Statement of Faith of The Crossing Church

1. The Trinity

The testimony of both Testaments and the Christian Church is that God is both One and Triune. The Biblical revelation testifies that there is only one God and that He exists eternally as Three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

A. God the Father

God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent “I Am,” the Creator of heaven and earth, and the Redeemer of mankind.  He has further revealed Himself as relational, having created man in His own image for fellowship, and calling man back to Himself after the rebellion and fall of man.

B. God the Son

The Lord Jesus Christ is eternally God. The Scriptures declare…

  1. His virgin birth (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31, 35)
  2. His sinless life (Hebrews 7:26, 1 Peter 2:22)
  3. His miracles (Acts 2:22, 10:38)
  4. His substitutionary work on the cross (1 Corinthians 15:3, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
  5. His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6, Luke 24:39, 1 Corinthians 15:4)
  6. His exaltation to the right hand of God (Acts 1:9-11, 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1-3)

C. God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is God, the Lord, and the giver of life, who was active in the Old Testament and given to the Church in the fullness of Pentecost.  He empowers the saints for service and witness, cleanses man from old nature, and conforms us to the image of Christ. The Holy Spirit of God takes residence within us at the point of salvation. The evidence of His presence at this time in our relationship with God is in our conscience. We have a fresh hunger for holy living and an increased disdain for sin and ungodliness.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit, subsequent to conversion, is an empowerment by God for hearts eagerly desiring increased power for ministry. It is evidenced by greater boldness and authority to effectively evangelize and expand the Church. It may also be evidenced by joy, praise, speaking in tongues, and other outward gifts and manifestations.

The Holy Spirit resides in us and enables us to express ministry gifts. These ministry gifts are Words of Wisdom, Words of Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Distinguishing of Spirits, Various Tongues (Languages), Interpretation of Tongues, Service, Teaching, Exhortation, Leadership, Mercy, and Love (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, Romans 12:6-9, Ephesians 4:11-12) (This is not an exhaustive list of gifts as the Holy Spirit can enable us to do many things as He wills). The scriptures teach us that these are given to individuals as God wills. They are designed for the conversion of non-believers and especially the encouragement of believers. The proper result of these gifts should bring unity and maturity within the church body.

2. The Scripture

We affirm that the Bible containing the Old and New Testaments is alone the only infallible inspired Word of God and that its authority is ultimate and final and eternal. The Bible is the source of all doctrine, instruction, correction, and reproof. It cannot be added to, subtracted from, or superseded in any regard. It contains all that is needed for guidance in godliness, faith and practical Christian conduct.

3. The Atonement

Man was created good and upright; for God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”  However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but spiritual death, which is separation from God.  God’s redemption of man through Christ’s vicarious death on the cross, paid the penalty for the sins of the whole world, but its benefits are only applicable to those who receive Jesus as their personal savior.  Healing of the body, soul and spirit, is provided for in the atonement, as well as, all of God’s provision for His saints, but these must be appropriated.

4. Salvation

Salvation is a free gift of God, based on the merits of the death of His Son, and is appropriated by faith. Salvation is affected by personal repentance, belief on the Lord Jesus (justification by grace, through faith), and personal acceptance of Him into one’s life as Lord and Savior (regeneration). New life in Christ includes the privileges of adoption and inheritance in the Kingdom of God. (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Rom. 10:13-15; Eph. 2:8; Titus 2:11; 3:5-7). Salvation is an act of free will in response to God’s personal love for mankind. It is secure in the eternal unchanging commitment of God, who does not lie and is forever the same. Salvation should produce an active lifestyle of obedience and service to Jesus Christ our Savior.

5. The Christian Life

We believe that the Scriptures portray the life of the saint in this world to be one of balance between what is imputed to us as Christians and what is imparted to us according to our faith and maturity. God’s provision for His Children is total and completed, and the promises are final and eternal. Any shortcomings of the individual and of the Church are because of the still-progressing sanctification of the saints. The Christian life is filled with trials, tests, and warfare against a spiritual enemy. For those abiding in Christ until their death or His return, the promises of eternal blessing in the presence of God are assured. To remain faithful through all the circumstances of life requires dependence upon the Holy Spirit and a willingness to die to personal desires and passions. (Romans 6:1-11, 13; 8:1, 2, 13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12-13; 1 Peter 1:5)

6. The Church

The Church consists of all people who have been born again of the Spirit of God by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (John 3:3-6; 16-17). This constituency is what the Bible refers to as the Body of Christ. The purpose and structure of the Church are to host the Holy Spirit on earth, equip the saints to represent Christ in all aspects of life, and make disciples of all nations (Mark 16:15-18; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:22-23).

7. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

The Word of God enjoins on the Church two ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ. The first, baptism by immersion, is an outward demonstration of what God has done in an individual’s life, and is a testimony to all that the person now identifies and belongs to Jesus (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47-48). The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements (bread and grape juice), is a symbolic expression of our participation in the divine nature of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4); a commemoration of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26); and is done in remembrance of Him until He returns.

8. Eschatology

We affirm the bodily, personal, second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the Saints, the Millennium, and the final judgment (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27, 30; Revelations 1:7; 19:11-14). The final judgment will confirm the eternal status of both the saints and the unbelievers, determined by their relationship to Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Revelations 20:11-15, 21:8). We affirm with the Scriptures the final state of the New Heavens and New Earth (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:22).

9. Statement of Marriage

We believe marriage is defined in the Bible as a covenant, a sacred bond between one man and one woman instituted by and publicly entered into before God (“Biblical Definition of Marriage”). Because of the longstanding importance of the Biblical Definition of Marriage to humans and their relationships and communities, and most importantly, the fact that God has ordained that marriage is between one man and one woman, as clearly conveyed in God’s inerrant Scriptures, including for example in Matthew 19:4-6 where in speaking about marriage Jesus referred to the fact that “he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,” the Church hereby adopts this policy, which shall be known as the “Marriage Policy.”

Under this Church’s Marriage Policy, the Biblical Definition of Marriage is the only definition of marriage that will be recognized or accepted. All men and women, serving in a leadership role within the Church, who live together (cohabitate as man and wife), shall be married by an ordained or licensed Christian Minister as evidenced by a Marriage License. No Elder, officer, employee, servant, agent, or any person, corporation, organization, or entity under the direction or control of this Church shall commit any act, omission, or make any decision whatever, that would be inconsistent with, or that could be perceived by any person to be inconsistent with, full support of this Church’s Marriage Policy and strict adherence to the Biblical Definition of Marriage rather than any alternative to the Biblical Definition of Marriage.

This Church’s Marriage Policy specifically prohibits acts or omissions including but not limited to permitting any Church assets or property, whether real property, personal property, intangible property, or any property or asset of any kind that is subject to the direction or control of the Church, to be used in any manner that would be or could be perceived by any person to be inconsistent with this Church’s Marriage Policy or the Biblical Definition of Marriage, including but not limited to permitting any church facilities to be used by any person, organization, corporation, or group that would or might use such facilities to convey, intentionally or by implication, what might be perceived as a favorable impression about any definition of marriage other than the Biblical Definition of Marriage.

Because marriage is a sacred covenant, the Church’s Marriage Policy also stipulates that men and women, serving in any capacity within the Church, who live together (cohabitate as man and wife) shall be married by an ordained or licensed Christian Minister as evidenced by a Marriage License. A common law, Declaration of Informal Marriage, does not meet this requirement.

We believe this Church’s Marriage Policy is based upon God’s will for human life as conveyed to us through the Holy Scriptures, upon which this Church has been founded and anchored, and this Marriage Policy shall not be subject to change through popular vote; referendum; prevailing opinion of members or the general public; influence of or interpretation by any government authority, agency, or legal developments on the local, state, or federal level.