What We Believe
CORE VALUES
Just as a marriage is undergirded by the vows from the wedding day – 'No matter what, I am with you' – so the ministry of a church is undergirded by core convictions. The following Core Values give the bone structure on which the mission and ministries of our church take flesh.
OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST
GOSPEL TRUTH: We are committed to the truth of the triune Creator God as revealed in his Word. The Bible is the inerrant authority for life and the church, having been authorized by the Lord Jesus himself. We believe the gospel of grace to be the center and climax of all the Scriptures. The gospel is, thus, the key to understanding the truth of our world. As a church we seek to apply the Bible to every issue of life.
GOSPEL CHURCH: We are committed to spirituality as lived out in the context of a local church. We believe that the gospel calls us out of an isolated life into a community - the people of Jesus Christ. Thus, our commitment to the gospel is also a commitment to each other that is reaffirmed every Sunday morning as we gather to worship the triune God together, and we continue in common life together throughout the week.
OUR SERVICE IN CHRIST
GOSPEL WORSHIP: We are committed to weekly, Sunday worship. We believe that to truly be human means reflecting the goodness and glory of our Creator. Thus, the most natural human activities are to sing of God's perfections, to listen to his Word, to pray for his people and his world, and to come to his table in communion. And every time we do this we are walking through the gospel again - God is again showing us his hospitality. It is only through encountering the glory and goodness of God, that we come to reflect it in our own lives.
GOSPEL DEEDS: We are committed to deeds of love toward our community as a response to the great love Christ has shown us in the gospel. We believe that Jesus has saved us out of sin in order that we might be like him. Thus, we do not see "good works" as a way of scoring points with God. Rather, they are the most natural response of gratitude and humility to what God has done for us in Christ. And to "be like Christ" means continuing his gospel work of mercy and justice to the poor, the hurting, and the lost through intentional, sacrificial living – "my life for yours."
OUR LIVES IN CHRIST
GOSPEL FAMILIES: We are committed to the discipleship of families. We believe that the mission of God's people from the beginning has been to fill the earth with people who love him, especially through families. Thus, we are committed to discipling men in leading their families, spouses in loving each other, parents in raising their children, and families in opening their homes to their neighbors. Though we are careful to not elevate the family so as to stigmatize single members of the church, one of the primary places of ministry for the church (fellowship, discipleship, evangelism) is the home of individual families.
GOSPEL VOCATION: We are committed to proclaiming God's excellencies in our individual vocations. We believe that work is one of the most important places for us to reflect the glory and goodness of our God. Thus, we seek to always understand how we can worship and serve God in the place He has called us to work.
GOSPEL CULTURE: We are committed to the lordship of Jesus over all human culture - that is, anything humans touch. We believe that restoration and peace in the earth is only accomplished according to the Lordship of Christ. Thus, we submit ourselves to him in all matters - whether the arts, politics, care for His creation, education, or any other cultural matter - we trust him as Lord of all and believe that He wants us involved in human affairs.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We believe the Bible is the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the revelation of God’s truth and is infallible and authoritative in all matters of faith and practice.
We believe in the Holy Trinity. There is one God, who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
We believe that all are sinners and totally unable to save themselves from God’s displeasure, except by his mercy.
We believe that salvation is by God alone as He sovereignly chooses those He will save. We believe his choice is based on his grace, not on any human individual merit, or foreseen faith.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who through his perfect life and sacrificial death atoned for the sins of all who will trust in him, alone, for salvation.
We believe that God is gracious and faithful to his people not simply as individuals but as families in successive generations according to his covenant promises.
We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells God’s people and gives them the strength and wisdom to trust Christ and follow him.
We believe that Jesus will return, bodily and visibly, to judge all mankind and to receive his people to himself.
We believe that all aspects of our lives are to be lived to the glory of God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Affiliation & Doctrinal Distinctives
Our church adheres to the historic, orthodox Christian faith as articulated in the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, and our doctrinal standards are the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms, which can all be found here. You can find a series of videos about the Westminster Confession of Faith here.
Christ Church Bellingham is a member of the Presbyterian Church in America, a denomination devoted to the inerrancy of the Scriptures, the Reformed theological tradition, and the fulfillment of the Great Commission (especially through church planting). This is a denomination that we are immensely thankful to be a part of, and a denomination that has thriving future ahead of it.