In Essential Beliefs, We Have Unity

“There is one Body and one Spirit...there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all…” Ephesians 4:4-6

 In Non-Essentials, We Have Liberty

 “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters…Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls...So then each of us will give an account of himself to God...So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.” Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22

In All Our Beliefs, We Show Love

“...If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains, but have no love, I amount to nothing at all.” 1 Corinthians 13:2 [Phillips]

 THE ESSENTIALS WE BELIEVE:

GOD

 ...is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He is eternal but has revealed Himself to us in three ways: as Father, as Son who is Jesus Christ, and as Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:1, 26-27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14

  JESUS CHRIST

...is the Son of God but also God. For a time, He lived as a man on the Earth but never sinned. At 33 years of age, He was crucified. In this way He paid for the sins of everyone who ever existed and ever will exist. Three days later He rose from the dead and proved His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven and will return someday. Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus; Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:30; Hebrews 4:14-15; Romans 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 15:3

THE HOLY SPIRIT

 ...is God’s presence in the world. He makes us aware of our need to be saved from sin through Jesus Christ. He also lives in every person who comes to Jesus for forgiveness of sin and accepts Jesus as Lord of his or her life. The Holy Spirit then gives power for living, loving, and understanding spiritual truths. He gives each believer a special gift. We seek to live under His guidance every day. 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; 5:18; Galatians 5:25

  THE BIBLE

 ...is God’s Word and the only book of its kind. It was written by human authors but inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for all we believe. 2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalms 12:6, 119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5

  PEOPLE

 ...are made in the spiritual image of God. He created us to be like Him in character. So, each of us has the potential for good, but we are marred by sin. Yet, God still loves us and wants to save us from the consequence of sin, which is death. Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2

 SALVATION

 ...is a gift from God but we have to accept it. We can’t make up for our sins or undo them through self-improvement or good deeds. We must confess them to God, turn away from them and our sinful lifestyles. We must make it clear that we believe Jesus is Lord, be baptized, and follow His example of servanthood to God and others. Romans 6:23; 10:9; Ephesians 2:8-9, John 1:12, 14:6; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1; Acts 2:38; James 2:17

 ETERNITY

 ...is how long we were created to exist. We can spend it with God through Jesus, or we can be forever separated from Him in a place called Hell because of sin. It’s totally our choice. The better choice is to receive forgiveness of sin through Jesus and spend eternity in Heaven, a place of non-stop joy and peace. John 2:25, 3:16; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; Matthew 1:8, 2:44-46

 THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

 ...is Jesus Christ—not any other person, group or religious organization. We recognize the value of associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians, but strongly believe that a local church, such as Crosspointe, should be self-governing and independent from any denominational control. We are led by a godly, competent staff and overseen by a management team of experienced and faithful ministers from other independent churches. Colossians 1:18

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Beliefs are not worth much unless they are translated into actions.

Based on what the Bible teaches, we feel very strongly about the following seven practices:

 Bible As Our Sole Authority

 “The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us to do what is right.”  ~ 2 Timothy 3:15

Since God’s Word is the only completely reliable and truthful authority, we accept the Bible as our manual for living. Our first question when faced with a decision is “What does the Bible say?” We practice daily Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible memorization. The Bible is the basis for all we believe.

 Autonomy of Each Local Church

 “Christ is the head of His Body, the church. He is the source of the Body’s life…”  ~ Colossians 1:18 [GN]

Christ is the recognized head of our church, not any person, group, or religious organization. While recognizing the value of associating or cooperating with other groups of Christians, we believe every local church should be self-governing and independent from any denominational control.  In relating to our “daughter churches” that we sponsor, we encourage each congregation to determine its own strategy, structure and style.

 Priesthood of Every Believer

 “Christ loves us, and by His death He has freed us from our sins and made us a kingdom of priests to serve God…”  ~ Revelation 1:6 [GN]

 The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to “full time” Christian service, regardless of his or her vocation. We practice the truth that every believer is a minister by encouraging every member to find a place of service and ministry. Every believer has direct access to God through prayer and Bible reading.

Tithing

 “A tithe of everything you produce belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.”  ~ Leviticus 26:30

At Crosspointe we practice tithing for the support of Christ’s Body, the church, as God commands. We recognize that giving 10% (a tithe is 10%) of our income is the Biblical standard of giving.

 Immersion

 “For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ."  ~ Colossians 2:12

We practice baptism by immersion under water – the way Jesus was baptized, and the way the Bible commands.

 Spirit-Led Living

(Jesus said) “I am the Vine, you are the branches. If you abide in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; but apart from Me you can do nothing.”  ~ John 15:5

We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God’s power within us. So we seek to practice a daily dependence on God’s Spirit to enable us to do what is right. (Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 5:18)

 Telling Others About Christ

 “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  ~ 1 Peter 3:15

It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the Good News with those God brings us into contact with. We practice personal sharing about Christ and inviting friends to church.