Statement of Faith of the United States Full Gospel Mission (USFGM)
We believe
In the TRINITY OF GOD; that there are three who bear record in heaven: the Father, the Son (or the Word) and the Holy Spirit who are all one (1 John 5:7). We believe In JESUS CHRIST, the Son of God, as fully God who became man, yet without sin. That He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born by the Virgin Mary. He died as Savior for the redemption of the world and bodily arose on the third day. He ascended to heaven and now intercedes for His followers at the right hand of God the Father. As Lord and King, He will return to judge the world and to be forever united with His bride (the Church), John 1:1-3, 14-17, Luke 1:35, 1 Tim. 3:16, 1 Cor. 15:3-4, Acts 1:10-11, Matt. 25:31-46.
We believe
In the Holy Spirit as the third person in the Divine trinity. That He is not just an active force of God but a person, another Comforter like the Lord JESUS CHRIST (John 14:16-17, 26).
We believe
In the UTTER SINFULNESS AND LOST CONDITION OF MAN. A TRUE REGENERATION through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, as the only and all-sufficient Savior (Acts 4:12), is therefore necessary for salvation.
We believe
That the HOLY BIBLE of sixty six books is the inspired and infallible Word of God and therefore has supreme authority in matters of faith, worship, and doctrine (2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
We believe
In WATER BAPTISM by way of immersion in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit subsequent to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as instructed in Matt. 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15.
We believe
In BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, as a subsequent experience to conversion, with the evidence of speaking with other tongues which can be tongues of men or of angels (Matt. 3:11, Mark 16:17-18, Acts 2:1-4, 1 Cor. 13:1).
We believe
In the present-day manifestation of the 9 GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT enumerated in 1 Cor. 12:7-11 (such as healing, faith, utterances in tongues, prophecy, etc), SPIRITUAL MINISTRIES according to Eph. 4:11-13 and the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (Gal. 5:22-23).
We believe
In the necessity of SANCTIFICATION for all believers (1 Thess. 4:3-8) and the POSSIBILITY OF FALLING AWAY FROM GRACE. We are therefore opposed to all forms of compromise and immoral living such as adultery, fornication, idolatry, drunkenness, witchcraft, hatred, emulations, wrath, variance, strife, seditions, reveling, uncleanness (e.g. incest, lesbianism, sodomy, bestiality, bisexuality, and pornography), and etcetera (Gal. 5:19-21, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Eph. 5:3-6).
Brief History of USFGM
United States Full Gospel Mission (US FGM) is an extension of the Foreign Missions’ Arm of the Full Gospel Mission in Cameroon (FGMC). FGMC was founded in 1961 by a German missionary couple, Werner and Helga Knorr. In 1959, Pa and Ma Knorr (as they are fondly called) arrived Calabar (Nigeria) from Germany, having responded to God’s calling for missions work in Africa.
They soon moved to Uyo, in the then Cross River State, Nigeria. Guided by the Holy Spirit in 1961, the Knorrs again moved to neighboring Cameroon where they first settled in the small coastal town of Mutengene. Evangelistic efforts here soon led to the planting of the first FGMC Church. With other missionaries who later joined these labors from Europe and America, the work grew tremendously. From the very beginning, emphasis was laid on evangelism, holiness, and the training of Christian workers for effective ministry. To this effect, a Bible Training College was opened by FGMC in Bamenda, Cameroon in 1970. Today, FGMC has opened Churches in all ten regions of Cameroon and has over 2000 Pastors in the country.
In response to the commandment of our LORD JESUS CHRIST to make disciples of all the nations, the Foreign Missions’ Department of FGMC began sending missionaries into other African countries (notably Nigeria, Chad, and Central African Republic, Congo) about a decade ago. More recently, the work has extended to Europe, Canada, and USA. Here in the USA, we are called United States Full Gospel Mission (US FGM). The work in the USA was started by children of FGMC who immigrated to the USA and later answered God’s calling over their lives.
Notably, Pastor John Eben opened the first assembly in Dallas TX in 2005 and named it Full Grace Gospel Fellowship (FGGF) after consulting with the then FGMC Superintendent, Dr. David Njemo, and Director of FGMC Home Missions’ Department, Dr. Manga William. Later in September 2012, FGGF was changed to US FGM and in December of that year, a second US FGM was started in North Dakota. Some five other US FGM assemblies have since been opened in the states of Texas, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Oklahoma. The LORD is faithfully adding disciples daily and we are expanding.
Full Gospel Mission Cameroon (and her branches in other nations including US FGM) is committed to preaching and teaching the full gospel message, as revealed in the whole canon of Scripture, in the power of the Holy Spirit. We cannot express this burden in better words than does the Pioneer Missionary for FGMC, Werner Knorr, who writes as follows
<<Hosea, the Prophet of old, remarks in Hos. 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." What a weighty, what a scaring statement! But how true it has been in the times of the Old Testament, as well as during the Church's history in the New Testament! Wherever the knowledge of God in general, or His specific will in detail - as expressed in His word or His commandments - was obscured or ignored, what ensued for the people concerned, was disaster. But Hosea is not only addressing the people in general. In the following verses he also has a word for the priests, whom we call "ministers of God", "Church leaders", "preachers" or "elders", in our Church age. "Because you have rejected knowledge," he says on behalf of God, "I also will reject you from being priests for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children."
Having a clear revelation and understanding of God, of the Lord Jesus Christ, of the Holy Spirit, and of the gospel as such, is for all God's people, and His servants in particular, of utmost importance. It was this consciousness that made us name our work from the very beginning "Full Gospel" Mission. It is another name often used for Pentecostal Churches but in our own understanding, it carries a far deeper meaning. It expresses our desire to abide with the entire word of God in its original, Spirit-inspired meaning. The gospel as found in the New Testament is not subject to cultural or modernistic changes.
Jude, speaking to believers at his time, makes this comment, "…I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." Jude 3. We must by no means deviate from the straight path of gospel doctrines outlined by our Lord and His Apostles. Neither must we ignore some of them. What they taught is binding for the Church of Jesus Christ throughout the ages>>.
