MISSION STATEMENT

We strive to bring everyone into a mature relationship with God, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

OUR PASTOR

Pastor Mark Parrent was born in Bay City Michigan. Grew up in Roscommon Michigan, graduated from Roscommon High in 1976.

By the age of 10 Pastor Mark had hernia surgery, broke his right arm, his right collar bone, and his tonsils taken out. At the age of 10, he ruptured his appendix, and a week later had surgery, and was in the hospital for over 5 weeks.  At the age of 17 he broke his neck, at C3 and cracked C5 and was paralyzed from the neck down.  At the age of 20, a cousin of his committed suicide, and took his twin brother with him.  When he found out it was a broken neck that his brother Matt died from, he started to seek God to ask why God spared him and not Matt.

In April of 1980 he surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus, committed to love God with all his heart, and to serve Him.  He wanted to go to college, and seminary, but God spoke to his heart and said “I am not taking you the traditional route, stay in the work force, be my light there, until I take you out. So for 13 years he, 2 Timothy 2:15- studied to show himself approved unto God, so he could be a, workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  had several mentors, and went through Liberty Universities biblical studies 7 times. Everywhere he worked it was his mission field, then in 1999, because of the manual labor he had done, his spinal cord was collapsing at C5, had surgery once again, C3 down to C7 was fused together with donated bone, and a 3 and a quarter inch titanium plate was put in with 2 screws.

He was told “No more manual labor” and he asked God “what do I do now?  God reminded him of the commitment he made 13 years ago, to stay in the work force until God took him out.  He worked with his Pastor for a year, and was called to the, Innercity Church Planting Mission, to pastor an inner city church called Division Street Fellowship. He was there ministering to the homeless, drug addicts, prostitutes, and alcoholics, for 4 years until God called him to Suttons Bay Michigan.

He pastored Suttons Bay Bible Church with The Independant Bible Mission for 4 years,  which by the grace of God brought the church from 5 members to 65 members. After 4 years he failed, and looked at pornography, confessed it to the mission director, who upon hearing the confession, told him you are no longer aloud to pastor one of our churches. The church members appealed to the director, give him counseling, and bring him back, we want him. The director refused the appeal, which was very disheartening to Mark, and resulted in great discouragement, and his wife of 25 years divorcing him which added greatly to his discouragement.

He spent the next 10 years asking God to take him home, in which God responded with, patience my child. after those 10 years of not forgiving himself, and calling himself “unclean” God took him to Acts 10:9-15 ” On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the house-top to pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, and saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth.  Wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.  And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat.  But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.  And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.”

He then realized that he himself had been eternally cleansed by the blood of Jesus, forgave himself and asked God to forgive him for his years of doubt.  God then brought him to Northside Christian Church, and after 3 years of serving God there, and after Pastor Dave was called away, by unanimous vote called him to be their pastor.

“WHAT WE BELIEVE”

About God

God is the creator and ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.

Genesis 1:1, 26, 27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14

About Man

Man is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. He is the supreme object of God’s creation. However, we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  Only through God’s grace can we be saved.

Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1, 2

About Eternity

Man was created to exist forever. He will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To be eternally in union with him is eternal life. Heaven and hell are places of eternal existence.

John 3:16; 1 John 2:25; 1 John 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; Matthew 25:31-46

About Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to heaven’s glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Matthew 1:22, 23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14, 15; 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4; Romans 1:3, 4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14, 15; Titus 2:13

About Salvation

Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement or good works – only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin’s penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8, 9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1

About Eternal Security

Because God gives man eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian.

John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10, 14; 1 Peter 1:3-5

About The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. The Christian seeks to live under his control daily.

2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16, 17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:1

About The Bible

The Bible is God’s word to all men. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error.

2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5

About Baptism

Baptism by immersion symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and is your public declaration that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Baptism is a biblical command and demonstrates your love and obedience to Christ.

Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:41; Ephesians 2: 8-9; Matthew 28:19-20

About Communion

Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, is an ordinance given to all believers by Jesus Christ to remember his sacrifice for us and to symbolize the new covenant. The elements of bread and wine or juice are symbols of Christ’s broken body and shed blood. Communion is not a means of salvation. Rather, it is a testament of a believer’s faith in the atoning work of the cross.

Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:19,20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29