Our Commitments To you
Fostering Loving, Biblical Community
By The Church Family Of
Heart Cry Christian Fellowship
These Commitments are adapted from
The Peacemaker Church. Used by permission
of Peacemaker® Ministries
www.peacemakerchurch.net
We desire to treat each other in a loving and biblically-faithful manner, and the following is a brief overview of our church “distinctives.”
Our Commitment To A Relational Focus With God
We desire to know God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son, and to be transformed into His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Jn.14: 5-11; Rm. 8: 28-30 & 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 3:18 & 4:4b; Col. 3:10).
Our Commitment To Worshipping In Simplicity, Sincerity, Spirit & Truth
We desire to grow in intimacy with Jesus Christ; to foster genuine Christian community; to reach out to others; and to worship in simplicity, sincerity, spirit and truth --- where Jesus is glorified, His Word is magnified, His grace and holiness are personified, and the work of the Holy Spirit is recognized in our lives. Our desire is to make disciples (including water baptism) and equip them to be worshippers, to live grace-filled holy lives, and to be fruitful for the Master’s use in Christian service & evangelism. (Psalm 138:2; Rm. 12:1; Mt. 5:13-16; 25:31-46; 28:18-20; Rm. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 5:8; 2 Cor. 1:12; 8:8; 11:3; Eph. 1:3-6; 4:30; 5:27; 6:24; Col. 1:21-22; 3:12-17; Tim. 5:3; Titus 2:7; Jas. 1:27)
Our Commitment To God’s Word
We believe the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, to be the Word of God. We believe the Bible, and its doctrine of salvation to be the perfect and only true doctrine of salvation. We further believe in the inspiration, inerrancy, authority, sufficiency, and the perspicuity of Scripture. Therefore, we embrace the Scriptures in matters of salvation, faith, morals, conduct, and those areas of life and reality which the Bible directly speaks to. We also endeavor to cultivate a Biblical Worldview in our thinking, and in our attitudes, choices and behaviors; and to live our lives in holiness, integrity, humility, graciousness, worship, discipleship, and service as is fitting a true follower of Jesus Christ. (2 Tim. 3:14-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; Matt. 4:4; Eph. 4:17-6:4; Col. 3:1-4:6; 1 Pet. 1:13-15; 2:18-5:11; 2 Pet. 1:3-9; Rom. 8:29; 12:1-15:14)
Our Commitment To A Scriptural Ministry Focus
In our various services and functions, we take our example from the early church (as found in Acts 2), and focus on a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and the building up of His Body (the church) through worship, prayer, fellowship, Communion and instruction from God’s Word (the Bible). We endeavor to participate in these practices as often as possible and to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. (Heb. 10:25)
Our Commitment To The Five “Solas”
As The Basis Of Genuine, Biblical Christianity
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God, and trust Christ alone (Solus Christos) as the one and only mediator between God and man, by faith alone (Sola Fide), through His grace alone (Sola Gratia), as the only means of salvation as presented in Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura), all to the glory of God alone (Soli Deo Gloria). (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 1:16-17; 3:9-26; 10:9; Phil. 2:5-11; 3:5-9; Titus 3:3-5; 1 Tim. 1:15)
Our Commitment To Cultivating
Christian Community & Fellowship
We believe that the only basis of genuine Christian community & fellowship (koinonia) is His agape love, which is greater than any differences that we possess and without which we have no right to call ourselves Christians. We believe that worship of God is fruitful. Therefore, we look for His fruit (love) in our lives as the supreme manifestation that we have truly been worshipping Him. (Mt. 7:15-20; Jn. 15:8; 1 Cor. 13; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 5:9-11)
Our Commitment To Each
Other As Church Family
We desire to care for one another in agape love and to remember one another in prayer and in sickness and distress; to cultivate civility and courtesy in our attitudes, actions and speech; and to be slow to take offense, but always ready to forgive and seek reconciliation; mindful of Jesus’ teachings to proactively seek it without delay.
(1 Cor. 10:31; Rm. 12:10 & 18; Pr. 25:2; 1 Cor. 11:31-32; 1 Pt. 4:8; Eph 4:26-27; Matt. 18: 15-20; Matt. 5:23-26; 1 Jn. 1:7; Eph 4:15; 1 Tim. 5:19-22)
Our Commitment To Liberty Of Conscience
& Preserving The Unity Of Spirit
"In the essentials unity, in the non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity." (Augustine).
Having each been given perfect liberty in the Spirit to be fully persuaded in our own minds what we believe concerning the non-essentials of the Christian Faith, we ask those who attend not to abuse this liberty by causing confusion through propagating, teaching, or distributing doctrinal or theological beliefs that are contrary to the essential, fundamental doctrines of the historic, evangelical Christian faith (cf., Key Christian Beliefs: Essential Doctrine Made Easy, by Dr. Norman Geisler). We also lovingly ask that any teachings or distinctives contrary to any accepted doctrine, theology, or distinctives as understood by Heart Cry Christian Fellowship not be circulated or proposed to those who attend our church. (Rm. 14:4-5; Acts 2:46; 2 Cor. 3:17 & 13:11; Eph. 4:3; Phil. 1:27;
1 Pt. 3:8; Titus 3:9-11)
Our Commitment To Respecting
The Privacy Of Others
To protect the privacy of those that fellowship with us, we do not allow our church directory or membership list (past or present) to be used for solicitations, business prospecting, political activities, fund raising, promoting petitions, recruiting, proselytizing, or to use it in any manner for other non-Heart Cry Christian Fellowship sanctioned activities without the expressed written permission of our church leadership. We ask that it be used only for the expressed purposes of fostering fellowship within our congregation and to facilitate church ministry. (Neh. 13:15-22; Matt. 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Jn. 2:14-16; 2 Pt. 2:13)
Our Heart Felt Promise
Although a capsulated overview of our By-Laws and Distinctives, you have our commitment to attempt to foster loving, biblical community. If you have any questions please feel free to contact our pastor, elders, or any member of our leadership team.