Basics of Iso Kirja

The basic task

 

Iso Kirja serves individuals, churches and society. It offers Bible studies and educational and recreational opportunities based on Pentecostal-Christian values. The aim is to help students find and carry out their calling, and to promote the welfare of churches.

 

Ministry values

 

• Faithfulness to the Bible
• Emphasing the personal work of the Holy Spirit
• Growing as a Christian
• Nurturing church fellowship
• Having an effect on society and building and maintaining international contacts

 What Pentecostal churches in Finland believe: The main ingredients

 

The Bible

The Holy Bible is the Word of God that has been born by the Holy Spirit’s inspiration and is the only basis for our doctrine.

 

God

There is one, eternal God in three persons: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. God is the Creator of heaven and earth.

 

Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary as a human being and lived a sinless life, teaching and doing signs and miracles. Through His death on the cross, Jesus atoned the sins of the world, arose from the dead and ascended to heaven to the right hand of the Father.

 

Man, the Fall and Salvation

God created man in His image and to be in fellowship with Him, but in the Fall man was separated from God. By believing in Jesus, one receives righteousness as a gift and is born again as a child of God.

 

The work of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit quickens a person spiritually so that he or she can receive the salvation God has prepared, and the Holy Spirit comes to live in him or her. Jesus Christ baptizes the believer in the Holy Spirit, who distributes spiritual gifts for the edification of the church just as in the apostolic age. The believer is meant to live his or her life in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, bearing the fruit of the Spirit.

 

The Church

The church is the fellowship of believers founded by Christ who is the Head. It is built on the apostles’ teaching. All Christians everywhere and of all ages belong to the one universal church, which in a visual way is manifested in local churches. Jesus Christ commanded His church to make disciples of all nations, baptize and teach them. The church makes up a spiritual clergy who have been entrusted with the task of serving the Lord and showing Christian love to all people.

 

Baptism

The baptism that Jesus instituted is related to God’s work of salvation. The believer is baptized in water by immersion through Jesus’ command in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The baptised believer will join the local church.

 

Communion

The communion is a remembrance and fellowship meal instituted by Jesus for His followers, in which He Himself is present through faith. The communion proclaims the atoning work of Jesus Christ and is a participation in His death and resurrection.

 

Death and resurrection 

All people will experience a bodily resurrection. The righteous will rise to the resurrection of life and the godless to the resurrection of judgement.  

 

Jesus' return and eternity

According to His promise, Jesus Christ will rapture the church to be with Him, after which He will come as King to rule the whole world. God will create a new heaven and a new earth. This will be the eternal destiny of the righteous.

 

Approved by Pentecostal workers’ Winter Conference at Seinäjoki on 19 January 2001.

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.” 2 Tim. 1:7-8