Riverside Community Church

What We Believe

The following statements are taken from the Constitution of Riverside Community Church. The full text of the constitution is also available as a PDF.

• We believe in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as inspired of God and inerrant in the original writings and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life. II Timothy 3:16,17; II Peter 1:21.
• We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19,20.
• We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and is true God and true man. Matthew 1:20-25; John 1:1; John 1:14.
• We believe that all mankind is by nature and by choice sinful and in need of salvation. Romans 5:12-21; Romans 3:23.
• We believe that salvation is the gift of God offered to man by His grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, was buried, was bodily resurrected from the dead, and is presently at the right hand of the Father as our Mediator. Ephesians 2:8,9; I Peter 1:18,19; Romans 4:25; I Corinthians. 15:1-4; II Corinthians 5:21; Romans. 3:21-26; I Timothy 2:5.
• We believe that all genuine believers are eternally secure, being kept by God’s power. John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:28-39, I Peter 1:3-5.
• We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again by the Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer to enlighten, enable, guide and control him in life and service. John 3:6,7; I Corinthians. 2:12; John 14:16,26; I Corinthians. 12:13; Romans. 8:14; Galatians 5:22,23; Ephesians. 5:18, II Corinthians. 5:17.
• We believe in the local church.
  • We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ, are placed into His body, the Church. We believe they are placed into the church by God at the same moment they receive Jesus Christ by faith and have the Holy Spirit placed in them. We believe the local church consists of all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ, who have publicly professed Him, and who God in providence has brought together in a local area. Acts 2:37-47, Romans 1:7, Romans 12:4,5, I Corinthians 1:1, I Corinthians 12, II Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 2:19-22, I Peter 2:4-10.
  • We believe that each believer in the local body is spiritually equipped for and capable of relationship with God, worship and ministry. We believe each believer is also directly responsible to God for his spiritual walk, including his sin. John 1:11-13, Acts 2:37-47, Romans 12:6-21, I Corinthians 12:4-27, Ephesians 4:11-16, I Peter 2:4-10, I Peter 4:10,11, I John 1:6-2:2.
  • We believe the church is God’s primary agent for accomplishing His divine work here on Earth. Ephesians 4:4-6; Romans 12:1,2,4-5; I Corinthians 11:20-34; 12:12-27; Acts 2:1-4, 41-47; 8:36-38; 18:8; I Peter 2:4-5,9-10; Matthew 28:19-20.
  • We believe the church’s purpose in relationship to God is to bring glory to God both on earth and in heaven (I Peter 2:9; Ephesians 3:8-10) resulting in true worship to the triune God (John 4:20-24).
  • We believe the church’s purpose in relationship to each other is to build each other up, which is accomplished by each member ministering to one another as each is gifted and empowered by the Spirit of God (Romans 12:1-16; I Peter 4:7-11), advancing toward maturity (Ephesians 4:11-16), while attaining a unity in relationship to one another and to Christ (I Corinthians 12:13-14; Romans 12:4-5; Ephesians 4:13,16).
  • We believe the church’s purpose in relationship to the world is the effective local and worldwide proclamation of the gospel (Acts 1:8; 2:47; Matthew 28:18-20; II Timothy 2:1,2), for the conversion of sinners and their addition into the Body of Christ for fellowship, growth and protection.
  • We believe that the church is a theocracy, ruled by its Head, Jesus Christ, through a plurality of elders who are devoted to serving the congregation. These elders have authority under God, and the people are committed to their serving leadership. The primary requirement for eldership is spiritual maturity as evidenced in a person’s character. The elders are responsible for the shepherding and maturing of the believers and to give the church order. Colossians 1:18; 2:19; Ephesians 1:22,23; 4:11,12; Acts 14:23; 20;17-38; Philippians 1:1; I Timothy 3:1-13; 5:17,18; Titus 1:5-9; I Peter 5:1-5.
• We believe that water baptism is for believers and that it is the act of personal obedience and public declaration signifying His death, burial and resurrection to new life in Christ. We believe that this baptism is best symbolized by and taught in scripture to be by immersion. Romans. 6:1-6; Matthew. 28:19,20; Colossians 2:12.
• We believe that the Lord's Supper is the memorial service ordained by Christ, in which the believers do remember Christ's death on the cross as our only hope of salvation. I Corinthians 11:23-26.
• We believe spiritual gifts are God-given abilities given to born-again believers for the purpose of glorifying God and building up the body of Christ. The distribution of these gifts is by the Holy Spirit and it is essential that each member develops and employs his spiritual gift(s) for the church to accomplish its’ task. Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:4,31; 14:1-40; I Timothy 4:14; II Timothy 1:6; I Peter 4:1;0-11.
• We believe in the personal, premillenial and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Revelation 19:11-21.
• We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost. Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:3,4.

Ministry Vision

Riverside Community Church is a local body of believers committed to being 'a family of friends – loving God and one another'. Jesus Himself made clear what our highest priority must be: to love God with all our heart, soul mind and strength and our neighbors as our selves.

We are a community church. God has led us to St. Charles. Our plans to construct a worship center in the heart of this town reflects our desire to have a meaningful presence and a spiritual influence in this community.

We affirm the importance of God’s Word, of personal spiritual growth, of prayer and service. We highly value small groups. We desire to be intentional in building relationships between generations. We are committed to being relevant and contemporary in terms of style while at the same time committed to eternal and timeless truth.

We anticipate and plan for numerical growth but do not see this as our primary goal nor do we equate this with success as a church. But we are intentional in reaching out to, welcoming and drawing close to people in our community and to participate in sharing God’s love around the world.

Ministry Values

The Word of God

We value the Bible as our final authority in matters of belief, behavior, and the development of our faith in all subjects it addresses.

Spiritual Formation

We value the development of every believer into fruit-bearing disciples of Jesus Christ through the clear, relevant teaching and preaching of the Bible.

Prayer and Worship

We value communication with God through prayer, the reading of Scripture and worship that honors God and unites His people.

Outward Vision

We value lost people as highly as God does. Therefore we are intentional in reaching out, welcoming, and building relationships with people in our community as well as reaching the world for Christ through a variety of ministry opportunities.

Church Services

We value culturally relevant communication styles in a friendly, casual setting while maintaining purity of doctrine and belief even as we honor our Christian heritage.

Small Groups

We value small group involvement that contributes to significant life changes and provides caring relationships which include helping, supporting, praying for other and personal ministries that are developed in this context.

Service and Ministry

We value the participation of all believers in ministry and service to the church as good stewards of talents, time, possessions and resources.

People

We value intergenerational relationships as a key aspect to Christian living, both as individuals and families.

Servant Leadership

We value Spirit-led leaders who utilize prayer based collaborative decision making processes that receive input from as many sources as appropriate in the oversight of the affairs of this church.

Copyright © 2008 – Riverside Community Church, All Rights Reserved