Friday 10 June 2016

Basics About Foursquare Churches In Las Vegas

By Mary Ward


The name Foursquare Church is the common name used to refer to International Church of Foursquare Gospel. The longer version of the name is usually shortened to ICFG. ICFG is a protestant evangelical Pentecostal Christian denomination that was founded by Aimee Semple McPherson in 1923. As such, the church has a long history in the United States although its membership remains comparatively lower than other denominations of the same age. Foursquare churches in Las Vegas are some of the churches of the denomination with the largest congregations.

The name Foursquare derives from the four-fold ministry that Jesus Christ represented while on earth. The four ministries are Savior, baptizer, healer, and soon-returning King. Followers of the church believe that the main goals of Jesus coming to earth was to save people from their sins and to baptize them with the Holy Ghost. Jesus also came to heal people from their suffering and He will return following his ascension into heaven.

The Declaration of Faith refers to a compilation of text written by McPherson, the founder of this faith. The Declaration of Faith contains beliefs of the church. Members have faith in the Holy Trinity, verbal inspiration of scriptures of the Bible, and deity of Jesus. Human beings became sinful in nature after the fall, but they took after God in likeness.

ICFG members believe that sins of the world were taken away through the death of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the salvation that people receive came through grace and not good works of the individuals that receive it. Faith in turn leads to justification and being born again comes through repentance of sin. In this denomination, those who are born again proclaim Jesus as their only King and Lord.

Another major belief in the church is that people have free will to decide their actions. Therefore, people are disposed to backsliding, but they can be redeemed through constant repentance and prayer. The book of beliefs states that sanctification is an on-going process that should not end if spiritual growth is to be attained. One can attain Christian perfection if they surrender and consecrate to God.

Decision making body within ICFG is the Foursquare Convention. The convention meets after every two years. Licensed ministers and international officers make membership of the convention. US-based churches send delegates to the convention to make the decision-making body. Non-US congregations are allowed to send a single delegate from every country.

Local churches form subordinate divisions of the International church. They are governed by bylaws enforced by the International church. ICFG churches fall into two broad categories, that is charter member and covenant member churches. A charter member church is not legally separate from the International church and its property is owned by the main church.

On the other hand, a covenant church is a separate entity from the international church and owns property on its own. Pioneer churches and those that were previously non-member churches fall within this category. A pioneer church can be upgraded to become a charter church.




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