WHAT WE BELIEVE

The fundamental teachings of Christ Church are reflected in the following doctrinal statements:
  1. We believe that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. We understand the whole Bible is inspired in the sense that holy men of God were moved by the Holy Spirit to write the very words of Scripture. We believe the complete inerrancy of the original manuscripts of the whole Bible and that they serve as the only rule of faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).
  2. We believe in the Eternal Godhead who has revealed Himself as ONE God existing in THREE persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; distinguishable but indivisible (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
  3. We believe in the creation, test, and fall of man as recorded in the book of Genesis; his total spiritual depravity and inability to attain divine righteousness (Romans 5:12, 18).
  4. We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, very God and very man (Luke 1:26-35; John 1:18; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6).
  5. We believe Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, and personally appeared to His disciples (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 4:25).
  6. We believe in the bodily Ascension of Jesus to heaven, His exaltation, and personal, literal, and bodily return the second time for the Church (John 14:2-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
  7. We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace, through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work of the cross of Calvary by which we obtain remission of sins (Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 9:12; Romans 5:11).
  8. We believe in the necessity of water baptism by immersion in the name of the Eternal Godhead in order to fulfill the command of Christ (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:36-39; 19:1-6).
  9. We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as an experience subsequent to salvation, with the Scriptural evidence; namely, speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance (Acts 2:1-4; 8:14-17; 10:44-46; Ephesians 1:13-14).
  10. We believe that God has established marriage as a lifelong, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman and that all intimate sexual activity outside the marriage relationship, whether heterosexual, homosexual, or otherwise, is immoral and contrary to God’s design (Genesis 2:24-25; Exodus 20:14, 17, 22:19; Leviticus 18:22-23, 20:13, 15-16; Matthew 19:4-6, 9; Romans 1:18-31; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 15-20; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Jude 7).
  11. We believe that God created the human race male and female and that all conduct with the intent to adopt a gender other than one’s birth gender is contrary to God’s design. We believe the Bible calls us to maintain a clear, biologically rooted distinction between male and female. We believe we are to lovingly resist the blurring of gender distinctiveness and that cultural trajectory which denies God-given boundaries to our created sexual and gender identity (Genesis 1:27; Deuteronomy 22:5).
  12. We believe in the reality of God’s redemptive healing and sanctifying power. Therefore, we do not support the resolution of tension between one’s biological sex and one’s experience of gender by the adoption of a psychological identity that seeks to change one’s given biological birth sex in favor of the identity of the opposite sex or of an indeterminate identity. Neither can we support the use of surgical or other medical procedures that seek to change facets of one’s biological sex as established at conception and during gestation and subsequently manifest at birth. Such efforts inherently flow from the individual’s rejection of the gift of his or her biological sex (Genesis 1:2-27; Romans 1:18-32).
  13. We believe that tithing is a scriptural duty for all believers, including ministers, as a biblical path to growing and giving in grace. The tithe, representing one-tenth of our income, supports the ministry of the local church, where we receive care and spiritual nourishment. It is intended for the propagation of the Gospel and the work of the Lord, not other charitable purposes. Tithing is not a legalistic obligation but an opportunity to respond gratefully to God's grace. It provides a biblical, practical, and timely guideline for giving, helping us manage our material goods with the right perspective and encouraging generous sharing with those in need (Leviticus 27:30; Malachi 3:7–11; Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; 1 Corinthians 9:6–13; 1 Corinthians 16:2).
  14. We believe in the operation of the charismatic gifts and ministries as was manifested in the Early Church, along with the fruit of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-11; Ephesians 4:11; Galatians 5:22-23).
  15. We believe in the Spirit-filled life, a life of separation from the world, and perfecting of holiness in the fear of God as an expression of Christian faith (Ephesians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1).
  16. We believe in the healing of the body by Divine power, or Divine healing in its varied aspects as practiced in the Early Church (Acts 4:30; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 12:9; James 5:14).
  17. We believe in the Table of the Lord, commonly called Communion, or the Lord's Supper, for believers (1 Corinthians 11:23-32).
  18. We believe in eternal life for believers (John 3:16; 5:24) and eternal punishment for unbelievers (Mark 9:43-50; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; Revelation 20:10-15).
  19. We believe in the reality and personality of Satan and the eternal judgment of Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10-15).