Originally founded on March 9, 1997, Grace Chapel Fellowship was incorporated according to Texas state laws as a non-profit organization. Throughout the years our church has experienced location and name changes, but our membership has always been committed to world-wide evangelation and giving to those in need. Our pastor, Michael Patlan, preaches God’s will through the Gospel. As a congregation, we trust the Lord to continually direct our work while we remain faithful to His Word in these troubled times.

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Grace Chapel Fellowship Statement of Faith

 

1. The Scriptures Are Inspired

 

The Old Testament and New Testament, are Divinely inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man. The Word of God is thus the sole, infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct for the believer. (II Timothy 3:15-17; I Thessalonians 2:13; II Peter 1:21). 

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2. The One True God

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The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent “I AM,” the Creator and Sustainer of heaven and earth, and the Redeemer of mankind. Throughout the Bible God has further revealed Himself as embodying principles of relationship and association as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Based on Scripture,  we believe there is One God eternally existent manifested in Three distinct Persons. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22). 

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3. The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ

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The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. We believe that He was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23). God manifested in the flesh. He lived a sinless life. (Hebrews 7:26). While on earth He performed miracles as supportive evidence of His deity (Acts 2:22). His death on the cross was a substitutionary work to pay for the penalty of sins for those who believe (I Corinthians 15:3 2; Corinthians 5:21). He bodily resurrected from the dead (Matthew 28:6; I Corinthians 15:4). Post resurrection, He presented Himself alive with infallible proofs, then ascended to heaven after 40 days and is seated at the right hand of God (Acts 1:9; Philippians 2:9-11). 

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4. The Fall of Man

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Man was created good and upright for God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12-19). 

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5. The Salvation of Man

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Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

(a) Conditions to Salvation

Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God according to the hope of eternal life (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; 3:5-7).

(b) The Evidences of Salvation

The inward evidence of 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 (Ephesians 4:24; Titus 2:12).

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6. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit

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All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian church. With it comes the enduement 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 Corinthians 12:1-31). This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9). With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as an overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37-39; Acts 4:8), a deepened reverence for God (Acts 2:43; Hebrews 12:28), an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work (Acts 2:42), and a more active love for Christ, for His Word, and for the lost (Mark 16:20).

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7. Sanctification

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Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil and of dedication unto God (Romans 12:1,2; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:12). Scriptures teach a life of “holiness without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey the command: “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). Sanctification is realized in the believer by recognizing his identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, and by faith reckoning daily upon the fact of that union, and by continually offering every faculty to the dominion of the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:1-11,13; 8:1-2,13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12,13; 1 Peter 1:5).

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8. The Ordinances of the Church

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(a) Baptism in Water

The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the Scriptures. All who repent and believe in Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus, they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47,48; Romans 6:4).

(b) Holy Communion

The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements—bread and the fruit of the vine —is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4), a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26), and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26), and is enjoined on all believers “till He come!”

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9. The Church and Its Mission

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The Church 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 1:22-23; 2:22; Hebrews 12:23).

The purpose of the Church is as follows:

a. To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16). b. To be a corporate body in which man may worship God (1 Corinthians 12:13).

 c. To be a channel of God’s purpose to build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son (Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 14:12).

d. To be a people who demonstrate God’s love and compassion for all the world (Psalms 112:9; Galatians 2:10; 6:10; James 1:27).

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10. The Ministry

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A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for the fourfold purpose of leading the Church in: (1) evangelization of the world (Mark 16:15-20); (2) worship of God (John 4:23-24); (3) building a Body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son (Ephesians 4:11,16), and (4) meeting  human need with ministries of love and compassion (Psalms 112:9; Galatians 2:10; 6:10; James 1:27).

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11. The Final Judgment

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There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 19:20; 20:11-15; 21:8).

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12. The Millennial Reign of Christ on earth followed by the New Heavens and New Earth

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The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on the earth for one thousand years (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27,30; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-14; 20:1-6). This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel (Ezekiel 37:21-22; Zephaniah 3:19-20; Romans 11:26-27) and the establishment of universal peace. This will eventually lead into the New Heavens and New Earth. (Isaiah 11:6-9; Psalm 72:3-8; Micah 4:3-4; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21-22).