Back in February a few people, myself included, were asked to try and re-word the RCI We Believe statements. However I have further developed my thinking over the last few months. And I said this last night. A church meeting today is run very similar to how they ran 500 years ago. The way we outreach is dated much more recently, but still has remained, in its basic form, unchanged for 20+ years (This is my opinion but its definitely subjective).

This is the 21st century! We need to modernise. We need change.

Most people will be familiar with the parable of the servants who were given 10, 5, and 1 talents. In Matthew 25:25-30 we read the response to the servant who was given 1 talent and buried it. I’m not trying to condemn anyone; However, I would like to draw the comparison between this servant and us. We are called to action, not inaction. We are called to preach the gospel to every creature. We are called to compel people to come into the wedding feast (i.e. a relationship with God). Are we/you really doing this? (rhetorical)

Just a little bit of food for thought while you consider the above:

  • Jesus was not accepted in his own country; our overseas missions are booming.
  • It is God that gives the increase.

The whole point of this post is to suggest we need to start changing things to connect better with people. The We Believe statements, generally printed on all RCI paraphernalia. I have reproduced the existing statements in this post, but you may also read them on the What We Believe page. It is probably wise to check that list for changes if you are reading this sometime in the future, they may have changed :) .

  • in the infallibility of the Word of God
  • Jesus Christ is the Son of God
  • the Gospel of His death, resurrection, and directive to repent, be baptised, and receive the Holy Spirit
  • we are baptised into the Body of Christ (the Church) through the Holy Spirit, with the Bible evidence of speaking in tongues
  • in the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Church
  • in prayer for the sick and healing by the power of God
  • the Bible identifies the Anglo-Saxon people with the Old Testament nation of Israel, describes modern nations, and gives signs of the soon return of Jesus Christ

These are, generally speaking, correct (except the last one: it says the wrong thing). However, in the 21st century we need a set of statements that engage people. In fact I think we really should change this into two distinct lists:

  1. What we believe
  2. Who we are, what we do

So that people understand both where we are coming from, and perhaps more importantly these days, what they can do with us.

Here is my reworking of the “We Believes”. I would expect that some scriptural references would be added to this eventually. However for the time being I’m really just brainstorming.

  • The Bible is the inspired Word of God; it is infallible and still relevant in the 21st century.
  • Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
  • His Gospel offers a more abundant life to all; we are asked to repent, be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit.
  • The miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit are alive in the Church.
  • Believers will speak in tongues.
  • We can pray for the sick and God will heal them.
  • The Bible documents God’s plan for the Biblical Nation of Israel, and the world we live in.

I have a few notes too:

  1. I originally had “offers salvation to all; we are directed”. On reflection, I feel the more “come in gentle from the bottom” approach is required. People need something tangible to their natural their lives to make them interested.
  2. Would examples of the manifestations be better an this general statement? I don’t know.
  3. Is “you will be healed” that too bold? Can we be accused of false advertising if the healing was not instantaneous?
  4. I’m not sure how the structure of “Gods Plan” would be perceived: is it “Gods’ plan for the world we live in”; or “Bible documents the world we live in”. I want the second one, and I think the comma does that.

This is obviously an unfinished process, and a few others have suggested different changes. Really I just want to get a ball moving in changing how we do things so they are more suited to people today. NOTE: I do not want to change the message we preach.