What We Believe
VCM accepts the Scriptures as the revealed will of God, the all sufficient rule of faith and practice, and for the purpose of maintaining general unity, adopts these Statements of Fundamental Truths and Doctrine.
The Scriptures Inspired. The bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason. (II Tim. 3:15; I Peter 1:23-25; Heb. 4:12)
The One True Godhead. The triune Godhead is comprised of 3 separate and distinct personalities, the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, who are eternally self-existent, self-revealed and function as one entity. Jesus Christ, who is god manifested in the flesh, is the second member of the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and The Holy Spirit.
Man, His Fall and Redemption. Man was created good and upright, for god said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness”. But, man, by voluntary transgression, fell and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ the Son of God. (Gen. 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21)
The Salvation of Man.
(a) Man’s Only Hope. Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. On the cross Jesus became sin, sickness and disease providing both salvation and divine healing for all mankind (Psalm 103:3). Being justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. For by grace are we saved through faith. “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart; that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:8-10)
(b) The Evidence of Salvation. The inward evidence to the believer of his salvation, is the direct witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16). The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness. “And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us”. (I John 3:23)
(c) Faith and Works. Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and not by human works; however, our works will determine there rewards in eternity. (Acts 16:3; Romans 10:9-10; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Romans 14:10-12 and II Cor. 5:10)
Baptism in Water. The ordinance of baptism by immersion in water (Acts 8:14-16; Acts 19:1-5) shall be administered as commanded in the Scriptures to all who have really repented of their sins and in their hearts have truly believed on Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. In so doing, they declare to the world that they have died with Jesus and that they have also been risen with Him to walk in newness of life. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:47; Romans 6:3-5; Col. 2:12)
The Lord’s Supper. “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, Take eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me”. After the same manner also He took the cup, when he had supped, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me”. “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup”. (I Cor. 11:23-25, 28)
The Promise of the Father. All believers are entitled to, and should ardently expect and earnestly seek, the promise of the Father, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian church. With it comes the endowment of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; I Cor. 12:1-31). This wonderful experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth. (Acts 2:38; 10:44-46; 15:7-9)
The Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The full consummation of the baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance, and by the subsequent manifestation of spiritual power in public testimony and service. (Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:2,6; 1:8)
The Church. The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit is an integral part of the general assembly and church of the first born, which are written in Heaven. (Ephesians 1:22; 2:19-22; Hebrew’s 12:23)
Total Prosperity
(a) Spiritual: John 3:3; II Cor. 5:17-21; Romans 10:8-9.
(b) Mental: II Tim. 1:7; romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3
(c) Physical: Isaiah 53:4,5; Matt. 8:17; I Peter 2:24
(d) Financial: 3 John 1:2; Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; II Cor. 9:6-10; Deut. 28:1-14
(e) Social: Prov. 3:4
Blessed Hope. Jesus is coming again to gather all his Saints to Heaven. (I Cor. 15:51-52; I Thes. 4:16-17; and II Thes. 2:1)
The Lake of Fire. Those who have not accepted the redemptive work of Jesus Christ will suffer eternal separation from the Godhead. The devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life, shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. This is the second death, the lake of fire. (Rev. 19:20; 20:10-15).
The Millennial Reign of Jesus. The return of our Lord Jesus Christ with his saints from Heaven to rule and reign for one thousand years on earth as the Scriptures promised (Romans 11:25-27; II Thes. 1:7; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:1-7). Subsequently, a New Heaven and a New Earth shall be established.