2.01 Statement of Faith Generally. Next Generation’s Christian doctrine, beliefs, and practicesare substantially described in Next Generation’s Statement of Faith as set forth in Section 2 ofthese Bylaws. This Statement of Faith and associated citations to verses within the HolyScriptures are not exhaustive, as the entirety of the Bible itself, as described in Paragraph 2.02, isthe sole and final source of Next Generation’s Christian doctrine, beliefs, and practices, and shallguide all policies, procedures, operations, ministries, and other affairs of Next Generation.
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2.02 The Holy Scriptures. The written words of the Holy Scriptures that constitute the HolyBible are the only writings containing the words of God Himself. The Scriptures are divinelyinspired and authoritative; to disbelieve or disobey the Scriptures is to disbelieve or disobey GodHimself. In their original manuscripts, the Scriptures are truthful and inerrant, not affirminganything contrary to fact. The Scriptures are clearly understandable by all persons who will readthem with a willingness to follow them, seeking proper understanding from the Lord. Theycontain all of the words that God intended to be known for salvation. The Scriptures areprofitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the manof God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. Exodus 24:4; Numbers 23:19;Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6:6-7, 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalm 1:2, 12:6, 19:7-10, 119:11, 119:89,119:96, 119:105, 119:130, 119:140; Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 34:16, 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16, 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18, 22:29, 24:35; Luke 21:33, 24:44-46; John 5:39, 16:13-15, 17:17; Acts2:16ff, 17:11; Romans 10:13-17, 15:4, 16:25-26; 1 Corinthians 14:37; 1 Timothy 5:18; 2Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2, 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21, 3:14-16.
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2.03 God. There is only one God, eternally existing in the three persons of the Trinity includingthe Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.Genesis 1:1, 1:26, 18:14; Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Job 37:16; Psalm 24:8, 90:4,115:3, 139:1-2, 139:4, 139:6, 139:7-10, 139:16; Isaiah 9:6, 46:9-10, 55:9; Jeremiah 23:23-24,32:17, 32:27; Matthew 3:9, 3:16-17, 6:8, 10:29-30, 19:26, 28:19; Mark 1:10-11; Luke 1:35,1:37; Acts 17:28; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Ephesians 3:20; Colossians 1:17;Hebrews 3:7- 11, 4:13; 2 Peter 3:8; 1 John 3:20, 5:7; Revelation 1:8.
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(a) God The Father. God the Father is the first person of the Trinity. God the Fatherreigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the course of human history,according to His purposes. Genesis 1:1, 2:7; Exodus 3:14, 6:2-3, 15:11ff, 20:1ff; Leviticus 22:2;Deuteronomy 6:4, 32:6; 1 Corinthians 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3, 43:15, 64:8; Jeremiah10:10, 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff, 7:11, 23:9, 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24, 5:26, 14:6-13, 17:1-8;Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6, 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.
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(b) God The Son. Jesus Christ is God the Son, the eternally existing second person of theTrinity. In His incarnation, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virginMary to live among men on the earth, where He performed miracles and later died on the crossfor the sins of man. Jesus was both fully God and fully man and was without any sin. Accordingto the Scriptures, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after His death on the cross, appearedin a glorified body to His disciples and many witnesses, and ascended into heaven to take Hisexalted place at the right hand of God the Father. Through the shedding of His blood in Hissubstitutionary death on the cross and His resurrection three days later, Jesus atoned for the sinsof man once and for all, and is the one Mediator between God and man by which man can bereconciled to God. Today, Jesus dwells within and intercedes for believers, and one day He willreturn in power and glory. Genesis 18:1ff; Psalm 2:7ff, 110:1ff; Isaiah 7:14, 7:53, 9:6; Matthew1:18-25, 3:17, 8:29, 11:27, 14:33, 16:16, 16:27, 17:5, 17:27, 28:1-6, 28:19; Mark 1:1, 3:11;Luke 1:27-35, 4:41, 22:70, 24:46; John 1:1-18, 1:29, 8:58, 10:30, 10:33, 10:38, 11:25-27,12:44-50, 14:7- 11, 16:15-16, 16:28, 17:1-5, 17:21-22, 20:1-20, 20:28; Acts 1:9, 2:22-24, 7:55-56, 9:4-5, 9:20; Romans 1:3-4, 3:23-26, 5:6-21, 8:1-3, 8:34, 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2:2, 8:6,15:1- 8, 15:24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21, 8:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20, 3:11, 4:7-10;Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22, 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6, 3:16;Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3, 4:14-15, 7:14-28, 9:12-15, 9:24-28, 12:2, 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25,3:22; 1 John 1:7-9, 3:2, 4:14-15, 5:9; 2 John 1:7-9; Revelation 1:13-16, 5:9-14, 12:10-11, 13:8,19:16.
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(c) God The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, and is thefully divine Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit was active in Old Testament times and inspired mento write the Scriptures, and was given to the Church in fullness at the time of Pentecost. TheHoly Spirit calls men to Jesus Christ, enables men to understand truth and the meaning of theScriptures, and convicts men of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He comforts believers andbestows spiritual gifts by which believers serve God as members of the Church. Spiritual giftsalways operate in harmony with the Scriptures. Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalm51:11, 139:7ff; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18, 3:11, 3:16, 4:1, 12:28-32, 28:19;Mark 1:10, 1:12, 13:11, 16:17; Luke 1:35, 4:1, 4:18-19, 11:13, 12:11-12, 24:45, 24:49; John3:8, 4:24, 14:16-17, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7-14; Acts 1:4-5, 1:8, 2:1-4, 2:17, 2:38-39, 4:31, 5:3, 6:3,7:55, 8:14-17, 8:39, 10:38, 10:44-47, 11:15-17, 13:2, 15:28, 16:6, 19:1-6; Romans 1:11, 5:5,8:9-11, 8:14-16, 8:26-27, 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14, 3:16, 12:1-31, 14:1-40; Galatians4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:16, 4:30, 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:8, 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16, 4:1; 2Timothy 1:5-16, 3:16, 4:14; Hebrews 2:4, 9:8, 9:14; 1 Peter 4:10; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13,5:6-7; Revelation 1:10, 22:17.

2.04 Man And The Fall. Man was created by God, male and female, in God’s own image andinnocent of any sin. God placed the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Edenand gave man freedom of the choice to sin. The fall of man occurred when Satan tempted manand man sinned against God. Because of the fall, man today is inclined toward sin, and needs thegrace of God to bring man back into fellowship with God. God considered man to be His highestcreation because He created man in His own image, and later was willing to send His Son Jesusto die for the redemption of man from sin and the effects of the fall of man. Genesis 1:26-30,2:5, 2:7, 2:18-22, 3:1-24, 9:6; Psalm 8:3-6, 32:1-5, 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32, 3:10-18, 3:23, 5:6, 5:12, 5:19, 6:6, 7:14-25, 8:14-25,8:29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31, 15:19, 15:21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22, 3:9-11.
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2.05 Salvation. Salvation is the free gift of God for redemption of man from the power andpenalty of his sin. Salvation is offered to all who by faith alone accept Jesus Christ as Lord andSavior. Salvation is available to man through Jesus’ blood from His sacrifice on the cross, whereHe took man’s place and atoned for man’s sin, and His resurrection from the dead after threedays. Jesus Christ is the only way to be reconciled to God, as He is the Way, the Truth, and theLife, and no man comes to God the Father but by Him. Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17, 6:2-8;Matthew 1:21, 4:17, 16:21-26, 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69, 2:28-32; John 1:11-14, 1:29, 3:3-21,3:36, 5:24, 10:9, 10:28-29, 14:6, 15:1-16, 17:17; Acts 2:21, 4:12, 15:11, 16:30-31, 17:30-31,20:32; Romans 1:16-18, 2:4, 3:23-25, 4:3ff, 5:8-10, 6:1-23, 8:1-18, 8:29-39, 10:9-10, 10:13,13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18, 1:30, 6:19-20, 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:16,2:20, 3:8, 3:13, 5:22- 25, 6:15; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-22, 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians1:9-22, 3:1ff; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14, 3:5; Hebrews 2:1-3,5:8-9, 9:22, 9:24-28, 11:1-12:8, 12:14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11;Revelation 3:20, 21:1-22:5.
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2.06 The Church. The Church is the fellowship of God in Christ, the body of Christ, and thefamily of all believers who have accepted the free gift of salvation and profess the Lordship ofChrist in their lives. Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her by His redemptivesacrifice on the cross. The Church engages in worship to God and the singing of psalms andhymns and spiritual songs to the praise of His glory. The Church nurtures believers, admonishingand teaching every believer with all wisdom in order to present every man mature and completein Christ, equipping believers for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ,and attaining to the unity of faith in Christ. As instructed by Jesus at the end of His ministry onearth, the Church brings His teachings to all nations, teaching them and baptizing them in thename of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 16:15-19, 18:15-20, 28:19-20; John17:11, 17:20-23; Acts 2:41-42, 2:47, 5:11-14, 6:3-6, 13:1-3, 14:23, 14:27, 15:1-30, 16:5, 20:28;Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 3:16, 5:4-5, 7:17, 9:13-14, 12:1-31; Ephesians 1:12, 1:22-23,2:14-15, 2:19- 22, 3:8-11, 3:21, 4:12-13, 5:18b-20, 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18,1:28, 3:16; 1Timothy 2:9-14, 3:1-15, 4:14; Hebrews 10:25, 11:4-32, 11:39-40, 12:1, 12:23; 1Peter 5:1-4;Revelation 2:1- 3:22, 21:2-3.
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2.07 Christian Living. A person who has experienced salvation is united with Christ in Hisdeath and resurrection, having crucified the old sinful self with Christ’s death on the cross andhaving been delivered from bondage to sin. At the moment of salvation, justification occurswhereby the believer instantaneously stands in a right relationship with God, the believer isadopted as a member of God’s family, and the process of sanctification begins. Sanctification isthe cooperative process between God and the new believer whereby the believer progressivelybecomes more and more free from sin as explained in the Scriptures and increasingly resemblesthe example of Christ. Upon confessing Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God, the believerexperiences a transformation by the renewing of his mind, and begins to walk in the Light andnewness of life as a child of God as he abides in God and God abides in the believer. TheChristian life is marked by obedience to the Lord, and a desire to practice righteousness andfollow His will as made known through the Holy Scriptures. The believer has a special love ofone another as God’s love is perfected in the believer increasingly bearing the fruit of the Spiritincluding love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, and demonstrating faith through good works according to the gifts, talents, and abilitiesthe Lord has provided. The believer in Christ uses the Holy Scriptures for teaching, reproof,correction, and training in righteousness in order to be adequate and equipped for every goodwork. The believer must by constant use and practice train himself in the word of righteousnessto discern good from evil and approve the things that are excellent, so that his love may aboundmore and more in real knowledge, and in order to be sincere and blameless until the day ofChrist. Such believer must seek instruction with obedient ears and accept correction and reproofas excellent oil or an ornament of fine gold. The believer must be ready and able to teach andbecome a deacon or overseer, progressing from the milk of elementary principles to the meat ofthe mature. The believer must be prepared through training in righteousness and personalblamelessness not practicing the same things to be a wise reprover, speaking the truth in love andshowing a brother his fault in private, in a spirit of gentleness without putting a stumbling blockin the brother’s way, for the purpose of restoring the brother to right behavior and reconcilinghim to other believers and to God, and if necessary, to follow up with one or two witnesses andtell it to the Church so that the rest will be fearful of sinning, while reaffirming love for thebrother or permitting sorrow to the point of repentance. Conflicts between believers are to beresolved only within the Church and according to biblical guidance, as lawsuits before theunrighteousness are dishonoring to Christ and the Church and a defeat for the believers. Thebeliever should not let the sun go down and resolve conflicts promptly according to the sameforgiveness Christ has demonstrated to the believer, so that no root of bitterness may spring upand cause trouble; a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. The believer must alwaysseek to protect the integrity of the Church and its leadership and the honor of Christ and HisGospel. Leviticus 19:17; Deuteronomy 8:5; Job 5:17; Psalm 1:2, 105:14, 118:18, 141:5;Proverbs 3:11-12, 6:23, 9:7-8, 10:17, 12:1, 13:1, 13:18, 13:24, 15:5, 15:10, 15:12, 15:31-32,17:10, 19:18, 19:20, 19:25, 19:27, 21:11, 22:15, 23:12-13, 25:12; Isaiah 1:17; Matthew 4:4,5:1-7:29, 18:15-17, 18:21-35, 28:19-20; Luke 17:3-4; John 8:31-32, 14:15, 14:21, 17:17; Acts5:11, 9:31, 20:32; Romans 2:1-11, 6:4-14, 6:17-19, 8:1-17, 12:1-13:14, 14:1-23, 15:5, 15:14,16:17-20; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 4:21-5:13, 6:1-8, 6:11, 6:13, 6:18-20, 9:27, 11:32, 12:12-26,13:1-13; 2 Corinthians 2:5-11, 3:18, 5:11, 6:14-18, 7:1, 7:8-11, 10:5; Galatians 4:5, 4:16, 5:16-24, 6:1-2; Ephesians 1:5, 4:1-6:20; Philippians 1:9-10, 2:12- 13, 3:9-14, 4:4-9; ColossiansNext Generation Clubs Fusion Training 2024-2025 401:10, 1:28, 2:5, 3:5-4:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-12, 5:11-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 3:6-15; 1 Timothy 1:5, 1:19, 3:1-13, 4:1-8, 5:17-22; 2 Timothy 1:7, 2:15, 2:20-21, 3:16-17, 4:2; Titus 1:7-9, 1:13, 2:15, 3:10-11; Hebrews 3:13, 5:11-14, 10:24-25, 12:1-2, 12:4- 11, 12:14-15, 13:20-21; James 1:2-27, 2:14-26, 5:19; 1 Peter 1:2, 1:13-25, 2:2, 2:11-5:11; 2 Peter 1:3-11; 1 John 1:3-8, 2:15-17, 3:3-10, 4:7-13, 4:19-21, 5:1-5, 5:18; 2 John 1:7-11; Revelation 3:19.
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(a) Marriage. The Scriptures teach that the marriage covenant shall be reserved only for one man with one woman. God the Creator decided that the man should not be alone, and specifically fashioned the woman as the suitable helper for the man, made the woman from a part of the man and in the woman made the man complete, designed sexual union to be with a husband cleaving to his wife as one flesh, bestowed His divine blessing upon the unity of a man and a woman, gave the man and the woman the ability to fulfill His charge to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and ordained the pattern for human life that a man and a woman would join in this marriage covenant and cleave to each other as one flesh. The Lord designated specific duties for the holy unity between a man and a woman, instructing the husband to love his wife as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her, and instructing the wife to be subject to the husband in everything and to submit to him as unto the Lord. No other relationship can ever be the holy unity between one man and one woman established by the Creator, which the Apostle Paul frequently compared to the holy unity of Christ and the Church, and man has no authority to alter the divine order of the marriage covenant between one man and one woman, or to separate what God has joined together. Genesis 1:27, 1:28, 2:18-24; Matthew 19:1-12;Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:1-40; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19.
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(b) Sexuality. The Scriptures limit the expression of human sexuality to the marital relationship of one man with one woman, which is the only legitimate and acceptable sexual relationship. Genesis 2:24; Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 20:10-21; Deuteronomy 5:18; Proverbs 5:3-5, 5:8-13, 7:21-27; Matthew 5:27, 19:18; Luke 18:20; Romans 1:26-27, 13:9; 1 Corinthians6:9-10, 6:18, 10:8; Galatians 5:19; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4; James 2:11; Jude 7.
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2.08 Last Things. God has appointed a day when He will judge the world. On that day, God willdemonstrate His mercy by eternal salvation in Heaven for all who have placed their faith inChrist for salvation, and His justice by eternal damnation in Hell for those who have rejectedGod’s free gift of salvation in Christ. Isaiah 2:4, 11:9; Matthew 7:13-14, 7:21-23, 16:27, 18:8-9,19:28, 22:13-14, 24:27, 24:30, 24:36, 24:44, 25:31-46, 26:63-64; Mark 8:38, 9:43-48; Luke12:40, 12:48, 13:24-28, 16:19-31, 17:22-37, 21:27-28, 24:16, 24:36, 24:39; John 2:19-21, 14:1-3, 20:26-28, 21:4; Acts 1:9-11, 17:31, 24:15; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5, 15:24-28,15:35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5, 3:4; 1Thessalonians 4:14-18, 5:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:7, 2:1-17; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1, 4:8;Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28, 10:26-31; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7ff; 1 John 2:28, 3:2; Jude 1:14;Revelation 1:7, 1:18, 3:11, 20:1-22:13.