About Us
Mission
From the inception of the vision for Faith Theological and Christian College, our President, Dr. George W. Walters, Jr. believed that the institution should have a four-fold purpose by providing the following:
A. A basic foundation for beginning Christians in the Word of God to gain confidence in their relationship with the Lord.
B. Training for service in the local church ( whether for staff member or volunteer) as well as advanced training for older Christians to be able to provide support to the work of the ministry.
C. A program to prepare people for ministry as they sense God's call on their life.
D. Advanced studies for the seasoned minister and the development of academic credentials for a life of min9istry experience.
The educational training is focused on preparing and equipping the individual for religious vocations within the context of the local church, ministry opportunities outside of the church, and/or para-church organization.
History
Faith Theological Seminary and Christian College developed in 1984 with Faith Outreach Center's Assistant Pastor, Ed Kuhn, as the institute of Ministry with its first graduation in 1985. Four individuals of that first class of thirteen still serve full-time on the mission field outside of the United States. By 1987, the Institute became Faith Outreach Christian College as the administration and students desired more advanced educational opportunities and received its authorization status to grant degrees by the Florida State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities (SBICU) in 1988.
Continuing with Dr. Ed Kuhn's administration and the overall leadership of the President of the institution, Dr. George W. Walters, Jr., Faith Outreach Christian College became Faith Theological Seminary and Christian College 1990.
Only two times since the institution began has the administration's leadership changed. In 1992, Dr. Kuhn left to further pursue God's call on his life in another state. Dr. Douglas Wingate moved into the position of administration and expanded the reach of Faith Theological Seminary and Christian College with additional academic programs and extension campuses around the country. In 1995, Dr. Wingate also left to Pursue God's call on his life. Dr. George Siemer accepted the position of dean and administrator continuing under the presidential leadership of Dr. Walters.
The college and seminary has focused its programs in theology, ministry, Christian education and counseling maintaining its relationship with the SBICU, now known as the Florida Commission for Independent Education (CIE). With this relationship, the institution has developed independent accreditation and recognition that now is accepted worldwide. The overall influence of our alumni has touched nearly every continent and is reaching many cultures by obeying the Lord's Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) to go into all the world.
We do not see education as an end, but a means to an end: that end being obedience to the call of God to influence the culture and society with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Statement Of Faith
Faith Theological Seminary and Christian College considers certain truths as being fundamental to an understanding of and a relationship to the one true and living God. The courses provided will help Christians with many different levels of need: from the beginning student building a basic foundation to the seasoned minister advancing his study, proficiency, and academic standing in the ministerial community. The institution exists to train Christian ministers, workers and lay people to effectively carry the Gospel message of Jesus Christ to their generation.
Because we are so international, students arrive from many walks of life with widely varying beliefs, values and attitudes. The college/seminary staff work individually and together, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to help each student correct his or her own inconsistencies and problems, rather than demanding detailed conformity to an outward standard. We do hold to the following truths of Christianity.
ONE TRUE GOD
The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent I Am, the Creator of the Universe, and the Redeemer of mankind (Deuteronomy 6:4, Exodus 3:14 and Isaiah 43:10-11). God has further revealed Himself as a being, manifested as third persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ( Isaiah 48:16, Matthew 28:19 and Luke 3:22).
THE SCRIPTURES INSPIRED
All Scripture, both Old and New Testament are verbally inspired by God and are the inerrant revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct (II Timothy 3:15-17, I Thessalonians 2:13 and I Peter 1:21).
THE DEITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of GOD and has the Divinity and Deity of God, because He is the God-man. (Matthew 1:23, John 5:22, II John 3 and Hebrews 1:1-13).
ORIGINAL SIN AND THE FALL OF MAN
Man was created good and upright, for God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness..." Genesis 1 :26-27. The first man, Adam, through disobedience, fell from the grace of God and thus, sin entered into the world, and death by sin. Adam's transgression incurred not only physical death for man, but also spiritual death which is eternal separation from God (Genesis 2:1-17, 3:4-6). Man's propensity to sin, because of his sinful nature, necessitates salvation from the power of sin and Savior to provide that salvation from the power of sin (Romans 7:13-25).
SALVATION OF MAN
Man's only hope of redemption and salvation from the power of sin is through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ ( Acts 4:12: James 1:21 and Ephesians 2;8).
CHRIST THE ONE SHEPHERD
Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd (John 10:11) and the Great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20). There is only one spiritual Shepherd referred to in the New Testament and Jesus Christ is that One(John 10:16).
THE CHURCH AND ITS MISSION
The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Holy Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of His great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general assembly and the church of the firstborn, which was written in heaven (Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:22 and Hebrews 12:23). Since God’s purpose concerning man, is to seek and to save that which is lost, to be worshipped by man, and to build a body of believers in the image of His Son, the responsibility of the church is:
A. To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-16).
B. To be a corporate body in which man may worship God (I Corinthians 12:28,14:12).
BAPTISM IN WATER
All the ordinances of baptism by immersion in water are commanded in the Scriptures. All who repent of their sins and believe in Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. This is a declaration to the world that they identify with Christ in His death and have been raised with Him in newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47-48 and Romans 6:4).
THE LORD’S SUPPER OR HOLY COMMUNION
The Lord’s Supper, consisting of these elements: bread and the fruit of the vine, is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:4). It is a memorial of His suffering and death (I Corinthians 1:26), and is enjoined on all believers until He comes again.
THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the manifestation of power in the believer according to Acts 1:8. With this power comes the anointing for service and the bestowing of the spiritual gifts of the Spirit which are used in the ministry of the body of Christ (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4, 8 and I Corinthians 12:1-31). This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts 8:12-17, 10:44-46, 11:14-15, and 15:7-9).
DIVINE HEALING
Divine healing was provided for in the Old Testament (Exodus 15:23-26; Psalm 103:1-3 and Isaiah 53:4-5) and is an integral part of the Gospel as it was obtained through the stripes of Jesus Christ (Matthew 8:16-17; Acts 5:16 and James 5:14-16).
THE SECOND COMING/ADVENT OF CHRIST
The second coming of Christ includes the sudden catching away of the church, the body of Christ, as the restrainer of the lawless one (I Thessalonians 4:16-17 and II Thessalonians 2:6-8), followed by the actual, visible return of Christ with His saints. Together they will reign with Him on earth for one-thousand years (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27-30; Revelation 1:7, 19:11-14 and 20:1-6).
Prior to the millennial reign, salvation will come to national Israel through the ministry of the sealed of Israel and the two witnesses (Ezekiel 39:28-29; Zephaniah 3:19-20; Romans 11:26-27 and Revelation 7:1-8, 11:3-7) and the eventual establishment of universal peace (Isaiah 11:6-9; Psalm 72:3-8 and Micah 4:3-4).
THE FINAL JUDGEMENT
There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 9:20, 20:11-15 and 21:8).
FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH: HEBREWS 6:1-6
A. Repentance from dead works.
B. Faith towards God.
C. Laying on of Hands.
D. Doctrine of Baptisms.
E. Resurrection from the Dead.
F. External judgment.
Finally, “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells,” II Peter 3:13 and Revelation 21:1.
HUMAN SEXUALITY
A. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgenderism, bestiality, incest, fornication, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance (Gen. 2:24, 19:5, 13, 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8 and Heb.13:4).
B. We believe that the term “marriage” has one legitimate meaning, and that is marriage sanctioned by God, which joins one man and one woman in a single, covenant union as in Scripture. Marriage ceremonies performed in any facility owned, leased or rented by this church will only be those ceremonies sanctioned by God, joining one man with one woman, as that gender was determined at birth (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; I Cor. 7:10 and Eph. 5:22-23).
FAMILY RELATIONSHIP
We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ love the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Spiritual leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction.
ABORTION
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the physical or mental well-being of the mother are acceptable (Job 3:16; Ps. 51:5, 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24, 49:1-5; Jer. 1:5, 20:15-18 and Luke 1:44).
EUTHANASIA
We believe that the direct taking of an innocent human life is a moral evil, regardless of the intention. Life is a gift of God and must be respected from conception until natural death. Thus, we believe that an act or omission, which, of it or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering, constitutes a murder contrary to the will of God. Discontinuing medical procedures that are extraordinary or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate refusal of overzealous treatments (Ex. 20:13, 23:7; Matt.5:21 and Acts 17:28).
GIVING
We believe that every Christian should tithe of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and to spread the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of his tithe or offering once, the gift has been made (Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; I Cor. 16:2; II Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; I Tim. 5:17-18 and I John 3:17).
THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH
“We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells…” II Peter 3:13. It is then that the new heaven and a new earth are revealed and faith is no longer needed because the first ones pass away (Revelation 21:1). It will be that at this time the New Jerusalem will be revealed and we shall reign there forever and ever (Revelation 21:10 and 22:5).