OUR FAITH
It’s all about Jesus.

In The Alliance, we are Jesus people. We say “all of Jesus” because we’re after His Lordship, His leading, and His truth. We long for a complete transformation in our lives through His Spirit.

Scripture tells us that “the same power that raised Jesus from the grave is at work within us” (Rom. 6:10–11). If we believe that, then our lives change. We don’t get as distracted by the latest fad or the newest way to do things because our focus is on Jesus and His supremacy—in everything. We say, “all of Jesus,” because we also believe that it’s possible to believe things about Jesus but not surrender our lives to Him. It is only in that full surrender that we resonate with His heartbeat, offering the hope only He can provide to the world’s marginalized and overlooked.

You see, “all of Jesus” is not just for us; we’re redeemed for other people. That’s why the Alliance family has a 140-some year history of leaning in together on Jesus’ big assignment—fulfill His Great Commission. We’re about taking “all of Jesus to all the world”—that’s why we take His loving message to our neighbors and the nations and to the nations that have come to our neighborhoods.

Our Great Commission Mission

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

– MATTHEW 28:18–20

 

We believe in the Great Commission; this is what Jesus calls His disciples (us) to in Matthew 28:18-20. Our call, as The Christian and Missionary Alliance, is the Great Commission. Everything we do is done in the Holy Spirit, by the Holy Spirit, and through the Holy Spirit in order to take all of Jesus to all the world. Our mission is to be Great Commission people, to make disciples of all nations. We do that through our work—both domestically in the U.S. and internationally.

Today, we continue our mission through 2,000 U.S. churches and more than 700 international workers serving in 80 countries. Over half a million Alliance believers worship in more than 38 languages and dialects. We long to see the name of Jesus proclaimed in our neighborhoods, cities, nations, and in every corner of the world.

Learn More About Missions
Identity
Christ-Centered

We start with Jesus. He is the source of our love, the cause of our worship, and the core of our message. Not only do we begin with Jesus, but we end with Jesus, too, and center ourselves around Him. Everything we are begins and ends with Him.

Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We rely on the Holy Spirit to fill us as we seek to fulfill our calling to every segment of society and spread the good news.

Family

We believe we are at our best when we do this together, serving in a local church and among a community of local churches. We are a diverse family—children of God and brothers and sisters in Christ. We do life together.

THE FOURFOLD GOSPEL

As we seek to know Jesus personally, being one with Him, He will reveal Himself as our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. Simpson called this theology the Fourfold Gospel, the Christological summary, the core values, on which the spiritual DNA of The Christian and Missionary Alliance is built.

Through dramatic spiritual encounters that changed the course of his life, Simpson came to firmly believe that Christ was not only his Savior, but his Sanctifier and Healer, believing also that He was his Coming King.

Read The Fourfold Gospel by A.B. Simpson
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Statement of Faith

What The Alliance believes about God, how He relates to us, and how we relate to Him is foundational in our teachings. The Alliance wholeheartedly serves God and the people of His world based soundly on the Bible. We live and die by these words and believe they bring the only life worth living—one wholly committed to our King Jesus.

We believe that Jesus is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King—this is what we call “the Fourfold Gospel,” the C&MA’s spiritual DNA. Throughout its 100-plus year history, the C&MA has always been known for its distinctive, scripturally grounded views on a number of topics held within the Christian faith. Read more about our statements and perspectives below.

THE ALLIANCE STATEMENT OF FAITH

There is one God (1), Creator of all things (2), who is infinitely perfect (3), existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (4)

Jesus Christ is the true God and the true man. (5) He was sent by the Father (6), conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. (7) He died on the cross, the Just for the unjust, (8) as a substitutionary sacrifice, (9) and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood. (10) He rose from the dead according to the Scriptures. (11) He is now at the right hand of Majesty on high as our great High Priest. (12) He will come again to establish His kingdom, righteousness and peace. (13)

The Holy Spirit is a divine person, (14) sent to indwell, guide, teach, gift, empower, and bear His fruit in every believer, (15) He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. (16)

The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for our salvation. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice. (17)

Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God: (18) he fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature, (19) are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. (20) The portion of the impenitent and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment; (21) and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and bliss. (22)

Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all people (23); Those who repent and believe in Him are justified by grace through faith (24), born again of the Holy Spirit (25), delivered from the dominion of darkness, transferred into the Kingdom of God’s Son(26), granted the gift of eternal life, and adopted as the children of God. (27).

It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly, (28) being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service. (29) This is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion. (30)

Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the whole person. (31) Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures (32) as privileges for the Church in this present age. (33)

The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church, (34) which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations. (35) The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the gospel, and observance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord‘s Supper. (36)

There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life; (37) for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment. (38)

The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent (39) and will be personal, visible, and premillennial. (40) This is the believer’s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service. (41)

(1) Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
(2) Revelation 4:11 1I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
(3) Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
(4) Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
(5) Philippians 2:6-11 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(6) John 20:21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
(7) Luke 1:34-38 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.""I am the Lord’s servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
(8) 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit
(9) Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
(10) Romans 5:9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
(11) 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
(12) Hebrews 8:1 The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven
(13) Isaiah 9:6–7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
(14) John 14:16–18 “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
(15) John 16:13; But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 1 Corinthians 12:4, 11; There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. Acts 1:8; But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Galations 5:22–23; But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(16) John 16:7–11 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
(17) 2 Peter 1:20–21 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 2 Timothy 3:15–17 …and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
(18) Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
(19) Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
(20) 1 Corinthians15:20–23 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
(21) Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
(22) Revelation 21:1–4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
(23) 1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
(24) Romans 3:21–24 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
(25) Titus 3:4–7 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
(26) Colossians 1:13; For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves
(27) Romans 8:14–16; because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. John 1:12; Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
(28) 1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(29) Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
(30) Romans 6:1–14 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don‘t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
(31) Isaiah 53:4–5; Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Matthew 8:16–17; When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."
(32) James 5:13–16 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.)
(33) Acts 4:30; Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
(34) Ephesians 1:22–23 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
(35) Matthew 28:19–20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
(36) Acts 2:41–47 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles‘ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
(37 + 38)) 1 Corinthians 15:20–23 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
(39) Hebrews 10:37 For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay.
(40) Luke 21:27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
(41) Titus 2:11–14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
CHURCH BYLAWS
Information about church governance and documents.

Living Vine is part of the Christian & Missonary Alliance.  Below you will find a copy of our denominational constituation along with our church bylaws.  We would be happy to answer any quesitons you might have about these.  Feel free to message us here. 

Read Our Church Bylaws