We recognize from past histories of church organizations, that there is a decline in emphasis upon personal holiness therefore, the Pollina Avenue Holiness Church wishes to state that the whole cause and sole purpose of this church is to be focused on the Church’s primary mission of making disciples, promoting, and spreading the fundamental doctrines of holiness, and to build up a holy and separated people for the Kingdom of God. We recognize that a Discipline is no substitute for the empowering, renewing presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst. However, we have attempted to construct our Discipline so that it will support all aspects of the work of the Kingdom for the glory of God.

The mission of The Pollina Avenue Holiness Church  is to glorify God by spreading Scriptural holiness around the world through loving God with all our hearts and our neighbor as ourselves, through evangelism and discipleship, and through exemplifying the pattern of holy living as taught in the Scriptures. Therefore, we believe this will be accomplished as outlined in the following. 

Historical Connection to Articles of Religion

When the Methodist movement in America officially became a church in 1784, John Wesley provided the American Methodists with doctrinal statements, which contained twenty-four “Articles of Religion” or basic statements of belief. These Articles of Religion were taken from the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England in which the Methodist movement had begun, and they were the standard for instruction within the Methodist movement. When these articles were voted on by the American conference, an additional article was added regarding the American context, bringing the total number of articles to twenty-five. These articles became the basic standards for Christian belief in the Methodist Episcopal Church in North America. First published in the Methodist Book of Discipline in 1790, the Articles of Religion have continued to be part of the church’s official statement of belief. Fully embracing our Methodist heritage, the following statements of faith find their origin in these Articles of Religion, which are ultimately rooted in God’s unchanging word.

    1.  In order that we may wisely preserve and pass on to posterity the heritage of doctrine and principles of Christian living transmitted to us as evangelicals in the Arminian Wesleyan tradition and to insure church order by sound principles of ecclesiastical polity and to prepare the way for more effective cooperation with other branches of the church of Christ in all that makes for the advancement of God's Kingdom among men, the ministers and congregants of the Pollina Avenue Holiness Church  meeting in official assemblies, we do hereby ordain, establish, and set forth as the fundamental law, or constitution, and the articles of religion here following:

Article I

Name

    2. The name of this communion is the Pollina Avenue Holiness Church. (Inc)

Article II

Articles of Religion

I. Faith in the Holy Trinity

    3. There is but one living and true God, everlasting, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker and Preserver of all things visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons of one substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son (the Word), and the Holy Ghost.

Gen. 1:1; 17:1; Ex. 3:13-15; 33:20; Deut. 6:4; Ps. 90:2; 104:24; Isa. 9:6; Jer. 10:10; John 1:1-2; 4:24; 5:18; 10:30; 16:13; 17:3; Acts 5:3-4; Rom. 16:27; I Cor. 8:4, 6; II Cor. 13:14; Eph. 2:18; Phil. 2:6; Col. 1:16; I Tim. 1:17; I John 5:7, 20; Rev. 19:13.

II. The Son of God

    4. The only begotten Son of God was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried—to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for the actual sins of men and to reconcile us to God.

Mark 15; Luke 1:27; 31, 35; John 1:14, 18; 3:16-17; Acts 4:12; Rom. 5:10, 18; I Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:18-19; Gal. 1:4; 2:20; 4:4-5; Eph. 5:2; I Tim. 1:15; Heb. 2:17; 7:27; 9:28; 10:12; I Pet. 2:24; I John 2:2; 4:14.

III. The Resurrection of Christ

    5. Christ did truly rise again from the dead, taking His body with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature wherewith He ascended into heaven and there sits until He returns to judge all men at the last day.

Psa. 16:8-10; Matt. 27:62-66; 28:5-9, 16-17; Mark 16:6-7, 12; Luke 24:4-8, 23; John 20:26-29; 21; Acts 1:2; 2:24-31; 10:40; Rom. 8:34; 14:910; I Cor. 15:6, 14; Heb. 13:20.

IV. The Holy Ghost

    6. The Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son is of one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.

Job 33:4; Matt. 28:19; John 4:24-26; Acts 5:3-4; Rom. 8:9; 11 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 4:6.

V. The Sufficiency and Full Authority of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation

    7. Since all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (II Tim. 3:16), and since holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (II Pet. 1:21), we base our faith upon the inspired Word of God. The Bible gives us all truth that is vital to Christian experience and to the promotion of the cause of Christ at home and abroad.

The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation; so that whatever is not read or proved in content or context , it is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought as  necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scriptures, we do understand the books of the Old and New Testaments. These Scriptures we do hold to be the inspired and infallibly written Word of God, fully inerrant in their original manuscripts and superior to all human authority.

The canonical books of the Old Testament are:

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, II Kings, I Chronicles, II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

The canonical books of the New Testament are:

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the Acts, The Epistle to the Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Thessalonians, II Thessalonians, I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, I Peter, II Peter, I John, II John, III John, Jude, and Revelation.

Ps. 19:7; Luke 24:27; John 17:17; Acts 17:2, 11; Rom. 1:2, 15:4; 16:26; Gal. 1:8; 1 Thess. 2:13; 11 Tim. 3:15-17. Heb. 4:12; James 1:21; 1 Pet. 1:23: II Pet. 1:19-21; Rev. 22:14, 19.

VI. The Old Testament

    8. The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testaments everlasting life is offered to mankind through Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man. Wherefore they are not to be heard, who feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, doth not bind Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding no Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.

Matt. 5:17-19; 22:37-40; Luke 24:27, 44; John 1:45; 5:46; Rom. 15:8; II Cor. 1:20; Eph. 2:15-16; I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 10:1; 11:39; I John 2:3-7.

VII. Relative Duties (Two Greatest Commandments)

 9. Those two great commandments which require us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and our neighbors as ourselves, contain the sum of the divine law as it is revealed in the Scriptures. They are the measure and perfect rule of human duty, as well for the ordering and directing of families, nations and all other social bodies as for individual acts, by which we are required to acknowledge God as our only Supreme Ruler, and all men as created by Him, equal in all natural rights. Wherefore all men are bound so to order all their individual, social and political acts as to render to God entire and absolute obedience, and to secure to all men the enjoyment of every natural right, as well as to promote the greatest happiness of each in the possession and exercise of such rights.

Lev. 19:18; 34; Deut. 1:15, 17; II Sam. 23:3; Job 29:16; 31:13-14; Jer. 21:12; 22:3; Matt. 5:44-47; 7:12; Luke 6:27-29, 35; John 13:34-35; Acts 10:34-35; 17:26; Rom. 12:9; 13:1, 7-8, 10; Gal. 5:14; 6:10; Titus 3:1; James 2:8; I Pet. 2:17; I John 2:5; 4:12-13; II John 6.

VIII. Original or Birth Sin

10. Original sin is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is wholly gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil continually.

Gen. 8:21; Ps. 51:5; Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21-23; Rom. 3:10-12; 5:12, 1819; Eph. 2:1-3.

IX. Free Will

11. The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and work, in faith and calling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ working in us, that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will.

Prov. 16:1; 20:24; Jer. 10:23; Matt. 16:17; John 6:44-65; 15:5; Rom. 5:6-8; Eph. 2:5-9; Phil. 2:13; 4:13.

X. Justification of Man

12. We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by faith, and not our own works or entitlement. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort.

Acts 13:38-39; 15:11; 16:31; Rom. 3:28; 4:2-5; 5:1-2, 9; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 3:9; Heb. 11.

XI. Good Works

13. Although good works, which are the fruit of faith and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins and endure the severity of God's judgment, yet they are pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree is discerned by its fruit.

Matt. 5:16; 7:16-20; John 15:8; Rom. 3:20; 4:2, 4, 6; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 1:11; Titus 3:5; James 2:18, 22; I Pet. 2:9, 12.           

XII. Sin After Justification

14. Not every sin willingly committed after justification is the sin against the Holy Ghost and unpardonable. Wherefore, repentance is not denied to such as fall into sin after justification. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given and fall into sin and by the grace of God rise again to amend our lives. Therefore, they are to be condemned who say they can no more sin as long as they live here or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

Ps. 32:5; 95:7, 11; Eccl. 7:20; Jer. 3:13-15; Matt. 24:12; John 5:14; Gal. 5:4, 7; Eph. 5:14; Heb. 3:7-13, 15; James 3:2, 8; I John 1:8-9; 2:12; Rev. 2:5.

XIII. Regeneration

15. Regeneration is that work of the Holy Spirit by which the pardoned sinner becomes a child of God; this work is received through faith in Jesus Christ, whereby the regenerate are delivered from the power of sin which reigns over all the unregenerate, so that they love God and through grace serve Him with the will and affections of the heart—receiving the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

John 1:12-13; 3:3, 5; Rom. 8:15, 17; Gal. 3:26; 4:5, 7; Eph. 1:5; 2:5, 19; 4:24; Col. 3:10; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; I Pet. 1:3-4; II Pet. 1:4; I John 3:1.

XIV. Entire Sanctification

16. Entire Sanctification is that work of the Holy Spirit by which the child of God is cleansed from all inbred sin through faith in Jesus Christ. It is subsequent to regeneration, and is wrought when the believer presents himself a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, and is thus enabled through grace to love God with all the heart and to walk in His holy commandments blameless.

Gen. 17:1; Deut. 30:6; Ps. 130:8; Ezek. 36:25-29; Matt. 5:48; Luke 1:74-75; John 17:2-23; Rom. 8:3-4; 11:26; I Cor. 6:11; 14:20; Eph. 4:13, 24; 5:25-27; Phil. 2:5, 7; Col. 4:12; I Thess. 3:10; 5:23; II Thess. 2:13; II Tim. 3:17; Titus 2:12; Heb. 9:13-14; 10:14, 18-22; James 1:27; 4:8; I Pet. 1:10; II Pet. 1:4; I John 1:7-9; 3:8-9; 4:17-18; Jude 24.

XV. The Sacraments

17. Sacraments ordained of Christ are not only tokens of Christian profession, but they are certain signs of grace and God's good will toward us, by which He doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken but also strengthen and confirm our faith in Him.

There are two sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.

Matt. 26:26-28; 28:19; Mark 14:22-24; Rom. 2:28-29; 4:11; I Cor. 10:16; 11:23-26; Gal. 3:27.

XVI. Baptism

18. Baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby Christians are distinguished from others who are not baptized, but it is also a sign of regeneration or new birth. The baptism of young children is to be retained in the Church.

Num. 8:7; Isa. 52:15; Ezek. 36:25; Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:10; 16:16; John 3:22, 26; 4:1-2; Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12, 13-17; 9:18; 16:33, 18:8; 19:5; 22:16; I Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27-29; Col. 2:11-12; Titus 3:5.

XVII. The Lord's Supper

19. The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another, but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death; insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily and with faith receive the same, it is made a medium through which God doth communicate grace to the heart.

Luke 22:19-20; John 6:53, 56; I Cor. 5:7-8; 10:3-4; 16; 11:28.

XVIII. The One Oblation of Christ Finished Upon the Cross

20. The offering of Christ, once made, is that perfect redemption and propitiation for all the sins of the whole world both original and actual, and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone. Wherefore to expect salvation on the ground of our own works or by suffering the pains our sins deserve, either in the present or future state, is derogatory to Christ's offering for us and a dangerous deceit.

Acts 4:12; Rom. 5:8; 8:34; Gal. 2:16; 3:2-3, 11; I Tim. 2:5-6; Heb. 7:23-27; 9:11-15, 24-28; 10:14.

XIV. The Rites and Ceremonies of Churches

21. It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should be the same or exactly alike, for they have always been different and may be changed according to the diversities of countries, times and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's Word.

Our  church may ordain, change, or abolish rites and ceremonies so that all things may be done to edification.

Acts 15:10, 28-29; Rom. 14:2-6, 15, 17, 21; I Cor. 1:10; 12:25; 14:26; II Cor. 13:11; Gal. 5:1, 13; Col. 2:16-17; II Thess. 3:6, 14; I Tim. 1:4, 6; I Peter 2:16.                      

XX. The Second Coming of Christ

21. The doctrine of the second coming of Christ is a very precious truth and this good hope is a powerful inspiration to holy living and godly effort for the evangelization of the world. We believe the Scriptures teach the coming of Christ to be a bodily return to the earth and He will cause the fulfillment of all righteousness. Faith in the imminence of Christ's return is a rational and inspiring hope to the people of God.

Job 19:25-27; Dan. 12:1-4; Ps. 17:15; Isa. 11:1-12; Zech. 14:1-11; Matt. 24:1-51; 26:64; Mark 13:26-37; Luke 17:26-37; 21:24-36; Jn. 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; I Cor. 1:7-8; I Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:11, 14; Heb. 9:27-28; James 5:7-8; II Peter 3:1-14; I John 3:2-3; Jude 14; Rev. 1:7; 19:11-16; 22:6-7, 12, 20.

XXI. The Resurrection of the Dead

22. We hold the Scriptural statements concerning the resurrection of the dead to be true and worthy of universal acceptance. We believe the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ was a fact of history and a miracle of supreme importance. We understand the manner of the resurrection of mankind to be the resurrection of the righteous dead at Christ's second coming and the resurrection of the wicked at a later time, as stated in Revelation 20:4-6. Resurrection will be the reuniting of soul and body preparatory to final reward or punishment.

Job 19:25-57; Ps. 17:15; Dan. 12:2; Matt. 22:30-32; 28:1-20; Luke 14:14; John 5:28-29; Acts 23:6-8; Rom. 8:11; I Cor. 6:14; 15:1-58; II Cor. 4:14; 5:1-11; I Thess. 4:14-17; Rev. 20:4-6.

XXII. The Judgment of Mankind

23. The Scriptures reveal God as the Judge of all mankind and the acts of His judgment to be based on His omniscience and eternal justice. His administration of judgment will culminate in the final meeting of mankind before His throne of great majesty and power, where records will be examined and final rewards and punishments will be administered.

Eccl. 12:14; Rom. 14:10-11; II Cor. 5:10; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:16; Matt. 10:15; Luke 11:31-32; Acts 10:42; II Tim. 4:1, Heb. 9:27, Matt. 25:31-46; Rev. 20:11-13; II Peter 3:7.

It is not to be understood that a dissenting understanding on the subject of the millennium shall be held to break or hinder either church fellowship.

Special note: The Pollina Avenue Holiness Church does not utilize “general church membership”, rather, this ministry/ies is administered and governed by an elected Governing Church Board.

Updated 2-25-2024.