What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of Community Christian Church - NYC 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.

There is one eternally existing God who has three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  God is perfect in love, power, holiness, goodness, knowledge, wisdom,  justice, and mercy. He is unchangeable and therefore is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
God the Father: He is the creator of all that exists, both visible and invisible, the source of all creation (Gen 1:1, John 1:1-2) which He sustains (Col 1:17) and He is in the process of redeeming all creation (Rom. 8:19-22). God the Father loves us and desires that we have relationship with Him as His children (I John 1:3).
God the Son-Jesus: Jesus of Nazareth is the incarnation of God the Son-the Word made flesh (John 1:14) and He now holds all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18).  He made human salvation possible through his life, death on the cross, and resurrection. He ascended into heaven where He is now our high priest and advocate. He is the head of the Church.
God The Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit works actively in the world, seeking to glorify Jesus. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come (John 16:5-11). The Holy Spirit indwells believers individually and corporately in the Church (I Cor. 6:19-20). The Holy Spirit regenerates, empowers, and develops the heart of a Christian which results in Christ-like character expressed in private and public conduct and action (Rom 8:9)

God has revealed himself to us through his son, Jesus Christ, who is the visible image of the invisible God (Heb 1:1-3), through the holy scriptures-contained in the Bible, and through all of creation itself (Rom 1:20).  We affirm the Bible is the uniquely inspired Word of God and the rule of faith and practice for Christ-followers (II Tim 3:14-17). We seek to understand divine intent, through authorial intent, and we seek to apply its teaching to the contemporary church and culture.

Humans, both male and female, were created in God's image for His glory--and to walk in relationship with Him (Gen 1:26-28). The first humans, Adam and Eve, were created without sin and appointed as caretakers of the rest of God's creations.  Every human from the moment of life is in the image of God (imago dei), a person to be nurtured, protected, and developed (Psalm 139:13-16).

When Adam and Eve chose not to obey God, they ceased to be what they were made to be and became distorted images of God (Rom 3:23). This caused them to fall out of fellowship with God, and fractured all of creation ever since that time (Eph. 2:1-3).

Jesus Christ came to reconcile us with God (I Peter 3:18). He lived a life without sin and willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty for our transgressions (Rom 5:8). 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 (Rom 6:23). That is why salvation can only be found in Christ alone (Acts 4:12). One receives salvation when they receive Jesus as Savior through a conversion process involving faith, repentance, confession, and baptism (Acts 2:38, Rom 10:9, Acts 8:12).

In baptism a believer is immersed, crucified and buried with
Christ (Rom 6:3-4), receives forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
Scripture also tells us in baptism we are resurrected (Col 2:12) and clothed with
Christ (Gal 3:27) and become saved (I Peter 3:21) because of God's free gift of grace
received by faith.

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. Upon surrender to Jesus Christ, a person is brought into the Church.  The "priesthood of all believers" means each Christian is called to serve--to be a disciple and help in making disciples (I Peter 2:9-10). The Church is called to join God' mission in reconciling people to God and making disciples for Jesus (II Cor. 5:18-20 & Matt 28:19-20)

Communion, also known as the Lord's Supper, is the celebration of the New Covenant,
in which the Christian Community remembers Christ and celebrates the covenantal
relationship they have with Him and each other.  We follow the practice of the
early church and celebrate the Lord's Supper weekly (I Cor 11:17-34; Acts 2:46, 20:7).

Jesus first came to redeem humans and initiate his Kingdom.  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.  Ultimately, all of the dead will be raised bodily--believers to eternal life with God and unbelievers to eternal judgment.  Sin will be no more and believers will live in perfect relationship with God forever (I Thess 4:13-18; Rev 20:11-15).