Core Beliefs
The following are the core beliefs of Stones Crossing Church based on the foundational truths taught in the Bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.
God
is the only true and living God, and He exists eternally in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each of which is equally deserving of our worship and obedience.
Mankind
is made in the image of God, to be like Him in character, the supreme object of His creation. Adam’s sin of disobedience made all of mankind subject to the wrath of God, inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of living in a manner acceptable to God. Every human born since Adam has been sinful by nature. Therefore, our salvation is entirely though faith and the redemptive death of Jesus Christ.
Eternity
means every person will exist eternally either separated from God or in union with God. To be eternally separated from God is hell and to be eternally in union with Him is heaven.
Jesus Christ
is co-equal with God the Father and in His accepting the characteristics of humanity, Jesus became simultaneously both fully man and fully God. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless human life, and laid aside His right to the prerogatives of coexistence with God, instead taking on the status of a servant. He accomplished our redemption through His sacrificial death on the cross, was resurrected, and ascended to heaven. His death was voluntary and was made in full substitution for us, that we might be freed from the punishment for our sins.
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third divine person of the Trinity, coequal with God the Father and Jesus the Son. His work is to convict the world of sin, to sanctify, instruct, administer spiritual gifts, and empower the church for service and seal believers to the day of redemption.
Salvation
Jesus Christ came to reconcile us with God. He lived a life without sin and willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty for our transgressions. God raised him from the dead and now, by grace, offers as a free gift eternal life to all who follow Christ, by faith, as their Lord and Savior. That is why salvation can be found in Christ alone.
The Bible
The Bible is God's special, inerrant, and sufficient revelation to man. Every word of the 66 books of the Bible is God-breathed, inspired, and unique among all written religious documents.
The Church
The Church is meant to be the visible body of Christ, sent into the world to glorify God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Resurrection
Jesus Christ is returning one day to judge both the living and the dead and to usher in the fullness of God's kingdom on earth.
Theological Distinctives
We passionately hold to gospel centrality.
We believe the gospel is the good news of what God has accomplished through the sinless life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, namely our forgiveness of sins and justification before God.
(Romans 1:16-17, 1 Peter 2:24, and Romans 5:1-2)
We look outward with hope both to the present and future, believing that the justifying work of Jesus Christ serves as the foundation for a believer's confidence in the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom resulting in new heaven and new earth for the praise of God's glory.
(2 Peter 3:12, Revelation 21:1-4, Isaiah 66:22, and Hebrews 12:28)
We look inward with gospel hope at our ongoing struggle with sin and our continual need for grace as believers. Gospel-centeredness acknowledges that grace is what enables not only salvation for unbelievers but growth in Christ for believers. The gospel is not only the gateway into the Christian life, but also the pathway of the Christian life.
(Titus 2:11-14, 1 Peter 2:24, and Romans 8:1-3)
(Romans 1:16-17, 1 Peter 2:24, and Romans 5:1-2)
We look outward with hope both to the present and future, believing that the justifying work of Jesus Christ serves as the foundation for a believer's confidence in the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom resulting in new heaven and new earth for the praise of God's glory.
(2 Peter 3:12, Revelation 21:1-4, Isaiah 66:22, and Hebrews 12:28)
We look inward with gospel hope at our ongoing struggle with sin and our continual need for grace as believers. Gospel-centeredness acknowledges that grace is what enables not only salvation for unbelievers but growth in Christ for believers. The gospel is not only the gateway into the Christian life, but also the pathway of the Christian life.
(Titus 2:11-14, 1 Peter 2:24, and Romans 8:1-3)
We joyfully embrace the providence of God.
God from all eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and all events for the purpose of the revealing of His glory, yet so as not in any way to be the author or approver of any sin, nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of human beings.
(Hebrews 1:3, Matthew 10:31-33, and Proverbs 16:33)
(Hebrews 1:3, Matthew 10:31-33, and Proverbs 16:33)
We boldly proclaim salvation by grace through faith.
Salvation, the free gift of God, is provided by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. By that we mean there are no works of the flesh adequate to induce, require, or obligate God to save any particular person because salvation is definitively the work of God.
(Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 2:47, Romans 5:6-8, and Romans 5:15-17)
We acknowledge Scripture does not fully explain the mystery that exists between God’s providence (sovereignty) and human responsibility. We hold that the question of God’s providence over salvation is a secondary matter and must be treated as such. We must allow for freedom for every person in our congregation to hold personal convictions on this matter within the bounds of Christian orthodoxy.
(Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 2:47, Romans 5:6-8, and Romans 5:15-17)
We acknowledge Scripture does not fully explain the mystery that exists between God’s providence (sovereignty) and human responsibility. We hold that the question of God’s providence over salvation is a secondary matter and must be treated as such. We must allow for freedom for every person in our congregation to hold personal convictions on this matter within the bounds of Christian orthodoxy.
We wholeheartedly affirm the spiritual and moral equality of men and women.
All women and men are image bearers of God and are therefore equal before God as persons, possessing the same moral dignity and value and have equal access to God through faith in Christ. Both men and women are recipients of spiritual gifts designed to empower them for ministry in the local church and beyond.
Therefore, women are to be encouraged, equipped, and empowered to utilize their gifting in ministry in service to the body of Christ and through teaching in ways that are consistent with the Word of God.
Both husbands and wives are responsible to God for spiritual nurture and vitality in the home, but God has given to the man primary responsibility to lead his wife and family in accordance with the servant leadership and sacrificial love characterized by Jesus Christ. This principle of male leadership should not be confused with, nor give any hint of, domineering control. Rather, it is to be a loving, tender, and nurturing care of a godly man who is himself under the kind and gentle authority of Jesus Christ.
The elders/pastors of each local church have been granted authority under the headship of Jesus Christ to provide oversight and to teach/preach in corporate assembly for the building up of the body. Therefore, the office of elder/pastor is restricted to men.
(Genesis 1:26-27 and 2:18, Acts 18:24-26, 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, Ephesians 5:22-23, Colossians 3:18-19, 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 3:1-7, and 1 Peter 3:1-7)
Therefore, women are to be encouraged, equipped, and empowered to utilize their gifting in ministry in service to the body of Christ and through teaching in ways that are consistent with the Word of God.
Both husbands and wives are responsible to God for spiritual nurture and vitality in the home, but God has given to the man primary responsibility to lead his wife and family in accordance with the servant leadership and sacrificial love characterized by Jesus Christ. This principle of male leadership should not be confused with, nor give any hint of, domineering control. Rather, it is to be a loving, tender, and nurturing care of a godly man who is himself under the kind and gentle authority of Jesus Christ.
The elders/pastors of each local church have been granted authority under the headship of Jesus Christ to provide oversight and to teach/preach in corporate assembly for the building up of the body. Therefore, the office of elder/pastor is restricted to men.
(Genesis 1:26-27 and 2:18, Acts 18:24-26, 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, Ephesians 5:22-23, Colossians 3:18-19, 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 3:1-7, and 1 Peter 3:1-7)