Keryx Prison Ministry
Statement of Faith
1. We believe the Bible to be the only inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God.
2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His
miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily
resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in
power and glory.
4. We believe in the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.
5. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Chippewa Area Keryx is one of seven local councils affiliated with the Keryx Michigan Prison Ministry, a 501(c)3 organization.
Palanca for the weekends should be sent to: Chippewa Area Keryx, P.O. Box 404, Conway, MI 49722. Email palanca can be sent to info@chippewakeryx.org. Color graphics are welcome.
STATEMENT ON CHRISTIAN CHARACTER
2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
The man or woman of God is called to continually be transformed into the image of Christ in mind, heart and spirit. The call of every believer is to be in such an intimate relationship with the Lord that this transformation is a continual and ongoing process. Granted, we are all still in the process of being transformed into the likeness of Christ and we all wrestle with issues of sin, yet as Keryx volunteers, we are called to be living a lifestyle that is consistent with this spiritual process (Philippians 1:6).
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he speaks to issues of moral sin – “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Neither the sexually immoral nor idolater nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor. 6:9-10)
Paul says that one who practices such sin is outside the kingdom of God. He goes on to say in the following verses that “such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
Such were some of us, but in coming to Christ these sins were put under the blood and confessed as being contrary to the very heart and nature of God. Therefore by His grace and abiding presence we do not practice or walk in them anymore.
Because it is not our desire to put a stumbling block in the way of a brother (Romans 14:13), it is the position of Keryx that any volunteer who is not able to put these types of moral sins in the past tense as having been washed and covered by the blood and not longer walking in them should not serve on a team. It is the commitment of every team member to be able to say that they are living a life which is morally and biblically acceptable in the sight of man, but more importantly, in the eyes of God who is a discerner of the heart. Because there are issues of developing Godly character within the lives of inmates and we are positioning ourselves as role models and mentors, persons who are openly or secretly living or advocating the following lifestyles should not accept a position to serve on a Keryx team:
Abusive spousal treatment (emotionally or physically)
Adultery
Drug abuse
Alcohol abuse
Any other illegal or morally or biblically unacceptable behavior
Homosexuality (addressed specifically in another document)
As volunteers we are making a statement that it is our highest commitment to represent Jesus Christ in the flesh – consequently our behavioral example must be Jesus Himself. Our actions and lifestyles must reflect His teachings as presented in the Bible, which we accept as the true word of God.
Other supporting Scripture: Colossians 3:15; Ephesians 5:25-30; 2 Timothy 2:14-26
