Potsdam Area NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH and MEETING HOUSE
315-261-4602
Potsdam Neighborhood Church is a small but ready to grow rural church with a real heart for community. We prefer meeting in our humble but comfortable little building so we have resources to take the love of Christ out to our community and to those most in need. We take seriously Jesus words concerning caring for and having compassion for everyone.
Neighborhood Church and Meeting House must become known for simplifying faith, for authentic church and individual growth in Christ, community outreach, helping ministries, sharing with North Country neighbors and for extending the church far past the walls of our building. We teach we must: "Be the Church, not just go to church!" We hope as our church family connects with God in a close, personal, and authentic way, love and efforts of kindness will be a positive, uplifting influence in our local communities.
These connections can be through the ministries of this local church collectively, or in each individual members own workplace, homes, social circles, and neighborhoods. We also believe in sharing our faith, in an honest and committed way, and by doing what Jesus teaches and following His will in our lives.
This is what we pray for and teach. Each participating in his or her own time, as they grow closer to the Lord. Those attending Potsdam Community Church and Meeting House can continue to learn, worship, or simply seek the truth, for as long as they are comfortable doing so. Should they desire to step their faith walk with Jesus up a step, Neighborhood Church will provide the means to do so. We will do all we can to help our members serve in ministry or provide further understanding so that they can find their place in God's will and continually make their lives that much more rewarding, empowered for greater things, and filled with hope.
ABOUT GOD
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
Genesis 1:1,26,27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14
ABOUT MAN
Man is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. He is the supreme object of God´s creation. Although man has tremendous potential for good, he is marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called "sin". This attitude separates man from God.
Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1,2
ABOUT ETERNITY
Man was created to exist forever. He will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence.
John 3:16; John 2:25; John 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; 1 John 5:11-12; Matthew 25:31-46
ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven´s glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of kings, and Lord of lords.
Matthew 1:22,23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13
ABOUT SALVATION
Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God´s offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin´s penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1
ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY
Because God gives man eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security.
John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10,14; 1 Peter 1:3-5
Our detailed "Belief"
statement for those who want to be sure!
ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. The Christian seeks to live under His control daily.
2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16,17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:1 - We also believe the Bible teaches that, at the moment you believe in Jesus, you are baptized and sealed by the Holy Spirit. This one time experience that comes at the moment of salvation is God's powerful way of declaring, "You're in my family and I'm not going to let you go." The baptism of the Spirit happens the moment you are saved, so you do not need a second experience.
Eph. 5:18 teaches us that we must be FILLED with the Spirit on a continual basis as believers... allowing Him, in a fresh and new way, to cleanse and control our lives. Many believers have a number of experiences throughout their lives of trusting the Spirit to fill them in a deeper way than they ever have before. For some, this can FEEL like a second experience of somehow getting "more" of God's Spirit. The truth is, you receive all of God's Spirit the moment you are saved, and throughout your life will learn to trust more and more of yourself to Him.
From the first days of the church, people have always been more impressed with the spiritual gifts that are more spectacular (healing, tongues, etc). God tells us in 1 Corinthians 12-14 that He is more impressed with the less noticeable gifts, and that He is most impressed with love. Those chapters are filled with warnings about using those more spectacular gifts in ways that draw attention to ourselves rather than to the Lord. Paul says that he would rather speak in a few words that people would understand than in thousands of words in tongues. That is why we don't speak in tongues in our worship services - we want to speak in ways that people understand.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians
ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is God´s Word to all men. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error. There is only one ultimate authority at Neighborhood Church and it is God’s Word. Leadership is always to be verified and accountable to Scripture.
2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5
Potsdam Neighborhood Church and Meeting House is a new church start sponsored by American Baptists Churches NYS/USA
