Beliefs

  • The Scriptures

    We believe in the verbal, plenary God breathed inspiration of the Bible, both the Old and New Testament, consisting of 66 books, inerrant in the original writings. (II Tim. 3:16,17; Matt. 5:18; II Peter 1:21,22; John 16:12,13)

  • The Triune God

    
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-identical in nature, coequal in power and glory. (Deut. 6:4; John 1:1-4; 16:7-15; Luke 1:35; Matt. 3:16-17)

    God the Father


    We believe in God, who is Spirit and a person; infinite, eternal and unchangeable in being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth; sovereign. (Duet. 4:15-18; John 4:24; Exodus 3:14; Num. 23:19)

    God the Son

    
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinners. (John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:30-35; Phil 2:5-8; Heb. 4:15; Matt. 1:18-25)

    We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through the shedding of His blood in death on the cross as a representative, substitution sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical, resurrection from the dead. (Rom. 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Eph. 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5)

    We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, and now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 7:25; 9:24; Rom. 8:34; I John 2:1-2)

    God the Holy Spirit

    
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, and not merely an influence; that He is the source and power of all acceptable worship and service. We believe that His work is to convince the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, to convict and regenerate sinners, to dwell in the hearts of believers, to guide, comfort, protect and sanctify them in this world, and to glorify Christ. We believe that He will never depart from the Church nor from the weakest believers. (John 14:16-17,26; 16:13-15: Acts 1:8; 5:3-4; Rom. 8:2,16; I Cor. 6:19; 12:13; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 4:30; 5:18).

  • Man

    
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and that man is totally depraved in the sense that his whole being is affected and cursed by sin so that he cannot, in this state, please God. We believe that he is unrighteous in an absolute sense and can only accomplish relative good. We believe that he is lost and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:26-27; Eph. 2:1-3, 12; Rom. 3:22; 5:12)

    We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and that man is justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone, and is thus given a new position of righteousness and holy standing before God, in which he becomes a son of God by spiritual rebirth, a new creation in Christ. (John 1:12; Rom. 8:1,38-39; I Cor. 1:14-15; 10:10; II Cor. 5:17)

    We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1,38-39; I Cor. 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5)

    We believe it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Rom. 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-14)

  • The Church

    We believe that the church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born again persons of this present age and is distinct from the nation of Israel. (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27; I Cor. 12:12-14; II Cor. 11:2)

    We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20:17,28-32; I Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)

  • Christian Testimony

    
We believe that Christians should bear a good testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ by living lives separated unto God, abstaining from worldly practices. (Rom. 12:1-2; I Cor. 3:16-17; 8:13; II Cor. 6:3,14-18; I Thess. 5:22; I John 2:15)

  • The Ordinances

    Baptism


    We believe that every believer should follow the Lord Jesus Christ in believer's baptism. The mode of any new baptism, as practiced by the Community Bible Church, shall be by immersion. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 10:48)

    The Lord's Supper

    We believe that all born again believers are to be invited to partake of the Lord's Supper. (Mark 14:22-25; I Cor. 11:23-24)

  • The Second Coming

    
We believe in the personal, bodily, imminent and pre-tribulation return of our Lord Jesus Christ for His Bride, the Church, which constitutes the Blessed Hope set before us, for which we should be constantly looking. We believe that, following the rapture of the church, there will be period known as the Great Tribulation on earth. We believe that, at the conclusion of this period, Christ will come with His saints to set up the millennial reign over the restored nation of Israel and the kingdom of the world. (Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:16-17; 3:13; Col. 3:4; Rev. 19:11-16

  • Distinctives

    Our church philosophy comes down to two succinct statements…

    Corporately

    The Local Church is God’s Evangelistic Strategy for the World: As such the local church is a chief instrument in God’s plan of redemption. As a result, Community Bible Church understands that we are an integral part of Christ’s mission in the world. The members of this congregation can trace their existence back to those – having first been transformed by its message – who faithfully proclaimed the Gospel. As it has come down to us from previous generations - and from one individual to another - we are a now part of that same Gospel stewardship. We are direct a result of the faithful and indomitable proclamation of the Gospel through the years. This body of believers is now an outpost of Gospel faithfulness in this little corner of the world.

    Understanding this, the aim of Community Bible Church is not isolationism, but evangelism. While set apart our distinctiveness arises from a peculiar hope which we possess. Ours is not to “hold on” until Jesus returns, but to extend the sovereign saving Grace of God into this culture through the faithful proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is not the sole responsibility of the elders and pastors of this congregation. Every member of CBC is a part of the mission and called to impact their “end of the earth” by their own selfless and faithful proclamation of the Gospel. We believe God’s glory shines brightest at the Cross. The Suffering Savior and His Cross are the supreme display of Our Glorious God and His lavish grace. Therefore, any church which seeks to glorify him will naturally be about the Gospel and its furtherance. Any church which does not exalt the Cross and work of Christ through His death is no real church and not a part of the mission.

    As a result, all we do whether by teaching, programs, ministries or facilities must somehow be connected to this greater mission. Our ministries are constantly re-evaluated by a single criteria – In what way does this extend the Gospel deeper into our context. On Sundays, and at various other occasions, the members of CBC gather together for the purpose of being equipped for the mission of Gospel proclamation. This is done through the faithful exposition of God’s Word, by dependent prayer and true fellowship. The Holy Spirit - applying and clarifying the Gospel in their hearts and minds – exalts Christ as the supreme affection of believer’s lives. Armed with love for Him, the body is energized to lay the Cross and joy of the Gospel before the culture in which they live.

    Individually

    Life is a Short Term Mission Trip: Each believer’s life is a stewardship of Gospel faithfulness. Having been redeemed by His Grace our lives are now centered around the person and work of Jesus Christ. We no longer view life through the lens of humanism and its basic aim - personal happiness. Our lives are guided by the supreme reality – Jesus Christ is God and Savior. Our affection for Him refines and reprioritizes our lives.

    Essentially, everything which once was, is no longer. Time, which was once squandered on temporal and selfish pursuits is now our most precious commodity. Time is short and the need to make much of Him is great. Resources, which were once used to stock pile treasures on earth, are now generously sacrificed to the local church for the progress of the Gospel. Gifts, which were once used to bring attention to ourselves, are now used without concern for recognition in order to bring attention to Him. Life is now lived in sight of eternity and its immeasurably great consequences. The life of the redeemed is a short-term mission trip. While they have breath each believer must ensure that they use it to make much of Him both in word and deed.