Statement of Faith

2. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

3.  We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He became flesh and dwelt among us as true God and true man.

4.  We believe the person of the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father as promised to convict the world of sin, to glorify Jesus and to transform the lives of believers into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

5.  We believe that humans are created in the image of God; that Adam sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from God; and that since the “fall” all human beings are born separated from God with a sinful nature.

6. We believe that The Lord Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that all who believe in Him are redeemed and declared justified because of His sacrifice.

7. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, His ascension into heaven, and His continuing ministry as our High Priest and Advocate.

8. We believe that each person who believes in and accepts the sacrifice of The Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins is born of the Holy Spirit and thereby becomes a child of God, a relationship in which each is eternally secure.

9. WE believe in the bodily resurrection of the just to everlasting life, and the unjust to the everlasting punishment of the lost along with Satan and the other fallen angels.

10.  We believe that the church is a spiritual organism made up of all believers in Christ; that in its local manifestation it is an autonomous assembly of believers and that its ordinances are Baptism and The Lord’s Supper.

11. We believe in “The Blessed Hope” – the personal, pre-millennial and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

12. The Sanctity of Human life. We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Psalm 139).

13. Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male and female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

14. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage between a man and a woman.

15. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and the use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matthew 15:18-20; I Corinthians 6:9-10).

16. We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Cross Strength Ministries, LLC and its subsidiary organizations: Redemption. Restoration. Recovery. (R3); Fit to Lead Batterer Intervention Program; Fit to Serve Men’s Faith and Fitness Program, as part of the local Body of Christ, and therefore called to provide a biblical role model to the communities that we serve. Therefore, it is imperative that all persons who are employed, participating in, or volunteering with Cross Strength Ministries in any capacity, agree to and abide by this provision entitled “Statement on Marriage, Gender and Sexuality” (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16, I Thessalonians 5:22).

17. We believe that God offers redemption, restoration, and recovery to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; I Corinthians 6:9-11).

18.  Final Authority for Matters of Belief and Conduct. We believe that this Statement of Faith (and the Rules of Conduct) does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired infallible word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe and is also the final authority in implementing and interpreting our Rules of Conduct.

For purposes of Cross Strength Ministries faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, the Board of Directors is Cross Strength Ministries final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.

Accordingly, we believe that the Board of Cross Strength Ministries should be, and is, authorized to state Cross Strength Ministries ultimate, final, and absolute beliefs and practices on any issue or matter which arises at any time now or in the future.