The Open Door Church is located in Holcomb, Missouri on State Highway 25. At The Open Door we promise to accept you for who you are, not for what you've done or haven’t done.
At The Open Door Church you will find a diverse group of people who view themselves as fellow strugglers. We meet together on Sundays for worship and at other times in “growth groups” not because we think we have it all together, but because we know we don’t. We do church together looking for ways to improve our personal lives and our service to the God we love.
At The Open Door Church you will find real people, living real everyday lives, in need of the real love of God. We use a contemporary worship style for the intentional purpose of reaching a generation of people who have not yet experienced the love of God.
At The Open Door Church, we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He was born of a virgin, that He lived a sinless life, that He did die on the cross, and that He rose from the grave on the third day. We refuse to compromise on these essential beliefs.
Our mission is “Knowing Christ and making Him known.” Therefore, we emphasize the need for believers to engage in personal evangelism, we offer “growth groups” as opportunities for believers to know Christ better, and we post The Open Door sermons on our web site in both printed and audio formats to make Him known.
History of The Open Door Church
The Open Door Church was started June 17, 2007, by a group of people who answered God’s call to start a contemporary church in Holcomb, Missouri, designed to reach a generation of youth and young adults who were not being reached by the existing churches. On September 9, 2007, the first public service of The Open Door Church was held at the Holcomb High School auditorium. On April 13, 2008, The Open Door Church relocated to the Holcomb Community Center. Then on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009, we occupied the facility on Highway 25 in Holcomb where we reside today.
Our Purpose
“Showing the way, Teaching the truth, and Experiencing the life in Christ”
Our statement of purpose is a summary of a statement made by Jesus. He said,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, NIV)
- Showing the way—is EVANGELISM.
- Teaching the truth—is DISCIPLESHIP.
- Experiencing the life—is WORSHIP.
This purpose statement summarizes everything we do at The Open Door Church. If something doesn’t contribute to evangelism, discipleship, or worship, we don’t do it. The Open Door Church exists to accomplish these three primary objectives:
- To communicate the “Good News” through EVANGELISM.
- To equip God’s people for service through DISCIPLESHIP.
- To celebrate God's presence through WORSHIP.
We exist to communicate the “Good News” through EVANGELISM.
Evangelism occurs when God’s people use every creative and resourceful means to communicate the “good news” to unbelievers. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15, NIV).
We exist to equip God’s people for service through DISCIPLESHIP.
Discipleship occurs when God’s people win, train, and equip others to…win, train, and equip others…to win, train, and equip others…to win, train, and equip others. Paul wrote, “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (II Timothy 2:1-2, NIV).
During His final meeting with His followers before ascending to heaven, Jesus said to them, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).
We exist to celebrate God’s presence through WORSHIP.
Worship occurs when God’s people express to Him—from their hearts—His worth! That expression best occurs when we simply love Him. That’s why the greatest commandment in God’s Law is to love Him. Matthew recorded a scene during which Jesus explained that fact to a Pharisaical Lawyer. He wrote, “One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:35-38, NIV).
There are many different styles of worship. The style of worship is not the most important issue. The most important issue is that God’s people direct worship toward the Father that originates in their spirits and that is based on the truth as it is revealed in His Word. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:23, NIV).
At The Open Door Church we utilize a contemporary worship style that is designed to attract a generation of young adults, many of whom are not being attracted to churches that utilize a more traditional worship style.
Our Faith
Ten Essential Beliefs of the Open Door Church
1. About God
We believe that there is only one true, living, and eternal God and that the Godhead is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4, NIV).
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).
2. About the Bible
We believe that the bible is the inspired and infallible word of God and therein is found the only reliable guide of Christian faith and conduct.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16, NKJV).
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105, NIV).
3. About Man
We believe that God created man in His own image to bring Him honor through obedience, and that when man disobeyed he became a fallen and sinful creature, unable to save himself. We believe that infants are in the covenant of God's grace and that all persons become accountable to God when they reach a state of moral responsibility.
“God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:26-27, NIV).
“Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12, NIV).
4. About Salvation
We believe that salvation has been provided for all mankind through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, and that this salvation can be received only through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
“We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9, NIV).
“I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:21, NIV).
5. About Assurance & Endurance
We believe that those who abide in Christ have the assurance of salvation. However we believe that the Christian retains his freedom of choice therefore, it is possible for him to fall away from God and be finally lost.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit for without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit so you will be my disciples” (John 15:5-8, NKJV).
“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace” (Hebrews 6:4-6, NIV).
6. About Christian Duties
We believe that Christians should live faithfully by serving in and through the local Church, praying diligently, witnessing earnestly, practicing tolerance, showing loving kindness, giving as God prospers, and bringing glory to God by their conduct.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV).
“Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31).
7. About the Church
We believe that the Church Universal is the body of Christ, the fellowship of all believers, and that its members should live under the dominion and authority of Christ, its head. We believe that a Local Church is a fellowship of Christians, who are committed to evangelism, discipleship, and worship.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (I Corinthians 12:27, NIV).
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV).
8. About the Ordinances
We believe that baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances instituted by Christ to be observed by Christians only. We also believe that the Biblical mode of baptism is immersion and that participation in the Lord's Supper should be open to all Christians.
“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17, NIV).
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat this is my body.’ Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’” (Matthew 26:26-28, NIV).
9. About the Lord’s Day
We believe in the Sanctity of the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week, and that this day ought to be observed by worshipping God, witnessing for Christ, and ministering to the needs of humanity. We believe that secular work on Sunday should be limited to cases of necessity or mercy.
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here he has risen, just as he said’” (Matthew 28:1-6a, NIV).
“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight” (Acts 20:7, NIV).
10. About Last Things
We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ, and in the bodily resurrection of the dead. We believe that God will judge mankind by Jesus Christ, that He will reward the righteous, and that He will banish the unrighteous to everlasting punishment.
“In my Father's house are many rooms if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3, NIV).
“I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:25-29, NIV).
That’s a little about us. Now, if you don’t already have a church home that you regularly attend, come join us and tell us a little about you so that we can all get closer to HIM!
