What We Believe
We belong to the historic and global Church of Jesus Christ. Along with the broader Christian Church we believe in the basic articles of the Christian faith as summarized in the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. We are also members of the Christian Reformed denomination
As a community of Christ-followers we believe that our identity and purpose as human beings is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that Jesus Christ alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
- As the Son of God, Jesus gives direction, purpose, and ultimate meaning to life–the Way.
- Through the Word of God, the Bible, Jesus reveals to us the one true story of the world, of God creating, restoring and renewing all aspects of human life–the Truth.
- Through the Spirit of God, Jesus promises forgiveness for the failures of our past, power and inner peace for today, and hope for us and our world for the future–the Life.
We proclaim the historic Christian faith. Yet we also tend to emphasize some teachings or Scriptural interpretations more than others. Imagine a room full of English speakers from different corners of the world— Georgia, Australia, Britain, South Africa, Scotland, and Toronto. Each speaks the same language, but their accents make them sound very different! Sometimes we refer to our particular emphases as speaking with a Reformed accent. Three words that figure prominently within a Reformed accent are sovereignty, covenant, and kingdom.
The “Preamble” of our Contemporary Testimony, Our World Belongs to God, summarizes well what we believe.
1. As followers of Jesus Christ,
living in this world—
which some seek to control,
and others view with despair—
we declare with joy and trust:
Our world belongs to God!
2. From the beginning,
through all the crises of our times,
until the kingdom fully comes,
God keeps covenant forever:
Our world belongs to God!
God is King: Let the earth be glad!
Christ is victor: his rule has begun!
The Spirit is at work: creation is renewed!
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
3. Still, despair and rebellious pride fill the earth:
some, crushed by failure
or broken by pain,
give up on life and hope and God;
others, shaken,
but still hoping for human triumph,
work feverishly to realize their dreams.
As believers in God,
we also struggle with the spirits of this age,
resisting them in the power of the Spirit,
testing them by God’s sure Word.
4. Our world, fallen into sin,
has lost its first goodness,
but God has not abandoned the work of his hands:
our Maker preserves this world,
sending seasons, sun, and rain,
upholding all creatures,
renewing the earth,
promising a Savior,
guiding all things to their purpose.
5. God holds this world
with fierce love.
Keeping his promise,
he sends Jesus into the world,
pours out the Holy Spirit,
and announces the good news:
sinners who repent and believe in Jesus
live anew as members of the family of God—
the firstfruits of a new creation.
6. We rejoice in the goodness of God,
renounce the works of darkness,
and dedicate ourselves to holy living.
As covenant partners,
set free for joyful obedience,
we offer our hearts and lives
to do God’s work in the world.
With tempered impatience,
eager to see injustice ended,
we expect the Day of the Lord.
We are confident
that the light
which shines in the present darkness
will fill the earth
when Christ appears.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Our world belongs to you.
To read a more in-depth summary of what we believe visit www.crcna.org/pages/beliefs.cfm.