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StatementofFaith
WeconfessandbelievethegreattruthsandabidingfundamentalsoftheChristianfaith.ThiscommitmentisexpressedthroughouralignmentwiththehistoriccreedsoftheChurch,thetwoprimaryexamplesbeingtheApostlesCreedandtheNiceneCreed.Weembraceahumbleorthodoxyinpartnershipwithothersoflikefaith.Ourcorebeliefsareimpliedordeclaredinthesehistoriccreedsandmaybesummarizedbythefollowingstatements:
• WebelievethatthereisoneGod,eternallyexistentinthreepersons:
Father,SonandHolySpirit.
• WebelieveinthedeityofourLordJesusChrist,inHisvirginbirth,inHis
sinlesslife,inHismiracles,inHisvicariousandatoningdeaththroughHis
shedblood,inHisbodilyresurrection,inHisascensiontotherighthand
oftheFather,andinHispersonalreturninpowerandglory.
• WebelieveinthesalvationoflostandsinfulpeoplebyfaithaloneinChrist
alone,andthatregenerationbytheHolySpiritisabsolutelyessential.
• WebelieveinthepresentministryoftheHolySpiritbywhoseindwelling
theChristianisenabledtoliveagodlylife.
• Webelieveintheresurrectionofboththesavedandthelost;theythat
aresaveduntotheresurrectionoflifeandtheythatarelostuntothe
resurrectionofcondemnation.
• WebelieveinthespiritualunityofbelieversinourLordJesusChrist.
• Webelieveintheinspiration,authority,andinerrancyoftheScripture.
City Church Unite
TheApostles’CreedThoughnotwrittenbytheapostles,theApostle’sCreedistheoldestcreedoftheChristianchurchandisthebasisforothersthatfollowed.
Initsoldestform,theApostles’Creedgoesbacktoatleast140A.D.Manyoftheearlychurchleaderssummeduptheirbeliefsastheyhadanopportunitytostandfortheirfaith—see,forexample,1Timothy6:12.Thesestatementsdevelopedintoamorestandardformtoexpressone’sconfessionoffaithatthetimeofbaptism.ItisnotScripture,butitisasimplelistofthegreatdoctrinesofthefaith.
Theword“catholic”refersto“thechurchuniversal”andwasthewordusedintheoriginalversionoftheCreed.ItdoesnotrefertotheRomanCatholicChurch,butratherthechurch,thebodyofChrist,asauniversalfellowship.Thephrase,“Hedescendedintohell,”(indicatedby“--“wasnotpartofthecreedforthefirstsixcenturiesandthereforeisnotincludedhere:
IbelieveinGodtheFatherAlmighty,Makerofheavenandearth,AndinJesusChristhisonlySonourLord,WhowasconceivedbytheHolyGhost,BornoftheVirginMary,SufferedunderPontiusPilate,Wascrucified,dead,andburied.--ThethirddayHeroseagainfromthedead;Heascendedintoheaven,AndsittethontherighthandofGodtheFatherAlmighty;Fromthenceheshallcometojudgethequickandthedead.IbelieveintheHolyGhost;TheHolycatholicChurch,theCommunionofSaints;TheForgivenessofsins;TheResurrectionofthebody,AndtheLifeeverlasting.Amen.
TheNiceneCreedThiscreedwasformulatedin381ADatthecouncilofConstantinople.TheCouncilatNicaeawasheldin325AD,whichgavetheoriginalformofthiscreed.Thecouncilin381ADfurtherdevelopedthatcreedintowhatistodaypopularlycalledtheNiceneCreed.1
IbelieveinoneGod,theFatherAlmighty,makerofheavenandearth,andofallthingsvisibleandinvisible;AndinoneLordJesusChrist,theonly-begottenSonofGod,begottenoftheFatherbeforeallworlds,GodofGod,LightfromLight,veryGodofveryGod,begotten,notmade,beingofonesubstancetheFather;bywhomallthingsweremade;Who,forusmenandforoursalvation,camedownfromheaven,andwasincarnatebytheHolySpiritoftheVirginMary,andwasmademan;andwascrucifiedalsoforusunderPontiusPilate;hesufferedandwasburied;andthethirddayheroseagain,accordingtotheScriptures;andascendedintoheaven,andsittethontherighthandoftheFather;andheshallcomeagain,withglory,tojudgeboththequickandthedead;whoseKingdomshallhavenoend.AndintheHolySpirit,theLordandGiveroflife;whoproceedethfromtheFatherandtheSon;whowiththeFatherandtheSontogetherisworshipedandglorified;whospakebytheProphets.AndoneholyCatholicandApostolicChurch.Iacknowledgeonebaptismfortheremissionofsins;andIlookfortheresurrectionofthedead,andthelifeoftheworldtocome.Amen.”2
1WayneGrudem,SystematicTheology,(GrandRapids:Zondervan,2000),page1169.2ibid.
AdditionalResources:
TheLausanneCovenantInJuly1974,over2,400participantsfrom150nationsgatheredinLausanne,Switzerland,forthefirstInternationalCongressonWorldEvangelization.Theresulting,LausanneCovenant,draftedbyaninternationalcommitteechairedbyJohnStott,definedthenecessityandgoalsofevangelism.TheCovenantcametoberegardedasoneofthemostsignificantdocumentsinmodernchurchhistory;itwouldbringtogetherevangelicalsfromdiversebackgroundsformissionalpartnershipandshapemuchoftheirendeavorsfortherestofthecentury.ToviewtheLausanneCovenantonlinegotohttps://www.lausanne.org/content/covenant/lausanne-covenant
Uniting the church to transform the city
Prayer Leadership Network
Strategic Resources
Ministry Initiatives
Four Areas of City-Church Engagement
Four City-Church Transformation Strategies
Spiritual Awakening
Leadership Collaboration
Social Blessing
Sustained Transformation
Four City-Wide Outcomes
Specific areas of potential Non-profit Ministry Initiative and Collaboration include: Hospitality, Near Neighbor, Sex Trafficking, Mental Illness, Addiction, Foster Families, Single Mothers, Homelessness.
City Leadership
Media
Marketplace
Non Profits
City Church Unite
The Church of the City
Specific areas of potential Marketplace Initiative and Collaboration include: Business Mentoring, Servant Leadership Training, Integrating Faith and Vocation Workshops.
Specific areas of potential City Leadership Initiative and Collaboration include: Relationship Development, Prayer Ministry, City Needs Assessment, Crisis Care.
Relationships Intercession Tools Collaborative Action
CCU Board Meeting – February 3, 2018