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Membership Book

Membership Book


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Welcome Letter

Welcome to Restoration Church! It is our pleasure that you are considering entering a covenant relationship with us. We believe that making a membership commitment with a church and its members is much like getting married. First, you meet someone you like. Second, you get to know them. After a period of dating, you know this is “the one for you” and it is time to get serious. So, third, you make a commitment. Lastly, you make a public declaration of that decision. So goes our membership process.

We believe God has brought you to Restoration Church International to “introduce us”. For the last few months, you have been getting to know us and we have been getting to know you. We generally ask new attenders to attend faithfully for about three months before they consider membership.

Now, we ask that you use the information in this resource book, discussions with the New Members Class facilitator, questions and answers with our senior leadership, and most importantly your ability to hear the voice of God to decide if this is the church home for you.

Please take your time and thoroughly go through this book. Answer all the questions. Think of it as our premarital counseling if you will. The questionnaires contained herein may seem tedious and somewhat redundant and the material may seem irrelevant at times, but there is a wealth of information that lay in these pages. We have had members come to us years later grateful for the information they discovered here.

Again, welcome home! We pray that you will become a covenant member with us and that together we will impact the world for God’s Kingdom!

In Him,
Apostle Joe and Pastor Rena Perozich

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Purpose, Focus & Values


Our Purpose

To restore lives destroyed by the curse that came from Adam’s disobedience.

Our Focus

  • Restoration of lives Isaiah 61:1-4

    "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.

  • Training disciples to minister to others II Timothy 2:2

    And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

  • Edifying and strengthening people through the local church I Corinthians 15:58

    Therefore, my beloved brethern, be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Our Values

  • Fellowship with the Lord through continual prayer I Thessalonians 5:17

    Pray without ceasing.

  • Living lives of obedience without compromise I Samuel 15:22

    So Samuel said: "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams."

  • Maintaining a spirit of excellence with all the Lord has instructed I Corinthians 4:2

    But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

  • Distributing finances and resources to others in need II Corinthians 9:8

    And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

  • Going to the lost of the World, through evangelistic Home Cells Acts 20:20

    How I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house.

Mission Scripture of Restoration Church

Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.


Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.


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We Believe...


  • the scripture of the Old and New Testament to be the inspired Word of God, presenting to us the complete revelation of God’s will for the redemption of mankind, and constituting the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice. II Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:21

    All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. II Timothy 3:16

    For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. II Peter 1:21


  • that God is a Trinity manifested in three persons: The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:16-17

    When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”


  • that man is created in the image of God but through Adam’s transgression and fall, sin came into the world. Romans 5:12, Romans 3:23

    Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. Romans 5:12

    For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23


  • that salvation is made possible through the meritorious work of Jesus Christ on the cross and that we are saved by faith, through God’s grace. John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9

    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

    For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, Not of works, lest anyone should. Ephesians 2:8-9


  • that the true church is the body of Jesus Christ, Jesus himself being the head. The body is made up of all true believers that witness a born again experience. Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 2:19-22

    And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. Colossians 1:18

    Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22


  • that God calls men and women to serve in the five-fold ministry, and endues the one called with the talents and abilities peculiar to that office. Under no circumstance should anyone be set apart to ministry unless the calling is distinct, evident, and confirmed by the presbyter. Ephesians 4:8-13

    Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;


  • that water baptism is by immersion and is a direct commandment of the Lord for all believers. The ordinance is symbolic of our identification with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12

    "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19

    Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4

    Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Colossians 2:12


  • that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a gift from God and is available to all believers. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a second work of grace received after salvation, the initial sign of which is speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit gives utterance. John 14:16-17, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:4

    "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." John 14:16-17

    "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

    And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4


  • that sanctification is a definite yet progressive work of grace in the life of a believer, beginning with the new birth and consummating at the revelation of Jesus Christ. II Corinthians 3:18, II Peter 3:18, I Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 12:14

    But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. II Corinthians 3:18

    but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. II Peter 3:18

    Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I Thessalonians 5:23

    Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: Hebrews 12:14


  • in the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. The presence and power of God is revealed in communion. We neither believe transubstantiation, nor consubstantiation, but believe the Lord is in the communion in a real and personal way being received by the believers. I Corinthians 11:27

    Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.


  • that healing is part of the atonement and can be appropriated by faith in Jesus’ redeeming work. Acts 10:38, I Peter 2:24

    How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38

    Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. I Peter 2:24


  • in the resurrection of the just at the return of Christ. We further believe that the righteous dead are in the presence of God until the resurrection. I Thessalonians 4:16-17, I Corinthians 5:8

    For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
    Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. I Thessalonians 4:16-17

    Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I Corinthians 5:8


  • in a visible return of Christ and a literal catching away of the church to meet the Lord in the air. Inasmuch as there is great dispute in the body of Christ concerning the actual placement of this event on the calendar of God, let it be stated that we believe in a pre-tribulation catching away of the elect. Let it further be stated that the doctrine of the rapture is not a point of fellowship in this church or in the body of Christ. II Thessalonians 2:7, I Thessalonians 4:16-17

    For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. II Thessalonians 2:7

    For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
    Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. I Thessalonians 4:16-17


  • that one who dies without Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost, destined to literal hell with no further opportunity of repentance. Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 20:11-15

    And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. Hebrews 9:27

    Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15


  • in the tithe, recognizing that tithing existed before the law, during the law, and after the law. Jesus Himself commanded the tithe. The writer of Hebrews establishes the tithe as New Testament practice. Tithing is representative of our personal commitment to the Lord and is a reflection of our covenant relationship with Him. Genesis 14:18-20, Malachi 3:10, Matthew 23:23, Hebrews 7:8

    Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. Genesis 14:18-20

    Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,That there may be food in My house,And try Me now in this,”Says the Lord of hosts,“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10

    "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone." Matthew 23:23

    Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. Hebrews 7:8

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.


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Joe Perozich

Joe Perozich


Joe Perozich is the Founding Apostle of Restoration Church International (formerly Morgantown Faith Center) and has served in ministry since its beginning in 1998. He and Pastor Rena Perozich were married in 1977 and have two adult daughters. The Perozichs came under apostolic covering of Drs. John and Rebecca Polis at the Light of Life World Outreach Center (now Faith Church International) in Fairmont, WV in 1987 and began a twelve-year journey from attenders, to members, and on to disciples – a walk that would lead them to birth a new ministry. In 1997, the couple led a local woman to the Lord. From that meeting, Morgantown Faith Center (now RCI) was born. Apostle Joe spent several years in dual roles as both a full-time businessman and pastor before being led to full time ministry in 2005. He was ordained through Revival Fellowship International of Beaufort, SC in 1999.

Apostle Joe conducts a flourishing men’s prison ministry and holds a monthly men’s meeting called Men of Honor. Through his men’s outreaches, Apostle Joe continues to help men in the Body of Christ grow to understand how to break the old, destructive choices that have kept them in bondage. In recent years, he has hosted a radio program entitled “Believe Right” and now a television ministry of the same title seen on several regional channels and the Internet several times weekly. RCI is the local church operation of the incorporation MFC Ministries for which Apostle Joe serves as President and senior leader. Recently, the media ministry of MFC Ministries has expanded to include an international radio broadcast reaching parts of India, China, and Russia as well as television broadcasts on many more stations regionally in the United States. He is also the author of one book entitled "The Saving of America".

The Saving of America

The Saving of America

Apostle Joe is originally from Clairton, Pennsylvania but presently lives in Fairmont, West Virginia. He serves the call of God on his life throughout northern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania according to Isaiah 61:1-3. In his personal life, Apostle Joe was a blessed entrepreneur, owning a successful pre-owned car lot for almost twenty years. He has been married to Pastor Rena Perozich since 1977 and is the father of two daughters. He also has a son-in-law, two grandsons and one granddaughter.

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Rena Perozich

Rena Perozich


Pastor Rena Perozich is a mentor and life-coach for women and an encourager to many others. She is the founder and host of a successful multi-denominational women's ministry called Women of Witness. Through Women of Witness, Rena helps other women find their purpose with God and build strong, healthy relationships with others. Women of Witness meets monthly for a round table discussion of books and articles relevant to modern Christian womanhood. She also hosts a spring Women's Tea and a Fall Intensive.

By profession, Pastor Rena is a full-time pastor ordained with MFC Ministries and is the Senior Elder at Restoration Church International where she specializes in pastoral counseling for women of all ages and relationship counseling. She ministers prophetically with a strong healing and deliverance anointing. She has a gift for teaching God's Word in an exciting and understandable manner.

Moments that Matter

Moments that Matter

The ABCs of being a Mother

The ABCs of being a Mother

She is the author of two books, "The ABC's of Being a Mother" and "Moments That Matter: 40 Day Marriage Devotional", and many songs along with writing a daily blog, “RPM Daily”. She also co-hosts, with her husband, a television program titled "Believe Right" which can be seen regionally on various cable systems and online.

In her personal life, she is an avid cyclist and excellent cook. She and her husband, Joe Perozich, have been married since 1977 and have two adult daughters. 

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Our History


November 1997

Restoration Church International (formerly Morgantown Faith Center) began with one salvation from a home visit. Joe and Rena were in a local church at the time and were sent out by their leadership to birth a ministry.


November 1997 - September 1998

The ministry quickly grew into a home Bible study.


September 1998 - March 2000

That meeting soon outgrew the home and was moved to a rented, repurposed garage on the Mileground in Morgantown, WV.


Holiday Inn Express

March 2000 - September 2000

Eighteen months later, with the growth of the congregation and changes in the property ownership, it became necessary to hold services in the Pierpont Center Holiday Inn Express conference room in Morgantown, WV.


September 2000 - June 2006

That growth then led to the acquisition of a small church building located at 300 Highland Avenue, Morgantown, WV (which is now ministry headquarters). Services were held there for eight years.

First MFC Building

Two-services

June 2006 - August 2008

The ministry began to hold two services each Sunday in the first MFC Building (300 Highland Avenue).


August 2008 - November 2011

Motivated by the summer’s heat and a broken air conditioner, the congregation moved to the Ballroom at Ramada Inn, Morgantown, WV. After a few short weeks, the growth in attendance left the congregation with no choice but to continue holding services in the hotel. RCI held Sunday services at Ramada Inn for over three years setting up and tearing down all of the equipment every week.

Ramada Inn

New Building

November 2011

The ministry acquired its most recent location at 2198 Blue Horizon Drive (the facility formerly used by New Life Ministries). Services were held Sundays and Wednesday at the new location.


January 2015

Morgantown Faith Center announced the renaming to Restoration Church International.

New Logo

rci_logo

October 2016

Opened a campus in Monongahela, PA.



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Making Membership Plain


Give Evidence of a Genuine Experience of the New Birth

Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. On the cross Jesus Christ became sin and sickness 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 we are 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 the 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). 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” 1 John 3:23

Live a Consistent Christian Life

  • Personal Ethics

    • “I can do anything I want to if Christ has not said no, but some of these things aren’t good for me. Even if I am allowed to do them, I’ll refuse to if I think they might get such a grip on me that I can’t easily stop when I want to.” I Corinthians 6:12 (TLB)

    “We can always “prove” that we are right, but is the Lord convinced?” Proverbs 16:2 (TLB)

    “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you.” I Thessalonians 5:12

  • Obedience to Law

    • “Obey the government, for God is the one who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.” Romans 13:1-2 (TLB)

    “Obey the laws, then, for two reasons: first, to keep from being punished, and second, just because you know you should. Pay your taxes too, for these same two reasons. For government workers need to be paid so that they can keep on doing God’s work, serving you. Pay everyone whatever he ought to have; pay your taxes and import duties gladly, obey those over you, and give honor and respect to all those to whom it is due. Pay all your debts except the debt of love for others - never finish paying that! For if you love them, you will be obeying all of God’s laws, fulfilling all his requirements. Another reason for right living is this: you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed.” Romans 13:5-8, 11 (TLB)

  • Family/Household

    • “Honor your father and mother, that you may have a long, good life in the land the Lord your God will give you.” Exodus 20:12

    “For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?” I Timothy 3:5

    “Their wives must be thoughtful, not heavy drinkers, not gossipers, but faithful in everything they do.” I Timothy 3:11 (TLB)

    “The men you choose must be well thought of for their good lives; they must have only one wife and their children must love the Lord and not have a reputation for being wild or disobedient to their parents. These elders must be men of blameless lives because they are God’s ministers. They must not be proud or impatient; they must not be drunkards or fighters or greedy for money.” Titus 1:6-7 (TLB)

    “That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.” Titus 2:2-4

    “You wives must submit to your husbands’ leadership in the same way you submit to the Lord. For a husband is in charge of his wife in the same way Christ is in charge of his body the Church. (He gave his very life to take care of it and be its Savior!) So you wives must willingly obey your husbands in everything, just as the Church obeys Christ. And you husbands, show the same kind of love to your wives as Christ showed to the Church when he died for her, to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God’s Word: so that he could give her to himself as a glorious Church without a single spot or wrinkle or any other blemish, being holy and without a single fault. That is how husbands should treat their wives, loving them as parts of themselves. For since a man and his wife are now one, a man is really doing himself a favor and loving himself when he loves his wife. No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body the Church, of which we are parts. (That the husband and wife are one body is proved by the Scripture which says, “A Man must leave his father and mother when he marries, so the two shall be one.”) So again, I say, a man must love his wife as a part of himself: and the wife must see to it that she deeply respects her husband - obeying, praising and honoring him. Children, obey your parents; this is the right thing to do because God has placed them in authority over you. Honor your father and mother. This is the first of God’s Ten Commandments that ends with a promise. And this is the promise: that if you honor your father and mother, yours will be a long life, full of blessing. And now a word to you parents. Don’t keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful. Rather bring them up with the loving discipline the Lord himself approves, with suggestions and godly advice.” Ephesians 5:22-31, 33-6:4 (TLB)

  • Control

    • “....For a man is a slave to whatever controls him.” II Peter 2:19 (TLB)

    “Even if we believe that it makes no difference to the Lord whether we do these things, still we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves; for we must bear the burden of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others - of those who feel these things are wrong. Let’s please the other fellow, not ourselves, and do what is for his good and thus build him up in the Lord.” Romans 15:2-3 (TLB)

  • Adultery/Immorality

    • “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14

    “...try hard to live without sinning; and be at peace with everyone so that he will be pleased with you when he returns.” II Peter 2:14 (TLB)

    “You shall not commit adultery. But I say: Anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28 (TLB)

    “...Don’t fool yourselves. Those who live immoral lives, who are idol worshipers, adulterers or homosexuals will have no share in his Kingdom ....” I Corinthians 6:9 (TLB)

    “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” I Corinthians 5:11 (TLB)

  • Drunkenness/Drugs

    • “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and won’t obey; he is a worthless drunkard. Then the men of the city shall stone him to death. In this way you shall put away this evil from among you, and all the young men will hear about what happened and will be afraid.” Deuteronomy 21:20-21 (TLB)

    “...envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:21 (TLB)

    “Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” I Corinthians 6:10 (TLB)

    “Don’t drink too much wine, for many evils lie along that path; be filled instead with the Holy Spirit, and controlled by Him.” Ephesians 5:18 (TLB)

    “For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.” Proverbs 23:21

  • Homosexuality

    • “You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination” Leviticus 18:22. “...God let go of them and let them do all these evil things, so that even their women turned against God’s natural plan for them and indulged in sex sin with each other. And the men, instead of having a normal sex relationship with women, burned with lust for each other, men doing shameful things with other men and, as a result, getting paid within their own souls with the penalty they so richly deserved. So it was that when they have God up and would not even acknowledge him, God gave them up to doing everything their evil minds could think of. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness and sin .....” Romans 1:26-29

    “Don’t you know that those doing such things have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who live immoral lives, who are idol worshippers, adulterers or homosexuals will have no share in his Kingdom....” I Corinthians 6:9-10

Follow the Scriptural Practice of Tithing in the Storehouse (i.e. Local Church)

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Malachi 3:10

Support Restoration Church with Regular Attendance

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

Subscribe to the Doctrines and Teaching of Restoration Church

“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3

Complete Membership Course


Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


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Ministries & Outreaches


Restoration Church is a local church with a global mission. We have ministries and activities that will impact the local community, the region, and the world. Here are just a few of the ministries, outreach opportunities, and special services we offer.

Men of Honor

Men’s mentorship meetings hosted by Apostle Joe Perozich and other guest hosts. This ministry meets monthly on the second Saturday at 8:00 AM. Monthly meeting features breakfast fellowship, book discussions, and open discussion where men can ask questions and receive some guidance from others that have faced similar issues. Men of Honor also holds recreational outings so men can connect and have fun together!

Women of Witness

Women’s mentorship meetings hosted by Pastor Rena Perozich. This ministry meets monthly on the second Saturday at 10:00 AM. Meetings feature book discussions, prayer, impartation, and Pastor Rena’s famous “Tips for Life” articles. Women of Witness hosts an annual Fall Intensive. Women of Witness also engages in various community service activities each year including participating in the WV DOH “Adopt-a-Highway” Program and volunteering at the West Virginia Grief Center to name a few.

LifeBoats

Twice a month we meet "house to house" (as found in the Book of Acts) to study the Word of God and fellowship together. We call these informal meetings "LifeBoats" because they are meant to help gather people from a turbulent "Sea of Humanity" and bring them to safety in God's ship (the local church).

Each LifeBoat is led by a member of our congregation and guided by a study plan. In most LifeBoats, the evening concludes with a light snack and a time of fun and fellowship. These gatherings help to foster relationships and connect families.

LifeBoats meet in various homes, in different cities in our region, on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month at 6:00 PM.

Restoration Christian College & School of Ministry (RCCSM)

Restoration Christian College & School of Ministry (RCCSM) offers programs for students of the Word of God seeking to dig deeper in their studies. RCCSM uses curriculum from International School of Ministry (ISOM). ISOM enables every Christian believer to be trained for ministry by local church-based schools. This curriculum features well-known teachers from around the world, here to impart life messages in their areas of expertise. This school provides a complete training experience including a facilitator's guide, workbooks, group discussions, homework assignments and tests.

Prison Ministry

A team of ministers from Restoration Church enters a local Federal Correctional facility every week to preach the Word of God to the inmates housed there. Our faithful team has continued to minister in the prison since 2004 and have seen the numbers ebb and flow. Currently, almost one hundred inmates attend services and we have reports of many healings and other miracles.

Food Pantry & Benevolence

Matthew 25:35-40 shows us the importance Jesus placed on feeding the hungry and helping those in need. We have operated a food pantry and benevolence ministry at varying scopes. From gathering, processing, and distributing food at our own facilities to supporting other entities that do, we are actively involved in helping to stem hunger in our local community. Furthermore and unbeknownst to many, our congregation regularly helps families and individuals in need in a variety of ways.

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Why We are Here


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Why We Are Here  

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Managing the Local Church


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Managing the Local Church  

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Understanding the Ministry of the Body of Christ


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Ministry of the Body  

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Stewardship of Finances


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Stewardship of Finances  

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Pastoral Relationship


Please use the resources in this book and your own Bible to respond to the following prompts. Click the button to get started and then come back to this page when you finish.

The pastor of the church is likened to the shepherd in this illustration. The sheepfold is the local church and the sheep are the believers in the flock. It is the shepherd who guards the sheepfold and stands by the gate to make sure that the sheep are all accounted for and safely inside the fold at night where wolves cannot harm them. Likewise, it is the shepherd who greets and calls the sheep by name as they go in and out at the gate of the sheepfold. This important illustration teaches us that the pastor that God has set over the flock must know who comes and goes because they must give an account to God for those entrusted into their care by the Great Shepherd, Jesus. Therefore it is the pastor that welcomes people officially into the membership of the local church properly with blessing and acceptance. This is an understood and accepted practice in all Christian churches. If a person is led by God to leave the church they have joined, the pastor should be the first to know and give the official blessing of the church to that individual so that they may enter another sheepfold with blessing upon their lives.

Many believers leave the churches they join improperly due to an offense that has been committed or a misunderstanding that has not been discussed. This usually occurs without explanation or in secrecy and is a violation of integrity.

Pastoral Relationship  

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Temperaments Survey


Stop Sign

STOP! Please do not read ahead to the next section. Doing so will taint your responses and you’ll find that you are unable to truthfully respond to the questions contained in this questionnaire.

Instructions are found on each step of this survey.

Begin by clicking on the button below, read the instructions found there, and follow them closely.

Temperaments Survey  

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Temperament Definitions


Stop Sign

Stop! Please make sure to take temperaments survey before looking at this section. Looking at this will taint your responses and you’ll find that you are unable to truthfully respond to the questions contained in the questionnaire.


Melancholic

Occupational Skill & Hobbies

  • Artist / Musician
  • Seamstress
  • Culinary Arts
  • Accountant
  • Beautician
  • Spectator at athletic events
  • Educator-Math, Science. English
  • Interior designer
  • Fashion designer
  • Author
  • Crafts
  • Poetry Writer or enjoyed
  • Inventor
  • Philosopher
  • Theoretician

Relationships With Others

  • Dependable friend
  • Self-sacrificing friend
  • Faithful & Loyal friend
  • Makes friends cautiously
  • Covenant friend
  • Moody over creations

Areas to Overcome in

  • May tend to be critical of other imperfections
  • Searches for perfection
  • Judgmental
  • Fearful of others
  • Can erupt in anger after stuffing hurts inwardly for a long time
  • Often deeply hurt by others
  • Carry a grudge, revengeful
  • Dislikes those who oppose
  • Can be hard to get along with

Emotional Areas to Overcome in

  • Moodiness, gloominess, negativism
  • Pessimistic
  • Martyr-likes to suffer
  • Hypochondriac
  • Negative attitude toward self
  • Depression
  • Prideful

Work Activity (Positive)

  • Strong perfectionist tendency
  • Self-disciplined; finished work
  • Efficient
  • Creative thinking work
  • Conscientious & thorough
  • Gifted; genius prone
  • Knows own limitations

Work Activity (Negative)

  • Indecisive
  • Theoretical & Impractical
  • Tires easily
  • Hesitant to start new projects
  • Sometimes too much analysis
  • Life work must demand sacrifices

Emotional Strengths

  • A romantic
  • Rich, sensitive nature
  • Analytical ability
  • Responsive emotionally
  • A deep, reflective thinker

Bible Character Types

  • Moses
  • Elijah
  • Solomon
  • John

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Choleric

Occupational Skill & Hobbies

  • Leadership abilities
  • Professional abilities
  • CEO’s
  • Presidential positions
  • Home entertainer
  • Executive secretaries
  • Participates in athletics
  • Administration
  • High School Teacher
  • Precinct Workers
  • Bank Trust Officer
  • Crusader

Relationships With Others

  • No expectations of others to do what they cannot do
  • Not easily discouraged
  • Leadership aggressiveness
  • Usually a good judge of people
  • Motivator
  • Exhorter
  • Not daunted by circumstances

Areas to Overcome in

  • Lack of compassion
  • Makes decisions for other
  • Cruel, hard
  • Sometimes sarcastic
  • Dominates group
  • Arrogant or bossy
  • Uses people for own benefit
  • Unforgiving, revengeful
  • Prone to bigotry
  • Prideful
  • Domineering

Emotional Areas to Overcome in

  • Anger
  • Opinionated
  • Insensitive to needs of others
  • Unemotional, Cold
  • Unsympathetic, even harsh at times
  • Impulsive, Impetuous

Work Activity (Positive)

  • Usually good organization
  • Promoter, Decisive
  • Intuitive ability
  • Bold in an emergency
  • Quick minded
  • Does not vacillate
  • Encourages others to action
  • Thrive on opposition
  • Goal setter and attainer

Work Activity (Negative)

  • Over confident
  • Crafty, opinionated
  • Bored by details
  • Non-analytical
  • Forces other to agree
  • Tiresome, hard to please

Emotional Strengths

  • Confidence
  • Makes decisions well
  • Strength of will, determined
  • Optimistic Self-Sufficient
  • Fearlessness
  • Bold

Bible Character Types

  • Apostle Paul

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Phlegmatic

Occupational Skill & Hobbies

  • Homemakers
  • Good parents
  • Books keeper
  • Counselor
  • Teacher-elementary
  • Crafts / Seamstress
  • Administrator
  • Secretary
  • Gourmet Cook
  • Spectator at Sports Events
  • Diplomat
  • Scientist

Relationships With Others

  • Pleasant to be with
  • Has many friends
  • Dry, witty sense of humor
  • Softening effect on others
  • Constant & Faithful
  • Peacemaker
  • Good listener
  • Faithful Friend
  • Gives advice only when asked
  • Non-threatening

Areas to Overcome in

  • Does not want to get involved
  • Selfish, stingy
  • Studies people with indifference
  • Unenthusiastic
  • Stubborn
  • Teases those who annoy him/her
  • Not too cordial
  • Attitude of superiority

Emotional Areas to Overcome in

  • Low self-confidence
  • Pessimistic, fearful, worries a lot
  • Rarely laughs aloud
  • Passive and indifferent
  • Compromising
  • Self-righteous

Work Activity (Positive)

  • Works well under pressure
  • Practical, easy way of working
  • Conservative
  • Neat & Proficient
  • Plans work before beginning
  • Stabilizing influence
  • Dependable Worker

Work Activity (Negative)

  • Does not want involved a lot
  • Slow and sometimes lazy
  • Reluctant leader
  • Lack of motivation
  • Indecisive
  • Protects self from involvement
  • Discourages others
  • Opposes change of any kind

Emotional Strengths

  • Calm & dependable
  • Good natured, easy to get along with
  • Cheerful, not talkative
  • Kind-hearted
  • Peaceful

Bible Character Types

  • Abraham

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Sanguine

Occupational Skill & Hobbies

  • Actress
  • Speaker
  • Salesperson
  • Visiting & Caring for the sick
  • Good Cook
  • Volunteer Work
  • Loving parent
  • Foster Home Parent
  • Leader
  • Hospitality Worker
  • Receptionist
  • Participant in Sports Events

Relationships With Others

  • Makes friends easily
  • Warm and hospitable
  • Responsive to people
  • Enjoyable and optimistic
  • Friendly
  • Easy to apologize
  • Tender and sympathetic
  • Converses with genuine warmth
  • Shares joy and sorrows well
  • Spreads enthusiasm

Areas to Overcome in

  • Dominates conversation
  • Not attentive
  • Competitive
  • Seeks credit and approval
  • Enjoys people then forgets them
  • Makes excuses for negligence
  • Talks too much about self
  • Forgets promises and obligations
  • Jealous nature

Emotional Areas to Overcome in

  • Cries easily
  • Emotionally unpredictable
  • Restless
  • Spontaneous anger
  • Exaggerates anger
  • Appears phony
  • Lacks self-control
  • Makes emotional decisions: Impulsive
  • Naïve and childlike
  • Comes on too strong

Work Activity (Positive)

  • Good first impression
  • Lives in the present; not bored
  • Gifted in caring for ill
  • Easily engages in new plans, projects

Work Activity (Negative)

  • Disorganization
  • Seeks self-promotion
  • Not dependable
  • May often come late
  • Undisciplined
  • Wastes peoples time and their own
  • Does not carry projects to completion
  • Often falls short of goals

Emotional Strengths

  • Charisma
  • Talkative
  • Lives in present
  • Infectious conversation starter
  • Capacity for enjoyment

Bible Character Types

  • Peter the Storyteller

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Spiritual Gifts Survey


Your responses to this survey will help our staff consider which areas of Christian ministry you would be most suited to serve. Some find these questions boring and redundant. Please take your time (take many breaks if necessary), but don’t over think your responses.

Spiritual Gifts Survey  

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Serving


As you’re growing and learning more, you may find you want to add your help to the many ministries, departments, and other efforts of Restoration Church. We welcome your help! Please don’t feel any pressure to serve to prove anything to anyone. We need lots of hands to help in many areas, but your personal growth and relationship with God are far more important than any task here on Earth. If you do choose to begin to participate, here are some of the current areas in which our members serve. Please click the button below and mark your areas of interest.

Serving  

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Family Services & Counseling


Family Services

As you’ve learned, we are a full-service, family-friendly church with something for everyone of every age group. We offer nursery services, age-specific children’s church classes for pre-school and school age groups, Middle School and Senior High teen youth classes, as well as something for young adults and others in our main sanctuary. But going to church is more than just what you can learn. It’s about the memories you can make. We also help you make those memories with baby dedications, water baptism services, marriage services, and marriage vow re-dedications.

Baby Dedication: Scheduled, as needed, through the office.

Water Baptism: We try to schedule water baptism services (full immersion) for once every quarter in the warmer months. But this schedule can vary, too, to meet the needs of our members.

Marriage & Re-Dedication Services: Marriage is very important to our church family. We require that couples seeking to use our facilities or ask our pastoral staff to officiate their wedding meet two requirements: 1) complete our established Pre-Marital Course and 2) be members of our congregation in good standing.

Starting Point Class: On an as needed basis.

Counseling

Our pastoral staff offers, at no charge or obligation, Christian pastoral counseling for members and non-members alike. We prefer that appointments be made for counseling sessions to help our pastoral staff schedule their time and be most effective for the greatest number of people. Topics for counseling include marriage issues, work-place issues, and financial issues (among many others). Don’t limit your access to our pastoral staff just to “spiritual issues” as they are anointed and empowered by God to help you in many facets of your life. By pulling on that gift in them, you’ll get the best God has to offer you. To make a pastoral counselling session appointment, please call our ministry office at 304-708-0127.

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Financial Integrity


Supporting your local church financially is part of Christian Life. We don’t take lightly the trust you place in us by donating your hard-earned money and other resources. We have issued publicly the following statement about our Financial Accountability and Procedures:

Statement of Financial Integrity

Since the beginning of this ministry, we have committed ourselves to fulfilling our responsibility to be accountable to God who has entrusted this work to us; to honor those who support MFC Ministries and Restoration Church International and to comply with all governmental requirements, including those relevant to exemption from federal income tax under §501(c)(3).

MFC Ministries implements the following measures to help assure that we fulfill our responsibilities to God, to you, and to the government.

Organizational Structure

Morgantown Faith Center began in 1998 with an unincorporated religious association meeting from house to house. Over the years, that home Bible study grew into a vibrant church on fire for God. In 2006, Morgantown Faith Center reorganized and became MFC Ministries, Inc., a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit corporation, with Morgantown Faith Center being a registered trade name used for the conduct of worship services and similar activities. Men of Honor Ministries and Women of Witness Ministries have been birthed out of MFC Ministries and operate as trade names within MFC Ministries, Inc. In December of 2014, we announced that Morgantown Faith Center would become Restoration Church International and that trade name was duly registered with the State of West Virginia.

Integrity

Each member of MFC Ministries’ Board of Directors complies with a conflict of interest policy, requiring each board member to recuse him or herself from any deliberations and voting on any matter that directly relates to him or her, and to always act in the best interest of the organization.

External Monitoring

Since 2006, MFC Ministries has been monitored monthly by a prominent national outside accounting firm.

Outside Advisors

MFC Ministries does not rely solely on its own resources, but, when needed, retains the services of nationally known and knowledgeable legal and compliance advisors to provide insight, guidance, and training.

Reasonable Compensation

Compensation guidelines for all staff members, including Apostle Joe Perozich and Pastor Rena Perozich, officers and directors, prevent any employee from benefiting from church resources beyond what they specifically earn. The compensation (including any appropriate housing allowance) for Apostle Joe Perozich and Pastor Rena Perozich, officers, directors, and key employees is established and reviewed once annually by an independent Executive Leadership Compensation Committee (ELCC) as required by the Internal Revenue Service. The ELCC is composed of non-interested non-compensated directors advised by respected professionals. The committee reviews independent compensation survey data and each individual’s contribution to the achievement of the Church’s ministry objectives when setting each person’s compensation. This method is consistent with “best practices” for nonprofit organizations, and with a “safe harbor” method preferred by the Internal Revenue Service, and prevents Apostle Joe Perozich and Pastor Rena Perozich, officers, directors, and key employees from setting their own or each other’s compensation.

Internal Financial Controls

In accordance with “best practices,” as recommended by our accounting firm and auditors, MFC Ministries has implemented additional internal controls related to deposits of cash and checks, purchasing, systems protection, inventory, security, etc. to protect organizational assets.

Internal Audit Team

Our internal audit team is sanctioned and established by our board. This team has considerable authority to accomplish consistent compliance throughout the organization. All employees, including Apostle Joe Perozich and Pastor Rena Perozich, officers, directors, and key employees, are required to abide by the team’s determinations.

Mission’s Integrity

MFC Ministries takes its responsibility as a recipient of your donations very seriously. All control party compensation and other general or administrative costs of the organization are funded by contributions from the attendees of the Restoration Church International church services. This means that 100% of any other contributions to MFC Ministries or its other related ministries, such as donations by mail, telephone, or Internet, are utilized for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and other tax-exempt 501(c)(3) purposes. Similarly, all contributions to Restoration Christian College and School of Ministry remain “in house” to fund the continued provision of church services, Bible classes, and other 501(c)(3) tax exempt activities by that organization.

MFC Ministries is committed to:

Operating at the highest level of financial integrity with the primary vision of advancing the Kingdom of Jesus Christ around the world and empowering Christians to come into the full blessing of God!



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Giving Pathways


  1. Cash/Check/Card via Offering Envelope

    2. Both our Sunday and Wednesday service offers members and non-members both an opportunity to give their tithe and offering via cash/check/card using our offering envelopes. You can also use these envelopes to mail an offering to our ministry headquarters located at 300 Highland Avenue, Morgantown, WV 26505. We only ask that when using an offering that you complete all the fields and questions. This offering envelope and the information contained therein becomes part of your official giving record and we are bound by our policies and procedures to record your giving exactly as you have reported it on the envelope. If on one offering you report “J. Doe”, next time you record “John Doe”, and a third time you record “Mr. J. Q. Doe”, we will be required to create three separate profiles for each entry when in reality all are you.

  2. Online

    3. We offer a secure online donations portal on our website. Using that form, you can create a donor profile or proceed as a guest. If you create a profile you’ll be able to set up recurring donations and see your past giving history more easily.

  3. Text-2-Give

    4. In connection with our online giving, you can also give by text. You may text our giving number, receive a reply link to register your account, complete the registration steps, and then proceed with giving. More detailed instructions are available upon request.

You’ll receive a detailed annual report of all your giving.
Your contributions are 100% tax deductible.

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Bookstore


The church bookstore offers many items that will help you to learn and grow. It includes items that are produced by our media department and the various sermons preached by Apostle Joe Perozich and Pastor Rena Perozich and others here at Restoration Church.

Also, we offer a variety of books and other materials by other prominent authors that will enrich your study time and shed light on many issues. From time to time, you may hear one of our ministers or speakers mention a particular resource from the platform. Whether it be a free offer or a suggested item, the first place to check is our church bookstore.

The bookstore is also your central point for all CD orders and requests for previous messages.

The bookstore is open before and after all Restoration Church services. You can also browse our selection online via our Web Store.

If you are looking for something that is not in the bookstore, please ask one of our clerks.

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Key Contacts


Our RCI office staff fluctuates as members of our team have different availability. To best serve you and future members of RCI, we are offering this worksheet you can complete with your New Members Class Facilitator. Record here the most up-to-date information for the following key contacts:

General Office Inquiries:

Phone: 204-708-0127
Email: info@RestorationChurchIntl.org

Media:

Scott Reppert
Phone: 204-708-0127
Email: media@MFCMinistries.net

Breanna Lash
Phone: 204-708-0127
Email: blash@mfcministries.net

Financial Secretary:

Peggy Barnett
Phone: 204-708-0127
Email: pbarnett@mfcministries.net

Children’s Department:

Christy Fitzpatrick
Phone: 204-708-0127
Email: cfitzpatrick@mfcministries.net

Prayer Requests:

Glenda Fox
Phone: 204-708-0127
Email: gfox@mfcministries.net

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How to Deal with an Evil Report


The Problem

  • What causes conflicts in families, churches or organizations to flare out of control and split an entire group?
  • What causes close friendships to be broken when neither parties offended the other?
  • Why are attempts to restore a fallen Christian brother or sister often met with defeat?

A Major Cause:

WRONG RESPONSES TO AN EVIL REPORT

Definition:

An evil report involves distortion of facts, incomplete facts or false information. It is given with wrong motivation and causes the hearer to come to inaccurate conclusions and to respond with unscriptural “solutions”. Evil reports are so destructive that they can even destroy long-lasting, close friendships. “A whisperer separateth chief friends”. Proverbs 16:28

Note: Wrong should never be covered over. It must be brought to the attention of those who are responsible and dealt with in a scriptural manner. This necessary process will be damaged by the defilement of an evil report.

Stages of Defilement

In the medical world, there are stages in the development of a disease. In the same way, there are stages of destruction to a spiritually healthy person:

  1. IGNORANCE of “preventive” measures to avoid contamination;
  2. EXPOSURE to one who is “already infected;”
  3. CONTAMINATION (defilement) by allowing the “germs” to enter one’s system"
  4. INFECTION as the "germs" overcomes one’s normal defenses.
  5. DISEASE when the infection destroys vital life supporting functions.

IGNORANCE

Satan will gain an advantage over us if we are ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:11

IGNORANCE IS NOT BEING AWARE OF THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF UNTRUE OR DISTORTED WORDS

The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity...it DEFILETH the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of Hell. James 3:6

  1. Ignorance of how words destroy close friendships: He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends. Proverbs 17:9
  2. Ignorance of how the unclean defile the clean, rather than the clean influencing the unclean. Haggai 2:11-14
  3. Ignorance of what constitutes an evil report: It is an unauthorized, distorted, or false report, which influences us to form an evil opinion about another person.
  4. Ignorance of how evil reports are given: Evil reports are communicated by words, facial expressions, gestures, and tonal patterns. They can be subtle or obvious, quiet or angry, sweet or bitter.
  5. Ignorance of whom gives evil reports: Giving bad reports is part of the fallen nature of every person.

    6. WHISPERER: One who secretly or privately passes on evil reports to others. Psalm 41:7

    GOSSIP: One who magnifies and sensationalizes rumors and partial information.

    SLANDERER: One who seeks to destroy another’s credibility or reputation with damaging facts, distortion of facts, ore evil suspicions. Numbers 14:36

    BUSYBODY: One who digs up evil reports and makes it his or her business to spread them by means of gossip, slander, or whispering. Such an action is as great a sin as murder or stealing. It is classified with these by God when He warns: Let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evildoer or as a busybody in other men’s matters. I Peter 4:15

  6. Ignorance of what motivates an evil report: James 3:14-18
    • BITTERNESS: Reacting because of personal hurts.
    • REBELLION: Justifying an independent spirit.
    • DECEPTION: Believing that evil reports are right to give.
    • PRIDE: Wanting to exalt self.
    • GUILT: Justifying past actions or attitude.
    • ENVY: Desiring what another has.
  7. Ignorance of how susceptible we are to evil reports:

    8. We enjoy hearing them because they exalt us. They bring down or hurt those whom we dislike.

  8. Ignorance of how Satan uses evil reports:
    • To discredit spiritual leadership.
    • To cause Christians to close their spirits toward one another.
    • To multiply conflicts and produce more ungodliness.
    • To prompt non-Christians to mock Christianity and reject Christ.

EXPOSURE

A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on and are punished. Proverbs 27:12

EXPOSURE IS ENTERING INTO CONVERSATION WITH A PERSON WHO IS A CARRIER OF AN EVIL REPORT

How does God want us to respond?

  • Who so privily slandereth his neighbor, him I will cut off… Psalm 101:5
  • Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. Ephesians 5:10-12
  • Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them. Romans 16:17

We have protective physical defenses to warn us about physical contamination. We can smell it or see it or taste it. Sometimes, however, we are unaware of contamination until it is too late. In the same way, God gives us protective spiritual defenses to warn us about spiritual contamination.

We can sense the prompting of God’s Holy Spirit, follow the warnings of God’s Word, and obey the wise counsel of our human authorities. Sometimes, however, we are unaware of spiritual danger until it is too late.

HOW TO DETECT A CARRIER OF AN EVIL REPORT:

  • A carrier will usually test your spirit before giving you the evil report. Any evidence of a compatible spirit in you will encourage him to give you the report.
  • A carrier will usually check your acceptance of his report before giving it to you. He may do this by asking for your opinion about the person or dropping a negative comment and observing your response to it.
  • A carrier will often get you to ask for the evil report by creating curiosity about it. Some starters are: "Have you heard about (the person)?” Or “Wait ‘til I tell you about (the person)!"
  • A carrier may communicate an evil report by asking us for counsel or by sharing a concern for the person involved.
  • A carrier may use evil reports to get you to admire him or her because of being on the inside and having access to privileged information.
  • A carrier is usually one who evokes vivid details of evil and will even search them out. God condemns such "detectives of darkness" whose tongues are like sharp swords.

HOW TO DETECT AN EVIL REPORT:

Five questions to ask before listening to a carrier:

  1. What is your reason for telling me? Widening the circle of gossip only compounds the problem.
  2. Where did you get your information? Refusal to identify the source of information is a sure signal of an evil report.
  3. Have you gone to those directly involved? Spiritually is not measured by how well we expose an offender, but how effectively by we restore an offender Galatians 6:1
  4. Have you personally checked out all of the facts? Even “facts” become distorted when not balanced with other facts or when given with negative motives.
  5. Can I quote you if I check this out? Those who give evil reports often claim that they are “misquoted.” This is because their words and overriding impressions are reported

DEFILEMENT

The words of a talebearer are as wounds. They go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Proverbs 26:22

DEFILEMENT IS RECEIVING AN EVIL REPORT FROM ANOTHER PERSON AND BELIEVING THAT IT IS TRUE

In the same way that touching a diseased person will defile one’s hands, listening to an evil report will defile one’s mind. It is a reality which must be properly dealt with: ...lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. Hebrews 12:15

A Classic illustration of many listening to an evil report:

Absalom used an innocent-sounding evil report to steal the hearts of almost an entire nation and lead it in a revolt against his own father, King David. The report emphasized his “concern” for suffering people, his “deep desire” that justice be done and his “ability” to be a better administrator than his father. Actually, Absalom was bitter because his father did not bring judgment to Absalom’s half-brother for immorality; so he took matters into his own hands and was rejected for it.

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early and stood beside the way of the gate; and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him and said, O what city are you from? And he said thy servant is one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear you. Absalom said moreover, O that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. ...So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. II Samuel 15:1-6

INFECTION

The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going. Proverbs 14:15

As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. Proverbs 26:21

  • He gathered and organized a group that would be loyal to him, rather than to the one whom he served
  • He was energetic and disciplined
  • He made himself available to the people
  • He sought out those who had grievances
  • He had a personal interest in people
  • He took up the offenses of those who had been hurt
  • He alienated people from their authority by giving an evil report about his leadership
  • He offered to be the representative to make sure things were done right
  • He would use his new position to increase his loyal following
  • He desired acceptance and recognition as well as authority
  • He carried out a tragic takeover of the nation with the help of those who were defiled and infected with an evil report

INFECTION IS RESPONDING TO AN EVIL REPORT WITH HUMAN REASONING AND EMOTIONS RATHER THAN WITH SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING AND GENUINE LOVE

A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips. Proverbs 17:4

If the defilement of an evil report is not cleansed, wrong attitudes, opinions, conclusions, and actions will follow-even toward very close friends: ...a whisperer separateth chief friends. Proverbs 16:28

SYMPTOMS OF INFECTION:

  1. Believing that the evil report is true.
  2. Forming negative opinions based on the report.
  3. Focusing on negative aspects of the person involved.
  4. Interpreting the person’s words and actions as “supporting evidence”.
  5. Judging motives on the basis of the evil report.
  6. Backing away from the person in your spirit.
  7. Telling the evil reports to others.

DISEASE

A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips. Proverbs 17:4

DISEASE IS BEING MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY CONTROLLED BY THE EVIL REPORT AND BY THE DESTRUCTIVE SPIRIT OF THE ONE WHO GAVE TO US

He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; when he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Proverbs 26:24-25

Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people. Leviticus 19:16

A diseased Christian has grieved and quenched the Holy Spirit by taking up the offense of others, making them his own, and adding to them.

SYMPTOMS OF DISEASE:

  • Developing bitterness and/or rebellion, even though the person involved did not directly offend us.
  • Setting ourselves up as the judge in matters which are God’s responsibility, and recruiting others to “our side”.
  • Searching out evil reports and using them to give the worst possible impression: An ungodly man diggeth up evil and in his lips there is as a burning fire. Proverbs 16:27
  • Believing that such actions are actually accomplishing God’s will rather than realizing that we give non-Christians occasion to God's name because of our lack of genuine love: I speak to you're shame …brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault amount you... ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. I Corinthians 6:5-8

Often we do not act on information when we should do so because the defilement or infection hinders God’s grace in us (see Hebrews 12:25)

Attempts to restore a Christian who has been overtaken in a fault will usually fail unless the defilement of listening to an evil report is first cleansed and then replaced with the spirit of Christ’s love, humility and forgiveness.

HOW TO CLEANSE OUR MINDS FROM AN EVIL REPORT:

  1. Ask God to cleanse your mind from the defilement of an evil report.
  2. Pray for God to give you genuine love for each one involved in the evil Report.
  3. Cleanse your mind with the appropriate scriptures:

Have I accepted the evil report as true?

The simple believes every word: but the prudent man looks well to his going. Proverbs 14:15

Keep back your servant from presumptuous sins… Psalm 19:13

  • Presumptuousness is taking a matter for granted and assuming it to be true in the absence of proof to the contrary.

Has the evil report affected how I feel toward the person involved?

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach of spirit. Proverbs 15:4

…for wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you that judge the other, does the same things. Romans 2:1

Above all things, have fervent love among yourselves, for love shall cover the multitude of sins. I Peter 4:8

Love...thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity… I Corinthians 13:5,6

Do I have an urge to tell someone else the evil report?

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ephesians 4:29

A talebearer reveals secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. Proverbs 11:13

He that covereth a transgression seeks love, but he that repeats a matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9

I know my heart is clean:

  • When I lose my urge to tell someone else the evil report.
  • When I grieve over the fact that a report was given.
  • When I have genuine love toward the person involved in the report.
  • When I am prompt to examine my own life for failures.

Act on what you have heard

  • Is God directing you to contact the one who gave you the evil report?
  • To ask the five questions which identify an evil report?
  • To emphasizes the importance of speaking the truth in love? John 17:20-26, Philippians 2:1-4
  • Is God directing you to contact the person involved in the situation in order to check out the facts and help to restore them in the spirit of meekness? Matthew 18:15-18, Galatians 6:1
  • Is God directing you to contact those who are spiritually responsible for the situation?
  • Once they are informed; the responsibility of further action rests with them.
  • Your responsibility is to continue to pray for those involved in the situation.

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Orphan Heart vs. Heart of Sonship


Orphan Heart

Heart of Sonship
See God as Master IMAGE OF GOD See God as a loving Father
Independent / Self-reliant DEPENDENCY Interdependent / Acknowledges need
Live by the Love of Law THEOLOGY Live by the Law of Love
Insecure / Lack peace SECURITY Rest and Peace
Strive for the praise, approval, and acceptance of man NEED FOR APPROVAL Totally accepted in God’s love and justified by grace
A need for personal achievement as you seek to impress God and others, or no motivation to serve at all MOTIVE FOR SERVICE Service is motivated by a deep gratitude for being unconditionally loved and accepted by God
Duty and earning God’s favor or no motivation at all MOTIVE BEHIND CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINES Pleasure and delight
“Must be” holy to have God’s favor, thus increasing a sense of shame and guilt MOTIVE FOR PURITY “Want to be” holy; do not want anything to hinder intimate relationship with God
Self-rejection from comparing yourself to others SELF-IMAGE Positive and affirmed because you know you have much value to God
Seek comfort in counterfeit affections: addictions, compulsions, escapism, busy-ness, hyper-religious activity SOURCE OF COMFORT Seek times of quietness and solitude to rest in the Father’s presence and love
Competition, rivalry, and jealousy toward others’ success and position PEER RELATIONSHIPS Humility and unity as you value others and are able to rejoice in their blessings and success
Accusation and exposure in order to make yourself look good by making others look bad HANDLING OTHERS’ FAULTS Love covers as you seek to restore others in a spirit of love and gentleness
See authority as source of pain; distrustful toward them and lack a heart attitude of submission VIEW OF AUTHORITY Respectful, honoring; you see them as ministers of God for good in your life
Difficulty receiving admonition; you must be right so you easily get your feelings hurt and close your spirit to discipline VIEW OF ADMONITION See the receiving of admonition as a blessing and need in your life so that your faults and weaknesses are exposed and put to death
Guarded and conditional; based upon others’ performance as you seek to get your own needs met EXPRESSION OF LOVE Open, patient, and affectionate as you lay your life and agendas down in order to meet the needs of others
Conditional & Distant SENSE OF GOD’S PRESENCE Close & Intimate
Bondage CONDITION Liberty
Feel like a Servant/Slave POSITION Feel like a Son/Daughter
Spiritual ambition; the earnest desire for some spiritual achievement and distinction and the willingness to strive for it; a desire to be seen and counted among the mature VISION To daily experience the Father’s unconditional love and acceptance and then be sent as a representative of His love to family and others
Fight for what you get! FUTURE Sonship releases your inheritance!

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Local Church Diagram


Church Diagram

This chart is an example of the apostolic local church structure.

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Membership Application


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Membership Application  

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Membership Guidelines


MFC MINISTRIES INC.
d/b/a Restoration Church International
A Nonprofit Corporation


INTRODUCTION

Foremost in the operation of MFC Ministries, Inc. (the “Church”) and its Bylaws in the Word of God as taught in Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible. All Provisions herein are declared to be subject to the word of God which is to every possible extent incorporated herein by reference as a whole and unless otherwise stated to be found in the King James Version or New American Standard Version or other version of the Holy Bible generally accepted among Bible-believing congregations, churches or fellowships throughout this nation or the reading together of these versions to produce an understanding of the truth of the sayings of God to men as found in the Holy Bible.



TENETS OF FAITH AND DOCTRINE


The Church 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.

Section 1. The Scriptures Inspired

The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to man, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason, but no contrary to reason. 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12

Section 2. The One True Godhead

The triune Godhead is comprised of three(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.

Section 3. 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. Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21

Section 4. The Salvation of Man

  1. Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. On the cross Jesus Christ became sin and sickness 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 we are 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 the 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)
  2. 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” 1 John 3:23
  3. Faith and Works. Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and not by human works; however, our works will determine the rewards in eternity. Romans 10:9-10, II Corinthians 5:10

Section 5. Baptism in Water

The ordinance of baptism by a burial with Christ should be observed as commanded in the Scriptures by all who have really repented and in their hearts have truly believed on 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 raised with Him to walk in the newness of life. Matthew 28:19; Acts 10:47, 48; Romans 6:4

Section 6. The Lord’s Supper

“And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup”. I Corinthians 11:24; 25, 28

Section 7. 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 Ghost and Fire, according 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; 1 Cor. 12:1-13). This wonderful experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth. Acts 2:38; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9

Section 8. 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

Section 9. The Ministry

The Ministry 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 firstborn, which are written in Heaven. Ephesians 1:22; 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23

Section 10. Total Prosperity

  1. Spiritual. John 3:3, 11; II Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10
  2. Mental. II Timothy 1:7; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3
  3. Physical. Isaiah 53:4, 5; Matthew 89:17; I Peter 2:24
  4. Financial. III John 1:2; Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; II Corinthians 9:6-10; Deuteronomy 28:1-14
  5. Social. Proverbs 3:4

Section 11. Blessed Hope

Jesus is coming again to gather all His Saints to Heaven. I Corinthians 15:51-52; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; II Thessalonians 2:1

Section 12. 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. Revelation 19:20; 20:10-15

Section 13. 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 Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation 19-11-16; 20:1-7). After this, there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. Revelation 21

Section 14. Christian Life; Scriptural Conduct

  1. Personal Ethics. “I can do anything I want to if Christ has not said no but some of these things aren’t good for me. Even if I am allowed to do them, I’ll refuse to if I think they might get such a grip on me that I can’t easily stop when I want to” (I Corinthians 6:12 (TLB)). “We can always “prove” that we are right, but is the Lord convinced?” (Proverbs 16:2 (TLB)) “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you” (I Thessalonians 5:12).
  2. Obedience to the Law. “Obey the government, for God is the one who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow” (Romans 13:1-2 (TLB)). “Obey the laws, then, for two reasons: first to keep from being punished, and second, just because you know you should. Pay your taxes too, for these same two reasons. For government workers need to be paid so that they can keep on doing God’s work, serving you. Pay everyone whatever he ought to have; pay your taxes and import duties gladly, obey those over you, and give honor and respect to all those to whom it is due. Pay all your debts except the debt of love for others – never finish paying that! For, if you love them, you will be obeying all of God’s laws, fulfilling all his requirements. Another reason for right living is this: you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:5-8, 11 (TLB)).
  3. Family; Household. “Honor your father and mother, that you may have a long, good life in the land the Lord your God will give you” (Exodus 20:12). “For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?” (I Timothy 3:5) “Their wives must be thoughtful, not heavy drinkers, not gossipers, but faithful in everything they do” (I Timothy 3:11 (TLB)). “The men you chose must be well thought of for their good lives; they must have only one wife and their children must love the Lord and not have a reputation for being wild or disobedient to their parents. These elders must be men of blameless lives because they are God’s ministers. They must not be proud or impatient; they must not be drunkards or fighters or greedy for money” (Titus 1:6-7 (TLB)). “that the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. That they may teach young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children” (Titus 2:2-4). “you wives must submit to your husbands’ leadership in the same way you submit to the Lord. For a husband is in charge of his wife in the same way Christ is in charge of his body the church. (He gave his very life to take care of it and be its Savior!) So you wives must willingly obey your husbands in everything, just as the Church obeys Christ. And you husbands, show the same kind of love to your wives as Christ showed to the Church when he died for her, to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God’s Word; so that he could give her to himself as a glorious Church without a single spot or wrinkle or any other blemish, being holy and without a single fault. That is how husbands should treat their wives, loving them as parts of themselves. For since a man and his wife are now one, a man is really doing himself a favor and loving himself when he loves his wife. No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body the Church, of which we are parts. (That the husband and wife are one body is proved by the Scripture which says, “A Man must leave his father and mother when he marries, so the two shall be one”). So again, I say, a man must love his wife as a part of himself and the wife must see to it that she deeply respects her husband – obeying, praising and honoring him. Children, obey your parents; this is the right thing to do because God has placed them in authority over you. Honor your father and mother. This is the first of God’s Ten Commandments that ends with a promise. And this is the promise: that if you honor your father and mother, yours will be a long life, full of blessing. And now a word to you parents. Don’t keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful. Rather bring them up with loving discipline the Lord himself approves, with suggestions and godly advice” (Ephesians 5:22-31, 33-6:4 (TLB)).
  4. Control. “….For a man is a slave to whatever controls him” (II Peter 2:19 (TLB)). “Even if we believe that it makes no difference to the Lord whether we do these things, still we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves; for we must bear the burden of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others – of those who feel these things are wrong. Let’s please the other fellow, not ourselves, and do what is for his good and thus build him up in the Lord” (Romans 15:2-3 (TLB)).
  5. Adultery; Immorality. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). “…try hard to live without sinning; and be at peace with everyone so that he will be pleased with you when he returns” (II Peter 2:14 (TLB)). “You shall not commit adultery. But I say: Anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28 (TLB)). “….Don’t fool yourselves. Those who live immoral lives, who are idol worshipers, adulterers or homosexuals will have no share in his Kingdom…” (I Corinthians 6:9 (TLB)). “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat” (I Corinthians 5:11 (TLB)).
  6. Drunkenness: Drugs. “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and won’t obey; he is a worthless drunkard. Then the men of the city shall stone him to death. In this way you shall put away this evil from among you, and all the young men will hear about what happened and will be afraid” (Deuteronomy 21:20-21 (TLB)). “….envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God”. (Galatians 5:21 (TLB)). “Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians 6:10 (TLB)). “Don’t drink too much wine for many evils lie along that path; be filled instead with the Holy Spirit, and controlled by Him” (Ephesians 5:18 (TLB)). “For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags” (Proverbs 23:21).
  7. Smoking. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple are ye” (I Corinthians 3:16-17). “Haven’t you yet learned that our body is the home of the Holy Spirit God gave you, and that He lives within you? Your body does not belong to you. For God had bought you with a great price. So use every part of your body to give glory back to God, because He owns it” (I Corinthians 6:19).
  8. Homosexuality. “You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:22). “…God let go of them and let them do all these evil things, so that even their women turned against God’s natural plan for them and indulged in sex sin with each other. And the men, instead of having a normal sex relationship with women, burned with lust for each other, men doing shameful things with other men and, as a result, getting paid within their own souls with the penalty they so richly deserved. So it was that when they gave God up and would not even acknowledge him, God gave them up to doing everything their evil minds could think of. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness and sin…” (Romans 1:26-29). Don’t you know that those doing such things have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who live immoral lives, who are idol worshippers, adulterers or homosexuals will have no share in his Kingdom…” (I Corinthians 6:9-10).

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org

Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


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CHURCH GOVERNMENT


Section1. Dual Nature and Dual Authority

The Church is both a spiritual organization and legal non-profit corporate entity. Authority over all legal corporate matters of the Church is vested in the Board of Directors as established in the Bylaws. Authority over all spiritual matters is vested initially in the Apostle and may eventually transition into being vested in the Pastor following the procedure described in Section 2 of this Article. The Board of Directors and Officers have no authority, by virtue of their corporate positions, over spiritual matters. The Apostle and Pastor have no authority, by virtue of their spiritual positions, over corporate matters.

Section 2. Transition of Spiritual Authority

Initially, the spiritual authority over the Church is vested in the Apostle, Joseph Perozich, or his designee. The Apostle may appoint a Pastor in accordance with the procedures established in the Bylaws. If the Apostle appoints a Pastor, the Apostle will periodically release greater authority to the Pastor, as the Lord directs, with the goal being the Pastor eventually taking primary spiritual authority over the Church, if the Lord so directs. In these church Membership Guidelines, the phrase “Apostle/Pastor” refers to the Apostle before any such transition of spiritual authority and refers to the Pastor after such transition of spiritual authority.

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MEMBERSHIP


Section 1. Election of Members of the Congregation

Any person interested in becoming a member of the congregation of the Church shall submit a written and signed application, on a form approved by the Board of Directors, to the Apostle/Pastor of the Church. Each application shall be considered by the Apostle and either approved or disapproved in the Apostle/Pastor’s sole absolute discretion. Applicants whose applications are so approved shall become active members of the congregation of the Church.

Any applicant shall give clear evidence of their new birth in Christ, live a consistent Christian life and worship at the Church on a regular basis for a least a three (3) month continuous period, support the Church financially, and subscribe to the Tenets of Faith as defined by these church Membership Guidelines.

Section 2. Voting Rights

No member of the congregation shall be entitled to any voting rights, rather, all voting rights and management of the corporate matters of the Church are reserved in the Board of Directors and all voting rights and management of the spiritual matters of the Church are reserved in the Apostle/Pastor.

Section 3. Termination of Membership

The Apostle/Pastor may suspend or expel a member of the congregation in the Apostle/Pastor’s sole and absolute decretion.

Section 4. Resignation

Any member of the congregation may resign by filing a written resignation with the Apostle/Pastor.

Section 5. Reinstatement

On written request signed by a former member of the congregation and filed with the Apostle/Pastor, the Apostle/Pastor may, in the Apostle/Pastor’s sole and absolute discretion, reinstate such former member of the congregation to membership of the congregation on such terms as the Apostle/Pastor may deem appropriate.

Section 6. Transfer of Membership

Membership in the congregation of the Church is not transferable or assignable.

Section 7. Regular Religious Services

The members of the congregation shall meet for regular religious services. The day of the week and time for each regular religious service shall be established by Apostle/Pastor.

Section 8. Schools and Seminars

Instruction in the Word of God shall be provided at schools and seminars for members and non-members of the congregation. Private Christian education for the body may also be provided.

Section 9. Code of discipline

  1. Cooperative Action. The members of the congregation of the Church shall give consent to its forms of government, together with the past policies, and to the policy of fundamental unity and agreement, alike in doctrine, conduct and action, and shall conform to the scriptural injunction that there be no division in the body. They shall be subject to the Apostle/Pastor as the Word of God plainly teaches, that the principles of Christian fellowship may be kept inviolate and perpetuated, recognizing its fundamental importance.
  2. Attitude Toward Strife. Inasmuch as no Christian institution can comply with the plain teaching of Scripture unless unity and harmony predominate within its circle, no member of the congregation may use means to incite or engender strife, but shall work in harmony with the other members of the congregation, the Board of Directors, and the Apostle/Pastor, as did the early church (Acts 2:42). If there is cause for dissatisfaction, it shall be called to the attention of the Apostle/Pastor. At the Apostle/Pastor’s discretion, necessary adjustments shall be made (Acts 6:1-7; Matthew 18:15-18).
  3. Financial Support. All members of the congregation shall be expected to support the programs and needs of the Church in proportion as the Lord shall prosper them (Malachi 3:10; I Corinthians 16:1,2; II Corinthians 9:6-9), thereby acknowledging that any institution can stand or be of full service only in proportion as all of the members of the congregation accept their responsibility of maintaining it.
  4. Discipline. The responsibility of administering discipline in the Church is that of the Apostle/Pastor. Some grounds for exercising discipline, suspension of or expulsion from membership in the congregation are as follows:
    1. There shall be an annual membership renewal for all members of the congregation. Failure to renew will result in an automatic removal from the membership in the congregation.
    2. Any member of the congregation who shall without reasonable cause willfully absent himself from the regular services for a period of three (3) consecutive months, shall be temporarily removed from active membership in the congregation. The Apostle/Pastor may inquire, under appropriate circumstances, whether the temporarily removed member is desirous of continuing membership in the congregation.
    3. Unscriptural conduct, failure to maintain membership requirements, or doctrinal departure from the tenets of faith, shall be considered sufficient grounds upon which any person may be disqualified as a member. Such discipline shall be prayerfully administered according to Scriptures by the Apostle/Pastor (Matthew 18:15-17; Romans 16:17; I Corinthians 5:9-13; 2 Thessalonians 3:6).
    4. The Apostle/Pastor shall be empowered to place on the inactive list those who have disqualified themselves as provided for in these Church Membership Guidelines. The Apostle/Pastor shall also have the authority to restore to active membership in the congregation those, who in the opinion of the Apostle/Pastor are not at fault and those who, although at fault, have through repentance requalified for membership in the congregation.
    5. The Apostle/Pastor shall recognize its duty to interview and encourage a proper attitude on the part of those who have been placed on the inactive list. It shall proceed carefully to press for final decision in each case. The decision of the Apostle/Pastor shall be final.

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CHURCH EMPLOYMENT


Section 1. Loyalty

Any person considered for employment with the Church must be a member in good standing of the church, and must remain as a member in good standing throughout any course of employment with the Church. Notwithstanding the circumstances of any Church employee’s employment with the Church, the resignation, suspension or removal of any Church employee as a member of the Church shall automatically serve to suspend or terminate such person’s employment with the Church, at the discretion of the Church’s board of Directors. All Church employees shall be notified in writing of such policy at the time of employment.

Section 2. Terms of Employment

In addition to subscribing to the Church’s requirements for membership, all employees shall sign and acknowledge a statement of the Church’s Tenets of Faith and Doctrine and Code of Discipline. All employees shall be bound by the conditions of such statement, and signature by an employee of the statement shall serve as an acknowledgment that any violation or transgression of any tenet or condition will subject the employee to the Church’s disciplinary proceedings, including suspension, removal as a Church member and termination of employment. The Tenets of Faith and Doctrine, Code of Discipline, and description of Christian Life and Scriptural Conduct, address the Church’s firmly established and sincerely held belief that unscriptural conduct is inconsistent with the religious tenets of the Church, cannot be tolerated and will serve as a basis of discipline for the membership and employment of the Church.

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Updated:2/2/2022