WHAT WE BELIEVE
We exist to glorify God by inviting people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and into a community of people who passionately love God, who actively love and serve others, and who are being equipped to become faithful followers of Christ to reach the nations.
Charles River Church is a local expression of the greater Church, the Body of Christ. As a church family, we want to see the hope of Jesus proclaimed through lives of worship, relationships, and outreach to our city and world.
Charles River Church is committed to the teachings of Scripture for both theological understanding and life application.
WE BELIEVE
THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible is the written Word of God, that it is divinely inspired and inerrant throughout, infallible and God-breathed, that it is the supreme authority in all matters of which it speaks, that it is totally sufficient and must therefore not be added to, superseded, or changed by later tradition, extra-biblical revelation, or worldly wisdom (II Timothy 3:6, 17, II Peter 1:19-21, Matthew 5:18, John 17:17).
GOD
We believe in one triune God, existing in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, Who posses the same attributes and perfections yet carry out distinct roles (Deuteronomy 6:4, II Corinthians 13:14, I Peter 1:2, Matthew 28:19).
MANKIND
We believe in the unique creation of Adam, as one man, and Eve, as one woman (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:20-23) and that they were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27, James 3:9), innocent under the law of their Maker (Genesis 2:25), but by voluntary transgression fell from their sinless, perfect state (Genesis 3:1-7), that this fall is the basis for the necessity of redemption of mankind (I Corinthians 15:21-22) and therefore all of mankind are sinners, inherently from Adam and individually (by choice), and are therefore subject to God's wrath and condemnation (Romans 3:23, 5:17-19).
SALVATION
We believe that salvation is wholly of God's grace and not by man's works (Ephesians 2:8-9), and is received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and none other (Acts 4:12), whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. We believe that man must repent of his sins (Luke 13:2-5, Acts 3:19, 20:21, 26:20) and accept Christ as his Lord and Savior to receive eternal life (Romans 10:9-10). When he does this, he is secure in Christ forever (John 10:28-29, Romans 8:38-39, Hebrews 7:25); he becomes a child of God; he is indwelt by the Holy Spirit; and has power over sin. We do not believe, however, that his old nature of sin is completely eradicated, but that he has the provisions for victory since he has received his new nature when he accepted Christ as Savior (I Corinthians 1:4-8) see also (John 1:12, 5:24, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 10:10, Romans 3:24-25, 5:9, 8:1, I Peter 1:18-19).
THE CHURCH
THE SACRAMENTS
The two sacraments of the church are those which have been practiced by the church in every age. We regularly practice these as a way of celebrating the transforming realities of the gospel. They are called sacraments because they serve as visible presentations of invisible spiritual realities.
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts (I Corinthians 12:11; Hebrews 2:4). Every believer has received at least one spiritual gift (I Peter 4:10,11). Spiritual gifts are given to the Church, not for self-edification, but for the building up of the body (I Corinthians 12). No one gift is to be exalted above another. They have been graciously given for the common good (Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 4:8-16).
ETERNAL DESTINY
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to eternal judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46, John 5:28, 29, John 11:25, 26, Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13).
THE RETURN OF CHRIST
We believe that at the close of this church age the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven to receive His own unto Himself; that at that time, the dead in Christ shall be raised, and living believers will be changed (I Thessalonians 4:16-17, I Corinthians 15:50-54).
WORSHIP GATHERINGS
Sundays at 11am & 5pm