What
we believe
Teaching
Statement
General Statement: The Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven
and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and
born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal Church, the communion
of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
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Detailed Statement
- God, the creator of heaven and earth, has revealed Himself throughout
history in various ways, but His ultimate revelation of His character
was in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-3).
- Our primary source of knowledge of God's working in history and
His revelation in the person of Jesus Christ is the Bible, both
Old and New Testaments, which are inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16),
inerrant, and the supreme and final authority in faith and life.
Further, the Scriptures are both our message--the Gospel or Good
News which we proclaim--and our method book. It guides us in our
conduct as individuals and CCR as a church; i.e., our core values
and strategy.
- Man and woman were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)
and are of immense value to God. Man and woman sinned, and thereby
incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, separation
from God, and alienation from each other. Since then, all human
beings are born with a sinful nature (Romans 3:23).
- The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins as a representative and
subsitutionary sacrifice. All who believe in Him are justified on
the ground of His shed blood (Ephesians 1:7). Those who believe
in Christ receive eternal life, eternal from the point of believing
and secure for all eternity. Because of this security, we are motivated
and responsible to live a holy life (John 10:27-28; Romans 8:38;
Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Peter 1:3-11).
- The Scriptures urge those who believe in Christ as Savior to
be baptized in water (Acts 2:38-41; Matthew 28:18-19). Our method
for baptism is immersion, but for incoming members we will accept
other modes of believers' baptism contingent upon their understanding
that baptism is not an infusion of grace.
- While people are "saved" by Christ on an individual basis, each
one becomes a member of His Universal Church, the body of Christ
(1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:4), God's temple (1 Corinthians
3:16), which is visibly represented by local assemblies or churches
of believers. The purpose of CCR is to fulfill Christ's expressed
desire that we love Him, His people, and the world for which he
died (John 17:20;). Our vision for the world is reflected in both
local and worldwide outreach.
- Christ, through His Holy Spirit, has endowed believers with spiritual
gifts for the edification of His church and the expansion of His
kingdom (1 Corinthians 12:4; 14:13; Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:4-16).
We believe that God may use any of the New Testament spiritual gifts.
However, for the sake of church unity and order, we do not endorse
the practice or promotion of the "charismatic" gifts in our services
(1 Corinthians 14:1-19).
- The Lord Jesus will one day return to judge all the peoples of
the earth and establish His kingdom. Since His return could be at
any time, we should strive to live holy lives (2 Peter 3:11-12).
- We hold to the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust,
the everlasting life of the believer with God, and the everlasting
punishment of those who choose to reject the gift of salvation through
Jesus Christ (Revelation 20:11-14; 21:1ff).
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