Psalm 133 “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity ...there the Lord commands his blessing.” Genesis 11:6, “Behold the people of (OFIF) is one and they have all one language... and nothing will be restrained from us, which we have imagined to do.” (1 Corinthians 1:10, Philippians 2:2, 1 Peter 3:8, Ephesians 4:1-6, Colossians 3:14)
Core Beliefs
The following are the core beliefs of Open Fire based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.
LOVE
All things must be done in love and be motivated by love. Remember, love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Corinthians 16:14,1 Corinthians 13:4-8). Do all things without murmuring and disputing (Phil 2:14).
SUBMISSION
Disregard for authority is rebellion. When we disrespect those who are in authority, we disrespect those who placed them in that position (leader/pastor), and ultimately God. “Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves,” Hebrews13:17. Lack of submission hinders the fulfillment of the mission and opens the door to the enemy. (James 4:7, Luke 22:42, Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5).
UNITY
Psalm 133 “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity ...there the Lord commands his blessing.” Genesis 11:6, “Behold the people of (OFIF) is one and they have all one language... and nothing will be restrained from us, which we have imagined to do.” (1 Corinthians 1:10, Philippians 2:2, 1 Peter 3:8, Ephesians 4:1-6, Colossians 3:14).
TEAMWORK
Together each accomplishes more. When a person fails to carry out his/her responsibilities, we accomplish less and pressure increases on the others. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Proverbs 27:17, 1 Corinthians 12:20-25, Rom 15:5-6)
EXCELLENCE
When the Queen of Sheba went to visit King Solomon, she was awed at the quality in which the Kingdom operated. That is symbolic of the world visiting the church and being awed at the level of EXCELLENCE (Daniel 5:12 and Daniel 6:3).
FAITH
All things are possible to him that believeth (Mark 9:23). Without Faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) and the just shall live by Faith (Romans 1:17, Hebrews 10:38).
INTEGRITY
“The quality or state of being of sound moral principle; uprightness, honesty, and sincerity” (Proverbs 10:9, Proverbs 11:3, Proverbs 28:6).
GIVING
God has instituted four general principles that apply to every member; God’s Provision for their lives, Stewardship with all their resources, Generosity with all their heart, and Equal Responsibility in support of their Church . We recognize that everything that we have comes from God and are thankful, we are wise caretakers of all that we possess, like Christ we develop a giving heart, and we all live under the plan of tithing – giving a tenth to the church . It is important to understand that all four principles work together in a rhythm and when one area is off, the other three are affected. (Malachi 3:6-12, Proverbs 3:9-10, 2 Corinthians 9:5-15)
CELL GROUP
Cell group plays a very important role in the life of our ministry; it aids with accountability, bonding and mentorship. It also eases the pressure of the Pastor as it is impossible for one person to effectively counsel an entire church. Moses was wisely advised by his father-in-law, Jethro (Exodus 18:13-22, Acts 6:2-4).