denton ekklesia

Ekklesia gathers together for unity in mission and to keep unity missional. This means that certain dividing doctrines and practices are set aside for the sake of unity. This includes the teaching or attempts to convince others of certain controversial doctrines (such as, but not limited to, Calvinism or Arminianism) as well as practices (such as, but not limited to, the exercise of charismatic gifts).

While these distinctive beliefs and forms may be shared and common within individual communities, they can become distracting and divisive among diverse communities. Therefore, as diverse communities we come together in unity around a common belief in the gospel as set forth in the Apostle’s Creed and our common commitment to the mission of God described in the scriptures.

Apostles’ Creed
ELLC Version

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.

We believe that in a time of competing and pluralistic beliefs about the world and spiritual things, that there is ONE God alone who created all that exists to be good and humanity to be very good. We believe that the world is not as it should be because of the sin of humanity and we desire to point people to the one true creator God.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

We believe the Bible’s story of God’s creation and redemption for his people to fulfill the goodness lost in sin for all of humanity and creation. We believe that the story of Jesus in the Bible is the climax of all history from the creation to his return. We seek to live in the light of the truth of this story and great sacrifice looking forward to the hope of being found faithful in following his mission to make disciples of all nations

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

We believe that Christ left us his Holy Spirit to unite us as his people, his catholic (universal – little “c”) church, to carry on his mission, the growth of his kingdom through the forgiveness of sins that we share and our common hope of resurrection that we bring to the world. We commune together to show a broken world the unity of Christ to the Father as his sent people so that the world will believe that the Father sent Christ for the redemption of all things into the everlasting new heavens and new earth.