MILAN BIBLE CHURCH

Milan Bible Church is a local, evangelical body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our life together as a spiritual community is shaped by our belief in:

1. The Good News of Jesus

The good news (i.e., Gospel) is that God loves people and, therefore, sent His Son, Jesus, to offer forgiveness and freedom. To an honest skeptic (Nicodemus), Jesus described this by saying:

God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. Anyone who believes in Him will not die but will have eternal life. God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world. He sent his Son to save the world through Him. [John 3:16-17; NIRV]

That’s great news for anyone who accepts it and lives it out!

2. The Greatest Commandment: Loving God & Loving Others

At Milan Bible Church, we try to live out the good news by “Loving God & Loving Others” which comes from Jesus’ instruction to us when He said,

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength…. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. [Mark 12:30-31; NIV]

3. The Call to Serve Milan and Beyond

We seek to show our “Loving God & Loving Others” by:

• Providing a place of worship, belonging, and spiritual growth for all who gather with us, including regular attenders, those exploring the claims of Jesus, and visitors to Milan (Hebrews 10:22–25).

• Offering biblical, real-world preaching and teaching to help all present to walk closer to Jesus (Colossians 1:28).

• Making Jesus known to those around us through the transformed lives of individuals and through the unity and acceptance of our church family (John 17:21 and Philippians 1:27,28).

• Caring for those throughout the world who are persecuted, disadvantaged, or spiritually needy through our prayers (1 Timothy 2:1-2), our giving (2 Corinthians 9:6-7), and our going (Acts 1:8).

4. The Statement of Faith

SCRIPTURE
We believe in the divine, verbal, plenary inspiration, and the inerrancy and historical infallibility of the original Scriptures and their supreme authority for faith and practice. John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:20,21

GOD
We believe in one God, the sovereign creator of all things, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that God’s ultimate purpose in creation and salvation is to glorify His name by reconciling all things unto himself. Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16; Romans 11:33–36; 2 Corinthians 5:19 and 13:14

JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. We believe that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary; that He lived a sinless life in complete obedience to the Father; that He died as a sacrifice on the cross for our sins; that He rose the third day from the dead; that He ascended into heaven where He serves as our Great High Priest; and that He will return in glory in the same manner in which he departed. Matthew 1:22–23; John 1:1–2,14; Acts 1:11; Philippians 2:6–7; Colossians 1:15–20; Hebrews 5:8–9

SALVATION
We believe in the necessity of the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for sinners. We believe that all who, by God’s grace, place their faith in Christ’s finished work are justified in God’s sight on the basis of His shed blood and, therefore, have the assurance of eternal salvation. John 1:12–13; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:21–25; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:8–9

MAN
We believe that man was created in the image of God, and that he sinned, thereby incurring not only physical death but also spiritual death which is separation from God. We believe in the total depravity of man and the absolute necessity of the new birth for an individual’s salvation which results in a new man within. Genesis 1:26–27; Romans 3:10–23; Romans 5:12–19; Ephesians 2:1–2; 2 Corinthians 5:17

HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the regenerating, indwelling, sealing, and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, who baptizes each believer into the Body of Christ upon acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. The Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to believers as He wills for the edification of the Church. 1 Corinthians 6:19; 12:13; Ephesians 1:13; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Corinthians 12:1–31

SANCTIFICATION
We believe that every believer is called to live a holy life and to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. We believe that the believer’s sanctification is a lifelong process that begins at salvation, giving the capacity for holiness, but not eradicating one’s capacity for sin. Identification with Christ’s death and resurrection and dependence on the Holy Spirit’s power enable the believer to experience victory over sin. Romans 6–8; Galatians 5:16–24; Ephesians 4:21–24

CHURCH
We believe in one universal Church, embracing all who are united to Christ by saving faith and divine grace. Local churches are assemblies of believers gathered together for worship, instruction, fellowship, service, and evangelism. Every true church is under the headship of Christ and follows the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Two ordinances are enjoined by Christ upon all believers: believer’s baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Table. Matthew 28:18–20; Luke 22:14–20; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 11:23–26

ANGELS
We believe in the existence of the holy angels, the personal existence of Satan and his demonic hosts. Though we wrestle with principalities and powers in spiritual ministry, victory is assured by Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Job1:6–7; Luke 10:18; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 1:6,14

ESCHATOLOGY
We believe in the blessed hope: the rapture of the Church and the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth with all his saints. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost. 1 Thessalonians 4:13–16; Titus 2:13; Revelation 19:11–21; 20:1–15

SERVICE
We believe that the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ to proclaim the Gospel to every creature throughout the world remains the mandate of every believer. We believe in the will, power, and providence of God to meet our every need in His service. Matthew 6:33; Matthew 28:16–20; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 9:6–8; Philippians 4:19