Purpose of the church
"For years, in the early part of my ministry, most of my sermons were evangelistic sermons, because I believed that the primary purpose of the church was to evangelize the world. It was only when I began a careful study of Ephesians and read these verses that I came to the conclusion that the purpose of the church is not to evangelize the world, but to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of christ.
The problem with evangelistic messages is that they don't help the people to grow and mature. I kept church members in a state of perpetual infancy by preaching the same basic sermons to them over and over again and not taking them on into maturity in Christ.
I have discovered that the real need in the Church is solid, systematic, expository teaching of the Scriptures. That is what leads to spiritual growth in the people and equips them to go out and to do the work of the ministry. If I do my job, all those who listen and learn will then go out and evangelize and minister in many other ways, which will lead to the Body Of Christ being built up. It just works."
Chuck Smith
The problem with evangelistic messages is that they don't help the people to grow and mature. I kept church members in a state of perpetual infancy by preaching the same basic sermons to them over and over again and not taking them on into maturity in Christ.
I have discovered that the real need in the Church is solid, systematic, expository teaching of the Scriptures. That is what leads to spiritual growth in the people and equips them to go out and to do the work of the ministry. If I do my job, all those who listen and learn will then go out and evangelize and minister in many other ways, which will lead to the Body Of Christ being built up. It just works."
Chuck Smith
Statement of Fellowship
Calvary Chapel Stroudsburg has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and be conformed to His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only to their overemphasis of the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the body of Christ. Our beliefs are not founded on the creeds and traditions of man, but solely on the principles of the Word of God. We are committed to praying for revival in the hearts of the God's people, and for His grace to impact our communities for eternity. We desire to worship God in Spirit and Truth, and to make that worship a lifestyle that touches ever area of our lives, spilling over into all of our relationships, neighborhoods and surrounding communities.
God's Model for the Church
At Calvary Chapel, we look to the Book of Acts as the model for the church. This church was dynamic, led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit directed its operation and ministry. This church brought the Gospel to the World.
"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:"
Ephesians 4:12 KJV
At Calvary Chapel, we find the teaching of the Word and an open heart to the work of the Holy Spirit. It is this balance that make us a distinct and uniquely blessed movement of God. And so it is important to understand the biblical principles behind why God has allowed us to exist and grow. It's important to grasp what we call the Calvary Chapel Distinctives to understand what makes our fellowship unique and our position in the Body of Christ.
Calvary Chapel Stroudsburg has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and be conformed to His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only to their overemphasis of the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the body of Christ.
"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:"
Ephesians 4:12 KJV
At Calvary Chapel, we find the teaching of the Word and an open heart to the work of the Holy Spirit. It is this balance that make us a distinct and uniquely blessed movement of God. And so it is important to understand the biblical principles behind why God has allowed us to exist and grow. It's important to grasp what we call the Calvary Chapel Distinctives to understand what makes our fellowship unique and our position in the Body of Christ.
Calvary Chapel Stroudsburg has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and be conformed to His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only to their overemphasis of the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the body of Christ.