that the Scriptures clearly teach non-conformity to the world
for every believer; that born-again people should be separated from the world
unto Christ; that it is clearly commanded by God that all believers should
live separated from all religious apostasy, worldly and sinful practices; and
should be holy as He is holy (John 17:9-20; Rom. 6-8; 1 Cor.
6:11,19-20; 2 Cor. 3:18; 6:14-17; 7:1; Gal. 5:16-26; Eph. 5:25-27; Col. 1:13;
3:1-4; Titus 2:11-12,14; Heb. 10:14; 1 Peter 1:14-16).
SECTION G. THE RETURN OF JESUS
We believe in the pre-millennial and bodily return of Christ,
(1 Thess. 4:13-17; 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 51-54; Phil. 3:20-21).
SECTION H. ISRAEL
We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God’s eternal covenant
people, (Gen. 13:14-17; Rom. 11:1-32; Ezekiel 37).
SECTION I. THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the
righteous and wicked; that only such as are justified through faith in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly
righteous in His esteem while all who continue in impenitence and unbelief are
in His sight wicked and under the curse and, therefore, stand condemned before
God. This distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the
everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of
the lost (Malachi 3:18; Gen. 18:23; Rom. 6:17-18; Proverbs 11:31;
Rom. 1:17-18; 1 Cor. 15:22; Acts 10:34-35; 1 John 2:29; Rom. 6:16; Gal. 3:10;
Rom. 6:23; Proverbs 14:32; Luke 16:25; Matt. 25:34,41; Matt. 7:13-14).
SECTION J. THE RESURRECTION
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men: the saved to eternal life
and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. The souls of the
redeemed at death are absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in
conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul and body
are reunited to be forever glorified with the Lord. The souls of the
unbelievers, after death, remain in conscious misery until the second
resurrection, when with spirit, soul and body reunited they shall appear before
the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to
be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting, conscious punishment
(Luke 16:19-26; Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; 2 Cor.
5:8,10; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6, 12-13).
Doctrines that do not have to be believed, but may not be contradicted while
working in a GBC ministry or to its people. (See full Statement of Faith
for Scripture References).
*We believe the account of creation in Genesis 1 & 2 is neither allegory
nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct, immediate, creative
acts of God in six solar days without any evolutionary process.*We believe that all men sinned in Adam’s fall. The consequences of this
act are that all men are totally depraved and are partakers of Adam’s fallen
nature*We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision
made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of
the indwelling Holy Spirit.*We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external
authority or control*We believe that speaking in tongues and the working of sign-miracles
gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their
authority became established .*We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the
interests and good order of human society, and that magistrates are to be
prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except in those things
opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the
conscience, and the coming King of Kings.*We believe that the return of Jesus for His church is imminent and that at
that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised first and then those still
alive in Christ will be transformed and all of them shall be caught up to meet
the Lord in the air before the 70th week of Daniel (the tribulation
period). We believe that the 70th week of Daniel 9 will be
culminated by the return of Christ in power and great glory to sit upon the
throne of David and to establish the millennial kingdom.*We believe that Israel is now dispersed because of her disobedience and
rejection of Christ, that she will be regathered in the Holy Land and, after
the completion of the church, will be saved as a nation at the second advent
of Christ .
Agreement for Non-Member Children’s & Youth
Workers
Grace Bible Church, Wappingers Falls, NY
I have read and understand the General Non-Member Policies for Children’s
& Youth Workers above and agree to abide by them when working with the
children or youth of Grace Bible Church, participating in any event sponsored by
Grace Bible Church and while on Church property.
I agree with the above abbreviated Doctrinal Statement of Grace Bible Church
and agree not to teach contrary to the doctrines listed on this page regardless
of my personal beliefs while I am helping at a ministry of Grace Bible Church or
when working with its people.
___________________________________________
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Signature
Date
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Printed Name
Keep the Doctrinal Statement pages for your personal reference. Return this
last page to the Director of the ministry in which you are involved.