Our Statement of Faith
We believe,
YHWH Eloheinu is one, and there is none beside Him. (Deuteronomy 6:4; 4:35, 39)
He created the heavens and the earth in six literal days. (Genesis 1:1; 2:2, 4; Exodus 20:11; 31;17; Isaiah 45:18)
Yeshua…
…is the Messiah (Matthew 16:16)
…is the Word who became flesh (John 1:14; 1 John 1:1; Revelation 19:13)
…was born to Miriam who was then a virgin (Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 1:35)
…is the Son of Elohim (Matthew 14:33; Luke 1:36; John 20:31)
…is the Son of man (Matthew 16:13; Luke 19:10; John 5:27 Acts 7:56)
…is King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16)
…is the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14; 1 Timothy 1:15)
…is the Prophet like unto Moshe. (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22; 7:37)
…is the spotless Lamb of Elohim (John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:19)
…never sinned (1 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 7:26; 2 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5)
…was betrayed into the hands of men, rejected and killed (Matthew 17:22; 20:19; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 18:32–33; Acts 3:15)
…was buried and in the ground 3 days and 3 nights (Matthew 12:40; Mark 8:31)
…rose from the dead the 3rd day (Matthew 16:21; 17:23; Mark 9:31; 10:34; Luke 18:33; 24:21, 46; Acts 10:40)
…ascended into the heavens to sit at the right hand of Elohim the Father (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9; 2:33; Ephesians 1:20; Philippians 2:9; Hebrews 10:12; 1 Peter 3:22)
…and he will return to judge the living and the dead according to their works (Matthew 25:31–46; Acts 1:11; 10:42; 17:31; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5; Revelation 20:11–15)
Sin is the transgression of the Torah. (Romans 7:7–13; James 2:9–11; 1 John 3:4)
The wages of sin is death, separation from Elohim, and eternal wrath from Elohim; but eternal life is knowing Elohim the Father and Yeshua. This life is given by grace to those who repent and believe in Yeshua, calling on the Name of YHWH, becoming a child of Elohim by being born again; and those who endure to the end shall be saved. Every part of this process of salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit of Elohim, and it is not based on bloodline, ritual circumcision, or human willpower. (Ezekiel 36:27; Joel 2:29, 32; Matthew 10:22; 24:13; John 1:12–13; 3:3–8, 16–18, 36; 5:24; 6:40; 10:9; 14:6; 17:3; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; Romans 2:7; 6:23; 8:1–16; 10:12–13; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Galatians 4:6–7; Ephesians 2:8–9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 3:6; 1 John 5:11–12, 20)
We can be forgiven because the Messiah gave Himself up to die for our sins. (Acts 5:31; 13:38–39; 26:18; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Ephesians 1:7; 4:32; Colossians 1:14; 2:13; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:9; 2:12; 4:10; Revelation 1:5)
There will be a resurrection to life everlasting and a resurrection of damnation. (Matthew 25:46; John 5:29; Daniel 12:2; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:11–15; 21:8)
Elohim created mankind in His image; He created them male and female. (Genesis 1:26–27; 5:1–2)
The sixth of the “Ten Commandments”—“Thou shalt not murder”— does not forbid killing a human in war or in self-defense. However, the prohibition does include murdering yourself (suicide) and murdering babies in the womb (abortion). (Genesis 9:5–6; 25:22; Exodus 20:13; 21:12–15; 22–25; 23:7; Deuteronomy 27:25; Judges 13:4–5; Psalms 10:8; 106:37–38; 139:13–16; Jeremiah 1:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20; Luke 1:41)
Congregational Membership
1) If you confess Our Statement of Faith, and have been baptized, then you are eligible to be a member of the congregation. We accept all baptisms in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or in the name of Jesus or Yeshua.
2) If you agree to this document, then you are eligible to be a member of the congregation.
3) If you have contributed through labor, service, or finance to the congregation in the previous year, then you are eligible to be a member of the congregation.
4) If you were present for the majority of the congregation’s holy convocations over the previous year, barring sickness or other acceptable need, then you are eligible to be a member of the congregation.
Spiritual Authority of Appeal (SAA) Selection Process
1) If you are a member of the congregation, a male, and at or over the age of 20, then you qualify to help select a Spiritual Authority of Appeal.
2) Each eligible congregant may nominate a new SAA at any time.
3) 2/3 of eligible congregants and 2/3 of the elders must vote to nominate the SAA.
4) The newly nominated SAA must be contacted and terms must be agreed to regarding their authority within the local congregation.
5) 2/3 of eligible congregants and 2/3 of the elders must vote to appoint the new SAA and approve the terms regarding their authority within the local congregation.
Elder Selection Process
1) If you are a member of the congregation, a male, and at or over the age of 20, then you qualify to help select elders.
2) All who qualify to help select elders meet. If you qualify and repeatedly delay or refuse to attend this meeting, the meeting will proceed without you.
3) A meeting facilitator is nominated, seconded, and confirmed by a verbal vote.
4) The meeting facilitator reads 1 Timothy 3: 1-7 which states the qualifications for an elder.
5) The meeting facilitator gives all who are eligible to help select elders the opportunity to nominate candidates for elders. The elder candidates must be nominated from among those eligible to select elders and must continue to be qualified members of the congregation through the selection process and any subsequent term as elder.
6) The meeting facilitator gives all candidates nominated the opportunity to refuse their nomination.
7) The meeting facilitator gives all those qualified to select an elder an opportunity to speak and either support or explain their lack of support for the remaining candidates.
8) The meeting facilitator calls a vote on the eligibility of each candidate by the meeting participants. The candidates do not vote for themselves.
9) Eliminate all candidates who do not receive at least a positive 2/3 of their qualification vote. There are a maximum of three elder offices that may be filled.
10a) If there are no candidates remaining, then the meeting facilitator will pray, ask the Yahweh for guidance and cast lots to determine who the elders will be from among the originally nominated candidates. Selection by lot will be done by flipping two coins in front of each candidate. If both coins are heads, then the candidate is selected as an elder. Do this for each candidate until at least two elders have been selected. Do not stop casting lots in this way until two elders have been selected and all the candidates have been tested by lot in a round, or until there are three elders.
10b) If there are more candidates than elder offices available, then the meeting facilitator will pray, ask the Yahweh for guidance and cast lots to determine who will be elders from among those remaining candidates. Selection by lot will be done by flipping two coins in front of each candidate. If both coins are heads, then the candidate is selected as an elder. Do this for each candidate until all elder offices have been filled.
10c) If there are one or more candidates remaining, and the total remaining candidates is less than or equal to the number of elder offices available, then those remaining candidates become elders. If there is only one elder at this point, then the meeting facilitator will pray, ask the Yahweh for guidance and cast lots to determine who the elders will be from among the originally nominated candidates. Selection by lot will be done by flipping two coins in front of each candidate. If both coins are heads, then the candidate is selected as an elder. Do this for each candidate until at least two elders have been selected. Do not stop casting lots in this way until two elders have been selected and all the candidates have been tested by lot in a round, or until there are three elders.
11) If there is more than one elder selected, then the new elders will cast lots to determine what year their terms will finish. Selection by lot will be done by flipping two coins in front of each candidate. The first candidate to have two heads come up will be the first to have their term come to an end. See “Term of an Elder”.
12) The meeting participants will anoint the head of, lay hands on the head of, and pray over the selected elders.
13) The new elders will adjourn the meeting.
Term of an Elder
One elder will be up for selection every year. The first elder will need to be renewed or replaced after his first year. The second elder will be renewed or replaced the second year. If there is a third elder, then he will be renewed or replaced the third year. Newly selected elders’ terms will end after the terms of elders selected or renewed in years before them. Elders may be removed by a petition of greater than 2/3 of those eligible to help select elders. At the end of an elders term another elder selection meeting will be held. If a majority of the participants in that meeting do not vote to renew that elder’s term, then the meeting will progress as originally created. If a majority votes to renew that elder’s term, then that particular elder will remain in office for another term and the elder selection meeting will continue if there are less than three elders. An elder may serve for unlimited terms. Elder selection meetings will be held during the eighth biblical month or any time the congregation has no elder.
Number of Elders
At this time and with the current congregation population there may be anywhere from two to three elders. If our congregation grows larger than 10 families per elder, then this document should be amended to fit that need.
Term of a Spiritual Authority of Appeal (SAA)
The SAA’s term ends when a new SAA selection process is completed and a new SAA is appointed.
Responsibilities of the Elder(s)
1) Coordinate with the authority of appeal for guidance and accountability.
2) Teach the congregation the Word of God and explain it.
3) Mediate disputes between members of the congregation.
4) Judge sin within the congregation.
5) Rule over the congregation’s holy convocations.
6) Decide when the feasts will be celebrated by the congregation.
7) Rule over the SAA nomination and selection process.
8) Do everything in accord with the laws and teachings of the Bible.
Right of Appeal
1) Any member of the congregation may appeal any judgement, decision, or teaching of the elders first to the men qualified to select elders, and then they may appeal to the SAA.
2) The men qualified to select elders may override the elders by a 2/3 vote and issue a corrected judgement, decision, or teaching based on their understanding of the Word of God and in accord with it. These men must first have investigated the matter as the scriptures command officers and judges.
3) An elder may appeal the qualified men’s judgement, decision, or teaching to the SAA.
4) The SAAs decision is final. There are no more appeals unless there is a higher authority agreed upon by both the SAA, the qualified men of the congregation, and the elders beforehand by amendment to this document.
Amendments
This document may be amended by a vote of 2/3rd of those men eligible to select elders, 2/3rds of the elders, and the SAA.
Ratification
This document may be ratified by the agreement of two or three men eligible to select elders as described in this document.