8 CORE VALUES OF THE GATHERING

The Gathering is a House of... 

PRAYER 

The first and greatest calling of the Church of Jesus Christ is to PRAY. The Gathering will be marked in the Last Days as a body of believers wholly devoted to prayer and supplication and fasting. It is by these disciplines that souls are saved, minds are renewed, lives are transformed, cities and nations are won, Heaven’s treasury is accessed, and the Bride of Christ is made ready to welcome her King and His Kingdom. We individually rise before the dawn to seek the Lord in our secret place. We join corporately each day in the House of Prayer to worship the Worthy One and to intercede for the nations. As Oswald Chambers wrote, “Prayer does not equip us for greater works – prayer is the greater work.” (Isaiah 56:7; Daniel 9:3; Matthew 6:9-13; Psalm 119:147; Mark 1:35; Philippians 4:6; James 5:16; Revelation 22:17) 

KINGDOM 

From the first breath of Creation, the entire history of planet Earth has really been the story of the Kingdom of God...its establishment, its fall into brokenness, its restoration through Jesus Christ, and the promise of its fulfillment in all its original glory. We who have been adopted into the Father’s family through the blood of the Son are commissioned as His representatives to actively live the Kingdom lifestyle and call the Kingdom into the earth NOW. King Jesus Himself will one day bodily return to Earth and personally oversee from His throne room in Jerusalem the total renewal of the world to its designed Garden perfection. Until that appointed time, our focus is fully set upon making the Kingdom of Heaven a reality on earth in our generation to the greatest extent possible and preparing the generations to come for their Kingdom service to the Lord. (Isaiah 9:6-7; Matthew 6:33; Mark 1:14-15; Romans 14:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12; Rev 12:10) 

FAMILY 

The Gathering Church has always been about FAMILY...our Kingdom family, our local church family and our own flesh-&-blood families. God created man in His very image and so wired us for family and community. It is not good for any of us to be alone. We are designed in our innermost being to walk in fellowship with the Father and one another. Family lives together, worships together, serves together, gives together, heals together, celebrates together, and mourns together. We bear each other’s burdens with loving encouragement and affirmation of our identity in Christ Jesus. We honor the leaders with whom God has chosen to bless us and submit ourselves in unity to their authority. We seek to meet people right where they are, in whatever life stage they may be, regardless of their situations or level of spiritual growth and minister to them in a way that strengthens their faith and enables them to reach their God- dreamed destiny. (Genesis 2:18; Psalm 133:1; Proverbs 17:17, 27:17; Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; Philippians 2:1-2; Acts 2:42-47) 

POWER 

The Gathering is an apostolic fellowship which believes the Bible is the inerrant, infallible, immutable, written Word of God. It serves as our sole authority on essential spiritual matters. The Holy Spirit who inspired the writers of scripture continues to operate in the same fullness of power, authority, and gifts described in the Word and detailed in the New Testament. We believe that every born-again follower of Jesus Christ receives all spiritual tools necessary to fulfill their Kingdom purpose and assignments. These gifts are decided upon and distributed by Holy Spirit. Miracles, signs and wonders will follow those who believe by faith and who walk in their delegated gifts. The supernatural realm of the impossible is intended by the Father to be the dwelling place of His children when they rightfully exercise the authority handed over to them by Jesus in the Great Commission of Matthew 28. We are called to make the “greater things” visible in the earth through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us and through us. (Jeremiah 16:21; Matthew 10:1,7-8; 28:18-20; Mark 12:24; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 3:20-21; 1 Corinthians 4:20; 2 Corinthians 10:4) 

WORSHIP 

Every living creature was created by God to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Our most treasured gift is that of an intimate, personal relationship with the One who spoke the universe into existence. His beautiful Presence is at the center of everything we do at The Gathering House of Prayer. We desire to host the Presence of God with all faithfulness and intentional diligence; to provide Holy Spirit with a perpetual resting place in our midst; to thrill at manifestations of His Love, His Mercy, His Grace and His Power; to truly know Him as our Abba Father and ourselves as His redeemed sons and daughters. Passionate corporate worship with complete freedom in Jesus Christ will always be a key feature of the personality of our House. We believe that God will continue to send gifted worship leaders, singers and musicians into the House to expand upon this modern picture of David’s Tent. (Psalm 86:9-1, 138:2; 1 Chronicles 16:23-25; John 4:23-24; Hebrews 12:28-29; Revelation 4:8-11) 

GENEROSITY

“For God so loved the world He GAVE...” The ultimate model for generous giving comes from the Father who did not withhold even His own Son but freely gave Him up so that the world through Jesus could be saved. What then could this wonderful God ask of us that we are not willing to give? Giving is our highest form of worship. Through the faithful bringing our first fruits to the House of Prayer and the generous giving of our offerings, we reflect the Father’s heart. We agree with the statement that we are never more like God than when we give. Souls are saved, nations are won, hope is restored, beauty rises from ashes, joy overtakes suffering, and the Kingdom advances in the earth when God’s people give of their prayers, their time, their labor, and their money. We receive the promises in the Word that we can never out-give our Father. (John 3:16- 17; Philippians 4:19; Luke 6:38; Proverbs 3:9-10; Malachi 3:10; 1 Corinthians 16:2; James 1:17) 

MISSION 

Our House beats with God’s missional heart. Since the birth of The Gathering Church in 1999, our Senior Pastor has made it a priority to be about the Father’s business here at home and in the nations of the world. When Holy Spirit says, “GO!’, we go. When Holy Spirit says, “SEND!”, we send. Whether it’s feeding children and families in crisis through The LORD’S Child ministry here in East Tennessee or planting churches in South Africa or supporting an orphanage in the jungles of Uganda or taking the Good News to the Muslim community in Europe and China or raising up more Houses of Prayer around the globe, The Gathering is a church fully committed to fulfill Jesus’ Co-Mission. We will continue to equip Missionaries of Mercy through discipleship in the Prayer, Prophetic, Healing, and Teaching Ministries here in the U.S. and internationally. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:14-15; Matthew 24:14; 1 Chronicles 16:24; Psalm 96:3) 

FREEDOM

When broken human beings receive a revelation of God’s MERCY and GRACE as clearly demonstrated through the LOVE of His Son, Jesus Christ, the natural product of that awakening is transformation which leads to freedom. We are a House built upon and sustained daily by nothing more and nothing less than the Father’s Mercy and Grace. We believe that the power of Holy Spirit working within us releases us from every sort of spiritual, physical, emotional, relational and financial bondage. That same Spirit power which raised Jesus from the dead also operates through us to bring life and freedom to others who were once slaves like we were. Our visits to prisoners in jail, our words of hope to those trapped by addictions, our message of encouragement to those suffering from mental and emotional issues, even commands of healing delivered to the sick and afflicted all point to one truth spoken by Jesus: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!” (Luke 4:18-19; John 8:31-32, 36; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:13; Rom 8:1-2)

STATEMENT OF FAITH

HOLY BIBLE

The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible and inerrant (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26).

TRINITY

There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and co-eternal (I John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11).

JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind and thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory. (John 1:1,14, 20:28; I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6; I Timothy 2:5).

VIRGIN BIRTH

Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the virgin Mary's womb; therefore, He is the Son of God (Matthew 1:18, 25; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:27-35).

REDEMPTION

Man was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression he fell; his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Gen. 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21).

REGENERATION

For anyone to know God, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential (John 6:44, 65; Matthew 19:28; Titus 3:5).

SALVATION

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ: His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22).

REPENTANCE

Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation (Acts 2:21, 3:19; I John 1:9).

SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ's character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life (I Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; II Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18, II Thessalonians 2:1-3, Romans 8:29, 12:1-2, Hebrews 2:11).

JESUS' BLOOD

The Blood that Jesus Christ shed on the Cross of Calvary was sinless and is 100% sufficient to cleanse mankind of all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death (I John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23, 5:9; John 1:29).

JESUS CHRIST INDWELLS ALL BELIEVERS

Christians are people who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by His Holy Spirit. They relinquish the authority of their lives over to him thus making Jesus the Lord of their life as well as Savior. They put their trust in what Jesus accomplished for them when He died, was buried, and rose again from the dead (John 1:12; John 14:17, 23; John 15:4; Romans 8:11; Revelation 3:20).

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

Given at Pentecost, it is the promise of the Father, sent by Jesus after His Ascension, to empower the Church to preach the Gospel throughout the whole earth (Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5,2:1-4, 17, 38-39, 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6).

THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Bible’s lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters. (Hebrews 2:4; Romans 1:11, 12 :4-8; Ephesians 4:16; I Timothy 4:14; II Timothy 1:6-7; I Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; I Peter 4:10).

THE CHURCH

The church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus' Great Commission. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; John 17:11, 20-23).

SACRAMENTS

Water Baptism: Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48).

The Lord's Supper: A unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and grape juice (the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross (Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25).

Marriage: We believe marriage is defined in the Bible as a covenant, a sacred bond between one man and one woman, instituted by and publicly entered into before God (Matthew 19:4-6).

HEALING OF THE SICK

Healing of the sick is illustrated in the life and ministry of Jesus, and included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples. It is given as a sign, which is to follow believers. It is also a part of Jesus' work on the Cross and one of the gifts of the Spirit. (Psalm 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 8:6-7; James 5:14-16; I Corinthians 12:9, 28; Romans 11:29).

GOD'S WILL FOR PROVISION

It is the Father's will for believers to become whole, healthy and successful in all areas of life. But because of the fall, many may not receive the full benefits of God’s will while on Earth. That fact, though, should never prevent all believers from seeking the full benefits of Christ’s provision in order to better serve others.

• Spiritual

  (John 3:3-11; II Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10)

• Mental and Emotional

  (II Timothy 1:7, 2:11; Philippians 4:7-8; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3).

• Physical

  (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:17; I Peter 2:24).

• Financial

  (Joshua 1:8; Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; II Corinthians 9:6-10; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalm 34:10, 84:11; Philippians 4:19).

RESURRECTION

Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. In addition, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation (Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28, 21:4; Acts 24:15; I Corinthians 15:42, 44; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21).

HEAVEN

Heaven is the eternal dwelling place for all believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34; John 17:24; II Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 11:16; I Peter 1:4).

HELL

After living one life on earth, the unbelievers will be judged by God and sent to Hell where they will be eternally tormented with the Devil and the Fallen Angels (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8).

SECOND COMING

Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures (Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; II Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7)