What We Believe
Christ Community ascribes to, and bases its ministry, operations, and actions upon, the following doctrinal essentials.
Holy BibleThe Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority for determining all doctrinal truth. In its original writing, the Bible is inspired, infallible and inerrant. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Peter 1:20-21)
Preaching of the WordGiven the foregoing nature of God’s holy Word and the centrality of God’s Word in the ministry and life of the Church, it is incumbent upon the Church to ensure that the whole counsel of God’s Word is regularly preached in corporate worship and elsewhere, as God provides opportunity. The faithful, expository preaching of God’s Word is a means of grace by which God changes the heart of his people and draws the community of faith to himself. It is therefore an indispensable part of the Church’s ministry. (2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 4:2)
TrinityThere is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and co-eternal. (Luke 3:21-22, Matthew 28:18-20, 2 Corinthians 13:14)
Jesus ChristJesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100 percent God and 100 percent man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life justifying us, performed miracles, died on the Cross for humankind and, thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His Blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory to receive His church and judge the wicked. (John 1:1-18, Philippians 2: 5-11)
Virgin BirthJesus Christ was conceived by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the virgin Mary’s womb; therefore, He is the Son of God. He alone is Holy. (Matthew 1:20-25, Luke 1:26-35)
RedemptionHumanity was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression, it fell. Humanity’s only hope for redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Ephesians 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Isaiah 53:6)
RegenerationFor anyone to know God, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. (2 Corinthians 5:17, John 3: 3-7)
SalvationWe are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human effort. (Romans 10:9-13, Ephesians 2: 8-9, Titus 3:5)
RepentanceRepentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance and faith we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation. (Acts 3:19, Acts 17:30, Acts 2:38, 2 Chronicles 7:14)
SanctificationSanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, Romans 6:19-22)
Jesus’ BloodThe blood Jesus shed on the cross of Calvary was sinless and is 100 percent sufficient to cleanse humankind from all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death and separation from God eternally. (1 Peter 1:18-19, Hebrews 9:12-14, 1 John 1:7)
Jesus Christ Indwells All BelieversChristians are people who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by His Holy Spirit. They relinquish the authority of their lives over to Him, thus making Jesus the Lord of their lives as well as Savior. They put their trust in what Jesus accomplished for them when He died, was buried and rose again from the dead. (John 17:21-26, Galatians 2:20, Romans 8:10)
Baptism In The Holy SpiritGiven at Pentecost, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father. He was sent by Jesus after His ascension to empower the Church. (Acts 2:1-4, Acts 10:44-46)
The Gifts of The Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build, edify, and sanctify the Church, demonstrate the validity of the Resurrection and confirm the power of the gospel. The lists of these gifts are in the Bible, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All Believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts according to the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of biblical parameters. (1 Corinthians 12:1-11, Romans 12:4-8)
The ChurchThe Church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission. Every person born of the Spirit is an integral part of the Church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:22-23, Matthew 16:18, Colossians 1:18, Acts 2:42-47, Ephesians 5:25-27)
Water BaptismFollowing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit as referenced in Scripture. (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 8:36-38)
The Lord’s SupperA unique time of communion with and in the presence of God. The elements of bread and wine (the representation of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. (Matthew 26:26-29, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
ResurrectionJesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. As a result, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected – they that are saved to the resurrection of life, and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation. (1 Thessalonians 4:14, Romans 6:5-6, 1 Corinthians 15:50-53)
A New Heaven and EarthA new Heaven and a new Earth is the eternal dwelling place for all believers in Jesus Christ.(2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1-3, Revelation 3:21, Luke 10:20, Matthew 5:3)
HellAfter living one life on earth, the unbelievers will be judged by God and be thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death, and be eternally punished with the devil and the fallen angels. (Matthew 10:28, Matthew 25:46, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)
Second ComingJesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures. (Matthew 16:27, Matthew 26:64, Acts 1:9-11, Revelation 1:7)
Marriage and Human SexualityWe affirm that God wonderfully and immutably creates each human person as male or female, and that gender is inherently linked to one’s biological birth sex. We further believe that marriage is a God-designed, God-ordained covenantal union between one man and one woman. We believe that God created and designed sexual intimacy exclusively for a husband and wife within their marriage to reflect the relationship between Christ and His church; sexual intimacy outside the context of marriage is not in keeping with God’s design. (Romans 1:18-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Leviticus 18:22)
Headship of the Church and Servant LeadershipChrist is the Head over all things to His church (Ephesians 1:22).Men are called in the home and church to model this same example given by Christ (Ephesians 5:25-33). God calls the role within the church of Bishop/Elder/Pastor and Deacon according to the scriptures to be filled by men who are anointed and called by God after prayer and testing. (1 Timothy 3:1-13)The church recognizes the value, gifting and calling God has placed in the lives of women in the Biblical account through Christ’s earthly ministry (Luke 8:1-3) and in the birth and growth of the NT church (Acts 1:12-14, Acts 2: 1-4, Acts 9:36, Acts 18:26, Acts 21:8-9, Romans 16:1-5, 1 Corinthians 1:11, Philemon 1:2). We also celebrate the empowerment of both men and women (Acts 2:16-18) that all are called to testify to the grace of God and share the Gospel message. Both men and woman are of equal value in the eyes of God and there is no boundary in how God can move by the Holy Spirit in the lives of both men and women.