God’s story is a story of love and redemption. The story or message that most clearly shows this redemptive love is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (I John 3:16). Paul says this message is of “first importance” (I Corinthians 15:3). As God reveals His nature through the stories of the Bible, the following teachings emerge as the central core doctrines. These teachings form the core of our beliefs here at CrossBridge.
Core Beliefs
God
There is one true God, eternally existing in three Persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. These are equal and are one God. God created the world out of nothing and by His power He sustains all He has created. (Romans 8:22-25; Ephesians 1:13-14).
Jesus Christ
Jesus was miraculously born of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:35) and became flesh and blood (John 1:1-16; 29-34) without ceasing to be God. He lived a sinless life and died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice, paying the debt for our sins (Mark 10:45). On the third day after His death He arose from the dead demonstrating His victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). He appeared to His disciples and then ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God serving as our mediator.
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son. He makes people aware of their need for Christ (John 16:8-11, 2 Corinthians 6:11). He indwells and empowers the believer (I John 4:13; Galatians. 5:16-26). His presence in our life is a seal and guarantee that we are God’s children (2 Corinthians 1: 21-22). The Holy Spirit gives believers spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Romans 12:4-8) to be used to help others.
As the CrossBridge Church attempts to be Christ-focused, we realize the need to be “led by the Spirit” (Romans 8:14). This conviction, which has been central to the people of God throughout the ages, affirms that the controlling forces of earth are not mechanical or technological, but spiritual. Hence, we seek to rely on God’s power at work among and within us (Ephesians 3:14-21).
As the CrossBridge Church attempts to be Christ-focused, we realize the need to be “led by the Spirit” (Romans 8:14). This conviction, which has been central to the people of God throughout the ages, affirms that the controlling forces of earth are not mechanical or technological, but spiritual. Hence, we seek to rely on God’s power at work among and within us (Ephesians 3:14-21).
Communion
Jesus established the Lord’s Supper shortly before His death. On the evening before the crucifixion while sharing Passover with his disciples, Jesus “took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and gave thanks, and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it all of you. This is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’” (Matthew 26:26-28). “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
The Lord’s Supper is a time to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. During this celebrative remembrance the bread symbolizes the body of Christ and the wine symbolizes the blood of Christ. When believers take the elements in an act of worship, gathering in His name, Christ ‘s presence is among them and felt (Matthew 18). CrossBridge Church invites all who believe in Jesus and have accepted His free gift of salvation to participate in receiving Communion.
The Lord’s Supper is a time to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. During this celebrative remembrance the bread symbolizes the body of Christ and the wine symbolizes the blood of Christ. When believers take the elements in an act of worship, gathering in His name, Christ ‘s presence is among them and felt (Matthew 18). CrossBridge Church invites all who believe in Jesus and have accepted His free gift of salvation to participate in receiving Communion.
Bible
As God’s inspired word (2 Timothy 3: 16), the Bible, contains normative and authoritative principles for our individual and collective lives. The church is born out of the word of God, derives its life from it and must stand under it. Thus, the CrossBridge Church is committed unashamedly to being biblical at its theological/methodological core.
We are not naïve about this claim. We realize that Scripture is God’s self-disclosure to human beings who lived in specific historical periods. Accordingly, God wrapped His eternal truths in the finite garments of human language so that it could be understood by humankind. It is our responsibility—and privilege—to, through the process of interpretation, unclothe these divine truths and express them to contemporary culture in relevant ways. As we struggle with this oft-complex interpretive process the CrossBridge Church will be governed by the irenic motto: “In matters of faith, let there be unity; in matters of opinion, let there be liberty; in all matters, let there be love.”
We are not naïve about this claim. We realize that Scripture is God’s self-disclosure to human beings who lived in specific historical periods. Accordingly, God wrapped His eternal truths in the finite garments of human language so that it could be understood by humankind. It is our responsibility—and privilege—to, through the process of interpretation, unclothe these divine truths and express them to contemporary culture in relevant ways. As we struggle with this oft-complex interpretive process the CrossBridge Church will be governed by the irenic motto: “In matters of faith, let there be unity; in matters of opinion, let there be liberty; in all matters, let there be love.”
Salvation
Salvation is a free gift of God. The death of Christ on the cross is the only sufficient payment for our sins. All have sinned, but all can be saved. This salvation is available for any who put their trust in Christ as Savior (Romans 3:23, 6:23; John 3:16). Those trusting Christ repent of sin, confess their faith, and are baptized (Romans 10:9; Acts 2:38).
Church
The church is the Body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue the task of reaching the lost and discipling the saved, helping them become fully devoted followers of Christ (Ephesians 4: 1-16). Jesus Christ is both the focal point of, and is paradigmatic for, the CrossBridge Church. We take seriously the fact that God has “placed all things under His (Jesus’) feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way” (Ephesians 1:22-23). As Christ’s body, the CrossBridge Church is committed to the sovereign lordship of Christ, and humbly enjoys the continued presence and empowering Spirit of the One who “fills everything in every way.” The ultimate purpose of our communal existence is to exalt Jesus in everything we do or say.
The Scriptural pattern that God has revealed to His people is theological and Christological in nature. We are called to live as God’s alternative community within the dominant culture. We, as the people of God at CrossBridge, deliberately will attempt to imitate the radical life and ministry of Jesus (cf. Matthew 25:31-46). And, Christ’s humble, generous spirit will serve as the ideal paradigm for our interpersonal relationships within the church (see Philippians 2:1-11). The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is the definitional foundation of CrossBridge’s life and ministry. Thus, we encourage all members at CrossBridge to consider the implications of Paul’s statement for their lives: “Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (Galatians 5:14).
The Scriptural pattern that God has revealed to His people is theological and Christological in nature. We are called to live as God’s alternative community within the dominant culture. We, as the people of God at CrossBridge, deliberately will attempt to imitate the radical life and ministry of Jesus (cf. Matthew 25:31-46). And, Christ’s humble, generous spirit will serve as the ideal paradigm for our interpersonal relationships within the church (see Philippians 2:1-11). The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is the definitional foundation of CrossBridge’s life and ministry. Thus, we encourage all members at CrossBridge to consider the implications of Paul’s statement for their lives: “Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (Galatians 5:14).
Christ’s Return
Christ will one day return and judge all people (1Thessalonians 4:13-18). Unbelievers will be separated from God’s presence and believers will be welcomed into God’s presence. At CrossBridge we sincerely try to follow the Bible and its teachings. However, our ability to logically figure everything out is not the basis for our acceptability before God. Our salvation is based on what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. What we must be right about is the fact that we cannot be right about everything and are therefore completely dependent on God’s graciousness and mercy.