What we believe
God is sovereign (supreme)
~“O Lord, God of our ancestors, You alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against You!” - 2 Chronicles 20:6
~"Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.” - Romans 11:33-36
The Bible and history are the telling of God’s Mission
~Jesus: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. - Revelation 22:13
God has initiated in Christ His loving purpose to save the world
~"For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16
~Jesus: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6
The church is God’s avenue to proclaim His loving purpose to a broken world
~Jesus: "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20
All people have inherent worth and inestimable value as image-bearers of God
~"So God created human beings in his own image; In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” - Genesis 1:27
~"For we are God's masterpiece.” - Ephesians 2:10
Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone
~“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” - Ephesians 2:8-10
The Holy Spirit is the giver and sustainer of life
~Jesus: ”Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” - John 3:6, 6:63
The body of Jesus Christ thrives in its unity and diversity
~“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 12:12
Jesus Christ is Lord over all of life
~“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.” - Colossians 1:15-17
The kingdom of God pursues justice and reconciliation
~"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.” - Isaiah 9:6-7
Word and deed-walk and talk-are inseparable in our loving obedience to Jesus
~Jesus: “ 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” - Matthew 22:37-39
Thanksgiving and praise to God are the most important expression of prayer
~“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:4-7
The Word of God is central in our worship
~“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” - Isaiah 55:10-11
~“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” - 2 Timothy 3:16
God’s purpose for us encompasses everyday life and work
~“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” - Colossians 3:17
Christian hope is the imminent, physical, personal return of Jesus who will make all things new
~“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’ ...He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon!’ Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” - Revelation 21:1,4,5a and 22:20
All scripture texts are quoted from the New Living Translation
"Crosswinds is a ministry in the Christian Reformed Denomination.
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