ABOUT
US
Page
last updated 8 February 2011
Calvary Chapel is a
non-denominational Christian fellowship
whose doctrine is taken solely from Scripture as
interpreted by the Holy Spirit. It has been formed
as a fellowship of believers under the Lordship of
Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know
Jesus Christ
and to be made like Him by the power of
the Holy Spirit.
Our purpose is three-fold:
Know: We
believe that knowing and loving God is our highest calling
and our relationship to Him is our highest
priority. Everything we do in our lives
flows out of this relationship. (Jeremiah
9:23-24, John 17:3, Ephesians 3:14-21)
Grow: As members of a church family,
we seek to love and support each other in our
relationship with God to become mature
Christians. We do this by studying the
Bible together, spending time together, sharing
meals together, and praying together.
Every Christian has been gifted by God and
called to be a minister to others, therefore we
seek to be empowered by the Holy Spirit and
equipped by God's Word to use our spiritual
gifts to build up one another in Christ.
(1 Corinthians chapters 12-14, Ephesians
4:11-16)
Go: God’s desire is that everyone
should have the opportunity to hear the good
news about Jesus Christ. Therefore our desire is
to go beyond the "four walls of the church" to
share the gospel message with others.
(Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-49,
Acts 1:8)
If
you are interested in knowing God personally,
click here.
What we Believe:
In order to identify
Calvary Chapel Hastings as conservative in theology
and evangelical, we set forth this general statement
of fundamental beliefs:
We Believe
that there is one living and true GOD, eternally
existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; this
triune God created all, upholds all, and governs
all.
We Believe
that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments
are the Word of God, fully inspired, without error
in the original manuscripts, and the infallible rule
of faith and practice.
We Believe in
God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit,
perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love; that
He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of
men; that he hears and answers prayer; and that He
saves from sin and death all who come to Him through
faith in Jesus Christ.
We Believe in
Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by
the Holy Spirit.
We Believe in
His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and
teaching, His substitutionary atoning death, bodily
resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual
intercession for His people, and personal, visible
return to earth.
We Believe in
the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and
Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and
judgement; and to regenerate, sanctify and empower
all that believe in Jesus Christ for ministry.
We Believe
that all people are sinners by nature and choice
and, therefore, are under condemnation; that God
regenerates by the Holy Spirit, those who repent of
their sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
We Believe
that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in
Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding helper,
teacher, and guide.
We Believe
that Jesus Christ baptises and fills the seeking
believer with the Holy Spirit and empowers the
believer for service.
We Believe in
the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the
exercise of all the Biblical gifts of the Holy
Spirit.
We Believe in
the universal church, the living spiritual body, of
which Christ is the head, and all regenerated
persons are members.
We Believe in
the laying on of hands to recognise and set apart
those whom God has called as Elders and Deacons in
the church.
We Believe
that Jesus committed two ordinances to the church:
1) Baptism and, 2) the Lord's Supper. We believe in
baptism by immersion and communion open to all
believers.
We Believe in the pre-tribulation rapture of
the church, the personal, visible return of Christ
to the earth and the establishing of His Millennial
Kingdom, in the resurrection of the body, the final
judgement and eternal blessing of the righteous, and
the endless suffering of the wicked.
We Believe in
what is termed the Apostles Creed as embodying the
fundamental facts of Christian faith.
At any given time, certain issues become
controversial in the church. Calvary Chapel Hastings
feel it necessary to take a stand in the following
areas:
We Reject:
- The “Faith
Movement” / “Health and Wealth Gospel” / “Name
It and Claim It Gospel” / “Prosperity
Gospel”.
- The “Holy
Laughter Movement”, also known as the “Toronto
Blessing.”
- Prophecy that
supersedes biblical scripture.
- The Emergent
Church / Contemplative Christianity.
- A fatalistic
Calvinistic view, which allows no room for free
will.
- The belief that
born-again Christians can be possessed by
demons.
- The belief that
the Church has replaced Israel in the plan of
God.
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