The following Statement of Faith has been primarily assembled from two sources: "The Evangelical Free Church of America 2008 Statement of Faith" and "The 2000 Baptist Faith and Mission Confession."

It is important to remember that, while we hold fast to the baptistic traditions of baptism by immersion and the priesthood of all believers, CBC has traditionally been a big "tent" that has invited Christians from various faith traditions to belong and participate alongside its Baptist members. For this reason, it is important to avoid secondary or "minor" doctrinal issues which might strain relationships between current members, and/or exclude those from non- denominational or non-baptistic traditions from fellowship.

"In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, charity. In all things, Jesus Christ."

God

We believe in one God, Creator of all things infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

Dt. 6:4; Mk. 12:29; Gen. 1:1; Ps. 33:6; Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 11:3; Dt. 32:4; Job 1:7-10; Ps. 18:30; 50:2; 90:2; 145:3; Matt. 5:48; Ps. 33:11; 102:25-27; 115:3; Dan. 4:34-35; Jn. 5:26; Acts 17:24-25; Jn. 3:35; 17:24; 1 Jn. 4:8,16; Jn. 17:11; Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2; Dt. 32:6; Mt. 6:6; Rom. 8:15; 1 Cor. 8:6; Matt.3:17; Jn. 1:14; 3:16; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 1:5; Jn. 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15; Rom. 8:9, 26; Gal. 4:6; Ps. 139:1-16; 147:5; Isa. 46:10; Jn. 21:17; Jer. 32:17; Eph. 1:11; Rm. 8:28; 2 Cor. 6:18; Eph. 3:20; Rev. 1:8; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:11; 3:10,11; 2 Tim. 1:9; Tit. 1:2; 1 Pet. 1:20; Rev. 13:8; Matt. 19:28; Acts 3:21; Rom. 8:19-21; Rev. 21,22; Ps. 19:1-2; Isa. 43:7; Jer. 13:11; Col. 1:15-23; Rev. 4:11; 5:9-14

The Bible

We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

Matt. 1:22; 4:4; 19:4,5; Heb. 1:1-2; 2 Pet. 3:15,16; Lk. 1:1-4; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20,21; Num. 23:19; 2 Sam. 7:28; Prov. 30:5; Ps. 119:96, 160; Matt. 5:18; Jn. 10:35; 17:17; Tit. 1:1,2; Lk. 16:29-31; Gal. 1:8,9; 2 Tim. 3:15; Jn. 17:17; 1 Tim. 3:15-17; 1 Pet. 1:23; Ps. 119:44,45,165; Matt. 22:29; Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16; Matt. 28:20; 2 Thess. 3:14; 1 Jn. 2:5; Rom. 1:2; 4:21; Heb. 10:23; 2 Pet. 1:4; 3:13

The Human Condition

We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.

Gen. 1:26-27; 5:1; 9:6; 1 Cor. 11:7; Col. 3:10; Jas. 3:9; Gen. 3:1-6; Jn. 8:44; Rom. 5:12-14; 16:20; 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:13-14; Job 14:4; Ps. 51:5; Jn. 3:6; Rom. 3:12; 5:12-14; 1 Cor. 15:22a; 1 Jn. 1:8; Gen. 6:5; Jer. 17:9; Isa. 6:5; Rom. 5:15; 8:5-8; Eph. 2:1-2; 4:17-19; Rom. 5:10; Rom. 1:18; 2:5; 3:9-19; 3:23; Eph. 2:3; Act 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 Thess. 1:10; Rom. 5:1,2,10; Col. 1:20; Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:24; Phil. 3:21; 1 Jn. 3:2

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus, Israel's promised Messiah, was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

Matt. 1:21; 16:18; Jn. 1:14, 18; 1 Jn. 4:2; Isa. 9:6; Jer. 23:6; Jn. 1:1; 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Col. 2:9; Matt. 4:2; Lk. 2:40, 52; Jn. 11:35; Heb. 5:7-8; 1 Jn. 1:1-3; Jn. 3:13; 10:30; 17:5; Gen. 3:14-20; 12:1-3; 49:8-12; 2 Sam. 7:11b-16; Matt. 1:1, 17; Lk. 4:16-22; 24:25-27; Jn. 1:41; 4:25-26; Acts 2:36; 13:23,32; Rom. 1:2-3; 2 Tim. 2:8,9; Matt. 1:18; Lk. 1:34,35; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:20; Lk. 1:34,35; Rom. 5:19; Gal. 4:4,5; Matt. 3:15; Phil. 2:7,8; Heb. 4:15; Dt. 21:23; Ps.16:10; Matt. 27:26; Mk. 15:15; Lk. 23:16; Jn. 19:16; Acts 2:27, 37; Matt. 28:1-10; Mk. 16:1-8; Lk. 24:39; Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:20, 44-45; Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5; Lk. 24:51; Acts 1:6-11; Eph. 1:20; 4:8-10; 1 Tim. 3:16; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 1 Pet. 3:22; Heb. 2:17; 3:1; 4:14; 6:20; 8:1; Rom. 8: 34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24; 1 Jn. 2:1

The Work of Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

Gen. 2:15-17; Matt. 4:1-11; Mk. 1:12-13; Lk. 4:1-13; Rom. 5:18-19; 1 Cor. 1:30; 15:45, 47; Phil. 3:9; Mk. 10:45; Heb. 2:16-17; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18; Lev. 17:11; Mt. 26:28; Heb. 9:14, 22; 10:19; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Rev. 12:10-11; 1 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 9:23-24, 26, 28; 10:1; 13:11, 12; Isa. 53:5-7, 12; Jn. 1:29; Rom. 3:21-26; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 1 Jn. 3:5; Rom. 3:25; Heb. 2:17; 1 Jn. 2:2; 4:10; Col. 1:13; 2:13-15; Heb. 2:14-15; Rom. 4:25; 6:4, 11, 14; 1 Cor. 6:14; 15:20; 2 Cor. 4:14; Eph. 1:19-20; 2:5-6; 1 Pet. 1:3

Response and Eternal Security

We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

Acts 20:20; Mk. 1:15; Jn. 6:29; 8:24; 11:26; 14:1; 20:31; Acts 16:31; Rom. 3:22; 10:14; Gal. 3:22; 1 Tim. 1:16; 1 Pet. 1:8; 1 Jn. 3:23; Isa. 55:6-7; Lk. 24:47; Acts 2:37-38; 3:19; 14:15; 20:21; 26:17,18; Rom. 2:4; 2 Cor. 7:9-10; Jer. 31:31ff.; Matt. 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:31; 25:34; Lk. 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; Jn. 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45,65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Rom. 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1 Cor. 1:1- 2; 15:24-28; Eph. 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Col. 1:12-14; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; 2 Tim. 1:12; 2:10,19; Heb. 11:39–12:2; Jas. 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10; 1 Jn. 1:7-9; 3:2.

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

Jn. 16:14; Jn. 16:8; 1 Cor. 2:14; Ezek. 36:25-27; Jn. 3:3, 5; 1 Cor. 12:3; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:5; Col. 2:13; 1 Thess. 1:4-5; 2 Thess. 2:13; Tit. 3:5; Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:3; Mk. 1:8; Acts 1:5; 1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 3:24; 5:15-21; 12:5; 1 Cor. 1:2; 5:19; 15:22b; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 1:22; 2:17; 3:28; Eph. 1:4; 2:12; 3:6; 4:32; 2 Tim. 2:10; 1 Thess. 4:16; Rom. 8:15, 23; 9:4; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5; Tit. 3:7; Matt. 12:49-50; 2 Cor. 6:18; Eph. 3:14; 1 Jn. 3:14-18; Jn. 14:17; Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Cor. 2:2; 2 Cor. 4:4-15; Eph. 1:17-19; Phil. 1:9-11; Jn. 16:13; Acts 15:28; Rom. 8:4, 14; Gal. 5:16, 18; Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12: 4-10; Eph. 4: 7-11; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Acts 1:8; 10:38; Rom. 15:13; 1 Cor. 12:11; Eph. 3:16; 2 Tim. 1:7; Acts 6:8; Rom. 8:4-6, 12-16; 2 Cor. 13:14; Gal. 3:3, 5; 5:22-23, 25; Eph. 2:22; 4:3; Phil. 2:1-2

The Church

We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.

Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:4-6; 5:25; Heb. 12:28; Ps. 103:12; Isa. 44:22; Jn. 3:16; Acts 16:31; Rom. 3:20-28; 4:3; 5:1, 21; 8:1, 30, 33-34; 10:4, 9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 3:9; Tit. 3:7; Heb. 10:14; 1 Cor. 12:12- 27; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:15-16; Col. 1:18; 2:19; Acts 9:31; 20:28-30; Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 1:2; 16:19; 2 Cor. 1:1; 1 Thess. 1:1; Phm. 1-2; Matt. 18:15-20; Acts 2:41, 47; 14:23; 20:7; 1 Cor. 1:2, 9; 11:20; 12:13; 14:40; 16:1-2; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 5:9; Tit. 1:5-9; Heb. 10:25; Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12; Matt. 26:26-29; Mk. 14:22-25; Lk. 22:15-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Jn. 6:55-56; Acts 2:38; 8:39; 16:34; 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:29-30; Col. 2:12

Christian Living

We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we, are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.

Matt. 7:17-18; 12:33, 35; Heb. 11:6; Eph. 2:10; 1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17, 23; 2 Thess. 2:13; 5:23; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Jn. 2:29; 3:9; 5:18; 2 Cor. 3:18; Tit. 3:5; 1 Cor. 6:11; Rom. 6:11, 14; 1 Pet. 1:15; Phil. 2:12-13; Heb. 12:1, 14; Rom. 6; 2 Tim. 1:9; Jas. 2:17; 1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Pet. 1:3-11; Dt. 6:5; Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:37-39; Mk. 12:30; Lk. 10:27; Rom. 12:10; 14:13; 15:7,14; Gal. 5:26; Eph. 4:32; 1 Thess. 3:12; 5:11, 15; Heb. 10:24-25; 1 Pet. 4:9; Dt. 15:11; Psa. 82:3,4; Psa. 140:12; Prov. 14:21,31; 19:17; 22:9,16,22,23; 28:8; 29:7; 31:8,9; Jer. 22:16; Gal. 2:10; Jas. 1:27; Ex. 23:6; Lev. 19:15; Psa. 82:3,4; 140:12; Prov. 29:7; 31:9; Isa. 1:17; Jer. 9:24; Mic. 6:8; Zech. 7:9,10; Matt. 23:23; Lk. 4:18; Eph. 6:10-18; Heb. 3:13; 10:25; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Eph. 6:11, 12; 2 Tim. 4:7; 1 Jn. 5:3-4; Matt. 28:19; Jn. 20:21; Rev. 7:9; Acts 1:8; Matt. 5:13-16

Last Things

We believe that God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.

Isa. 2:4; 11:9; Matt. 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44; 25:31-46; 26:64; Mk. 8:38; 9:43-48; Lk. 12:40,48; 16:19- 26; 17:22-37; 21:27-28; Jn. 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Rom. 14:10; 1 Cor. 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Cor. 5:10; Phil 3:20-21; Col. 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thess. 4:14-18; 5:1ff.; 2 Thess. 1:7ff.; 2; 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 4:1,8; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 9:27-28; Jas. 5:8; 2 Pet. 3:7ff.; 1 Jn. 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Rev. 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13

The Family

We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. 

Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.

The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.

Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God's pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents.

Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exod. 20:12; Deut. 6:4-9; Josh. 24:15; 1 Sam. 1:26-28; Psa. 51:5; 78:1-8; 127; 128; 139:13-16; Prov. 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecc. 4:9-12; 9:9; Mal. 2:14-16; Matt. 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mk. 10:6-12; Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:21- 33; 6:1-4; Col. 3:18-21; 1 Tim. 5:8,14; 2 Tim. 1:3-5; Tit. 2:3-5; Heb. 13:4; 1 Pet. 3:1-7.