Statement of Faith

Section I -- The Scriptures

      We believe that the holy Bible, as originally written was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore is truth without admixture of error for its matter.  We believe that it is the true center of Christian union and the only infallible rule for all human conduct, creeds and opinions.  (2 Timothy 3:16;17;  2 Peter 1:19-21.)

Section II -- The True God

      We believe the one true and living God is one in essence, possessing three eternal, personal distinctions which are revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, yet executing distinct but harmonious offices.  (Exodus 20:2,3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Peter 1:2.)

      We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary; and that He is one Person possessing two natures and thus is true God and true man; that He lived a sinless life and gave Himself as a perfect substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of all men; that He arose in the very body, though glorified, is seated at the right hand of God interceding for His people, and will return to the earth in keeping with His promises.  (Matthew 1:20; John 1:1,2; 4:1-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:20.)

      We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Triune Godhead; that He has been and will continue to be active throughout eternity; that, in gracious dealing with mankind, He has inspired the writing of the Scriptures; that He is in the world today convincing men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He is calling out a people for God from among the Jews and Gentiles; that He regenerates those who believe, places them into the body of Christ, indwells them, and produces in them the fruit of the Spirit, and that He calls individuals to Christian service and empowers and directs them in that service.  (John 16:8-11,13; Romans 8:11-14,16; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 4:30.)

Section III -- The Creation

      We accept the Genesis account as being an historic record of creation and believe that the universe with all that is in it was created by God, not produced by some process of evolution.  (Genesis 1:2; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16.)

Section IV -- The Spirit Realm

      We believe that God created an innumerable company of sinless spirit beings known as angels; that many of these continued in their holy state and are the ministers of god; that Lucifer (now known as Satan or the Devil) and many others rebelled against God; that these fallen angels, though defeated in the cross of Christ, still continue to oppose God and His work; that they will ultimately be judged by God and cast into the lake of fire to suffer everlasting punishment, which is their righteous due.  (Isaiah 14:12-15; Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 1:14; 12:22; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 20:10.)

Section V -- Man

      We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God; that through uncoerced disobedience Adam fell from his original state, became depraved in nature, was separated from God, and came under condemnation and the sentence of death; that, because of the unity of the human race and the natural headship of Adam, all men (Jesus Christ only excepted) are born with sin natures and have come under the same consequence of sin.  (Genesis 1:3; Romans 1:18; 5:10-21; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:45-50.)

Section IV -- Salvation

      We believe that salvation is all of grace through the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ who paid the full redemptive price, fully satisfied God's righteous demands by suffering the death penalty for man's guilt, and imputed to man His perfect righteousness reconciling him to God; that salvation is made effective to man only upon his exercise of personal faith in the crucified and risen Christ which faith is not a meritorious work but possible only by the grace of God.

      We believe that salvation includes justification, regeneration, adoption into the family of God, sanctification (positional, progressive, and final), and glorification; that one who is truly born again will, by the grace of God, persevere and be kept saved forever.  (Romans 8:35-39; 10:9-13; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8,9; Titus 2:5; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24,25.)

Section VII -- Sanctification

      We believe that every saved person is positionally in Christ, completely set apart for God; that in experience the saved person retains his sin nature, which is not eradicated in this life, and thus his present state is no more perfect than his daily experience; that there is a progressive sanctification wherein the saved person is to grow in grace and into Christ-likeness by the unhindered power of the Holy Spirit; that when Christ appears the saved person will conform to his standing.

      We believe that progressive sanctification involves separation not only from ungodly living but also from ungodly teaching; that, though we love all men and seek their salvation, there are areas in which we cannot have fellowship with unbelievers; that, in areas of our brethren in Christ, it may be necessary to separate even from our brethren in Christ, if they in turn maintain fellowship with unbelievers.  (Romans 8:26; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:16; Jude 1; Hebrews 10:10; 1 John 4:11.)

Section VIII -- Dispensations

      We believe that the dispensations are not ways of salvation (this has always been "by grace through faith"), but are stewardships by which God administers His purpose on earth through man under varying responsibilities; that changes in dispensational dealings depend upon changed situations in which man is found in relation to God, to man's failures and God's judgments; that, only three of these are the subject of extended revelation in Scripture; that these three (Mosaic Law, Grace and Millennial Kingdom) are distinct and are not to be intermingled or confused.

Section IX -- The Church

      We believe that the Universal Church, which is His body is composed of all the true believers (those who have been born again through a personal acceptance of Christ as Savior) from Pentecost to the Rapture; that this church was brought into being by the Holy Spirit's baptizing into one body all who were believers at the time; that on the day of Pentecost and since that time others have been and are being added to the church as they personally accept Christ as Savior; that at the rapture this church will be complete and will be caught up to be united with Christ as His bride, never to be separated from Him.  (Matthew 3:11; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:6.)

      We believe that local churches are gatherings of professing believers in given communities, organized for the purpose of united worship, fellowship, administration of the ordinances (baptism and the Lord's supper), edification, discipline, and effective promotion of the work of Christ throughout the world; that such local churches should be limited in membership to those who are born again, desire to follow Christ in obedience and have been immersed; that Christ is the supreme head and every member has direct access to Him and is responsible to seek His will; that the only offices recognized in such New Testament churches were those of pastor (bishop, presbyter, elder) and deacon; that government is democratic with every member responsible to vote in keeping with his understanding of the will of Christ; that each local church is responsible directly, and that there is value in fellowship and cooperation with other local churches of like convictions.  (Matthew 18:15-17; 28:18-20; Acts 2:42; 8:38; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 11:26,28; 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 8-15.)

Section X -- Civil Government

      We believe that the civil government was instituted of God and is still His means of maintaining peace and order among men; that believers here on earth are responsible in the area of civil government and should participate in it to promote and preserve good order in human society; that civil governments and churches (and fellowships of churches) are distinct from each other, must be organizationally separate, and neither must seek to control the other.  (Matthew 18:15-17; 22:21; Romans 13:1-7; Acts 4:19,20; 5:29; Colossians 1:18; 2:14-22; 1 Timothy 2:1-3; 1 Peter 2:13,14.)

Section XI -- Things to Come

      We believe that the Scriptures do foretell certain future events, among which are the following:

      Rapture of the church.  We believe that Jesus Christ will return to the atmosphere of this earth; that the dead in Christ will rise first, then believers who are still living will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air and to ever be with the Lord; that the rapture is the next event on the revealed calendar, and that no prophecy need be fulfilled before it occurs.  (1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13.)

      Tribulation.  We believe that the rapture of the church will be followed on earth by Israel's seventieth week; that, though there will be salvation, this will be a time of great judgments.  (Daniel 9:26,27; Revelation 7:4,9,14; 13:6-17.)

      Second coming.  We believe that following the tribulation, Christ will return to the earth with His glorified saints to establish the millennial kingdom; that during the 1,000 years of pace and prosperity Satan will be bound and Christ will reign with a rod of iron; that at the end of the millennium Satan will be released for a short time, deceive many and lead them in final rebellion but will be destroyed with his armies.  (Psalm 2; Isaiah 26:20; Daniel 9:24; 12:1,2; Revelation 20:1-10.)

      Eternal state.  We believe that the unsaved of all ages will be resurrected and together with the evil angels will be finally judged and condemned to everlasting, conscious punishment in the eternal lake of fire; that all saved of all ages in glorified bodies will enjoy everlasting blessing in the presence of God.  (1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:6,7,15; 21:22.)

Section XII: Human Sexuality

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.  We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful (Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4).

We believe that the only legitimate marriage is joining of one man and one woman by mutual covenant.  (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23).

We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church.  The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church.  Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12)

Section XIII:  Sanctity of Human Life

We believe that human life is sacred because life is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26, 27).  We further believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being.  Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life (Job 3:16; Psa. 51:5; 139:14-16; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).  

General scholarship assistance is available to those applicants that are current church members in good standing at CrossPoint Fellowship Church, Jasper IN (CrossPoint). The applicant’s desire is to continue their education at a Bible College, University or Bible Institute that is of life faith and practice as CrossPoint.  

1.     Applicant must be a member of CrossPoint in good standing.

2.     Applicant must be in agreement with CrossPoint’s Statement of Faith

3.     The University, College or Bible Institute must have a statement of faith that agrees with CrossPoint’s statement of faith.  This shall be reviewed by at least one of the pastors. 

4.     Any person requesting a general scholarship must submit the following (preferably typed):

a.     Doctrinal statement of University/College/Bible Institute attending.  

b.     A testimony of your salvation

c.     How many times per week do you have some type of private devotional time?  What does this time consist of?

d.     What is something God had been teaching you recently?

e.     What ministries do you plan to get involved in while continuing your education?

f.      What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

5.     If an applicant is granted such scholarship a review board consisting of the Pastor(s)/Deacons may be performed one to three times per year.  This review board will meet in person with the grantee.  The purpose of the meeting would be to allow the individual to share both spiritually and educationally how God is maturing them in their call.  This will serve to help the local body understand how better to be praying for this individual.  This will also serve to review academic standing.

6.     Once accepted applicants can apply for renewal each year of the education process through a written request to the review board.  It is the review boards’ desire to continue aiding such applicants, however renewal is not automatic nor should it be assumed.  Renewal will be based on monies available and the continued adherence to the eligibility contained within this application.

7.     An accepted applicant must maintain a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) GPA.  It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide a copy of semester grades to the review board.  If the GPA drops below 3.0 the review board may consider special exemption to keep the scholarship in place.

8.     If applicant desires to join another church while away at school the review board reserves the right to review such applicant’s current status.

9.     The scholarship is to be used only for tuition, books, and room and board on campus.  When possible and practical, the scholarship check will be made directly to the institution in the name of the recipient.  Since this scholarship is provided through CrossPoint Fellowship Church, some institutions will match it.  It is the responsibility of the student to inquire about any available matching funds.