Beliefs
Essentials and non-essentials
“If it is in the Bible, we believe it.” That’s our simple answer to the question "What do you believe?" However, we recognize that it's not that simple. There are things in the Bible that aren't crystal-clear--leaving room for valid differences of interpretation in some areas. Therefore, we hold some beliefs in tension, understanding that one person's interpretation might vary from another's--both being valid from a biblical standpoint.
At Christ Community we are mindful of only two categories when it comes to beliefs:
The Essentials and Non-essentials
In the Essential beliefs we have unity.
In the Non-essential beliefs we have liberty.
In all our beliefs we maintain an attitude of love.
Core doctrine of christ community
Here's a brief description of what we consider the Essential beliefs of Christianity in the acronym DOCTRINE:
Deity of Christ ... Jesus is God.
Original Sin ... Everyone is born in a sinful state.
Canon ... The collection of sixty-six books that comprise the Bible.
Trinity ... One God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Resurrection ... The resurrection of Jesus and our future resurrection after death.
Incarnation ... Jesus: Fully God and fully man.
New Life ... Spiritual rebirth at the time anyone gives their life to Jesus.
End Times ... Jesus is coming again.
We also respect the teachings described in the historical Creeds and Confessions of the Christian church, which have played an important role in our denomination's history.
Christ community is an epc church
In 2022, our congregation joined the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), which placed us in partnership with five other local EPC churches. We collectively seek to live on mission for the gospel of Jesus Christ. As an EPC church, our core values are rooted in Reformed Theology. The EPC describes this as:
“Reformed means that we trace our roots to Protestant Reformation, when John Calvin and others led the movement to reform the Church according to Scripture. It also means that we believe in the absolute sovereignty of God, and that the highest good is His glory. This historical and theological heritage is often expressed in the solas of the Reformation: God’s grace alone is the only way to be reconciled to Him; our faith alone is the only means of receiving God’s grace; Christ alone is the ground of God’s saving grace; Scripture alone as the only infallible authority for belief; and God’s glory alone as the ultimate purpose for our lives. Finally, to be Reformed is to be confessional. We have one confessional standard: the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms. While it is subordinate to God’s Word, it helps us maintain and defend the gospel as the Bible declares it. We affirm the value and use of creeds and other confessions that are biblical and orthodox. Our “Essentials of the Faith” statement is a summary affirmation of orthodox Christianity taken from the Westminster standards.”
Click the links below to learn more about the EPC, core doctrines, beliefs, and values.
