The Vision:

“To Ignite a Passion for People, by Engaging, Equipping, and Encouraging for Jesus.”

Scripture says that without vision, people perish. We believe that our memories quickly become bigger than our dreams without vision. We’re not content to simply celebrate the past. We believe that God is still in the business of changing hearts and lives. We’re passionate about being a part of that. To that end, everything we do at GCC is run through this filter: Does it ignite a passion for people? Does it help us to reach and care for more people? Does it better equip people for ministry? Does it encourage people to know Jesus better? Bottom line–we’re in the people business. We’re probably not interested if it’s not about connecting people with Jesus.
 
Though we don’t presume to always know God’s will, we believe it is His will that we gather together to encourage one another to faith and good deeds, promote worship of the Triune God, never compromise on the truth, provide an atmosphere that is inviting to the unbeliever and challenging to the most mature of believers, support missionary work, and cultivate the growth of each individual’s relationship with God. We pray that He is pleased with what has been done and that He will continue to guide and bless our steps in the future.
 
At GCC, we take the study of the Word of God very seriously. We do not, however, take ourselves very seriously. Early on, someone referred to our church as “the island of misfit toys.” Though it was meant to denigrate, we wear it as a badge of honor. We know that we all sin and fall short of His glory, that we could never deserve any of the blessings He’s showered upon us, and that God has blessed this church despite us many times. We make no claim to being the best speakers, singers, or greeters. What we do hope for, what we push toward, is to be faithful workers of Christ’s field, to one day hear “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
 
“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong. The base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.” (1 Cor. 1:25-29 )
 
So that’s us in a nutshell. Are we the church for you?—only God can show you that, but we’d love for you to join us for worship sometime. With all the different services, classes and groups, chances are that there’s something just right for you.
 
Our Beliefs
 

The Holy Scriptures

We believe in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the inspired word of God and the final authority for faith and life. (II Tim. 3:16 & 17, II Peter 1:20 & 21, Matt. 5:18, John 16:12 & 13)
 

The Godhead

We believe in the Triune God, eternally existing in three persons- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, coequal in being, identical in nature, equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfection. (Deut. 6:4, II Cor. 13:14)
 

The Person and Work of Christ

1.  We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that he might reveal God and redeem sinful men and women. (John 1:1,2, &4, Luke 1:35)
 
2.  We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross of Calvary as our substitutionary sacrifice, and that our justification is made sure by his literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Rom. 3:24 & 25, I Peter 1:3 & 5, I Peter 2:24, Eph. 1:7)
 
3.  We believe that the Lord, Jesus Christ, ascended in to heaven and now is exalted at the right hand of God, the Father, where, as our High Priest, He intercedes for us as our advocate and our true friend. (Acts 1:9 & 10. Heb. 9:24 & 7:25, Rom. 8:34. I John 2:1 & 2)
 

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

1.   We believe the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, and that He is the supernatural agent of regeneration, baptizing all believers in to the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them until the day of redemption (John 16: 8-11, II Cor 12:12-14, Rom 8:9, Eph. 1:13 & 14)
 
2.   We believe that He is the divine teacher who guides believers in to all truth, and that it is the privilege of all the saved to be indwelled with the Holy Spirit. (John 16:13, I John 2:20 & 27, Eph. 5:18)
 

The Fall of Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but in Adams sin, the race fell, inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God, and that man is depraved, and of himself can not remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:26 & 27, Rom. 3:22 & 23, 5:12, Eph 2: 1-3 & 12)
 

Salvation

We believe that salvation from Hell is the gift of God brought to man by grace, through faith, in the Lord Jesus Christ, who’s precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. Our works can not earn us this free gift, only our true belief in Jesus Christ as the giver and guarantor of our eternal life. ( Eph. 1:7, 2:8-10, John 1:12, I Peter 1:18 & 19)
 

The Eternal Security and Assurance of the Believer

1.   We believe that all the redeemed, once saved are kept saved by Gods power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37- 40, 10:27-30, Rom. 8:1, 8:38 & 39, I Cor 1:4-8, I Peter 1:5)
 
2.  We believe that it is the privilege of the believer to rejoice in their assurance of salvation through the testimony of Gods word and promises. Gods word, however, strictly forbids using this assurance as an excuse to sin. This manner of reasoning displeases God and he will deal with it accordingly, however, when he saves us, it is a work done by him, and will stand as all his work does. Believers cant work to earn salvation, and thank God, their works or lack of them, can not destroy it. (Rom. 13:13 & 14, Gal 5:13, Tit. 2:11-15, Eccl. 3:14)
 
3.  We believe that true assurance comes from knowing Gods plan of salvation and depending on it for ones eternal life. Once a person believes in Jesus Christ, he is assured of his salvation because he knows that Jesus can not lie and has promised him salvation base on belief and nothing else. A Christian who is living outside of the will of God may not feel the joy that God has for him. Though he knows that God will never break a promise, he may suffer a loss of joy as a result of Gods chastening hand. He may not feel saved, but his feelings are no replacement for Gods promises. One willfully living in sin may be chastised, even to the point of sickness or death, if God deems this the proper discipline for his willful disobedience. (1 Cor 11:30)
 

The Two Natures of the Believer

We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural. (Rom. 6: 13, 8:12 & 13, Gal. 5:16-25, Eph. 4:22-24, Col. 3:10, I Peter 1:14- 16, I John 3:5-9)
 

Separation

We believe that all the saved are to live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord, and that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commended by God. (II Tim. 3:1-5, Rom. 12:1 & 2, 14:13, I John 2:15-17, II John 9-11, II Cor. 6:14, 7:1)
 

Missions

We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of the holy scriptures and to seek to proclaim the gospel to all mankind. (Mark 16: 15, Acts 1:8, II Cor. 5:19 & 20)
 

The Ministry of Spiritual Gifts

We believe that God is sovereign in the distribution of all His gifts, and calls evangelists, pastors, teachers, singers, prayer warriors, and many other like ministries in his furtherance of the gospel. Although God is fully capable of using any method, we lean toward the opinion that the gift of speaking in tongues gradually ceased as the New Testament scriptures were completed and their authority became established. We find this practice misunderstood and abused and have decided not to practice it in our worship services. We believe that Scripture tells us that it does not edify the church and that it is not a preferred method of public worship. We are not judging others and are not claiming that this gift does not exist, but are clarifying our interpretation and our position on this matter. God, certainly, can use any resource that He chooses. (I Cor. 12:4-11, II Cor 12:12, 14:4, 19, 26, Eph. 4:7-12)
 
We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith in and will act in accordance to His holy will, and certainly can heal any disease or condition that He desires to. We believe it proper and scriptural to lay hands on the sick or afflicted at their request, but don’t make a practice of making a spectacle of this practice. It is a holy time of prayer, not a show to exalt man, but a humble request from man to God through our Savior, Jesus Christ. ( John 15:7, I John 5:14 & 15)
 
 

The Church

1.   We believe that the church, the bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again Christians of the present age. (Eph. 1:22 & 23, 5:25-27, I Cor. 12:12-14, II Cor 11:2)
 
2.   We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27,20:17, 28:32, I Tim. 3:1-13, Tit. 1:5-11)
 

Dispensationalism

We believe in the dispensational view of the Bible interpretation, but reject the extreme teaching known as hyper-Dispensationalism, such as that teaching which opposes either the Lords table or water baptism as a scriptural means of testimony for the church in this age. (Matt 28:19 &20, Acts 2:41&42, 18:8, I Cor. 11:23-26)
 

The Personality of Satan

We believe that Satan in a personal being, the author of sin and the cause of the fall of man, that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man, and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire. We believe that he still works to hinder all who seek God and all who seek to please God, both Christians and sinners alike. (Job1:6& 7, Isa. 14:12-17, Matt. 4:2-11, 25:41, Rev 20:10)
 

The Second Advent of Christ

We believe in the blessed hope, the personal imminent, pre-tribulation, and pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones, and in His subsequent return to earth, with His saints, to establish His millennial kingdom. (I Thes. 1:10, 5:9, 4:13-18, Zech. 14:4-11, Rev. 3:10, 19:11-16, 20:1-6)
 

The Eternal State

1.  We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life with Jesus, and the unsaved to judgment resulting in eternal damnation and punishment. (Matt. 25:46, John 5:28 & 29, 11:25 & 26, Rev. 20:5 & 6 & 12 & 13)
 
2.  We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at the time of death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious happiness they await the first resurrection, where spirit, soul and body will be reunited and will be glorified with the Lord, eternally. (Luke 23:43, Rev. 20:4-6, II Cor. 5:8, Phil. 1:23, 3:21, I Thes. 4:16 & 17)