Hopefully, you've had the chance to look at our statement of faith. Another very important and foundational document for our church is our covenant.
Just like the statement of faith, our church covenant is not meant to rival Scripture in any way. That being said, however, there is a key similarity to the function of the doctrinal statement. Both documents help us to know and agree upon what the Bible actually says. Contrary to some popular opinion, Christians are people who believe certain definable truths and who live in a certain observable way. So, our statement of faith and our covenant are helpful summaries that members of Crossway can rally around, agree to, and seek God's help in attaining.
In other words, we know we want real, vibrant Christian community at Crossway, but what does that look like? A good starting place is a church covenant. In reality, this is the essence of what it is to be a church--we "covenant" together to live as a church in a way that pleases God. And, we only do this in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Check out our church covenant, and, if you are not a part of a local church, come get to know us more at Crossway.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Where We Stand
Crossway Church is thankful that we can present our Statement of Faith at this time. One of the most important and foundational documents for our church and for who we are, this statement sets forth what we believe. In reading our statement, you will find that it represents historic Christian beliefs. We are Protestant/Evangelical, Baptist, and Reformed in our beliefs about God's grace in salvation.
With a few revisions, our statement is an abbreviated form of the Baptist Faith and Message, 2000 (our article on "man" looks back to the BF&M 1925 as well). We chose this particular Statement of Faith not only because of its wide acceptance and proven faithfulness but because it uniquely helps us to put forward what we believe. For example, we wanted a statement that reflected our emphasis on the one God as triune, and this statement teaches biblical truth about each person of the Trinity. The article on salvation, in the same way, gives both an overview and particular details of our redemption in Christ.
Other things that we really appreciate about this statement include these:
- No one, specific position is represented in the article on "Last Things," but the glorious Bible truths about the end times are clear.
- The statement overall is general enough to highlight historic Christianity but specific enough to help us express our stand on sometimes controversial issues (e.g. the office of pastor is limited to men).
- Doctrinal statements aren't limited to "theoretical" issues alone. So, article IX identifies our belief in the priority of the Great Commission (while article V identifies what we believe to be the sure foundation for the success of this gospel call).
Enjoy reading our Statement and being reminded of central truths!
With a few revisions, our statement is an abbreviated form of the Baptist Faith and Message, 2000 (our article on "man" looks back to the BF&M 1925 as well). We chose this particular Statement of Faith not only because of its wide acceptance and proven faithfulness but because it uniquely helps us to put forward what we believe. For example, we wanted a statement that reflected our emphasis on the one God as triune, and this statement teaches biblical truth about each person of the Trinity. The article on salvation, in the same way, gives both an overview and particular details of our redemption in Christ.
Other things that we really appreciate about this statement include these:
- No one, specific position is represented in the article on "Last Things," but the glorious Bible truths about the end times are clear.
- The statement overall is general enough to highlight historic Christianity but specific enough to help us express our stand on sometimes controversial issues (e.g. the office of pastor is limited to men).
- Doctrinal statements aren't limited to "theoretical" issues alone. So, article IX identifies our belief in the priority of the Great Commission (while article V identifies what we believe to be the sure foundation for the success of this gospel call).
Enjoy reading our Statement and being reminded of central truths!
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