WHAT WE VALUE AND BELIEVE

CORE VALUESSTATEMENT OF FAITHRESPONSE TO BILL C-4

CORE VALUES

Acts 2:42-47 records a description of some key characteristics of the early church. At Crossridge, these 6 verses shape our understanding of what the church is supposed to be. In this passage, we find 5 core values that help us stay true to God's calling on us. Everything we do as a church fits into one (or more) of the following areas...

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…” As a church, we are committed to the faithful teaching of God’s Word as it has been revealed in the sixty-six books of the Bible, but being devoted to God’s Word is about more than just studying what it says. Being devoted to the apostle’s teaching also means that we seek to live out the implications of God’s Word in every area of our lives.

“They devoted themselves to fellowship…” In a day of radical individualism and shallow relationships the church should stand out as a community committed to the “one anothers” of Scripture – “love one another, encourage one another, accept one another, forgive one another”. No community is perfect, but by God’s grace we seek to grow in our relationships with one another as we share life together.

“They devoted themselves to the breaking of bread…” The church is not a good morals club or a self-improvement society, but a collection of sinners who understand what they have been saved from and who they have been saved by. We meet together to celebrate the good news that Christ has taken the punishment for our sins and has freed us to serve Him.

“They devoted themselves to prayer…” Christians are people of prayer. Individually and corporately, we pray to praise God for who He is and what He has done, and also as a way to acknowledge that we are utterly dependent on Him. As a church we believe that our greatest need is not better marketing or clever programming, but the power of God demonstrated among us.

“And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” The rest of the Book of Acts demonstrates that these early Christians scattered throughout their region and spread the gospel wherever they went. In the same way, we are not looking to gather a holy huddle of Christians content to be spectators, but calling them to join us on mission as we seek to transform our city and our world.

STATEMENT OF FAITH

The following is a description of what we believe as a church about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church, the Bible and mankind.

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**These Foundation Documents were adopted by the Council of The Gospel Coalition on May 22, 2007, and revised on April 12, 2011. Used by permission of The Gospel Coalition (thegospelcoalition.org). Deerfield, IL 60015.**

Crossridge is part of the BC Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.

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BILL C-4

A monumental change in Canadian law and society has taken place with the enactment of federal Bill C-4, which amends the Criminal Code.

The law’s stated purpose is to outlaw “conversion therapy”. We strongly oppose the coercive and unscientific therapeutic practices the Bill was introduced to address. We appreciate and affirm the desire of parliamentarians to protect the vulnerable. However, we are deeply concerned that the effective reach of the legislation could be extended far beyond its stated purpose. Because its definition of “conversion therapy” is vague, many are concerned that it could capture parents, pastors and counsellors who teach a biblical understanding of sexuality in a variety of situations. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees our freedoms of religion, conscience, thought, belief, expression and association. It is our prayer that the law will be applied – and clarified as needed – in such a way as to honour these Charter protections.

We recognize that the greatest danger facing the Canadian church is not that we might face criminal prosecution, but rather that we might compromise in our teaching of the Word of God or fall silent in our proclamation of the gospel. Along with church leaders of like conviction across Canada, we stand before you today to pledge that we are committed to obeying God above all others (Acts 5:29). With the Lord’s help, we will continue to proclaim the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) without fear or favour. This includes God’s life-giving design for human beings, made in His image, male and female (Genesis 1:27), with sexual intimacy reserved for the covenantal union of a man and a woman (Genesis 2:24). We will continue to issue the call to repent of all kinds of sin and to believe the gospel, knowing that we all have sinned (Romans 3:23), and that salvation through Jesus is the one true hope for the world (Acts 4:12). We will continue to love and serve all people in our community, without distinction, in Jesus’ name. As we press on in the work of ministry, we will trust our Heavenly Father to guard us and keep us, and to work out His greater purposes for our good and His glory.

We continue to pray for our government, and to plead with the Lord to have mercy on our needy land.