Dive Deeper into Laurel Church Ministries’ Foundational Values
OUR MISSION, VISION, & GOAL
Our Mission of Blessing is
Saving, Equipping, and Sending
Our Vision is Bringing
Hope, Help, and Healing
Our Goal is Building
Lives, Community, and Church
OUR VALUES
We believe our worship goes beyond the confines of a church service. A transparent attitude of adoration and thanksgiving ought to be reflected in our day-to-day living. We understand the value of integrity and reflecting the divine character in our walk. That character is evidenced through acknowledging God's Word and the generosity of giving to those in need spirit, soul, and body. In this, we grasp the fullness of the Gospel by knowing God and making Him known.
OUR BELIEFS
Laurel Church takes a straightforward approach to Bible teaching. Keep it simple, interesting, and relevant while anchored in sound Christian doctrine.
Our Book
We believe the entire Bible is the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God and should be the supreme and final authority in our lives and faith. [2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21]
Our God
We believe in one God who exists and reveals Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. [Deuteronomy 6:4, 2 Corinthians 13:14]
Our Saviour
We believe that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died for our sins, was raised from the dead and is at the right hand of the Father as true God and true man. [Matthew 1:18-25, Romans 9:5, Hebrews 12:2]
Our Salvation
We believe that all mankind was created in the image of God but fell from relationship with God by voluntary disobedience. Only through accepting Jesus Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice of His shed blood for our sins, can we be forgiven and restored into fellowship with God. [Genesis 1:27, Romans 3:23; 5:1; 6:23, Ephesians 1:7]
Our Hope
We believe in the personal and imminent return of Our Hope, The Lord Jesus Christ and the following bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, with everlasting joy for the saved and everlasting, conscious punishment of the lost. [Acts 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:4-6; 11-15]
Our Family
We believe that the Church is God's Family comprised of all those who acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Saviour and that scripture instructs believers to identify and regularly assemble with other believers to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Bible, fellowship, and works of service. [Hebrews 10:24-25, Acts 2:42-47; 16:5]
Our Comfort
We believe that at the point of salvation, the Holy Spirit enters each believer’s life as the source of comfort, strength, assurance, and wisdom. [1 Corinthians 2:9-14; 6:19-20]
Our Power
We believe that the Holy Spirit has supernatural abilities to distribute to Christians for the instruction and empowering of every believer and when operated in balance and order will bring God glory. Every believer has available to them a distinct and subsequent experience as promised by the Father known as the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, which is evidenced by speaking in a heavenly prayer language as the Spirit gives utterance. [1 Corinthians 12:1-12; 14:40, John 16:13-14, Matthew 3:11, Acts 2:4, 38-39]
Our Baptism
We believe that water baptism by immersion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the authority of Jesus’ name, should be followed by all believers as a public profession of their faith in Christ. [Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:38; 8:36-38]
Our Communion
We believe that the holy ordinance of Communion should be received by believers walking in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, The Bread of Life, as a remembrance and celebration of what Christ accomplished for them on the cross. [Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
OUR PASTORS
Pastor Jeremias
Pastor Jeremias Alicea has been in ministry for over 20 years ranging from children and youth ministry to associate pastorship. He has served in multiple capacities within various ministries before stepping into his tenure at Laurel Another Chance Church, where he received his Certification in Ministry from Laurel Bible Training Center and was ordained a minister in 2010.
Pastor Jeremias also holds a BA in Communications Radio/Television from Purdue University and is an alumnus of Leadership NWI and the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy. He is also a speaker, writer, and spoken word artist. Currently, Jeremias serves as the Senior Pastor at Laurel Another Chance Church. He, along with his loving wife, Lisa, and two children, reside in Northwest Indiana.
PASTOR ROOSEVELT LESLIE SR.
Pastor Roosevelt Leslie Sr. has been an Elder and an ordained Pastor for over 20 years in the Northwest Indiana Region. He is presently the Associate Pastor at the Laurel Another Chance Church in Merrillville, Indiana.
He is a graduate of Colorado Christian University (B.A) in Lakewood, Colorado, and Oral Roberts University School of Theology (Master of Divinity) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Also, he attended Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, for Doctoral Studies. Roosevelt is happily married to Brenda E. Leslie. From this union, they together have a blended family of 7 adult children (2 of which are ordained pastors) and 17 grandchildren. Roosevelt’s calling in the Body of Christ is that of a Pastor/Teacher. His divine assignment is: To Make Real the Presence of Christ and God’s Kingdom Wherever Jesus is Not Known and Not Enthroned.
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