Ancient church father St. Augustine of Hippo offers a helpful statement on any church’s shared beliefs, “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In everything, love.”
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* (Global) Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
We believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and was made human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end. And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life.
He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic* (Global) and apostolic church.
We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and to life in the world to come. Amen.
Founded in 1942, the National Association of Evangelicals seeks to honor God by connecting and representing evangelical Christians in the United States. It represents more than 45,000 local churches from 40 different denominations and serves a constituency of millions.
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Truth: We intend to be available to others, stepping into their world on their own terms, with the hope that they encounter the Gospel of Christ, who has the authority to redeem. Given this context, it's imperative to articulate our beliefs and how we express them with clarity, unity, love, and grace.
How We Express Our Belief: Our expression regarding our beliefs on sexuality is deeply rooted in love, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to emulate the example set by Christ himself. At City Pointe Church, we extend a heartfelt and welcoming fellowship for all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or practices, recognizing the inherent value and dignity of each person as a beloved creation of God. Our community labors to live out the teachings and model the example of Christ, embracing a spirit of charity and grace towards all people. In the posture of discipleship and the example of Jesus' charge to Peter to "feed my sheep" (John 21:15-17), and through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, we aim to nurture a community of refinement where each person is cherished in the image of God with genuine compassion, mutual respect, and a shared dedication to unity in Christ.
Sexuality Statement: In the Holy Scriptures, starting from the Genesis narrative, the Bible illuminates the significance and power of human sexuality. The truth of the Holy Scriptures recognizes the divine intent of sexuality for procreation (Genesis 1:27-28), as well as its distortion caused by sin, violence, and exploitation. Contemporary shifts in attitudes towards gender, sexuality, and morality often diverge from the teachings of Scripture, leading to widespread acceptance of practices such as abortion (Exodus 20:13; Psalm 127:3), sexual abuse (Matthew 18:6; 1 Corinthians 6:18), and deceit (Proverbs 12:22; Ephesians 4:25). In response to the widespread acceptance of these practices, we remain steadfast in adherence to the teachings of the Holy Scriptures. However, followers of Jesus are urged not to outrightly reject individuals but instead to emulate Christ's love and compassion for all, while remaining steadfast in adherence to biblical truth.The Biblical image of sexuality shows the beauty of God’s design for humanity. However, sin has tainted the beauty of God’s design, and unfortunately, the church has, at times, mishandled discussions around sexuality, focusing more on condemnation rather than offering the redemptive message of the Gospel. This has led many to feel alienated from fellowshipping based on their sexual practices or orientation.Central to our mission is the distinction between agreement and acceptance. While we hold firmly to biblical truths, we recognize that genuine acceptance does not hinge upon perfect alignment with our beliefs. Just as Jesus welcomed sinners and outcasts into His presence with love and compassion, so too do we seek to embrace all who seek biblical fellowship, regardless of their past or present circumstances.We adhere to the Church’s biblically historical understanding of marriage and sexual expression, affirming that the sacrament of marriage constitutes a sacred, lifelong covenant between two individuals of opposite sexes, male and female, hailing from distinct families (Genesis 2:24). All sexual relationships outside of this covenant are considered contrary to God's design and are labeled as sin (Hebrews 13:4). Jesus Himself proclaimed a holy standard of sexual purity and lifelong marital fidelity (Matthew 5:27–32), and taught that the sacrament of marriage will be absent from post-resurrection life (Matthew 22:30; Luke 20:35). We also believe that individuals can live a life of abstinence where their devotion is missionally to the Church. The Apostle Paul encourages abstinence for those who are able (1 Corinthians 7:1), while those who find sexual abstinence too difficult are given the concession (1 Corinthians 7:6) of the sacrament of marriage because of the prevalence of sexual immorality, lest they burn with lust (1 Corinthians 7:9).
This much is clear: Our faith in Christ calls us to extend love, grace, and charity to all, recognizing that none of us are without sin (Romans 3:23) and all are in need of redemption (John 3:16-17). As we navigate the complexities of modern life, our commitment remains steadfast: To Know who Jesus is, Live as Jesus says, and Do as Jesus does.
City Pointe Church intentionally has not copyrighted this statement so that it may be used widely. If including the City Pointe Church Sexuality Statement on your website, include: “As adopted by City Pointe Church, Inc."