Core Beliefs
The following are the core beliefs of Cities of Refuge - KC based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.
God
There is one and only one true and living God. This one God eternally exists in three persons-God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. These three personas are completely equal in attributes, each with the same divine nature. Yet each person is fully and completely God, the person are not identical. The difference among Father, Son and Holy Spirt are found in the way they relate to one another and the role each plays in accomplishing unified purpose
Kingdom of God
We believe that according to Matthew 24:14 that the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come. And that the Kingdom of God is the Gospel. The Gospel of the Kingdom is good news because it is a message sent from God to all His children telling us that we can return home to the Kingdom and once again be sons and daughters in our full right. Because He sent his Son to die for us. As you read through the Gospels. Repent, The Kingdom of God is at hand is the only message Jesus preached.
What was it?
That God is Central in The Kingdom of God. That in the Kingdom of God, God has sovereign rule within the hearts and spirits of a believer, and when His rulership within us is real, it causes us to impact our environment for His Glory.
What was it?
That God is Central in The Kingdom of God. That in the Kingdom of God, God has sovereign rule within the hearts and spirits of a believer, and when His rulership within us is real, it causes us to impact our environment for His Glory.
The Cross
While the emblem of our ministry is a Shield. Cities of Refuge believes that The Cross is a representation of where Jesus nailed our sins. Paul writes that the Word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. But for those of us being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 The message of the cross will be an integral part of our teaching because it is the message of the Cross that gives us Blessed Assurance. The Cross represents the connection to and identification with Jesus Christ and is the reason of His life, death, burial and resurrection. The Cross is an acknowledgment of our total dependency on Christ and recognition of our sin. Through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making
peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:20 "He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:20 "He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
The Blood
What can wash away my sons nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. "Through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Colossians 1:20 NIV “
Jesus did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Colossians 1:20 NIV “
Jesus did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
Sin
Sin is anything whether in thoughts, actions, or attitudes that does not express or conform to the holy character of God expressed in his moral law. Sin done in ignorance is still sin, and everyone still equally needs Jesus to pay
the penalty for their sin. While God recognizes degrees of sin on a human, ethical level, it remains the case that all people are equally guilty before God and equally in need of Christ astonishing work. At Cities of Refuge we hate the Sin, not the Sinner. Our teaching, with the help of Holy Spirit will
lead you to become a slave of righteousness
Salvation
God’s plan is to save his people from their sins—and to bring his people fully and finally to himself (Matt 1:21 2 Tim 2:10) Christians experience salvation in this life in both a past and present sense, and we anticipate salvation in a further sense. Christians have been saved from the penalty of our sins: we are currently being saved from the power of sin; and one day, when God’s plan of salvation is completed and we are with Christ, we shall be like him, and we shall be saved even from the very presence of sin. This is God’s plan of Salvation. At Cities of Refuge we believe All who turn from their sins and believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins will be redeemed (Mark 1:15) and restored to a right relationship with God.
Marriage
Marriage is the fundamental institution of all human society. It was established by God at creation, when God created the first human beings as male and female( Gen 1:27) and then said to them “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth( Get 1:28) Marriage begins with a male and female commitment before God and other people to be husband and wife for life. In Malachi 2:14 marriage is viewed as a covenant commitment in which God stands as a witness. And Jesus says that married couple constitutes a unity that God has joined together (Matt 19:6 Therefore when a marriage occurs a man and woman have a new status before God.: he now considers them to be husband and wife together. Some kind of public commitment is also necessary to a marriage , for a society must know to treat a couple as married and not as single. Marriage is a picture of the covenantal relationship between Christ and the church, with the husband representing the former and the wife representing the latter: “the mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (Eph 5:32)
Giving
The philosophy of Cities of Refuge is giving and ministering rather than taking and being ministered to. You will find that a lot of ministries exist in order to be ministered to. They don't mind letting you know: “We need your support to keep this ministry going. This ministry depends upon you.” We’ve concluded that any ministry that depends upon man for its existence and operation should die, and the best thing we could do is let it die. Cities of Refuge, then, exists to minister and our emphasis is on giving; giving to people; ministering to people. We will provide an opportunity for every member of our church and those who align with our vision for community to support our storehouse through tithe and offering willingly, without pressure or coercion but in accordance to Malachi 3
Eternal Life
There is a heaven and there is a hell. When we die, We go to one place or the other. 2 Corinthians 5:10 tells us For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Eternal Life is not based on whether we were a good person or did the right thing. It is based on whether we accepted the free gift of Salvation. And this is Eternal Life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me as eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12