Our Beliefs as Disciples 

 It is no simple task to summarize what members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) believe.

In the book, We Call Ourselves Disciples, general minister Kenneth Teegarden explained:

"Disciples always have opposed the use of creeds or documents to exclude persons from the church. It was the use of creeds as 'tests of fellowship' that the Disciples' founding fathers fingered as the major cause of division among Christians. So unlike most other churches, we do not have an official doctrinal statement we can refer to when someone asks, "What does the Christian Church believe?'"

Disciples believe in the priesthood of all believers proclaiming, "No creed but Christ." Teegarden goes on to write:

"Standing before a congregation of Disciples to confess faith in Jesus Christ and to become part of the church, a person is asked only one question. It is phrased 'Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and do you accept Him as your personal Savior?' The person who responds, 'I do,' might have recently completed a church membership course. If so, the instruction will not have been to transmit a system of doctrines. In fact, a person who is comfortable with a dogmatic approach may be disappointed in the Christian Church.

"We Disciples have beliefs and practices in common with all sorts of Christians. We baptize by immersion, so we look like Baptists. We have Communion every Sunday, so we look a bit like Roman Catholics. We stress the ministry of the laity, so we look a little like Quakers. Our congregations call their pastors rather than accepting assigned ministers, so we look like Presbyterians. We rely on preaching and teaching, so we look like Methodists. We have congregational government, so we look a lot like the United Church of Christ."

"Our church has overcome past power struggles that were not based in grace or love and respect for others. Hearts have softened. Vision for joy has replaced stiff rules and self-absorbed control, and now with God's grace and new insights and redeemed membership, we are waiting to see what God does through the church."

Come worship with us for six weeks and you'll grasp a theology of joy.  We pray for people who have been injured by some churches.  Our vision, cast by our pastor, is to "create an atmosphere where joy and miracles happen."