The present statutes of House of Bread Christian Church are a practical guide regarding the truth of God, made to the best of our understanding, while also taking into account the location of our church and current social conditions. Due to evolving social processes, we reserve the right to future additions, improvements and clarifications of this document.

The church leaders are empowered by God to resolve all sorts of situations: “… whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 18:18). “If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (John 20:23). “On every controversial thing … it either has to be brought to the judges whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbor” (Exodus 22:9). Any sort of humiliation, gossip or unfounded charges upon a minister are punishable. Of such, the Scriptures say, “… This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings” (2 Peter 2:10).  “Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.” (Exodus 22:28). Every House of Bread Church pastor, ordained and called to the ministry, has the right and authority to handle any case before God, and to assume responsibility for any action or decision that is made.

Belonging to the church implies a covenant relationship with God that a person enters into through the act of water baptism. This occurs at a mature age, with personal and voluntary consent, and with full acknowledgment of what is occurring. A person that receives water baptism is one who has experienced a spiritual re-birth, with all of the visible evidence of a change in his or her nature. Belonging to the Body of the Church includes being involved in a ministry within the Church, i.e., being a functioning member or organ in the body. Nominal membership (e.g., members not participating in the life or activities of the Church in any capacity) constitutes a hidden deception that results in a lack of fruit, and eventually, even being cut off from the Vine of Christ (John 15:5). Every person who has entered into a covenant with God, must pray fervently, and continuously seek God’s will for their life. This enables an understanding of the service to which God calls a person and subsequently, obedience involving the offering of one’s time and abilities to church ministry is expected. If a member of the church is absent from church services for 3 – 6 months without a reasonable cause, his or her behavior will be condemned and reprimanded. If the member ignores the church’s pastoral counsel and is disobedient to the Word, he or she will be put on a probationary period, due to the critical nature of his/her spiritual condition. The church pastors and/or ministers will conduct prayers, provide counseling, and exhort the need for repentance. If such a person is still disobedient and unwilling to correct his or her behavior, their name will be added to the list of passive members of the church (reprimand) for an indefinite period.

Every member of the church must be a born-again Christian. He/she is required to attend church services and participate in the life of the church, i.e., bring tithes, take part in evangelism through the testimony of Christ, study the Word of God, and regularly pray for the Church, including its ministers and its vision. Each member should lead a godly life, understanding that he/she represents Christ, and they must meet the requirements of House of Bread Church membership in every respect.

The doctrine of tithing is an integral part of the church structure.
There may be exceptions in specific circumstances and these are considered individually. The term “tithe” means one tenth of the actual income of any member of the church. Tithing is the responsibility of individual church members and is not monitored by the church.

“The spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:15-16). Heresy means a new doctrine, which arises from within the Church, but is contrary to true theology. After reviewing some of the nuances of certain teachings prevailing in contemporary Christianity, fundamental incongruities with the teachings of the Gospel were found. These include, but are not limited to the following: extreme beliefs in the teachings of prosperity, divine encounters with the assistance of visible sacraments (crosses, nails, visual aids, blood, etc.), the doctrine of collectively casting out demons and familial curses of the entire church, denying that God has the right to punish, statements that every kind of evil comes only from the devil, and denying the divinity of Christ. Each member of House of Bread Christian Church must share the church’s position and be of the same understanding on these issues. In the case of any disagreements, church leaders are willing to take the time to engage in an honest and open discussion. We find it inappropriate and harmful to the body of the church to have people within the Church who have a viewpoint contrary to the gospel, as it is written: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:7). Such people are subject to reprimand.

The New Testament practice of ministry, led by the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, condemns all worldly manifestations in the church of God. Therefore, any form of pride, rivalry, greed, envy, and/or materialism, which may be manifest in a person’s appearance and/or behavior is condemned. This may include, but is not limited to, excessively expensive jewelry and food, inappropriate clothing, tattoos or piercings, and extreme fashion trends and styles. We also consider it unacceptable to gamble and engage in bribery. All of this is either a sign of a non-reborn nature, or the evidence of its falling into temptation and, thus, has nothing to do with the Spirit of Christ. Such things are subject to admonition, reproof, reprimand, and censure, if necessary.

As citizens of a particular state, members of the Church must be law-abiding. Exceptions to this are laws that openly propagate atheism, immorality, Satanism, occultism, unconventional sex, and anything else “that is contrary to sound doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:10). For issues related to service in the army, the personal consideration of each member of the church in accordance with his/her convictions is reserved. As a church, we believe that any kinds of activities that involve elements of violence (even against evil), are not appropriate for Christians. However, we respect the opposing viewpoint, and acknowledge that law enforcement officers (police, army, and judiciary) can be faithful and God-fearing people.

The family is the fundamental unit of any society. It consists of a man and woman, a father and mother, who are able to “be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:28). This is the first and fundamental precept of a family. Any “non-traditional family” that is not able to fulfill this commandment, is in essence not a family. Consequently, we do not allow and support same-sex marriage.

The family is the principal place of Christian instruction for children. Parents are responsible for the moral, physical, and financial condition of their children (minors). Methods of instruction must comply with the teachings of the Bible, which are based on the following principles: love your children, lead by example by leading a godly life, and practice discipline and the development of obedience (Proverbs 29:15-17, Proverbs 19:18, Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:1-4). To discipline means to teach children rules of acceptable behavior and to use physical punishment when necessary: “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him” (Proverbs 13:24). The Bible teaches that the proper use of punishment is not based on malice or hatred towards children, but based on care and love and the desire to deter them from evil or sin. Therefore, we are strongly opposed to any punishment that turns into abuse, public humiliation, and ridicule or insult, and we do not endorse physical punishment of children who are unable to realize their own guilt. For any sort of punishment that occurs, forgiveness and an analysis of the behavior should follow.

Marriage can only be conducted for members of the church who have partaken in water baptism, that is, they are in a covenant with God. Those who are not in a covenant with God are not eligible to be married within the church.  As it is written, “A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39). Marriage between a man and a woman should be based solely on love. The insistence of parents or prophetic predictions are not grounds for marriage. A family is recognized as the union of a man and a woman who are of marriageable age, residing legally in the United States, and whose marriage is registered by public authorities. Prior to the legal status of marriage, any kind of pre-marital relationship must be absolutely holy, that is in other words, committed to God. The individuals can only then be sanctified for each other in holy matrimony. The loss of virginity prior to marriage is condemned by the church. A person who commits such sin must undergo confession before marriage, and if necessary, accept due punishment.

The Word of God identifies three reasons as valid grounds to divorce and remarriage: the death of a spouse, infidelity of a spouse, and the unwillingness of an unbelieving spouse to live with his/her Christian spouse. Other reasons are to be considered individually. If either spouse takes the initiative for divorce, outside of any of the above stated reasons, and does not obey the admonition of ministers, then the situation may be resolved by a divorce without the right of remarriage. As it is written: “But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife” (1 Corinthians 7:11). However, the spouse whom we conventionally call the “injured party,” in this case is free and has the right to remarry. In the case of a violation of the statute in matters of remarriage, the member(s) of the church must suffer deserved and rightful punishment. The hope is for the repentance of one’s behavior and an awareness and acknowledgement of the depth of the sin. If a person remarries, we do not consider it a sign of repentance if one returns to the former spouse, even if the second marriage is legalized by government agencies.

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Matthew 19: 6).

We believe that the there is only one Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that it is divided into local congregations. Membership and accountability to one of the local churches is therefore required. However, we, like the Lord Himself, above all respect the free will of man, and give him/her the right to choose. We find that it is unjust for churches to hold on to those who desire to move to another church. However, it is our duty to find objective information about the dangers of doctrinal misconceptions (if there are any) in the case of a change of membership. No reprimand will be given to any former member regarding a transfer from House of Bread Christian Church to another church.  It is a personal responsibility and a personal choice. House of Bread Church reserves the right to share information about their former members with the leadership of other churches.

The methods of maintaining ecclesiastical discipline may include: admonition, rebuke, reprimand, prohibition, and the implementation of excommunication. A person who has confessed and repented of his/her sin is not subject to any punishment. “If you sin against your brother, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother” (Matthew 18:15).

“My children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one: He is the propitiation for our sins “(1 John 2:1-2).

Upon detection of any violation of any of these statutes by a member of the church, the church leaders will admonish, pray, and urge the individual to correction. After realizing his/her guilt, if the person is rehabilitated, they may then continue to minister within the church. In the case of disobedience and refusal to correct ones behavior, the name of this person is added to the list of passive members of the church, for an indefinite period of observation. This individual is then informed of such a decision by the leadership of the church. At the end of the “observation” period, if he/she does not fix the offending behavior, then that individual forfeits the status of membership at House of Bread Christian Church. House of Bread Christian Church does not excommunicate members from the “universal” church of Christ, nor does it excommunicate until the “second coming of Christ”. By “excommunication”, we mean the loss of membership at House of Bread Church, based on a violation of church statute(s) and an unwillingness to rehabilitate and repent for the sin committed.

If a transgression is committed by a minister of the church, he/she can be restored as a regular member of the church, but cannot participate in the church as a minister.  The question of restoring rights for church service or ministry are to be considered individually. A minister needs to be “an example for the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity”, “with a great boldness in the faith in Christ Jesus,” “bishop who wants a good cause desires. But a bishop must be blameless,“ ”let these also first be proven, then, if blameless, allowed to serve “(1 Timothy 3:10).
It is mandatory to excommunicate a person from the church who consciously renounces faith in Jesus Christ. “Who does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, Maranatha”     (1 Corinthians 16:2), i.e. let him be excommunicated before coming. “He who tramples the Son of God, and hath holy blood of the covenant, which he was sanctified, and insulted the Spirit of grace,” For in the Old Testament, “Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God“ (Hebrew 10:28-29).”But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:33). House of Bread Church reserves the right to share information about excommunicated members with the leadership of other churches.

Anyone who sins arbitrarily and justifies ones conduct will be excluded from the church. “But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.“ (1 Corinthians 5:11-13).

Only church members are notified, in writing, about the punishment or discipline of other church members, but without any details regarding the offense as to maintain confidentiality. In the case of well-known circumstances or situations of public knowledge, an explanation of the situation occurs in closed-door membership meetings of the church.

These House of Bread Christian Church statutes provide an overview of the key topics relating to the Lord’s house. However, we recognize the rights and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, and emphasize the direct leadership of the church through the Holy Spirit under unusual circumstances.