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What restrictions do you place on your members in the Church of God? |
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We expect diversity, within the scope of the teachings of Jesus, among members of our congregation. Conformity in all matters of doctrine and practice is not the goal of the North Avenue Church of God for its people. We are mutually committed to God in Christ, to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and to service to the wider community.
Some of us express our faith by embracing larger social causes and issues within Battle Creek and beyond to join in a national or international outreach. Some of us express our faith through individual expressions of piety, love and concern. There is room at North Avenue for both types of witness.
We relate to each other not by relying on a strict and uniform doctrinal stance but on our commitment to Jesus Christ, bringing his Spirit to bear on our personal lives and society. We see our bodies as "temples of the Holy Spirit" and our goal is to live holy lives on a daily basis. Therefore, we urge abstinence from some specific behaviors such as sexual immorality and pornography, and urge the avoidance of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and drugs for pleasure or psychological escape (1 Corinthians 6:15, 19-20). |
