Please recognize that a network of small groups, such as the Summit Fellowships, may differ from group to group on certain matters. Some groups may prefer one translation of the Bible above another; one congregation may be more “charismatic” than another. Yet another fellowship may have deeply held views concerning politics, peace and justice issues, the environment or non-violence. It is our conviction that such differences can be accepted in one another, respected and even appreciated. The scriptural foundation for a patient attitude toward the brethren is Romans 14:4-13: 

Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

The implication of an attitude of tolerance relative to disputable matters is that we assume that we are all different and together we create the marvelous patchwork that is the body of Christ. 

Even so, there are fundamental beliefs that have defined the Christian church for centuries, among them being the deity of Christ, His atonement for sin, bodily resurrection, imminent return and the authority of scripture. These we enthusiastically endorse. Beyond that, we are working on a revision of our original “statement of faith” that was necessary as a condition of incorporation. We felt that the old one really didn’t effectively communicate the Summit story, the beauty of the Kingdom, or the extravagant love of God. A team is working a new one. Truthfully, though,  we’ve found such documents are often more divisive and prone to misunderstanding than a simple discussion among brethren. If you have specific questions about the core beliefs shared among the Summit Fellowships, it may be more helpful to simply ask in a phone call or email. 

Blessings!