Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.
Matthew 28:19,20
 
The Constitution of Hope…  CONSTITUTION of HOPE OPENING STATEMENT The following document is the Constitution of Hope Church.  It is a stand-alone document intended to give a brief overview of the purposes and practices of this local body of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Other documents, as referenced within this document, are available for additional support and detail to these six articles. ARTICLE 1 ‘Who and Where We Are’ The name of this church is Hope Church.  We will call this church ‘Hope’ for common usage, and we are a home-discipleship church.   A home-discipleship church is a group of believers that have committed themselves to discipleship, first to those in their own household and then, through the household, to those the Lord connects them with.  Hope is an assembly of households from the Colorado Springs area in Colorado.  Contact information can be found through the church website at www.hopefamilies.org.  While Hope is an independent and autonomous church fellowship, solely under the headship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we still recognize that we are but part of His greater body, and will submit to appropriately initiated biblical accountability from within the Christian community.  ARTICLE 2 ‘What’s Distinct About Hope’ Hope’s purpose is to worship God by obeying His will and ways.  This is to be done by equipping the saints, especially through the heads of households, in two areas: 1) to fulfill the Great Commandments to love God and others, and 2) to fulfill the Great Commission by making disciples and teaching them to obey Christ’s commands, all in the effort to grow the kingdom and pass on a spiritual heritage.  Hope’s vision is to facilitate true worship through disciples that have learned to know and apply God’s ways, with skill gained through purposed equipping, and with the goal of being able to reproduce these things in others (i.e. become disciples who can disciple).  Added to this is the desire to reproduce home-discipleship churches many times through planting more churches of similar purpose. Hope’s method to accomplish our purpose is through emphasizing relationships in three main areas: 1) the Sunday event, 2) home discipleship and 3) home ministry.  As much as possible, Hope operates with a multi-generational format, combining all age groups together for events and services.  While we are not exclusively family-integrated, it is our standard practice in most settings. For more details on the distinctiveness of Hope, please refer to the position paper ‘What’s Distinct About Hope’ found in the Constitution support documents. ARTICLE 3 ‘What We Believe’ We acknowledge that differences in doctrinal nuances, worship preferences and basic practices do exist among true believers.  We are glad to worship with, and fellowship with, any who call on Christ as our common ground. 1. We believe that the Bible is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, the only absolute truth.  The Bible is the only authoritative rule of faith, worship, and Christian obedience.  (1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21)     2. We believe in a Triune God, that He is one God in three persons - God the Father, God the Son, (Jesus, the Christ) and God the Holy Spirit - all fully God, all equal in power and glory.  (Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Cor. 8:6; Gal. 4:6; 1 John 5:7)   • We believe that the Father, as God, is the head of the Trinity, the Father of Jesus, and the sender of the Holy Spirit (Jn 6:27; Eph 4:6; Mt:3:17; 1Cor 11:3; Jn 15:26)   • We believe that Jesus, as God, fulfills all of the Scriptural prophecies related to the Messiah and is the Redeemer of a lost world.  He was born of the virgin, and received a human body and a sinless human nature. (Luke 1:30–35; John 1:18; 3:16; Heb. 4:15; John 1:1–2; Phil. 2:5–8)  We believe that, in infinite love for the lost, He voluntarily accepted His Father’s will, became the sacrificial Lamb and took away the sin of the world, bearing the holy judgments against sin which the righteousness of God must impose.  His death was therefore substitutionary in the most absolute sense—the just for the unjust—and by His death He became the Savior of the lost. (Jn 1:29; Rom. 3:25–26; 2 Cor. 5:14; Heb. 10:5–14; 1 Pet. 3:18)  We believe that, according to the Scriptures, He arose from the dead, and that His resurrection body is the pattern that ultimately will be given to all believers. (John 20:20; Phil. 3:20–21)  We believe that He has been seated at His Father’s right hand since leaving the earth, and He never ceases to intercede and advocate for the saved.  We believe that He became Head over all things to the church, which is His body. (Eph. 1:22–23; 5:23; Heb. 7:25; 1 Jn. 2:1 Heb. 1:3)   • We believe that God as the Holy Spirit, dwells in every believer, and by His baptism unites all to Christ in one body, and that He, as the Indwelling One, is the source of all power and all acceptable worship and service.  (Jn. 14:16–17; 16:7–15; 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:20-22)     3. We believe that God created angels, more powerful than man, before He created man.  These angels serve as ministering spirits to both God and man.  We believe that a third of these angels, the demons, have fallen and follow Satan, the greatest of the angels before he fell in opposition to God, His creation and mankind.  Due to this rift in the spiritual world, there is constant spiritual warfare in the world in which we exist.  (Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:14; Rev. 12:4; Ex 28:12; Eph 6:11,12)      4. We believe that God created mankind, and that all men are sinners both by their nature and by their acts, deserving God's wrath and condemnation.  All men are wholly unable to save themselves by good works and are unable to change them-selves without God's work.  (Gen 1; 3:6,7; Jer. 13:23; 17:9-10; Rom. 3:10-19, 23;   1 Cor. 2:14)   • We believe that Jesus Christ died to save His people from their sins and that the shedding of His own blood on the cross secured their salvation eternally.  (Isa. 53:4-12; Matt. 1:21; John 10:11-15)   • We believe that God has chosen, before the foundation of the world, a people for Himself, not because of any good which He foresaw in them, but of His own free grace and love.   (Acts 13:48; Eph. 1:4-14; 2 Thess. 2:13)  We believe that God elects and saves men from every tribe, tongue, people and nation. Even faith and repentance are gifts that God must bring through His Spirit in regeneration before we can confess our sins and believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.  We are commanded to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and invite all to come to Him for salvation, trusting that God will accomplish His own will, and that His Word will not return to Him void.  (Isa. 55:11; 2 Cor. 2:12-17; John 1:12-13; Rom. 9:14-23; Eph. 2:1-10Rev. 5:9-10)  We believe that God calls those whom He saves, sending His Spirit in regeneration to draw them unto Himself and give them the gifts of faith and repentance.  (Jer. 31:3; John 6:44; 2 Cor. 4:6; 2 Thess. 2:14)  We believe that God will preserve to the end all whom He has elected, called and saved.  Also, all whom God preserves will persevere in Christ to the end, bearing the fruits of repentance and faith with a godly life.  (John 6:37-40; 10:27-29; Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Pet. 1:5)      5. We believe that this group of people – chosen, saved, called and preserved from the church, Christ’s body on earth and future bride, and that each saint is given at least one spiritual gift for the building up of the church.  (Mt. 16:18; Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4)     6. We believe in the return of Christ for His own, His millennial reign on earth, that all people whom have ever lived will either be with Christ on the new Earth or apart from Christ in Hell.  (1 Cor. 15:51,52; 1 Thess. 4:16,17; 2 Thess. 2:1; Rom. 11:25, 27; 2 Thess. 1:7; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:17; Rev. 19:20; 20:10-15)     7. We believe man's chief purpose is to glorify God and enjoy a relationship with Him forever.  We see worshipping God and the pursuit of holiness as priorities in fulfilling this purpose.  (Jer. 9:24; 1 Cor. 1:26-31; 10:31; Heb. 12:14; 1 Pet. 1:13-21) For any other details on doctrinal stances, please refer to various position papers found in the Constitution support documents for key issues. ARTICLE 4 ‘Our Leadership’ Christ is the Head of Hope church.  We trust Him to lead this church family through a group of overseers we call elders.  The primary role of elders is carried out through a ministry of prayer and the Word, as well as through shepherding the Hope flock.  These elders are men who have proven themselves qualified as per the scriptural standards for overseers found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 & Titus 1:7-9.   Serving the elders are deacons, men qualified as per 1 Timothy 3:8-13, who are available to assist the elders as directed in meeting any of the needs of the body.  Directly under the elders are the heads of the households themselves.  The church is to equip and assist the body in their roles at home, in the development and use of their spiritual gifts for the building up of the kingdom and in the applications of the ‘one anothers’ of scripture. Hope church can agree to employ an elder in a full- or part-time capacity.  The purpose of an employed elder will be to provide added oversight or more focused equipping, in conjunction with the other elders, in the achievement of Hope Church’s purpose. For more details on elders, deacons and the heads of households, (as well as elder and deacon selection and service), please go to http://www.hopefamilies.org/article4expnd.html to find an expanded version of this article. ARTICLE 5 ‘How We Operate’ Hope, as a home-discipleship church, has very little programming that needs to be administrated, and as an elder-led church, few leadership structures to regulate. However, Hope acknowledges that there is still a certain amount of ‘organization’ necessary to facilitate smooth and healthy interactions between the families, in the coordinating of worship services and in the meeting of body needs.  In light of this, policies are in place to regulate activities such as operational and accounting practices, record keeping, amendment processes, etc.  For more details on the operational components and practices of Hope, please refer to the related policies and procedures found in the Constitution support documents. ARTICLE 6 ‘Membership’ Hope Church strives to function as a family of families more than as an institution or an organization.  As believing individuals and families, we first are members of the greater body of Christ.  It is then our freedom to regularly associate and gather with other believers, near to us both doctrinally and geographically, who desire to express their faith in similar ways.  Being a member of a group or organization is usually based on certain qualifications.  By virtue of already being members of the body of Christ, Christians that decide to associate together as Hope Church will be considered ‘members’ based on regular attendance in Hope’s Sunday Event.  As such, they will be expected to abide by the Body Covenant of Hope Church.    We see this as a covenant with THE church, not just A church.   The Body Covenant we expect those at Hope to abide by is below.  It outlines the relationship entered into by the two parties of this covenant: any individual church attender (member) and the rest of the body, in this case represented by the others attending Hope.  Hope’s leaders may represent the body in various issues at times, but the body, as part of the body of Christ, will be expected to operate according to scripture (especially the one-anothers and Matthew 5:23,24; 18:15-20). BODY COVENENT   I affirm that I have made a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and will seek to be baptized if I have not already been.  I further affirm that I have read the statement of faith and doctrine of this church and can support the mission, ministry and teachings of Hope Church.   I understand that my responsibilities to Hope Church are to: • seek to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ • support Hope with my regular attendance in the Sunday Event (service & fellowship) • seek to use my spiritual gift(s) to benefit the cause of Christ in the church and in our congregation • support Hope financially through faithful giving (tithing when possible), and additional offerings as God allows • be accountable to Hope in doctrine and conduct • submit to the loving rule, oversight, and authority of the elders regarding reproof, instruction, correction, and loving discipline as given in Matthew 18:15-17.   I expect from Hope, as a member: • a body prepared to extend grace, help and love • a leadership accountable to pray, teach, equip and discipline in love   I believe that the Lord is leading me to be a faithful member of Hope Church.  I affirm and accept my responsibilities as stated above, and by the grace of our Lord and Savior, will seek to fulfill these responsibilities.  For more information as to the purpose and procedures for church membership, see the ‘Membership’ document in the Constitution support documents. CLOSING STATEMENT The overall goal of Hope Church is to honor God by keeping all things in line with scripture, to the very best of our abilities and under the control of the Holy Spirit. This simple constitution, and the related support documents, is meant to first glorify God and second to show respect to the heads of the households who choose to associate their households together as Hope Church.  We seek to be faithful in living up to our calling as members of the greater body of Christ.http://www.hopefamilies.org/http://www.hopefamilies.org/article4expnd.htmlshapeimage_4_link_0shapeimage_4_link_1
Welcome Doctrine Distinctives Connections Calendar Services Links Location Contact Ushttp://www.hopefamilies.orghttp://www.hopefamilies.org/doctrine.htmlhttp://www.hopefamilies.org/distinctives.htmlhttp://www.hopefamilies.org/connections.htmlhttp://www.hopefamilies.org/calendar.htmlhttp://www.hopefamilies.org/services.htmlhttp://www.hopefamilies.org/links.htmlhttp://www.hopefamilies.org/location.htmlhttp://www.hopefamilies.org/contact.htmlshapeimage_7_link_0shapeimage_7_link_1shapeimage_7_link_2shapeimage_7_link_3shapeimage_7_link_4shapeimage_7_link_5shapeimage_7_link_6shapeimage_7_link_7shapeimage_7_link_8

OPENING STATEMENT


    ARTICLE 1 ‘Who and Where We Are’


    ARTICLE 2 ‘What’s Distinct About Hope’


    ARTICLE 3  ‘What We Believe’


    ARTICLE 4 ‘Our Leadership’


    ARTICLE 5  ‘How We Operate’


    ARTICLE 6  ‘Membership’


CLOSING STATEMENT