We are unique. Most denominations have their roots overseas. That is, they were started in Europe and came to America through immigrants who were members of that particular denomination. Not so with Christian churches. We were started by people from various denominations who were tired of perpetuating divisions imported from Europe.
The Bible is our sole authority. Christian churches have rejected man-made creeds, doctrinal statements, and hierarchies. We use the Bible alone for guidance in matters of doctrine, structure, and practice. Many Christian churches have as a slogan, "No book but the Bible, no creed but Christ."
We focus on Jesus. Denominational labels tend to divide the Body of Christ. Christian churches seek to unite God's people by adopting a simple, biblical name for our churches - Christian.
We are an independent church. Every Christian church is completely independent. There is no denominational control, hierarchy, or national headquarters as there is in most denominational churches. Each church is self-governed and determines its own affairs, based on the Word of God.
For example:
We are a free and independent church under Christ. Guided by a Board of Elders, we determine our own policies and practices in light of biblical expectations, and we voluntarily cooperate with other Christian groups in fulfilling our Lord's Great Commission. We have this requirement for church membership:
One must be a believer in Jesus Christ as the only Son of God, be willing to repent of sin and surrender to His Lordship, to confess this faith before others, Obey Him in Christian baptism and to continue in faithful discipleship.
The New Testament teaches the ministry of all believers, recognizing that the Holy Spirit gives various gifts to members of the body so that every member can make a contribution to the effective ministry of the entire church.
We are a mission-minded church. We send and support evangelistic and benevolent missions throughout the world. Our budget calls for 13% of our general fund to be directed to missions around the world. We encourage people to accept the call to a greater kingdom service, and we support them through generous mission offerings.
All persons of all races have been created in the image of God and stand in need of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
The church exists to serve the world. Therefore, we send evangelists to rescue the perishing of the world. We participate in efforts to improve community life. We want to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, offer hospitality to the stranger, clothe the naked, minister to the sick, and visit the imprisoned, as Jesus has instructed (Matthew 25).
God expects wise management of our money and other resources in both our personal and our congregational lives. We encourage the tithe (ten percent) as the minimum the Bible teaches us to return to the Lord. In fact, we understand the governing principles to be that everything we have and are belongs to God. We do not hesitate to teach principles of Christian stewardship, agreeing with Jesus that "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" Matthew 6:21.
*Information on the this page was adapted from FCC publications and "What Kind of Church Is This" (Christian Standard)