ABOUT US
Who we are
Manitou Christian Fellowship is a diverse group of people who love Jesus and are seeking to follow Him. We are part of a group of Canadian churches who consider themselves Anabaptist and Evangelical. We welcome people from all backgrounds to join us in learning what it means to follow Jesus today.
Manitou Christian Fellowship is affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba and the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.
MISSION STATEMENT
Manitou Christian Fellowship exists to glorify God by helping people find and follow Jesus.
PURPOSE STATEMENT
The purpose of Manitou Christian Fellowship shall be to worship God; to provide a spiritual home by offering spiritual nurture, fellowship, encouragement, and admonition; to evangelize and promote Christian fellowship within the community, and to promote worldwide missions.
CORE VALUES
God
We believe that there is only one true, eternal and unchanging God who coexists equally in three Persons: God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is the creator of all things, seen and unseen. We are made in his image to glorify Him and He delights in us. Because God is love, He planned the redemption of all people and sent His Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior through His obedient life, death and resurrection. Jesus broke the power of sin and death which is our hope of salvation. 1 Cor. 8:6, Ps. 19, Gen. 1, John 3:16, 2 Peter 3:9, John 14:26
Bible
We believe without reservation that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant (totally true), and infallible Word of the living God and that it speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality and the proper conduct of humankind. We believe that the Bible must be the basis of all our teaching and preaching as we desire to reflect the truth of the scripture in our daily walk. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Heb. 4:12, Josh. 1:8, John 17:17
Prayer
We believe that prayer is a two-way conversation between people and God our Father in Heaven who desires a close personal relationship with us. Prayer is talking and listening to God in open honesty about our needs, feelings and desires. He speaks to us through the Word of God and by His Spirit. We trust in Him and surrender our will to align with God’s good, pleasing and perfect will. We know that He hears us and makes provision for our every need. We pray individually and together as a Church body to worship Him, repent, receive forgiveness and to intercede for the needs of others. John 17, 1 John 5:14-15, Heb. 4:16, Phil. 4:6
Discipleship
We understand that Jesus’ final command was to make disciples of all the nations, teaching them and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We meet together teaching sound doctrine to young and old to encourage one another to grow in relationship with God, to love, and to do good. We continually strive to grow in unity of faith and in the knowledge of our everlasting God to become mature and not deceived by forces of evil. This prepares us for the works of service God has for us. Matt. 28:19-20 Col. 1:27-29 Ephes. 4:11-16, Titus 2
Missions
The Good News of the gospel of God must be proclaimed boldly to all the world. Jesus Christ came to earth so that all might believe in God our Father and have eternal life. We understand that we are to continue Jesus’ ministry, bringing light to our communities and supporting missionaries around the world who are furthering God’s kingdom by proclaiming the Gospel of Hope and Peace. Rom. 10:13-18, John 10:25, Mark 16:15 1 Cor. 10:31
Community
We are a diverse group of people who come together unified through the Spirit of God by our love for Christ. We bring glory and honor to His name by using the time, talents, finances and resources He has given us to serve one another as if serving Christ himself. When we walk in obedience to Christ’s commands there is joy and peace in our lives and others will notice. Our love for others is shown by our compassion and readiness to help in all situations. Caring for each other in the body of Christ is a shared responsibility and we must not give up meeting together. Our aim is to be a church that is welcoming to everyone and to present the Good News of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Heb. 10:24-25, Eph. 2:18-22, 1 Pet. 4:7-11, Rom. 12:10-13
Salvation
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the World and eternally separated them from God. As a result, all of humankind became destined to death and eternity in hell. Rom. 3:23 states that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. We need a Savior to rescue us from our sin and restore a right relationship with God. Jesus is that Savior and we rejoice in Him. We wait in eager expectation for His return to take us to our eternal home in Heaven with God. Rom. 6:23, Romans 5:6-9, John 5:24-26, 1 John 1:8-10, Ephes. 2:8-10, John 14:1-7
MISSION SUPPORT
Our church is currently supporting Multiply Missionaries Jen Schmidt and Israel & Sandra Chavez-Plett, who are training young leaders and/or pastoring in Guadalaraja, Mexico; Cory & Masami Giesbrecht who are serving in Japan; and Jeremy & Adrienne Penner who are serving among in Thailand.
Other mission support goes to a variety of charities as well as Christian camp workers connected to our church.
Manitou Christian Fellowship History
This historical account was prepared and presented by Ed Giesbrecht for our 90th Anniversary service on June 25, 2017.
What we believe
This is the summary of the Confession of Faith of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. You can find the full description at https://www.mennonitebrethren.ca/mb-convictions/the-mb-confession-of-faith-detailed-edition/
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GOD
We believe in the one true God, the source of all life, who reigns over all things as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and lovingly cares for all creation. God the Father planned the redemption of humanity and sent Jesus Christ the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Jesus proclaimed the reign of God, bringing good news to the poor and triumphing over sin through his obedient life, death, and resurrection. God the Holy Spirit empowers believers with new life, indwells them, and unites them in one body.
2. REVELATION OF GOD
We believe God has made himself known to all people. Beginning with creation and culminating in Jesus Christ, God has revealed himself in the Old and New Testaments. All Scripture is inspired by God and is the authoritative guide for faith and practice. We interpret Scripture in the church community as guided by the Holy Spirit.
3. CREATION AND HUMANITY
We believe God created the heavens and the earth, and they were good. Humans, God’s crowning act, were created in the image of God. Sin has alienated humanity from the Creator and creation, but God offers redemption and reconciliation through Jesus Christ.
4. SIN AND EVIL
We believe sin is individual and corporate opposition to God’s good purposes and leads to physical and spiritual death.
5. SALVATION
We believe God saves all people who put their faith in Jesus Christ. Through his obedient life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection, Christ delivers people from the tyranny of sin and death and redeems them for eternal life in the age to come. All creation eagerly awaits its liberation from bondage into the freedom of the glory of God’s children.
6. NATURE OF THE CHURCH
We believe the church is the covenant community called by God through Jesus Christ to live a life of discipleship and witness as empowered by the Holy Spirit. The local church gathers regularly for worship, fellowship, and accountability and to discern, develop, and exercise gifts for ministry.
7. MISSION OF THE CHURCH
We believe the mission of the church is to make disciples of all nations by calling people to repent, be baptized, and love God and neighbour by sharing the good news and performing acts of love and compassion.
8. CHRISTIAN BAPTISM
We believe baptism by water is a public sign that a person has repented of sin, received forgiveness, died with Christ, and been raised to new life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is also a public declaration of a believer’s incorporation into the body of Christ as expressed in the local church.
9. LORD’S SUPPER
We believe that in obedience to Christ, the church observes the Lord’s Supper as a remembrance of his atoning death and to celebrate forgiveness, new life, and the fellowship and unity of all believers.
10. DISCIPLESHIP
We believe Jesus calls people who have experienced the new birth to follow him in a costly life of service to God. The power of the Holy Spirit transforms believers from the unrighteous pattern of the present age into a life of joyful obedience with God’s people.
11. MARRIAGE, SINGLENESS, AND FAMILY
We believe that singleness and marriage are honoured by God and should be blessed by the church. God instituted marriage as a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman for the purpose of companionship, encouragement, sexual intimacy, and procreation. Children are gifts from God and should be nurtured by parents in the ways of God.
12. SOCIETY AND STATE
We believe that God instituted the state to promote justice and to maintain law and order. Christians’ primary allegiance is to Christ’s kingdom. Believers are called to witness against injustice, exercise social responsibility, and obey all laws that do not conflict with the Word of God.
13. LOVE AND NONRESISTANCE
We believe that God in Christ reconciles people to himself and to one another, making peace through the cross. We seek to be agents of reconciliation, practice love of enemies, and express Christ’s love by alleviating suffering, reducing strife, and promoting justice. Because violence and warfare are contrary to the gospel of Christ, we believe we are called to give alternative service in times of war.
14. THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE
We believe that God is Creator and giver of life and highly values each person. Procedures designed to take human life are wrong. We oppose all attitudes that devalue human life, especially the defenseless lives of the unborn, disabled, poor, aging, and dying.
15. STEWARDSHIP
We believe the universe and everything in it belong to God the Creator and that we have been entrusted by God to manage its resources. All God’s gifts, including money, time, abilities, and influence, are to be received with thanksgiving, used responsibly, and shared generously.
16. THE LORD’S DAY, WORK, AND REST
We believe God’s act of creation provides the model for work and rest. In work, we use our abilities to glorify God and serve others. In rest, we express thanks for God’s provision and trust in God’s sustaining grace. In worship, we gather to commemorate the resurrection through worship, instruction, fellowship, and service.
17. CHRISTIANITY AND OTHER FAITHS
We believe God’s atoning work in Jesus is the only means of reconciling people with God. God has not left any without a witness to the Creator’s goodness and power. Christians treat people of other faiths with respect but urgently proclaim Christ as the only way of salvation.
18. CHRIST’S FINAL TRIUMPH
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will return triumphantly at the end of this age to destroy all evil powers, condemn all who have rejected Christ to eternal punishment, and unite believers with Christ to reign forever with God in glory.