C3 Vision
Our vision is to develop lifelong students of Jesus who commit their lives to walk with Him (Matthew 28:18-20), and our longing is to see the fame and deeds of God repeated in our time (Habakkuk 3:2).
C3 Cultural Values
“Culture is religion externalized.” —Henry Van Til, Dutch Theologian
Gospel - To Experience the Power of God (Romans 1:16) - We believe that renewal and redemption are only possible through the person and work of Jesus. In a culture that is progressively moving away from faith, we want Jesus to be the center of all we do. We want our community to experience the good news of Jesus for themselves and for our church to be an environment where we have the opportunity to encounter Jesus and experience His grace and Presence through every aspect of what we do. The Gospel is sung, preached, remembered, celebrated, and lived out in our community.
Culture of Belonging - To Experience the Friendship of God - The invite of Jesus is to the weary and burdened (Matthew 11). Those are the qualifications of coming to Jesus. He welcomes the weak, tired, sinful, forgotten, and broken into His family. We’re made to belong to God, not because of anything we can earn, but because He loves us. We want a culture that reflects that love and offers people a space where they can encounter the love and welcome of Jesus for themselves.
Culture of Blessing - To Experience the Kindness of God - We’re promised that because of Jesus we will be a blessing to those around us and to the nations. We are empowered by His Spirit with certain gifts to bless the world. We desire to be a community where God’s kindness is seen and experienced in and around our church community. Pioneers of blessing is the dream. That our church would be unleashed to chart new paths of blessing that serve our community, city, and beyond.
Culture of Celebration - To Experience the Heart of God - The Bible begins with celebration. It ends with celebration. God’s heart is joy and celebration. Israel was commanded to celebrate for a third of their year in response to what God had done among them. Parties were God’s way of marking out His redemptive work among His people. We desire a community who experience the joy of God for themselves. We want our community to feast and celebrate so that we encounter the heart of God consistently in our midst.
Culture of Pursuit - To Experience the Presence of God - So many promises are attached to pursuing Jesus and drawing near to God. We want a community who experience the nearness of God, hear the voice of God, encounter the presence of God in their lives. So we want to be a community that earnestly seeks Him (Hebrews 11:6), draw near to Him (James 5:16), abides in Him (John 15). As pastor and theologian, A.W. Tozer says, “God waits to be wanted.” We want Him here.
Christ Community Church is a historically orthodox, biblical church.
I - C3 polity:
A. Elder: C3 is a Pastor/Elder-led church. Elders are the spiritual parents and servants of C3. This leadership team comprised of four ruling elders and one teaching elder. They are responsible for the care, welfare, decisions, and direction regarding the regular ongoing life of C3. Elders require a minimum of two year C3 membership. C3 members nominate new elder candidates. Selection based on Timothy/Titus qualifications. Present Elders interview and select from nominees selected by C3 members. Required monthly elder meetings. Elders serve two-years on a staggered rotation basis.
B. Committees will give direction to specific areas of ministry in the life of C3. These committees will be selected from the C3 family by the C3 elders. An elder will be responsible for each committee and its members. Committee members will serve on two-year rotating basis.
C. Congregational meetings will be held annually for a state of the church report by the C3 elders. This will be a time for updates and discussion regarding church finances, needs, goals, and focus.
D. Decision-making and direction at C3 is entrusted to the elders of C3, but the C3 congregation will have discussion opportunities with the elders before important/special church decisions such as budget approvals, the buying or selling of property, church spending above approved budget limits, changes to the church constitution and beliefs, and the dismissal of pastor/staff/elders.
II - C3 Membership
A. Joining a church This requires service, sacrifice, investment, involvement, and faithfulness. Membership should be reserved for those who:
1. Are able to give a clear salvation testimony
2. Attend welcome to C3 night with C3’s pastors and elders.
3. Have an understanding of and are in agreement with and support of C3 vision, beliefs, values, and polity.
4. Committed to and involved in the ministry of C3, expressed in regular and faithful attendance, service, and investment.
III. What C3 Believes
A. About God: God is the Creator and Ruler of all things. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
Genesis 1:1,26-27 and 3:22; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalms 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14
B. About Man: Man is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character.He is the supreme object of God's creation. Although man has tremendous potential for good, he is marred by a nature of disobedience toward God that separates him from God.
Genesis 1:27; Psalms 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6, 59:1-2; Romans 3:23
C. About Eternity: Man was created to exist forever. He will live eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and restoration. The Bible calls the place of separation from God hell and the place of union with God heaven.
John 2:25; 3:16; 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; 1 John 5:11-12; Matthew 25:31-46
D. About Christ: Jesus Christ is God the Son and is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the Perfect Sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the grave after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven and will return again to earth to reign as King and Lord of all.
Matthew 1:22,23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15;
1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13
E. About Salvation: Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's Son and his offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin’s penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
Romans 5:1, 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26
F. About Eternal Security: Because man receives eternal life through Jesus Christ as a gift, the believer is secure in salvation for eternity. This salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian.
John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10,14; 1 Peter 1:3-5
G. About the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world making men aware of their need for Christ and giving them an understanding of who Christ is. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right.
2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16,17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13, 5:1; Galatians 5:25
H. About the Bible: The Bible is God’s Word to all men and is truth without error. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the final authority for Christian beliefs and living.
2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Psalms 119:105,160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5