God’s Word is the cornerstone of our beliefs and practices. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, written by men of faith who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.1 Its timeless principles are the foundation of our faith, and its truth is the basis of the message we share with others.
We believe that God is a living God who continues to speak to His people today and to impart His message through ongoing revelation, prophecy, and words of spiritual direction and counsel.
God’s Word explains His plan for humankind, teaches us how to live in harmony with God and others, guides our actions and decisions, and is essential to our spiritual strength and growth. (From The Family International’s Statement of Faith.)
The Bible—the Holy Scriptures—is universally considered “the Word of God” by all Christians. It is regarded as the foundation for Christianity and Christian doctrine. The Bible is the foundation of our faith and doctrine.
Most Christians do not consider the Bible to be the only source of inspirational teaching for spiritual growth and strengthening. Many (if not most) Christians, denominations, churches, and Christian organizations do not limit themselves to the Bible for spiritually motivating and devotional input. Most consider inspired sermons or Bible classes to be an important tool for spiritual growth and strengthening. Many produce writings and books for the inspiration, direction, and encouragement of other Christians, or to help new believers to grow in the faith.
There are many means by which Christians are spiritually inspired and fed, and nurture their faith, and while the Bible is a vital source of spiritual nurturing and one that we can’t afford to neglect, it is not the only source. We believe that God speaks through many means and gives messages and guidance to bodies of believers. God continues to speak today. He gives counsel, direction, encouragement, and instruction through ongoing revelation, prophecy, and inspirational writings that help us to apply Jesus’ teachings to our lives and the times in which we are living.
The Lord is not limited to any specific method to touch your heart, to reveal something to you, to increase your faith, or to uplift and inspire you. We all need to be attentive to and listening for the voice of God, in whatever ways He wants to speak to us, whether it is through His words in print, His still small voice speaking to our heart, or His words in prophecy. He’s not limited in communicating with us, and He wants us all to be more attuned to His Spirit, whom He said would teach us all things, bring all things to our remembrance, and guide us into all truth.2
The Lord desires to communicate with us and to be a close, intimate presence in our lives. He wants to strengthen us through His feeding, faith-building words, and inspirational writings that serve to strengthen our discipleship and walk with Him. The important thing is that we allow Him to speak to our hearts through the spiritual instruction and counsel we read, and to guide us in our relationship with Him and our spiritual lives.
God wants to communicate with His children—no matter what denomination they are a part of, or if they don’t belong to any church at all. He is a living God who speaks to the heart of each individual in the way He knows they can best understand and receive. It would be unrealistic to expect that all Christians will understand God’s Word or God’s plan for their lives in exactly the same way.
The ultimate goal is that your spirit is strengthened, that your relationship with Jesus is deepened, and that you’re empowered to do the Lord’s will and to share your faith with others. Your relationship with the Lord is priceless and eternal. As you reflect on the timeless truth of God’s unchanging love for you, and your personal relationship with Jesus, and stand on that solid ground, all things may change, but Jesus never. As long as you’re standing firm on Him, you won’t falter. The Lord will continue to be your shepherd, guiding you to green pastures and cool waters of His words that will refresh your soul and strengthen you.
For more writings by Maria Fontaine, visit Directors Corner.