What We Believe
Open Arms Fellowship is Perth’s ONLY Affirming and Welcoming Pentecostal WORD church; a Modern Independent Pentecostal Family Church based right here in the city of Perth; Teaching and Living the Un-compromised Word of God.
We are a member of the Covenant Network based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
As a Welcoming and Affirming church Open Arms is a place where All of God’s children are welcomed and not judged; they are affirmed for who they are and encouraged to become who they can be IN HIM.
Open Arms Fellowship welcomes all of God’s GLBTIQ people, their families as well as their friends and supporters.
We believe in the TRINITY made up of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. They are 3 divine aspects of the one and the same God; Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent
We believe that human beings are principally a Spirit. That we have a Soul (made up of the Mind, the Will and the Emotions) and we live in a Body. We believe that the Spirit and Soul are Eternal and pass on to a different existence at bodily death.
We believe in the New Birth as described by Jesus in John Chapter 3 and have made Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour according to Romans 10:9-13 and that as New Creations (Spiritually) we have received the free gift of his Righteousness according to IICorinthians 5:17-20.
We believe in The baptism in and the infilling of the Holy Spirit as described in the book of Acts Chapter 2 and the Evidence of other Tongues (not to be confused with the ministry gift of tongues) as a consequential public sign of that Indwelling and Outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
We believe that the Bible is an amazing collection of books; written by men and women; who were inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. We believe that the Bible contains the Word of God and Promises of God for us that are as relevant today as when they were written.
We believe that the bible helps us to know and understand the character of God and to be able to discern the truth, as God speaks to us, in our hearts, as Christians, today. (We do not believe in seeking after audible voices as there are too many out there willing to respond. However, we are not prepared to limit the way that God chooses to speak to His people.)
We believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus. His Life, Death and the Resurrection of Jesus, bodily, from the dead and that he is God, who came to Earth, in the flesh.
We believe that Christ was taken bodily into heaven and is alive today.
We believe Christ empowers the members of his church, often refered to as the Body of Christ, to continue his original ministry, on Earth, through the Holy Spirit, the third person and equal member of the Trinity of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; who are all one and the same.
We believe in the Ability and the Right of the Holy Spirit to manifest himself in the same way as he has throughout the Book of Acts and the history of the Early church.
We believe that the revival of the Gifts of the Spirit (including: Tongues; the Interpretation of Tongues; Prophecy; Word of Wisdom and Word of Knowledge; Gifts of Healings; Working of Miracles; Discerning of Spirits and the Gift of ‘Special’ Faith) that began in the Earth and was nurtured in the Azusa St Revival in the USA in the late 18 and 1900s has grown across denominational boundaries and continues to this day.
We believe in The present-day ministry of Jesus Christ through the church as his body. We do not believe that we are perfect. But we strive to live our lives as close as we can to the image of Christ and his promises.
We believe that although we are flawed individuals and therefore do not always get things right, we are able to confess our sins and we trust that according to IJohn 1:9 we are able to receive forgiveness that restores our fellowship with God.
We believe in the manifestation and operation of the Five-fold Ministry Gifts that Jesus has established for the proper administration of the church including the: Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher; in line with Ephesians Chapter 4: 11-13. So that the church may be ministered to and assisted to grow up and be the best representatives of Christ, that they can be, in this world; to those who do not have a personal relationship with Christ.
We believe in Water Baptism of adults using full immersion as a public outward sign of their conversion and chosen new life direction.
We believe in the dedication of children to God and encourage parents to bring their children up in a Godly and healthy manner.
We believe in the Laying on of Hands for healing as instructed by Christ in Mark Chapter 16. The use of Oil for anointing the Sick is also used in accordance with James 5: 14.
We also understand and acknowledge the importance of the many discoveries that have been made in medicine and science and do not suggest that people stop any treatment prescribed to them until advised by their relevant medical professional to do so.
Our Worship services include Music; Praise and Worship; Teaching from the Scriptures; The operation of the Public Gifts of the Holy Spirit including: Tongues and Interpretation, or Prophecy; The Word of Knowledge and Word of Wisdom; and any of the remaining public gifts as the Holy Spirit chooses to manifest himself.
Our services regularly include the taking of Holy Communion and also an opportunity for people to receive prayer For Healing; the Baptism and Outpouring of the Holy Spirit and to Dedicate or Re-Dedicate their lives to Christ.
We teach people how to pray effectively, using the bible as the guide to effective prayer.
We teach people how to develop their relationship with God and how to develop their Faith through the Word of God and through prayer.
We believe ALL people may come to God of their own Free Will and that none should be prevented “For there is no difference. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Rom 3:23
