What Disciples Believe           

Like most Christians, Disciples affirm:
· Jesus Christ is the son of the Living God, and offers saving grace to all
· All persons are God's children

Open Communion The Lord's Supper, or Communion, is celebrated in weekly worship and is open to all who believe in Jesus Christ and to those who are seeking him. He invites you and everyone is welcome at His Table.

Biblical Faith…Thinking Faith We love the Bible and take it seriously using both our minds and our hearts in a life long journey of understanding the ways it calls us to live out our faith daily. Don’t leave your brain at the door.

The Oneness of the Church  All Christians are called to be one in Christ and to seek opportunities for common witness and service.

Freedom of Belief  Beyond our central belief that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, there is no creed or doctrine. Each person is free to follow their conscience guided by Bible study, the Holy Spirit and prayer. We are expected to extend that freedom to others. Those with doubts and questions are respected

Baptism by Immersion  In baptism, the old self-centered life is set aside and a new, ever growing life of trust in God begins. Baptism is into the whole Body of Christ, thus, although Disciples baptize by immersion, other baptism traditions are honored.

Priesthood of All Believers  Disciples believe in the ministry of all believers, both ordained and lay persons. You will see men, women and youth serving in all phases of church life.

God Call Us to Mission  All of creation is a gift from God. Our voices of justice, mercy and peace must be boldly spoken to those powers that would stand in the way of God’s resources being shared equally. We commit our time, talent and money to such mission.

Covenantal Relationships  Each congregation is autonomous but we choose to be related as a distinctive denomination in a covenant of passion and compassion to carry the Good News of God’s love in Jesus Christ to the entire world.

One thing all Disciples can agree on is that we cannot all agree completely about what Disciples believe. This is a responsible effort and the hope here is that this statement will motivate some excellent discussion and dialogue.

For more information:
www.disciples.org/