WHY OWN YOUR FAITH?

What does it mean to own your faith?

Many teenagers have grown up with mom and/or dad giving them no other choice except attending Sunday church services and sometimes weekday youth group meetings. Often times these teenagers grow into adults who resented being “forced” to go to church. Although researchers say as much as eighty-five percent walk away from the church and faith upon graduating high school, many tend to still consider themselves Christians even if they aren’t living out their Christian faith.

Those who continue to attend church will have their faith challenged by professors in universities across the country, unbelieving family and friends, the media and their own doubts. What we’ve found out is that many people only believe because their parents or grandparents had faith and that’s all that they were exposed to. They were pushed to attend events, but few were mentored to invest in their faith or given permission to investigate their faith in order to silence their own doubts and the voices of skeptics.

To "own your faith" means to invest, investigate, learn, and practice biblical teachings on your own. It means to follow Christ because you believe, not just because it was what you were told by others. AT OYF we hope to model those who are on the journey of owning our faith, growing, and experiencing God as God is revealed to us.

WE BELIEVE…

• The Bible to be the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
• Jesus Christ was virgin-born, sinless, died on the cross for sins, was raised from the dead on the third day, and is coming again (Matthew1:18, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Jn. 14:3).
• Salvation is a gift, bestowed by God’s grace and received by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). A believer’s salvation is secured by Christ alone (1 John 4:9-10).
• Immersion in water of a professed believer is the Bible baptism (Acts 8:36-39) and such baptism is symbolic of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:1-4).
• The church is the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:23-33), and the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12). The local church is locally governed by Godly men known as elders or bishops (Titus 1:5). The purpose of the church on earth is to fulfill the last command of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20).
• Christians are endowed with spiritual gifts which enable them to minister in the church (Romans 12:4-8). The Holy Spirit, whom every believer receives at conversion (Ephesians 1:13-14), leads and guides us.