CRI STATEMENT OF FAITH
We Believe only the sixty-six books of the Bible are the inspired and, therefore, inerrant Word of God. The
Bible is the final authority for all we believe and how we are to live. (Mt. 5:18; Jn.10:35, 17:17; 2 Tim.
3:16–17; 2 Pet. 1:20–21)
We Believe the one true God exists eternally in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and that
these, being one God, are equal in deity, power, and glory. We believe God not only created the world, but
also now upholds, sustains, governs, and providentially directs all that exists and that He will bring all
things to their proper consummation in Christ Jesus to the glory of His name. (Ps. 104:1–35, 139:1–24;
Mt. 10:29–31, 28:19,Acts 17:24–28; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 1:9–12, 4:4–6; Col. 1:16–17; Heb. 1:1–3; Rev.
1:4–6)
We Believe Satan, originally the great and good angel Lucifer, rebelled against God, taking a multitude of
angels with him. He was cast out of God’s presence and is at work with his demonic hosts to establish his
counter-kingdom of darkness, evil, and unrest on earth. Satan was judged and defeated at the cross of
Christ and will be cast forever into the lake of fire which has been prepared for him and his angels.
(Isa. 14:10–17; Ezek. 28:11–19; Mt. 12:25–29, 25:41; Jn. 12:31, 16:11; Eph. 6:10–20; Col. 2:15; 2 Pet.
2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 12:7–9, 20:10)
We Believe Adam was originally created in the image of God, righteous and without sin. As a
consequence of his disobedience, Adam’s posterity is born subject to both imputed and inherent sin, and
all humans are therefore by nature and choice the children of wrath, justly condemned in the sight of God,
wholly unable to save themselves or to contribute in any way to their acceptance with God.
(Gen. 1:1–3:22; Ps. 51:5; Isa. 53:5; Rom. 3:9–18, 5:12–21; Eph. 2:1–3)
We Believe Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man. He was conceived and born of a
virgin, lived a sinless life, and offered Himself as a penal, substitutionary sacrifice for sinners. By His
blood shed at the cross, He obtained for us eternal redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and life
everlasting. He was raised bodily on the third day and ascended to the right hand of the Father, there to
make intercession for the saints forever. (Mt. 1:18–25; Jn. 1:1–18; Rom. 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:1–28; 2 Cor. 5:21;
Gal. 3:10–14; Eph. 1:7; Phil. 2:6–11; Col. 1:15–23; Heb. 7:25, 9:1315, 10:19; 1 Pet. 2:21–25; 1 Jn. 2:1–2)
We Believe salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No ordinance, ritual, work, or
any other activity on the part of man is required or accepted in order to be saved. This saving grace of
God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, also sanctifies us by enabling us to do what is pleasing in
God’s sight in order that we might be progressively conformed to the image of Christ. (Jn. 1:12–13, 6:37–
44, 10:25–30;Acts 16:30–31; Rom. 3:1–4:23, 8:1–17, 31–39, 10:8–10; Eph. 2:8–10; Phil. 2:12–13; Titus
3:3–7; 1 Jn. 1:7, 9)
We Believe the Lord Jesus Christ baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit, in whom we are also sealed for the
day of redemption. The Holy Spirit regenerates, forever indwells, and graciously equips the Christian for
godly living and service. Subsequent to conversion, the Spirit desires to fill, empower, and anoint
believers for ministry and witness. We also believe that signs and wonders, as well as all the gifts of the
Spirit described in the New Testament, are operative today and are designed to testify to the presence of
the kingdom and to empower and edify the Church to fulfill its calling and mission. (Mt. 3:11; Jn. 1:12–13,
3:1–15;Acts 4:29–30; Rom. 8:9, 12:3–8; 1 Cor. 12:12–13; 2 Cor. 1:21–22; Gal. 3:1–5; Eph. 1:13–14, 5:18)
We Believe that when Christians die, they pass immediately into the blessed presence of Christ, there to
enjoy conscious fellowship with the Savior until the day of the resurrection and the glorious transformation
of their bodies. The saved will then forever dwell in blissful fellowship with their great triune God. We also
believe that when unbelievers die, they are consigned to hell, there to await the Day of judgment when
they shall be punished in the lake of fire with eternal, conscious, and tormented separation from the
presence of God. (Mt. 25:46; Lk. 16:19–31; Jn. 5:25–29; 1 Cor. 15:35–58; 2 Cor. 5:1–10; Phil. 1:19–26,
3:20–21; 2 Thes. 1:5–10; Rev. 20:11–15, 21:1–22:15)
We Believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances of the Church to be
observed until the time of Christ’s return. They are not a means of salvation, but are channels of God’s
sanctifying grace and blessing to the faithful in Christ Jesus. (Mt. 26:26–29, 28:19; Rom. 6:3–11; 1 Cor.
11:23–34; 1 Pet. 3:21)
We Believe the Church is God’s primary instrument through which He is fulfilling His redemptive
purposes in the earth. To equip the saints for the work of ministry, God has given the Church apostles,
prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. We also affirm the priesthood of all believers and the
importance of every Christian being joined with and actively involved in a local community of the saints.
We believe women, no less than men, are called and gifted to proclaim the gospel and do all the works of
the kingdom. (Mt. 16:17–19;Acts 2:17–18, 42; Eph. 3:14–21, 4:11–16; 1 Tim. 2:11–15; Heb. 10:23–25; 1
Pet. 2:4–5, 9–10)
We Believe God has called the Church to preach the gospel to all nations, to especially remember the
poor, and to minister to their needs through sacrificial giving and practical service. This ministry is an
expression of the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ and is an essential part of the kingdom of God.
(Isa. 58:612, 61:1; Mt. 5:1–7:28; 28:18–20; Lk. 4:18, 21:1–4; Gal. 2:10; 1 Tim. 6:8)
We Believe in the literal second coming of Christ at the end of the age when He will return to earth
personally and visibly to consummate His kingdom. We believe the Church will go through the great
tribulation with great power and victory. We believe the Church will be raptured at the end of the great
tribulation. We also believe in and are praying for a great end-time harvest of souls and the emergence of
a victorious Church that will experience an unprecedented unity, purity, and power in the Holy Spirit.
(Ps. 2:7–9, 22:27–28; Jn. 14:12; 17:20–26; Rom. 11:25–32; 1 Cor. 15:20–28, 50–58; Eph. 4:11–16;
Phil. 3:20–21; 1 Thes. 4:13–5:11; 2 Thes. 1:3–12; Rev. 7:9–14)
We Believe the Bible defines marriage as the lifelong union between a man and a woman and upholds
faithfulness in that union. We believe that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage, and
marriage is the only legitimate and accepted sexual relationship. Therefore, we cannot recognize the
legitimizing or blessing of same sex unions, nor the ordination of those involved in such unions.
(Gen 1:27; 2:18, 23; 5:2; Matt 19:4-6; 1 Thes 4:2-8; 1 Cor 6:9, 13-20; 7:1-5)
