What Do We Believe?

Sometimes people ask us the question, “what does your church believe?”. This is a great question, and, to be honest, it's hard to know where to start. With the great restored truths God has poured out in the last days, there is so much to share. We are bible believers and believe that every Word of the Bible is truth and inspired by God, leaving nothing out. That seems so general, but it is the truth. Often, people are looking for you to answer "what do you believe?" in a certain way that quickly puts us in a particular category of a denominational slant. But this seems unfair, knowing that we as Christians are to believe all the Word of God, leaving nothing out or adding nothing to it.

We are a Christian church. Acts 11:26 says the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Christian means those of Christ. Christ is the person of truth (the way, the truth, and the life.) So, in following Christ, we embrace truth. John 8:32 says, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

The world is truly looking for something real and particularly real Christianity. For the most part, the church, over the last 2000 years, has become symbolism over substance, lacking the Holy Spirit to make the Word live. The scripture plainly promises a full restoration of the Word and His Spirit in the last days.

See Malachi 4:5-6, Matthew 17:11, Luke 17:30, Acts 3:21, and Revelation 10:7.

Literal Life Church was established over 30 years ago under the leadership of Pastor Paul LaFontaine. We have been dedicated to preaching and spreading the Message of Christ for the last days. Many scriptures related to the end time point clearly to a Messenger, a Message, and a Marriage between Christ and His Bride.

Below you will find more specifics on our church beliefs. God Bless!

 Biblical Beliefs

We encourage you to study the scriptures with each belief. If you desire more scriptures and information, please get in touch with us.

1. We believe that Jesus Christ was God manifested in the flesh. He was and is the mystery of God revealed. He was sent as God's answer to the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. Jesus lived, died, and rose again on the third day for man's salvation and justification. He was the Lamb of God and thus a Kinsmen Redeemer for man's sin. I Timothy 3:16

2. We believe in one God. He has revealed Himself as a trinity but never a trinity of three different persons. He has come in three main offices or expressions as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but always one God. Although He has come in three main offices, He has so many more characteristics. For example, the seven compound names of Jehovah found in the Old Testament are all revealed in Jesus Christ. Jehovah of the Old Testament is Jesus of the New. I John 5:7 "these three are one" Matthew 28:19 (three offices, but one Name). Because of this, we believe baptism is not to be in the titles of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, but in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. All baptisms in the early church were done this way according to history and what Jesus said to do. Baptize them in the "Name," not names or titles.

3. We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is the absolute truth for mankind. I Corinthians 14:37 and I Thessalonians 2:13

4. We believe that every man and woman needs to be born again to see, understand, or enter the kingdom of heaven. John 3:7

5. We believe the power of that new birth is through receiving Christ Jesus (the Word) alone. In John 1:12, Jesus said to Nicodemus the new birth comes by the Spirit, the Holy Ghost.

6. We believe there is repentance and baptism to bring someone to the new birth. Just like the natural birth, water, blood, and spirit. Justification, Sanctification, and Baptism of the Holy Ghost. Three steps in Acts. Repent, be baptized in His Name, not His titles, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38

7. We believe that just to believe intellectually is not enough; as the apostle Paul taught, "have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?" Acts 19:2

8. We believe the evidence you have received the Holy Ghost (Christ) is receiving the Word, which has brought a change and conversion of your life. With His life living in you, your soul desires have changed, and you will not love the world or the things of the world anymore. You will follow truth, for it is the Spirit of truth in you. He, the Holy Ghost, will lead and guide you into all truth. John 16:13

9. We believe that once birthed by the Spirit, you are baptized into the body of Christ and become a vessel at any given time to manifest the nine spiritual gifts of the church. (Gifts of the Spirit) These gifts were placed in the church in the beginning, and there is no place that God ever removed them. No man or denomination has the right to remove them. I Corinthians 12:1-31

10. We believe there are five special gifts sent to the church for our growth and perfection. God gave them, and we must seek these true gifts He has sent to us to teach and preach to us the Word of God. Ephesians 4:11-12

11. We believe that the reason a person can receive all this path to redemption from God is because they were predestined to it before the foundation of the world. It is only the bride of Christ that can respond to the husband Christ (the Word) and say, "I believe it all" and "I want to be His Bride." Ephesians 1:5 (Read the whole chapter) Romans 8:29

12. We believe Hebrews 13:8. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." That means what He has done before, He can do it again, and no man or denomination has a right to say he can't. No one has the authority to say, "that was for another time." You can't limit truth that way. Jesus is truth, and He is the same. What He did in the past, He can do again.

13. We believe in the present truth of Christ, not just the Christ of 2000 years ago. Christ is the Word revealed in every generation. Consider what Paul said in Hebrews of Moses, that he "esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches." Present truth is what we are to be established in. II Peter 1:12

14. We believe modern events happening are made clear by bible prophecy. We are watching end time prophecy being fulfilled. The believer in Jesus Christ today has to know and follow the "I AM." God in both the Old Testament and New refers to himself as the "I AM." Not the I was or the I will be. John 8:58 and Exodus 3:1

15. We believe in the restoration of all things at the end time. In over 2000 years of church history, hundreds of truths were misinterpreted or lost. Sometimes even church organizational systems were responsible for this. God, through many prophecies, said He would restore all these. We are in a time of great restoration and coming out of church systems to live in fully restored truth. It is the restoration of all things, including the Word, true fellowship, the pouring out of His Spirit, joy, gifts, life, holiness, modesty, families, marriages, and more. "I will restore all things." Joel 1:4 and Joel 2:25-27

16. We believe God begins this process of restoration with a sent messenger. He began His first coming with a "forerunner" or messenger. This was clearly John the Baptist. In the same pattern, He begins His second coming with a messenger, and this messenger is to restore all things. This is made crystal clear by the prophet Malachi and Jesus himself. Malachi 4:5-6 and Matthew 17:11

17. We believe in the second coming of Christ. It will be a process of a Shout, a Voice, and a Trump. We will be caught up (raptured) to meet our Lord in the air. In the end time is a revival of restored truth and pouring out of His Spirit again. This revival will culminate in a rapture or catching away of the church. I Thessalonians 4:16-17

Thank you, friend, for reading our beliefs. All of these truths that have been shared have further scriptures and specifics, especially the events that are happening right now. We will soon post further references to study. But please feel free to visit the church or contact us, and we will be glad to send further study materials to you.

Bro. Steven Strooh (Teacher)

Brother Steven is a Bible teacher at Literal Life Church with many years of ministry experience in South Africa, the USA, the UK, the Netherlands, Canada, and Germany. Since 2014, he has been recording live Bible studies and making them available online for believers to access. With over 40,000 views and based on feedback from believers, he is committed to continuing with this online ministry as well as in-person teachings in our church. Visit his biblical podcast teaching series here.

Bro. Rapp Crook

Since 2016, Bro. Rapp Crook and his family have been fellowshipping at Literal Life Church. In addition to being the principal of a Christian school, Bro. Rapp ministers at Literal Life Church and various youth events.

Recently, Bro. Rapp has taken the local congregation through a basic study of the seven churches of Revelation 2-3. The messages to each church in Asia Minor foreshadow the conditions of the church during the Gentile dispensation. From the Book of Acts until the Second Coming of Christ, Satan attempts to infiltrate and counterfeit the true church. As we anticipate the Lord’s coming in these end times, it is important to have a personal revelation of scriptural truth to overcome the subtle effects of the antichrist spirit.

Enjoy his YouTube video series on the Church Ages here.