Pastor
Pastor Mike Murray with wife Linda.
Our Mission Statement of Faith
We of Covenant Christian Fellowship, Colonial Heights, Virginia believe that we must "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in us." (1 Peter 3:15)
The Holy Scriptures
We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:21) Together they are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience and the New Testament we accept as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to church conduct doctrine, and lifestyle. (2 Timothy 3:16)
The Godhead
We believe that there is one God (Deut. 6:4). We believe that He has manifested Himself not only as the Father of all creation, but He has also manifested Himself through His only begotten Son, Jesus. (Col. 1:15, John 1:1,14, and Jude 25) And He continues to manifest Himself in power through His Holy Spirit. (John 15:26, Acts 5:3-4)
We believe that these three manifestations, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, make up what the Bible calls The Godhead. (Col. 2:9)
We believe that Jesus was both fully human and fully God (Phil.2:5-8, Heb. 4:15) . That He is the expressed image of the invisible God.
The Virgin Birth
We believe that Jesus was born when "the Word became flesh" and that He was born of a virgin - one who had never known a man. (John 1:14, Matt. 1:18)
The Fall of Man
We believe that man is a created being made in the likeness and image of God, but through Adams transgression and fall, sin came into the world. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). "As it is written, there is none righteous no not one" (Rom. 3:10)
Through the transgression of Adam, his generations inherit a nature that is corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, and is under condemnation, and as soon as they become capable of moral action they become actual transgressors.
The Mediator
We believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. We believe that He completely fulfilled all righteousness and the law, that He was sorely tempted, but never once yielded and never sinned. (Matt. 3:15, 5:17, 4:1 and Heb. 4:15)
We believe that after His passion, Jesus appeared to over 500 eye witnesses at once, and then ascended to the right hand of the Father to make constant intercession for His chosen ones. (1 Cor. 15:6, Mark 16:9 and Heb. 7:25)
Regeneration
We believe that men rejected Jesus and therefor rejected His Father (Luke 10:16) and the forgiveness His Father offered (John 3:18-19)
. We believe that He suffered a cruel and horrible death by crucifixion on a cross, and that He became the great sacrifice of God "the lamb of God to take away the sins of the world" (John 1:29)
. We believe that He Himself bore in His body our sins (Isa. 53:4-5) suffering the most horrible of all fates - separation from the Father -for a time - and that His heart literally burst with grief and that it was our sins that killed Him (John 19:34).
We believe that He rose from the tomb on the third day in triumph over Satan, hell and death, taking the position and name above all others, so that no one can be saved any other way or by any other name other than Jesus. (Phil. 2:9-11 and Acts 4:12)
We believe that salvation is a free gift by God's grace, and although this gift is free it is not cheap for it cost the life of His own beloved Son. (John 3:16, Eph. 2:8, and I John 1:9)
We believe that Jesus did not come primarily to save us from hell, death or unhappiness; but that He died to save us from our sins and the power of sin, which in itself produces death, hell and eternal unhappiness and separation from God. (Matt. 1:21, Rom. 6:23)
The Faith
We believe that saving faith is the belief on the authority of God's word, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ, resting alone upon Him for our justification, sanctification and eternal life. This faith is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit. We believe that one is saved only by faith in Jesus' finished work on the cross and that if this faith is real it will produce repentance, which is a change of mind concerning sin and everything not pleasing to God, that results in a total change of actions and deeds. True faith leads to true repentance which leads to works of faith. (II Thess. 1:11)
We believe that repentance is not optional, but necessary proof that one has manifested true ”faith that leads to eternal life”. (Luke 13:1-5)
Works of Faith
We believe that true faith leads to works of faith that do not in themselves justify but by these works is our faith made perfect (James 2:22). These works of faith are not optional but are necessary that we grow in grace and obedience to our Lord. (James 2:24)
We believe that proper water baptism is an obligation of every believer wherein he is totally immersed in the water calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in fulfillment of Jesus' command in (Matt. 28:19-20). And the scriptural examples: Acts 2:38-39; Acts 19:5; 1 Corth. 1:13-15; Acts 10:48; Acts 8:16. This ordinance is the believers identification with Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection.
We believe that works of faith are shown us throughout the pages of scripture; Genesis 22:9; James 2:21,22; Matt. 25:32-46 and that the Lord Jesus summarized all in Matthew 22:37-40.
All of our works will be tried, true works of faith will stand all others are vanity and will fall and be lost. (1 Corth. 3:11-15) -works tried by fire.
Holiness
We believe that He promised and sent the Holy Spirit into the world both to convict the world of sin and to empower true believers to be good and faithful witnesses to His glory and purpose. (John 16:8; Luke 24:49; Isa. 43:10; Acts 1:8, 2:1-4).
We believe that every believer needs to be empowered by this same Holy Spirit everyday and without this same empowerment we can never possess the greatest gift of God to every believer, after salvation which is holiness. (Heb. 12:4; 1 Pet. 1:16).
We believe that the initial physical evidence of the "baptism of the Spirit" is of "speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance" spoken of in Acts chapter 2 which is followed and confirmed by the spiritual fruit of holiness and love, without which there is no true Baptism in the Spirit. (Acts 15:8-9; 1 Cor. 13:1-3; Acts 2:4; 10:46; 19:6).
Perseverance of the Saints
We believe that those whom God has granted repentance unto life and sanctified by His Spirit, although they may fall through neglect or temptation into sin wherein they grieve the Spirit, impair God's grace to themselves and bring reproach to the Church also bringing judgment upon themselves, can if they shall be renewed again unto repentance and endure unto the end in holiness and faith shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. (Ezk. 18:24; Exod. 32:33; Heb. 10:26; Matt. 12:45; 2 Peter 2:20-21).
Christ's Return and the Judgement
We believe that God has appointed a day of judgment and wrath called, "The great and terrible day of the Lord" (Isa. 2:12; Mal. 4:5).
We believe that this judgment begins in the house of God ( I Pet. 4:17,18) and that He is right now entering into judgment with His own people "separating the sheep from the goats" (Matt. 25:32).
We believe that Jesus Christ will physically again return to the earth, "Coming in the clouds with great power and glory along with multitudes of His saints." (Matt. 24:27,30; I Thess. 3:13) This time, though, He will not come to save the world or to offer salvation, but He will be coming to judge the world and avenge the honor of his Father and the blood of those "who died for the testimony of God" (Rev. 6:9-10 19:11-16).
We believe that He will separate all ungodliness, hypocrisy, unholiness, and everything that is unlike Himself and cast it into "the lake of fire", and that everyone who has not been "called, chosen and faithful" will be "tormented day and night forever and ever. . . and they will have no rest". (Rev. 21:8; 20:14,15; 17:14; 14:11).
We believe that He will make a new heaven and a new earth and marry his holy, righteous, and true Bride - the Church (the remnant of believers who have "endured until the end and having no spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing") and they will literally live happily ever after! (Rev. 21:1, 19:7; Matt. 10:22; Eph. 5:25-27).