Articles
The Bible and the Church
The Bible was written for everyday people to read, think about for themselves and to put into practice. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. His coming (Genesis 49:10), His mission (Isaiah 53, Zechariah 6:13) and His new message (Jeremiah 31:31-33) were all foretold in the Old Testament hundreds of years before He was born. Jesus Christ wasn't simply 'a good man' but He Himself said in Luke 19:10 that He came "to seek and to save the lost". Some have foolishly decided that Jesus is no longer relevant. But God said in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, today and forever." His clear and simple teachings are just as powerful and relevant today as ever. Maybe even more so
God Holds Us Each Accountable
God will hold each of us accountable for our actions. What we say, what we do and how we live our lives is eternally important. His only Son said so. His Son taught us that there are two destinations for everyone- heaven and hell. He taught us how to live our lives such that we can live with Him eternally -- no matter how bad things in our lives "used to be."
Once we become Christians, we must each check our egos at the door, and we must be personally accountable for following the teachings of the Bible. The apostle Peter, when confronted by an arrogant religious leader who didn't like what Peter had to say about this leader's sin and hypocrisy, replied "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). We urge our visitors and our members to constantly compare what they see and hear at Mountain View against the Bible. If we are in error, we want to know about it. It is our goal to follow the pattern that is outlined in the New Testament.
The Bible is the complete Teaching of God.
The Heart and Mind of Jesus Christ
The New Testament reveals the heart and mind of Christ (Hebrews 9:15-17). By studying the New Testament, we learn that no denominations existed in the first century. History shows these came later. We read of people of faith obeying the conditions of God's grace: they believed, turned to God, repented of their sins and were baptized in order to be forgiven of their sins by a Merciful God . It is after they were baptized and thus saved, they were added to the Lord's church (Acts 2:36-47). As the gospel spread, we see them assembling in congregations in various locations, each local group under the oversight of its own elders (also called bishops, overseers, pastors or shepherds) who did not answer to anyone other than Jesus. These men could not make laws or be masters, but were given the responsibility of caring for the congregation as shepherds would a flock (Acts 20:17, 28; I Peter 5:1-3). These early Christians only knew of one headquarters: heaven, where their Master, Jesus Christ, ruled over each of them (Ephesians 1:23).
At Mountain View, we strive to be the church that Jesus Christ established - nothing more, nothing less.
