Carmel Mountain Church exists to help people find Jesus, follow Jesus, and further Jesus. We do this by helping people become fully devoted followers of Jesus. Many people who come to our church do not have a personal relationship with Jesus so we help them discover a relationship with Jesus. We have people who have a personal relationship with Jesus and they are becoming more obedient to him daily. Finally, we have people who have had a long and deep relationship with Jesus, and they are now helping to share Jesus and grow people into a daily relationship with Jesus.
Our biblical core values stated below will not change. These are the tenets on which we stand. As a church that is part of the C&MA we also believe in the Fourfold Gospel which says that Jesus will reveal Himself as our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. These values are the majors, which must not be compromised. While we may disagree on the minors of theology, unity of the body of believers is paramount and needs to be preserved, but we will not compromise on the fundamentals as follows:
God
We believe in one eternal God who exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe God is Holy and is the Creator and Sustainer of all things.
Genesis 1:1,26,27; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14
Jesus
We believe that Jesus is fully God and entered human form by the conception of the Holy Spirit and miraculously born of the virgin Mary. We believe Jesus lived a sinless life, died for ours sins, rose again, and sits now at the right hand of God as our advocate. We believe that Jesus will return again and that his return is soon coming.
Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-15, John 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13
Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is God. We believe the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father in Jesus’name to teach and remind us of Christ’s words and to convict us of sin. We believe the Holy Spirit brings about the new birth and at the point of salvation, comes to live inside the believer and seals our salvation permanently. We believe the Holy Spirit provides the power to overcome temptation, defeat sin, produce righteousness, and provide unique gifts for each believer use to build up the body and carry out the purposes of the church.
2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13; 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18
Bible
We believe that the Bible is God’s inspired Word and that it is inerrant in its original manuscripts. We believe God has preserved His Word and that the Bible is the sole authority for our faith and life.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 12:6;119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5
Baptism
Baptism by immersion symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and is the public declaration that shows one has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Baptism does not save a person, but shows the world that a person has already been saved. While baptism is not required for salvation, it is a biblical command and demonstrates love and obedience to Christ.
Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:41; Ephesians 2:8-9; Matthew 28:19-20
People
We believe that all people are created in the image of God. We believe that because of Adam’s sin, all people are sinful by nature and choice. We believe people, unless they have experienced forgiveness in Christ, are lost and alienated from God.
Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 3:23
Salvation
We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ. We believe Jesus’s death on the cross is the only payment for our sins that God will accept. We believe that all people who believe in Christ are justified by Christ’s blood and enter into a personal relationship with God without the need of any other mediator. We believe that God adopts into His Family all those who repent of their sin and accept by faith the Lord Jesus.
Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1
Church
We believe that the church’s primary purpose is to glorify Christ. We believe the church is made up of all who believe in the Lord Jesus. We believe that Scripture commands believers to gather in community to devote themselves to worship, fellowship, ministry, outreach, prayer, the teaching of His Word, and to observe the ordinances of baptism and communion. We believe that God has gifted each member of the church to fulfill the purposes of the church. We believe that each church should provide a biblical leadership structure that will provide direction to the church as it fulfills its purpose as well as accountability, discipline, preservation of unity, and care for the body.
Ephesians 5:23-29; Hebrews 12:23; Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 4:11-16; Titus 1:5-7
Eternity
We believe in the resurrection of the body and that believers will enjoy eternal life. We believe those who do not accept Jesus as the Christ, will consciously endure eternal punishment.
John 3:16; John 12:25; John 14:2-3; John 17:3; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15
