Theological

Theology intimidates many Christians, but we believe all thought life must begin with the study and knowledge of God. Christian belief must be founded on sound theology. Life needs clear foundations and Christian Truth finds its foundations in clear doctrines that are theological. Our preaching and teaching must be able to be applied to life, but it cannot be separated from content about God, His nature, the nature of Christ, and the means of salvation. Theology undergirds our reading and preaching of Scripture and our life experience.

There are some unique distinctives of Providence Church that we try to consistently emphasize. Some of the most important ones are the following:

1. The Reformed view that God governs all institutions. Each of these institutions is distinct from one another with differing responsibilities, but all are accountable to God. These include the State that is called to obey God, the Church where Christ is the Head, and the Family that is uniquely created by God. This has resulted in our congregation’s refusal to place ourselves under the authority of the State by incorporation. It also means we have a direct responsibility to prophetically call the State to submit to the Kingship of Christ and to be obedient to Him.

2. Church Order: There are a variety of forms of Church polity in Scripture, but we believe that the clearest model is a plurality of elders who pastorally lead the local Church. The Scriptures do not seem to support Church hierarchies or denominations, but there is to be strong cooperation among churches. Extra-local involvement is necessary when heresy or immorality in the leadership demands correction. Otherwise the local church governs itself. We are uncomfortable with Church debt and find the dependence upon of a professional clergy to not be the only model of church leadership. Church programs should serve the people not the people serve the programs. We have no ongoing Sunday School or youth group, preferring to place emphasis on activities as families.

3. Open Worship: When the people of God come together for worship it should not be chaos, but neither should spontaneity or creativity be denied. We have a basic structure whereby we acknowledge God’s presence, then hear from God through the teaching of the Word, then respond in worship, and finally prepare to leave into the world. This provides form, but within this form there is freedom and diversity.

4. Strong Biblical teaching emphasizing the unity of Scripture understood  through  the historical Covenants established by God.

5.  Belief in the sacraments of Baptism and Communion. There are valid arguments for both Believer’s baptism and for Pedobaptism. Therefore rather than dividing over this issue, we practice both and leave the method to the conscience of the individual family.

6. We must create disciples who are effective in the world. Our meetings are directed toward believers and are geared for promoting growth in believers and not for evangelism. In emphasizing the priesthood of all believers, we must create mature, God-fearing disciples who live consistent lives and take their faith into the world.

 

PROCLAIMING

The Church must be prophetic in its proclamation that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, including the home, the church, society, and all governments. He is not just Lord of my life. This is the message of Scripture.

BIBLICAL

The content of our faith must be first and foremost Biblical. To be Biblical is to understand the totality of the message of Scripture in context. “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

REFORMED

The message of the Reformed Faith in the tradition of Luther and Calvin is Faith alone and Scripture alone. Reformed Christians hold to the historic orthodox doctrines of the Faith, which include: The Trinity, the full humanity and divinity of Jesus, the necessity of Christ’s atonement for sin, the resurrection of Jesus, the Church as a divinely ordained institution, the inspiration of the Bible, the requirement that Christians live moral lives, and the resurrection of the body.

STANDARD

Our standard is Jesus Christ and His Word. The Scriptures are the divinely inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God and are to be understood and interpreted in their entirety.

SOLA El IOTA SCRIPTURA
(Only and All of Scripture)

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”
(2 Timothy 3:16-17).

PROVIDENCE CHURCH

Serving the Ashland-Mansfield area and meeting at the Community Center (Lions Club Building) on State Route 603 in the center of Mifflin across from The Mifflin Trading Post.

Sunday services at 10:30 AM

Ordained Elders: 

Kyle Robbins (419-281-2132) Mark Hamilton (419-281-7970) and James DeWeese

Ordained Deacons: 

Chris Fike and Ross Justice

Providence Church is the sponsor for the
Ashland Center for Christian Studies

We are dual confessional, affirming both the Westminster Confession and the London Baptist Confession of 1689. We are affiliated with the Association of Free Reformed Churches (AFRC).