The Bible
The Bible is God’s inspired and authoritative Word, revealing His character and guiding us to respond to Him in all of life. Therefore, we will teach and equip people to obey the voice of God spoken through Scripture.
Humankind, Sin & Salvation
Created in God’s image, we were separated by our sin, but God restores our relationships and His creation through Jesus. Therefore, we will respond with gratitude to God, loving our neighbors and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus to all.
Church
God gathers His Church to grow through worship, fellowship, making disciples and serving as He builds his Kingdom. Therefore, we will through the mercy of Jesus, faithfully serve one another and invite & welcome others to Him and the family of God.
Worship
Worship expresses grateful praise through Jesus in all of life as we serve to glorify our holy God for His renewing work. Therefore, we will celebrate with joyful reverence as a gathered family of faith and a community sent out for service.
Prayer
Prayer connects us with God through Jesus, seeking to hear His voice and speaking our praise and requests, believing He will answer. Therefore, we will listen expectantly and speak honestly to receive everything from our Father according to His will.
Every church, even non-denominational ones, has a theological perspective that guides it. This theology informs the way it interprets the Bible, preaches and what things are most important to it. Christ Community is a Reformed Church. Reformed Theology is a particular way of interpreting the Bible. It stresses the sovereignty of God in all things and the centrality of faith in Christ.
Reformed churches have their historical roots to the Protestant reformation in the 1500’s and are based on the teachings of John Calvin. The reformer stressed 5 things (solos) when they split from the Roman Catholic Church:
Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura):
This means the Bible is God’s inspired word. It is the ultimate authority in our life and guides all aspects of our lives.
Christ Alone (Solus Christus):
This means that Christ is the only way that one can be saved and have an eternal relationship with God.
Grace Alone (Sola Gratia):
This means that salvation comes by God’s grace or “unmerited favor” only. It is a completely free gift and not based on anything done by us, the sinners.
Faith Alone (Sola Fide):
This means that our righteousness and justification (things we need to have a relationship with God) is received by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Glory To God Alone (Soli Deo Gloria):
This means that all glory is to be due to God alone, since salvation is accomplished solely through His work, will, and action.
The first group consists of men, women, and children who demonstrate a genuine faith in Jesus Christ, renounce their sinful brokenness and desire to join the church family and have not been baptized (i.e., “believer’s baptism”).
The second group consists of the infants and children of Christ Community Church members. This practice is commonly referred to as “Covenant baptism” or infant baptism and celebrates the entrance of a new-born child of Christian parents into the Covenant Community of God’s people. Those baptized as infants are not “saved” by this baptism, however. Covenant baptism recognizes and celebrates the blessings and benefits of being born into Christ’s Church, but it must still lead one day to a personal and public profession of faith in Jesus alone for salvation.