Welcome to Victory Temple Christian Life Center

The Apostles’ Creed is a summary of the core beliefs of Christianity, with roots tracing back to the teachings of the 1st-century Apostles. Together with our Articles of Faith, it serves as the foundational doctrine of Victory Temple Christian Life Center.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Church universal,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

When the Methodist movement in America became a church in 1784, John Wesley provided the American Methodists with a liturgy and a doctrinal statement, which contained twenty-five “Articles of Religion” or basic statements of faith and belief. These Articles of Religion were derived from the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England—the church out of which the Methodism movement began—they serve as the standards by which we govern ourselves.

1. There is one God, the Creator and Preserver of all things, all powerful, infinite in being and perfection. He exists eternally in three Persons: the Father, the Son (the Lord Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit, who are of one substance, equal in power and glory.
2. The eternally pre-existent Son became incarnate without human father, by being born of the Virgin Mary. Thus, in the Lord Jesus Christ, divine and human natures were united in one Person, both natures being whole, perfect, and distinct. To effect salvation, he lived a sinless life and died on the cross as the sinner’s substitute, shedding his blood for the remission of sins. On the third day he rose from the dead in the body, which had been laid in the tomb. He ascended to the right hand of the Father, where he performs the ministry of intercession. He shall come again, personally and visibly, to complete his saving work and to consummate the eternal plan of God.
3. The 66 canonical books of the Bible as originally written were inspired of God, hence free from error.  They constitute the only infallible guide in faith and practice.
4. All members must participate in two sacraments to symbolize and strengthen our dedication to God. Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace, instituted by God, to represent Christ, and his benefits; and to confirm our faith in him. Baptism is a sacrament in which a person is anointed with water as a spiritual union and means of grace. The second sacrament is Communion. In this sacrament, participants eat bread and drink wine/juice to show that they continue to take part in Christ’s redeeming resurrection by symbolically taking part in His body (the bread) and blood (the wine/juice). Baptism and Communion are not only sacraments, but also sacrifices to God.
5. We acknowledge “prevenient,” “justifying,” and “sanctifying” graces. We believe that people are blessed with these graces at different times through the power of the Holy Spirit. Prevenient grace is present before we are saved from the error of our ways. God gives justifying grace at the time of our contrition and forgiveness. And sanctifying grace is received daily as we are saved from our sins and the sins of the world. Methodism teaches that people can only be saved through faith in Jesus Christ, not by any other acts of redemption such as good deeds.
6. We believe in all believers being filled with the Holy Spirit and that the gifts of the Holy Spirit should function in the church decently and in order. The callings of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are functional within the body of Christ until the Lord’s return. The purpose of these gifts to the church is to equip believers for the work of ministry, that the body of Christ might be edified.
7. We do not believe in purgatory, reincarnation, and sacraments other than Communion and Baptism. The Twenty-five Articles of Religion and the Apostles’ Creed serve as the foundation for our doctrinal position.