Statement of Faith
Cross Road Community Church
Below is a summary of what we believe on the essentials of the faith.
The Scriptures
We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts. It is the final authority in all matters about which it speaks, and is sufficient as our only infallible rule of faith and practice. The Scriptures teach, reprove, rebuke, and exhort God's people so that they are equipped for every good work (II Tim. 3:16-17, II Pet. 1:20-21, John 10:30, Matt. 5:17-18)
God
We believe in one God, the Creator and Preserver of all things, who is infinite in being and absolute in perfection. He exists eternally in three persons -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- who are of one essence and equal in power and glory. (Deut. 6:4, John 6:27, Heb. 1:8, Acts 5:3-4, II Cor. 13:14, Matt. 28:18-20)
Jesus Christ
We believe that God the Son became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. He is fully God and fully man, the eternal and only begotten Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, sinless in His life, making atonement for the sins of the world by His death. He was bodily resurrected, ascended into heaven, and now serves as high priest, intercessor and advocate on behalf of all believers. (John 1:1-2, 14, John 8:56-59, John 10:30-33, Matt. 1:18-25, Heb. 4:15, 9:12, I John 2:1-2, Rom. 1:4, John 20:25-27, Heb. 7:25, Acts 1:9-11)
The Holy Spirit
We believe that God the Holy Spirit is a person. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and draws men to personal faith in Christ. At salvation, He imparts to the believer new life, baptizes him into the body of Christ, and comes to indwell him permanently. The Holy Spirit guides, teaches, and strengthens the believer and empowers him to manifest the character of Christ. He gives spiritual gifts to believers for mutual edification. The Spirit empowers the church to carry out Christ's commission on the earth. (I Cor. 2:10-11, Ps. 139:7, John 16:8-11, 14:16, 3:5-7, Titus 3:5, I Cor. 12:13, Rom. 8L9, I Cor. 6:19, Eph.1:13, John 14:36, 16:23, Acts 1:8, Eph. 5:18, Gal. 5:22-23, I Cor. 12:7-11)
Angels
We believe that angels are powerful spirit beings who are distinct from human beings and from God. Some angels carry out the purposes of God while others (who sinned and fell from heaven) serve Satan, who is himself an angel. We believe in the reality and personality of Satan and that, when given the opportunity, he attempts to defeat Christians. However, Christians can overcome Satan’s schemes by applying scriptural truth. (Heb. 1:14, II Pet. 2:11, II Cor. 11:14-15, Isa. 14:12-14, Luke 10:18, Matt. 25:41, Eph. 6:10-19, John 8:44, James 4:7, I Pet. 5:8-9)
Man
We believe that the first man and woman were created in the image of God, free as to choice and responsible to their Creator. But man, tempted by Satan, willfully sinned and consequently experienced separation from God. The consequences of this sin affect the entire human race. Since that time, all human beings have been born with a sinful nature, commit acts of sin, and are lost apart from the atoning work of Christ. In his natural (unsaved) state, man is dead in sin, spiritually blind, and helpless to save himself.
(Gen. 1:26-27, 2:16-17, 3:1-24, Rom. 5:12-19, 1 Cor. 2:14; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:1-3, 4:14-17, Rom. 3:23)
Salvation
We believe that Jesus Christ is the only Savior from sin. He died as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin to turn away the wrath of God from all who believe in Him. Those who trust in Christ are declared righteous on the basis of His shed blood and resurrection.
(II Cor. 5:15, Mark 10:45, Rom. 3:24-26, I Pet. 3:18, Rom. 4:8-9)
We believe that whoever trusts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord becomes a child of God. This salvation is not achieved by any human effort or merit, but rather is received as a free gift from God by grace through faith. In becoming a Christian a person acknowledges his total inability to meet the righteous demands of a Holy God and places his complete trust for salvation in Jesus Christ who died in his place, paying the penalty for his sin. (John 1:12, 3:16, Eph. 2:8-9, Acts 16:31, Rom. 3:28)
We believe that all true believers are kept eternally secure by the power of God through the new birth, the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Christ.
(John 10:28-30, 14:16-17, I Pet. 1:23, Eph. 4:30, I John 2:1, Rom. 8:38-39)
The Christian Life of Discipleship
We believe that Christ calls all believers to a lifestyle of discipleship. This involves our daily accountability to take up our cross and follow Christ by His grace. As we forsake sin and self and follow Christ, our lives are progressively transformed into the image of our Savior. Though all Christians still encounter personal sin (from within) and spiritual warfare (from without) in this life, from the moment of salvation God has made provision for believers to overcome these through understanding their new identity in Christ, knowing and applying the Word of God, fellowship with other Christians, and living by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
(Lk. 9:23; Gal. 5:17-21, Eph. 6:9-10, II Pet. 1:3-4, Rom. 6-8, Phil. 2:12-13, II Tim. 3:16-17, Gal. 6:1-2, 5:16, 22-24)
The Church
We believe that all who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit belong to the one true church, the body of Christ. This church is seen in the world through local assemblies of believers who are joined together for the purpose of glorifying God, edifying one another, and evangelizing the world. The head of the church is Jesus Christ. God calls pastors and elders to lead the church and equip His people for ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit. God also raises up deacons in the congregation to serve the needs of the body. The entire congregation must pursue the will of God together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The two church ordinances are believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper. Believer's baptism symbolizes the identification of the believer with Christ in His death and resurrection. Baptism is the public confession of one's faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial symbolizing His body given for us and His blood shed for the remission of sins and His return to His Church.
(Col.1:18, Eph. 4: 14-16, I Cor. 12:12-13, Rom. 16:5, Eph. 1:3-14, Rom. 15:5-6, I Cor. 10:31, Col. 3:14-16, Matt. 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, Isa. 45:22, 49:6, John 17:18-20, Phil. 1:11, I Tim. 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-10, Acts 2:38, Matt. 26:26-29, I Cor. 11:24-26)
Last Things
We believe in the personal, return of Christ to earth in sovereign power and glory to establish His righteous rule, and according to His promise, we are looking for a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. We believe that those who have trusted in Christ for salvation will be resurrected to eternal life with God in heaven. Those who have not trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation will be resurrected for eternal condemnation and separation from God in hell.
(Matt.24, Luke 21, Acts 1:11, I Thess. 4:13-5:11, II Thess. 2:1-12, I Cor. 15:22-28, II Pet. 3:13, Rev. 20:1-6, 21-22)
Cross Road Community Church
Below is a summary of what we believe on the essentials of the faith.
The Scriptures
We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts. It is the final authority in all matters about which it speaks, and is sufficient as our only infallible rule of faith and practice. The Scriptures teach, reprove, rebuke, and exhort God's people so that they are equipped for every good work (II Tim. 3:16-17, II Pet. 1:20-21, John 10:30, Matt. 5:17-18)
God
We believe in one God, the Creator and Preserver of all things, who is infinite in being and absolute in perfection. He exists eternally in three persons -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- who are of one essence and equal in power and glory. (Deut. 6:4, John 6:27, Heb. 1:8, Acts 5:3-4, II Cor. 13:14, Matt. 28:18-20)
Jesus Christ
We believe that God the Son became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. He is fully God and fully man, the eternal and only begotten Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, sinless in His life, making atonement for the sins of the world by His death. He was bodily resurrected, ascended into heaven, and now serves as high priest, intercessor and advocate on behalf of all believers. (John 1:1-2, 14, John 8:56-59, John 10:30-33, Matt. 1:18-25, Heb. 4:15, 9:12, I John 2:1-2, Rom. 1:4, John 20:25-27, Heb. 7:25, Acts 1:9-11)
The Holy Spirit
We believe that God the Holy Spirit is a person. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and draws men to personal faith in Christ. At salvation, He imparts to the believer new life, baptizes him into the body of Christ, and comes to indwell him permanently. The Holy Spirit guides, teaches, and strengthens the believer and empowers him to manifest the character of Christ. He gives spiritual gifts to believers for mutual edification. The Spirit empowers the church to carry out Christ's commission on the earth. (I Cor. 2:10-11, Ps. 139:7, John 16:8-11, 14:16, 3:5-7, Titus 3:5, I Cor. 12:13, Rom. 8L9, I Cor. 6:19, Eph.1:13, John 14:36, 16:23, Acts 1:8, Eph. 5:18, Gal. 5:22-23, I Cor. 12:7-11)
Angels
We believe that angels are powerful spirit beings who are distinct from human beings and from God. Some angels carry out the purposes of God while others (who sinned and fell from heaven) serve Satan, who is himself an angel. We believe in the reality and personality of Satan and that, when given the opportunity, he attempts to defeat Christians. However, Christians can overcome Satan’s schemes by applying scriptural truth. (Heb. 1:14, II Pet. 2:11, II Cor. 11:14-15, Isa. 14:12-14, Luke 10:18, Matt. 25:41, Eph. 6:10-19, John 8:44, James 4:7, I Pet. 5:8-9)
Man
We believe that the first man and woman were created in the image of God, free as to choice and responsible to their Creator. But man, tempted by Satan, willfully sinned and consequently experienced separation from God. The consequences of this sin affect the entire human race. Since that time, all human beings have been born with a sinful nature, commit acts of sin, and are lost apart from the atoning work of Christ. In his natural (unsaved) state, man is dead in sin, spiritually blind, and helpless to save himself.
(Gen. 1:26-27, 2:16-17, 3:1-24, Rom. 5:12-19, 1 Cor. 2:14; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:1-3, 4:14-17, Rom. 3:23)
Salvation
We believe that Jesus Christ is the only Savior from sin. He died as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin to turn away the wrath of God from all who believe in Him. Those who trust in Christ are declared righteous on the basis of His shed blood and resurrection.
(II Cor. 5:15, Mark 10:45, Rom. 3:24-26, I Pet. 3:18, Rom. 4:8-9)
We believe that whoever trusts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord becomes a child of God. This salvation is not achieved by any human effort or merit, but rather is received as a free gift from God by grace through faith. In becoming a Christian a person acknowledges his total inability to meet the righteous demands of a Holy God and places his complete trust for salvation in Jesus Christ who died in his place, paying the penalty for his sin. (John 1:12, 3:16, Eph. 2:8-9, Acts 16:31, Rom. 3:28)
We believe that all true believers are kept eternally secure by the power of God through the new birth, the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Christ.
(John 10:28-30, 14:16-17, I Pet. 1:23, Eph. 4:30, I John 2:1, Rom. 8:38-39)
The Christian Life of Discipleship
We believe that Christ calls all believers to a lifestyle of discipleship. This involves our daily accountability to take up our cross and follow Christ by His grace. As we forsake sin and self and follow Christ, our lives are progressively transformed into the image of our Savior. Though all Christians still encounter personal sin (from within) and spiritual warfare (from without) in this life, from the moment of salvation God has made provision for believers to overcome these through understanding their new identity in Christ, knowing and applying the Word of God, fellowship with other Christians, and living by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
(Lk. 9:23; Gal. 5:17-21, Eph. 6:9-10, II Pet. 1:3-4, Rom. 6-8, Phil. 2:12-13, II Tim. 3:16-17, Gal. 6:1-2, 5:16, 22-24)
The Church
We believe that all who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit belong to the one true church, the body of Christ. This church is seen in the world through local assemblies of believers who are joined together for the purpose of glorifying God, edifying one another, and evangelizing the world. The head of the church is Jesus Christ. God calls pastors and elders to lead the church and equip His people for ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit. God also raises up deacons in the congregation to serve the needs of the body. The entire congregation must pursue the will of God together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The two church ordinances are believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper. Believer's baptism symbolizes the identification of the believer with Christ in His death and resurrection. Baptism is the public confession of one's faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial symbolizing His body given for us and His blood shed for the remission of sins and His return to His Church.
(Col.1:18, Eph. 4: 14-16, I Cor. 12:12-13, Rom. 16:5, Eph. 1:3-14, Rom. 15:5-6, I Cor. 10:31, Col. 3:14-16, Matt. 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, Isa. 45:22, 49:6, John 17:18-20, Phil. 1:11, I Tim. 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-10, Acts 2:38, Matt. 26:26-29, I Cor. 11:24-26)
Last Things
We believe in the personal, return of Christ to earth in sovereign power and glory to establish His righteous rule, and according to His promise, we are looking for a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. We believe that those who have trusted in Christ for salvation will be resurrected to eternal life with God in heaven. Those who have not trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation will be resurrected for eternal condemnation and separation from God in hell.
(Matt.24, Luke 21, Acts 1:11, I Thess. 4:13-5:11, II Thess. 2:1-12, I Cor. 15:22-28, II Pet. 3:13, Rev. 20:1-6, 21-22)