The sole basis for our belief is the Bible, which is uniquely God-inspired, without error, and the final authority on all teachings of the church. As the Bible teaches, there is one God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - each possessing all the attributes of deity. God creates humans to have fellowship with Him, but they defied God by sinfully going their own way. As a result, we need God's grace to end our alienation from God. Salvation comes only through God's grace - not human effort - and comes through repentance and faith. Jesus Christ, second Person of the Trinity, lived a sinless life on earth and voluntarily paid for our sin by dying on the cross as our substitute. This accomplished salvation for all who receive grace by trusting in Him alone. He rose from the dead and is the only mediator between us and God. He will return to earth to consummate history. The Holy Spirit draws sinners to Christ and equips believers for personal growth and service to the church. The church's role is to glorify God and serve those in need. At the end of time, everyone will experience bodily resurrection from the dead and the judgment. Only true believers will enjoy eternal fellowship with God in heaven.
Our Mission
Loving People into a Fully-Devoted Relationship with Christ.
Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost, therefore we feel compelled to do the same. But, Jesus went beyond rescuing people from hell, He wanted to make them fit for heaven. Our desire is for people not only to meet Jesus Christ, but also over time, to grow in their faith so that they live obediently to His commands and become conformed to His character.
Our Vision
To be a community of Christ followers who experience and inspire life change through God’s word and grace.
We cannot fulfill Christ's mission alone as individuals. We are a church because God wants us to be. Our goal together is to further His Kingdom in our midst and in obedience to the great Commission, extend His Kingdom worldwide. Our work is not over when we become a "Biblical community." Quite the contrary! It only begins! As a "Biblical community," we can accurately reflect Him to the world.
Christ Centered. We believe everything we do must point to Jesus and through prayer we diligently seek His will.
Relevance. We believe our task is to present the Gospel in a way that is relevant and meaningful to people's lives today without compromising Biblical truth.
Outreach. We believe lost people matter to God, and therefore, should matter to the church. Our primary method of expanding the Kingdom is through local and international missions.
Scripture. We believe the inerrant Word of God is the only standard of truth and instruction and should be boldly proclaimed without compromise.
Service. Scripture is clear that we are to put our faith into action. Therefore, we believe in giving of ourselves, unselfishly through service, to the body of Christ and to our community..."getting our hands dirty."
The 8 G's of Crossroads Community Church
Greeting - Christians create relationships with non-Christians.
Gospel - Christians share the good news of Jesus.
Grace - Claim the grace of God and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior.
Growth - Grow in knowledge of the Bible, Faith in God's promises, and submission to God's will as Lord of your life.
Groups - Fellowship with others in a small group provides support and accountability.
Gifts - Apply spiritual gifts and passions in serving the church.
Giving - Stewardship of your time, talent and treasure (tithing).
Go - Duplicate ourselves through local, national & international missions.
The Bible
The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament. We believe Scripture, in its entirety originated with God, and it was given through the inspiration of chosen men. We hold that the Scriptures are infallible and inerrant. They are the unique, full and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
God
We believe there is one true, holy God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy
Spirit - each of whom possess equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality. In the beginning God created out of nothing the world and all the things therein, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom and goodness. By His sovereign power He continues to sustain His creation. By His providence He is operating throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes.
Salvation
The central purpose of God's revelation in Scripture is to call all people into fellowship with Himself. Originally created in perfect fellowship and oneness with God, man defied God choosing to go his independent way and thus, was alienated from and suffered the corruption of his nature, rendering him unable to please God. The fall took place at the beginning of human history, and all individuals since have suffered the consequences and are in need of the saving grace of God. The salvation of mankind is then, wholly a work of God's free grace, not the result in whole, or in part of human works or goodness, and must be personally appropriated by faith. When God begins a saving work in the heart of any person, He gives assurance in His Word that He indwells the believer throughout their life on earth and completes His work in the believer's life in heaven.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the eternal second Person of the Trinity who was united forever with a true human nature by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily atoned for the sins of all by dying on the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. He ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father, where He, the only Mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His own. He shall come again to earth personally and visibly to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.
The Christian Life (The Holy Spirit)
The natural outflow of a genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ is a life dedicated to personal growth and obedience, attained by believers as they submit to the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. He was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to mankind the saving work of Christ. He enlightens the minds of sinners, convicts them of their sins and awakens in them recognition of their need of a Savior. The Holy Spirit alone converts, creates faith and births the new life of faith in each believer. At this point of salvation, He indwells every believer with spiritual gifts for the up-building of the body. The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Scripture. His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life reflecting a
Christ-like character and bearing fruit to the glory of the Father.
Death and the After-life
Since "all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God" (Romans 3:23) and "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) we believe that death seals the eternal destiny of each person. For all mankind there will be an immediate resurrection of the body into the spiritual world, and a judgment that will decide the fate of each individual. Unbelievers will be separated from God into condemnation in everlasting hell. God's eternal judgment will reveal His justice in punishment of their own rejection of God's grace. Believers will be received into eternal communion, perfection and joy with God in heaven.
The Church
The result of a personal relationship with Christ is that all believers become members of His Body, the Church. There is one true church universal, made up of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior. The Scriptures command believers to gather together in a local presence of Christ to devote themselves to reach the spiritually wayward for Christ, and fulfilling God's desire for a Biblically functioning community. The body of Christ manifests itself through worship, prayer, fellowship, teaching of the Word of God, servicing the Body through spiritual gifts and the proper administration of the Lord's Supper and Baptism. Wherever God's people meet regularly, in obedience to His command, there is a local presence of the church. Its members are to work together in love and unity on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.
Baptism
Baptism, like faith, is a gracious working of God. By the work of the Holy Spirit, God claims His own. He spiritually cleanses us. He "marks, seals, identifies" His people through baptism and incorporates them into the family of God. He says to the whole world, "This is my son…This is my daughter…They bear my seal." On our part, Baptism is an act of obedience to the command of Christ, fulfilled by all who have subjected themselves to His sovereignty. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands His followers to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…" We believe that His command involves all people, no matter what age. (Further explanation is found in the Baptism brochure.)
The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper is when Jesus says: "This is my body" and "This is my blood." God is a God who demonstrates what He promises with signs. These signs are more than symbols. In the Lord's Supper, we believe that Christ is "really present" in a supernatural way. In the celebration we receive Christ's body and His blood together with the bread and wine as tangible assurance of what God promises, namely forgiveness of sins and new life in Jesus. Proper reception assumes a faith relationship with Christ, recognition of the presence of the body and blood, the ability to properly examine oneself and a resolve to start anew in Christ today.
Faith and Practice
Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. This church recognizes that it cannot bind the conscience of an individual member in areas where Scripture is silent. Rather, each believer is to be lead in that area by the Lord, to whom he/she is ultimately accountable. We believe this Statement of Faith to be an accurate summary of what Scripture teaches. All members of Crossroads Community Church shall refrain from advocating doctrines that are not included in the Statement of Faith in such a way as to cause disunity and dissention.
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