Song LYRICS for CHURCH AT THE LAKE!

Our Larger Church Family

Crossroads Community Church of Sullivan, IN is a member congregation of the the Churches of God General Conference (CGGC), Midwest Region, which is our larger family of churches that is spread out over the country, mostly from Iowa to the East Coast. The CGGC was founded by John Winebrenner around 1825 and has a rich history that we get to be part of. Within the CGGC each church has a great deal of freedom and autonomy.

 

One of the guiding principles is:

“In the essentials, there is unity.

In the non-essentials, there is liberty.

In all our beliefs, we show charity.”

 

The Churches of God General Conference lists these four main values:

Vital Connection- growing to maturity through meaningful relationships

Total Participation- all are qualified and commissioned to make disciples

Global Mobilization- sending the Gospel to places far and near

Daring Action- being secure in God, we are compelled to risk greatly

Statement of Faith 

(This section is a summary of We Believe, the doctrinal statement of the Churches of God, General Conference. The booklet is available at Crossroads or online HERE.)

  • We believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.
  • We believe in one God, eternally existent in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – one in essence and community.
  • We believe in God the Father, the almighty Creator of heaven and earth.
  • We believe that Jesus Christ our Lord is the Word made flesh – fully God and fully man.  We believe he was conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, was crucified, died and was buried, rose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven.
  • We believe in the divinity of the Holy Spirit, who indwells the believer.  The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, enables the believer to live a holy life, comforts, teaches, and bestows spiritual gifts.
  • We believe humanity is created in the image of God, has fallen into sin, and can be born again by the Spirit, justified freely by grace, and saved through the atoning work of Jesus Christ alone.
  • We believe that the Church is the body of Christ, the people of God, whose mission is to make disciples of all nations and to be salt and light in the world.
  • We believe baptism, the Lord’s supper, and feetwashing to be ordinances of the Church.
  • We believe in the return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, everlasting life, and the new heavens and new earth.

Women in Leadership

The question of how men and women relate and engage in church leadership offices (particularly pastor and elder) has been a subject of significant debate at various points in church history. The Churches of God, General Conference has a long history of recognizing the role of women alongside men in leadership roles within the church, having licensed women since 1859 and ordained them since the late 1800’s. There are many considerations within the broader subject of men and women in leadership that are dealt with in the Bible. Here we have included a summary of things we see taught across the arc of Scripture that directly bear on our church’s position and practice.

  • We believe that women and men are created equal in the image of God. 
  • We believe that full equality between women and men does not mean women and men are completely the same. There is goodness and beauty uniquely represented in each gender that profoundly reflects and glorifies God. 
  • We believe God gives leadership in the church on the basis of grace, calling, spiritual gifts, obedience, and character.
  • We believe both women and men can and should lead, preach, pastor, and minister within the church. We believe women and men doing this together will result in a more robust ministry of love and grace than one gender can sustain alone.
  • We believe women and men can and should serve in pastoral leadership in the local church.

Crossroads Community Church believes that men and women are equally gifted and qualified to lead and serve as co-laborers in the church. We do not simply permit, but expressly value, the presence of both men and women in these various facets of church leadership, including the role of elders and pastors.

Further reading:

Churches of God, General Conference Paper on Women in Ministry

Defining a Biblical Position on Women and Eldership

 

For more info about any of these topics, please get in touch with one of our pastors! We'd love to chat.