Our Story
The Antioch Connection began in 2024 at the first Antioch Summit, where a group of pastors and churches gathered to seek a fresh, faithful way forward in ministry. What emerged was not a new denomination, but a network of autonomous Wesleyan churches choosing to walk together in shared mission, doctrine, and discipleship.
Rooted in a common Wesleyan evangelical identity, we are independent in governance yet connected in purpose—committed to mutual encouragement, missional multiplication, and sound stewardship. The Antioch Connection exists to strengthen local churches, foster collaboration, and advance the gospel together.
Constitution & By-Laws
Our constitution and by-laws outline the shared commitments that guide our fellowship. They reflect our Wesleyan convictions, our values of accountability and cooperation, and our desire to serve the mission of the Church faithfully.
Officers
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Rev. Dr. Jim Cinocca
PRESIDENT
Jim serves as the Lead Pastor of Owasso First Methodist Church in Owasso, OK
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Mr. Brian Swain
VICE PRESIDENT
Brian serves as the Director of Administration for Christ Church of NWA in Fayetteville, AR
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Rev. Dr. Jim Hill
SECRETARY
Jim serves as the Lead Pastor of Stigler First Methodist Church in Stigler, OK
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Mr. Tom Junk
TREASURER
Tom serves as the Director of Development and Legacy Giving at First Methodist Church in Tulsa, OK
What We Believe
The Triune God
We believe in one true, holy, and living God, revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is the Creator of all things visible and invisible, and he is the Redeemer of creation for the glory of his name. He is Sovereign over all things, and he rules with justice and mercy for the salvation of mankind. He is infinite in majesty, knowledge, goodness, power, and love. His unity is one in essence and distinct in personhood as Father, Son, and Spirit.
Jesus Christ, Eternal Word and Son of God
We believe in Jesus Christ, who is the only begotten Son of the Father and the eternal Word through whom all things were made. He is co-equal with the Father and the Spirit. He is truly God and truly man, the Word made flesh and the light of the world. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered and died on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. He is the Lord and Savior and Reconciler of all mankind.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. The Father raised him by the power of the Holy Spirit, and by his resurrection he defeated the power of sin and death in all flesh. He appeared first to his disciples and then to many others. Because he has been raised, we believe that we will inherit eternal life and be raised on the last day when Christ returns in triumph and brings all things to their fulfillment in the New Jerusalem.
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. The Spirit is Lord and God, and he is worthy of worship. He convinces the world of sin and draws us to repentance for our own sins and transgressions. He gives us new birth in Jesus Christ and makes of us a new creation. He adopts us into the covenant family of God and brings us into the royal priesthood of Christ to empower the church’s witness to the world. He is our Advocate and Comforter who reminds us of all that Christ has taught. He sanctifies us in holiness and bears spiritual fruit that mark us as having the character of Christ. He gives spiritual gifts to believers for the purpose of building up the church and gives us the ability to minister in his own divine power.
The Holy Bible
We believe that the Holy Bible is God’s inspired Word and contains all things necessary for salvation. The Scriptures are utterly infallible as regards all matters pertaining to faith and salvation. They are to be used for teaching the truth of God, rebuking all sin, correcting error, and training in righteousness as a means of grace for the sanctification of believers.
We believe that all Scripture is God-breathed, and we receive the Word of God through faith. We affirm that the Holy Spirit illumines our understanding of God’s truth within it. Whatever is not revealed in the Bible is not to be taught as essential to salvation. The canonical Scriptures consist of the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament.
Original Sin
We believe that Adam’s fall has resulted in the total depravity of all mankind. We have lost the original righteousness and holiness in which we were created, and apart from God’s grace, our inclination is to sin in thought, word, and deed. We are utterly incapable of acting for the good under our own power and stand in need of restoration of our corrupt nature by the divine action of God.
The Nature and Character of Grace
We believe that grace is the presence and power of God the Holy Spirit working within and among us. God’s grace first comes to us preveniently before we know anything of God and the things of God. Through that prevenient grace our eyes are opened to our sinful condition and our need for a Savior.
Through convincing grace, we are convicted of our sin and driven to repentance. We come to know the hopelessness of our lives apart from God and we are moved to cry out to the Lord Jesus Christ for redemption.
Pardon and forgiveness for sin come from God’s justifying grace. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us and we are reckoned as righteous on his account. We come to know the depths of God’s mercy through our justification.
God’s sanctifying grace gives us new birth through the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the continued working of sanctifying grace, we grow in holiness of heart and life. We come to know true spiritual maturity in sanctification as the Spirit moves us to become complete in Christ.
Justification and the New Birth
We believe that our righteousness before God can only come through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are justified by his grace as a gift, which we receive through faith, and not on the basis of works. When we are justified, the Holy Spirit regenerates us so that anyone reborn is a new creation in Christ.
Justification is the work that God does for us, in forgiving us of our sin and reconciling us to himself through Christ Jesus. The new birth is the work that God does in us, in regenerating us by the Holy Spirit and giving us the power to walk in newness of life. These constituent parts of our salvation are spiritually distinct even as they are received simultaneously in time.
The Church
We believe the church of Jesus Christ is the community of all true believers spread across the earth. The church is one, holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic. The local expression of the church is found in congregations of believers where the word is rightly taught, and the sacraments are faithfully celebrated. The church is guided by the Holy Spirit and serves as the herald for the Kingdom of God in the world.
The Sacraments
We believe that the sacraments are gifts of God ordained by Christ through his precept and example. They are means of grace through which God works in us by the Holy Spirit to sanctify us in the redeeming grace of Jesus Christ. Sacraments are outward and visible signs of the inward and spiritual grace of God in the life of the believer. Two sacraments are ordained for our worship: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Baptism is the sacrament of covenant and testimony. It signifies our entrance into the household of faith and our adoption by the Holy Spirit into the family of God. Baptism is a sign of our dying and rising in Christ. It is a marker of our new birth and an outward act of testimony of faith in God. Because God desires that all would come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, the baptism of children and adults of all ages is appropriate in the bounds of the church.
The Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion is the sacrament of our redemption through Christ’s atoning death. In the Lord’s Supper, we receive the body and blood of Christ spiritually through the bread and cup of the sacrament. When we eat and drink in faith, we are united with Christ and built up as his body. The sacrament of Communion is thus a sign of love for Christ to us and a sign of love that we share with one another. It is available to all those who seek Christ Jesus in faith.
Sanctification
We believe that sanctification is the renewal of our whole person through the working of God’s grace given to us through the Word and the Holy Spirit. Sanctification involves spiritual growth such that we come to take on the character of Christ and bear the fruits of the Spirit. God promises that those who continue to grow in holiness of heart and life will experience entire sanctification, whereby the ruling temper of the heart is marked by the love of Jesus Christ.
Resurrection & Glorification
We believe that Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion and thereby overcame the power of death. His body was glorified as he continued to minister among the disciples. His ascension into heaven was so that the Father would send the Holy Spirit in his name and give birth to the church.
Just as Jesus was raised from the dead, so too will we be raised from the dead on the last day. We will receive glorified spiritual bodies and stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Those who are saved through faith in Christ will go into everlasting communion with God in the New Jerusalem, while those who have refused Christ will be eternally separated from glory.
The Nature of Human Being
We believe that God created human beings as male and female in his image and likeness. Our biological nature is part of God’s good creation, and we are called to embrace what it means to be an embodied image-bearer of the divine. Male and female are equal in their humanity and equal before God.
Christian Marriage & Singleness
We believe that the covenant of marriage is a good gift from God, designed to be a lifelong union between a man and a woman. The love of husband and wife reflects the love of Christ and his church. Our sexuality is also a gift from God, meant to be expressed in a committed marriage. Followers of Christ are called to be faithful in marriage, and celibate in singleness. Not all Christians are called to marriage, but all followers of Jesus are called to live holy and faithful lives of discipleship. It is fully possible to live out our calling to holiness in Christ in either a married or single state.
The Sanctity of Life
We believe that all human life is sacred because all people are created in the image of God. The church is called to care for the life of every person. Our protection and pastoral care is especially intended for the vulnerable amongst us, from the unborn child in the womb, to the physically and mentally disabled, to the elderly. We witness to the love of Christ for us by the way we love one another.
The Christian Creeds
We believe that the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds are truthful summaries of the nature of the Triune God appropriate for use in worship and teaching. We affirm these historical creeds of the Christian Church in conjunction with other Christian communions around the world.