What We Believe
While there are many other areas of doctrine that are important to the spiritual growth and maturity of the believer and to the witness of the church community, it is our sense that these statements of faith are essential if the church is to worship and serve together effectively and if the unity of the faith is to be maintained.
We Believe:
- The Bible is the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the revelation of God’s truth and is infallible and authoritative in all matters of faith and practice.
- Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God whom, through His perfect life and sacrificial death, atoned for the sins of all who will by faith trust in Him, alone, for salvation.
- There is one God, who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- The Holy Spirit indwells in all of God’s people and gives them the strength and wisdom to trust Christ and follow Him.
- The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the bestowing of the believer with power to be an effective witness for Christ. This experience is distinct from, and subsequent to, the New Birth.
- There are two ordinances for the church which were regularly observed in the New Testament. Baptism of the believer in water, wherein obedience to Christ's command is expressed and identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection are witnessed. Communion is the memorial wherein believers partake of the bread and the cup which symbolize the Lord's body and shed blood, and thus proclaim His death until He comes.
- Jesus will return, bodily and visibly, to judge all mankind and to receive His people to Himself.
- There is a literal heaven wherein all the righteous will eternally dwell and a literal hell wherein all who reject Christ as Savior will spend eternity.
We Value:
- Passionate Worship of God is at the heart of every ministry at Glad Tidings. Whether it be adults in the sanctuary, teens in the youth center, or children in the Kids Port, our desire is to cultivate an atmosphere where this value can be expressed to its fullest and where the presence of God is powerfully manifest.
- Authentic Care for every person who attends Glad Tidings is at the core of our hospitality ministry, follow-up, hospital and shut-in visitation, and small group ministry. It is important to us that whether a person has attended Glad Tidings for decades or is a new member, that their needs are met, their concerns are addressed, and the compassion and love of Christ is experienced.
- Missional Outreach drives the ministry initiatives and focus of Glad Tidings. Recognizing that God has uniquely shaped every congregation, we seek to utilize our specific and strategic location, collective potential, and distinctive vision to minister to those people for whom we are most prepared to reach. While we carry out ministry in multiple venues and support worldwide ministry efforts, we target significant resources and energy to the southeast quadrant of Muncie and specifically the Sutton Elementary School.
- Intentional Discipleship is part and parcel of our vision to develop biblically sound believers. Every aspect of our ministry is rooted in the teaching of God’s Word and an effort to produce organic discipleship is crucial to our strategic planning for the future.
- Contagious Servanthood is a value that has taken hold at Glad Tidings in the last five years. Over half of our adult congregation is involved in some significant ministry either on the church campus or within our community. Multiple ministry opportunities are available and it is our conviction that true spiritual maturity requires a willingness to “pick up the towel” and serve.
- Meaningful Relationships are a necessity of full spiritual growth and alone afford the believer the opportunity to carry out the many “one another” commands of the New Testament. While these relationships can be developed in many ways including serving opportunities, everyone at Glad Tidings is encouraged to participate in a small group to help in the development of these crucial relationships.
