First Church

Who is the Church of God?

Membership: We believe that when a person accepts Jesus Christ as Savior, God places that person in the church ("...the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:47). Salvation is what makes one a member.

Unity of All Believers: The Bible teaches that all those who have been born again are a part of God's church and we, therefore, recognize the unity of all believers.

The Bible as Our Rule of Faith: The Church of God has maintained a strong belief that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God. It is the foundation for instruction in the Christian faith.

The Church of God: The Church of God Reformation Movement began in 1881 and now has ministries in 88 nations. There are approximately 7,000 local congregations around the world with over 824,000 believers.

For a more descriptive explanation of our beliefs, go to www.chog.org/our-beliefs and www.chog.org/faq.

Our Vision:
To lead people to spiritual maturity, fostering solid biblical knowledge, practical biblical living, and powerful and effective prayer;

To create an atmosphere where meaningful and fulfilling relationships are developed;

To equip people to do ministry and to express care in practical ways;

To develop balanced disciples who excel in the two greatest commandments;

To be a recognized presence in the community;

To plant a church in northeast Ohio;

To impact our world globally through participation in mission trips, encouraging our people in the consideration of full-time Christian service, and supporting missions financially.

Our Core Values:
Biblical Truth: We stand on the Word of God as the authority for our faith, beliefs, and conduct.
Christ-like Love: We seek to love like Jesus loved by extending care, forgiveness, mercy, and grace to all people.
Biblical Unity: We strive to create oneness within our congregation as well as in the larger body of Christ, while providing room for matters of personal preference and style.
Authentic Living: We seek to live lives of integrity - to be Spirit-led as we pursue holiness.
Spiritual Growth: We strive to develop spiritual maturity in all believers - that all in our congregation would be people who worship enthusiastically, pray fervently, serve humbly, give joyfully, and reach out selflessly.

Our Framework (UNITE):
U-Uniting people with God who made us
N-Nurturing people in spiritual growth
I-Instructing people in biblical truth
T-Touching people and meeting them where they are
E-Equipping people to serve and glorify God in the world