The position of I.D.O.L. KING has been decidedly nondenominational in our theological position. However, it is interdenominational within its membership. Our Statement of Doctrine does not explain our position as to how the ministry expects its members to react. We do not believe that one particular organization or denomination exemplifies the true church of the Bible. Instead, we acknowledge that there are true, born-again Christians in the various Christian denominations and nondenominational groups.

The various churches and denominations of the Christian faith exist primarily because there are areas of Scripture which can be interpreted in different ways. Despite these differences, true Christians are united in one Body of Christ by adherence to the essential doctrines of the historic Christian faith. Doctrines are usually considered essential only if they are explicitly taught in Scripture and are related to salvation. Some essentials of the Christian faith are belief in the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, salvation by grace through faith, and Christ’s substitutionary atonement on the cross for our sins. One must affirm and believe these essential doctrines in order to be a true Christian. For example, since Jesus says "...unless you believe that I AM, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24,58), then we must believe that Jesus is God in order to be saved.

However, there are secondary (or nonessential) doctrines such as water baptism, the time of the rapture, and the perpetuity of charismatic gifts, over which Christians may disagree without being considered heretical. The Bible nowhere states that Christian unity must be based on an exact agreement upon an understanding of every passage in Scripture. The Apostle Peter declared that Scripture contains things that are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16), and indeed the Bible states there will be disagreements between Christians on certain matters that should be handled with grace, charity, and acceptance without division. For example, Paul exhorts us not to pass judgment on each other in disputable matters (Romans 14:1,13), because these may be decided by each person’s own conscience (Romans 14:5-6,22). Christians may disagree about certain things without necessarily being wrong or sinful.

Disagreements over certain points of doctrine may arise because of the various backgrounds and experiences of the Christian life and different approaches to interpreting the Bible. However, the major points of doctrine that Christians share in common establish a foundation for unity and fellowship which is so great that we cannot allow minor issues such as: "gifts of the spirit" and "speaking in tongues" to divide us. On this subject we agree with the great Christian theologian St. Augustine: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

Peace