Our Statement of Faith
We are a first century Judeo-Christian Messianic congregation returning to the Jewish roots of the faith in the Messiah Yeshua through the Hebraic understanding of the scriptures. We follow the divinely inspired holy scriptures, commonly referred to as the Old and New Testaments, as God’s holy word for us to live by. We seek to understand the scriptures in the purest form possible, studying them from the Hebrew perspective and in the Hebrew and Greek languages in which they were written.
Elohim is the Hebrew word for God. God’s holy name as noted in the original Hebrew language is YHVH, usually translated as Lord or Adonai in most Bibles. His Son’s name is Yeshua, translated as Jesus in English. The Holy Spirit is known as the Ruach HaKodesh in Hebrew.
OUR LEADERSHIP
Mike Skahan
Lead Pastor/Elder
Scott Wunder
Associate Pastor/Elder
Dustin Crable
Elder
Jordan Ramsay
Elder
Ronny West
Deacon Delegate
Steve Kimmey
Worship/Deacon
Tyler Utkov
Deacon - Media and Global Ministries
Robin R. Skahan
Kingdom Kidz Director
Carrie Higgins
Administrator
WHAT DO WE BELIEVE?
One God
There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4), who is infinitely perfect (Matthew 5:48), existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
Jesus Christ is the true God and the true man (Philippians 2:6–11).
Trinity
We believe the Lord (YHWH) our God, the Lord is One, the Creator of heaven and earth, Who exists eternally in three person: t he Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Father
We believe in God the Father, the Creator of heaven and earth, of all things seen and unseen Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:15-16 , Who dwells in the highest heaven, and Whom no man can see directly , but Whom all can see and know through His Son, being understood by His Creation.
The Son
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah Yeshua), Who is the Eternal Word of the Lord, the unique and only begotten Son of God through Whom all things were made. Who became incarnate being conceived by the Holy Spirit, born in the flesh through the virgin Mary, in order that He may destroy the works of the Devil.
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ willingly offered up His own life as a ransom for our sins through the shedding of His blood on the Cross, though He knew no sin, thereby, conquering sin and death.
We believe He died in the flesh, was buried, and rose on the third day according to the Scriptures. Thereby putting an end to death and giving us the promise of eternal life .
We believe He ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father and that He will return again to judge the living and the dead . Those who have done good unto the resurrection of life and those who have done evil unto the resurrection of condemnation.
Divinity of the Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit , the Lord , the Giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father through the Son, Who has spoken through the prophets . Who fills and lives in every believer, convicting, sending , leading and teaching , speaking through, giving spiritual gifts to, interceding for, sanctifying , empowering, and circumcising the heart of every true follower of Christ. And that, through Him, we are adopted as children of God.
Authority of the Scriptures
The Canon of Scripture
We believe the Bible, the 66-book canon 54 , is the infallible Word of God, it is inspired by the Holy Spirit, it is our highest rule for our faith, and it is profitable for teaching, conviction, restoration 55 , and training in righteousness 56 .
We believe it is every believer's responsibility to read and study the Bible for themselves; to hear His voice, to learn His Word, to do His will, and to walk in covenant relationship with Him 57 .
Original Sin and Salvation
Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27) : he fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature (Romans 3:23) , are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:20–23). The portion of the unrepentant and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment (Revelation 21:8); and that of the believer, is everlasting joy and bliss (Revelation 21:1–4).
We believe salvation is through Jesus alone, that we are saved by grace through faith, and not by works , thereby reconciling us to God and saving us from wrath .
We believe in order to become saved, we must confess that Jesus is Lord (YHVH) and believe in our hearts that the Father raised Him from the dead .
We believe that through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Yeshua), and by the sealing of the Holy Spirit, we are grafted into the Cultivated Olive Tree, thereby becoming citizens of the spiritual Commonwealth of Israel, being partakers of the covenants of promise .
Sanctification
We believe after we have accepted Jesus Christ (Yeshua) into our hearts, we enter a lifelong process of conforming to His image through humbly obeying His Word through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in every believer.
We believe the first obedient act that we are called to do in our sanctification is baptism, and through baptism, we are buried with Him, in which we were also raised with Him through faith.
We believe the Law is still valid and applicable for Christians under the New Covenant. The Law is holy, just, and good and is not burdensome . The Lord Jesus (Yeshua) makes it clear that the Law is eternal, as He has said in the following, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Law till all is fulfilled.".
Glorification
We believe if we endure until the end, we will be saved. The dead in Christ will sleep in the grave until the return of our Lord . At His return, we will be resurrected unto eternal life, our mortality will put on immortality, and we will live with God forever and ever.
Healing Power
Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for healing of the mortal body (Matthew 8:16–17). Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the Church in this present age (James 5:13–16).
The Church Body
The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church (Ephesians 1:22–23), which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:19–20). The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the gospel, and observance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:41–47).
The Resurrection and Second Coming
There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life (1 Corinthians 15:20–23); for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment (John 5:28–29).
The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent (Hebrews 10:37) and will be personal, visible, and premillennial (Luke 21:27). This is the believer’s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service (Titus 2:11–14).
ONE NEW MAN
In the fourth century, during the Councils of Elvira and Nicaea, church elders established many rules and regulations to separate the Church from the Jewish roots of Her faith. Subsequently, many religious leaders tried to erase the memory of any connection between a Jewish Jesus and the faith of Christianity. These decisions were not God’s highest and best for either Israel or the Church—they simply resulted in separating us from the blessings of our heritage.
As a result, many modern-day Christians do not have a full grasp of the Jewish roots of their faith, and are therefore missing out on the blessing of a deeper understanding of what is rightfully theirs.
Because many Christians are unaware of their heritage, they are unable to fully claim the blessings of that inheritance and walk out the freedom that comes from knowing who they are, and who their God truly is. Our experiences mold us, and our heritage shapes us. In the same way, Christianity was birthed out of the Jewish faith, and yet we have long-since strayed from where we came.
At Epic Life Church we understand that this separation was never God’s desire for us, and that we are empowered to be who we are called to be, with a greater understanding of our Father, and ultimately of ourselves. The message of The One New Man takes us deep into the Hebrew roots of Christianity and provides us with a clearer understanding of the foundations of our faith, thus allowing us to better know our God.
Affiliate Church: Corner Fringe Ministiries.
We are so blessed to affliate ourselves with Corner Fringe Ministries from Coon Rapids MN. Pastor Daniel Joseph serves as one of the Apostlolic Elders of ELC.
For more information on Corner Fringe, check out their website:
https://cornerfringe.com/