“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” – 1Timothy 4:16
The International Christian Church is a non-denominational Church with the ultimate aim of reaching out the gospel to the nations of our generation (Mathew 28:18-20, Col 1:6). We accept as true that God’s eternal plan is to create a people who would love and worship him eternally and at the time accomplish this vision. In the Old Testament God used prophecy to make known his heart towards a lost world. Isaiah 2:1-4 and Daniel 2:31-35 are conceivable prophecies supporting the New Testament Kingdom and world evangelism. We believe Jesus’ primary mission was the cross (Mathew 16:21), but his primary message was the Kingdom (Act 1:3).
The International Christian Church holds firmly these core convictions:
Back on July 26, 2015, Benedict Atason (far left) made a trip to the US and worshiped God with the International Christian Church in California.
- God’s church is a Bible church (Old Testament and New Testament) and not just a New Testament Church – 2Timothy 3:14-17.The context of the word “Scripture” in this passage is referring to the Old Testament. The Old Testament applies to our lives as much as the New Testament, except for the Mosaic Law and any teaching in the New Testament that supersedes the Old Testament (Example: grounds for divorce). Sadly, the Church of Christ believes it is only a “New Testament” church and does not look to Old Testament for “training in righteousness” in regards to the leadership of God’s people (Exodus 18) or Scriptural concepts in the Old Testament such as “calling out the remnant,” “dating and marrying only disciples,” and “a central leader and leadership for God’s movement.”
- “Be silent where the Bible speaks, and speak with the Bible is silent.” – In applying Scriptural principles to build the visible church, we must obey God’s Word, but where the Bible does not prohibit a practice or name, we are free to use our God-given creativity. Genesis 2:19. Sadly, the mode of interpretation of the church of Christ from Alexander Campbell is to “Speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent.” This mantra has caused much division in regards to different practices such as using cups for Communion, Sunday school and the use of instrumental music – none of which are prohibited by the Scriptures.
- The Church is composed of only sold-out disciples in discipling relationships – Mathew 28:18-20. After a person is baptized, Jesus commands that the new convert be “taught to obey everything (He had) commanded.”This is discipling! As Jesus sent out his disciples “two by two” (Mark 6:7&Luke 10:1), the need for discipling relationships is vital in order to obey the “one another” passages of the Bible! Having every member in congregation to be a part of a small group is also a practical implementation of following the example of Jesus evangelizing with His apostles (Mark 3:13, 30; Mark 6:39).
- A Central Leadership with a Central Leader vs. Autonomous Congregations – Numbers 27:15-23. Throughout God’s Word, when His people were unified, there was a strong central leadership and godly central leader. (Example: Moses, Joshua, David, and of course Jesus and the Apostles). 1Corinthian 4:15-17 and Titus 1:5 teaches that local congregations had an overseeing evangelist, who unified the disciples “everywhere in every church.” In the first century, congregations were a collective movement – not autonomous, not self-governing.
- The dream of the evangelization of the nations in THIS generation –Mathew 24:9-14, 34. When every disciple of Jesus obeys the Great Commission of which, we can see the world won for the Lord! Jesus’ vision for His church was to go “from Jerusalem, to all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). Thirty-some years later in 61 AD, Paul writes, “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing…This is the gospel that you have heard and has been proclaimed to every creature under Heaven.” (Colosians1:6, 23). If the world was evangelized in the 1st century, we can definitely do it again in the 21stcentury!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us in the following locations for Bible Talk and Fellowship:
Now, Benedict and Goodhope share in good fellowship with Andrew and Patrique, along with many others ready to share the Gospel in Lagos, Nigeria
Lagos:
Goodhope Atason: +2348039477177
No 8 Bovi Mukoro Drive,
Peaceland Estate,
Abijo, Lekki lagos
Umuahia:
Benedict Atason: +2348064021696
Afara Ngboko, Olokoro
Umuahia, Abia State.
