What we do, Why we do it, What it looks like
Our Vision: To forge complete disciples of Jesus Christ by teaching the entirety of Scripture
We believe God wants us to be people who are devoted to worshiping Him, people who love each other deeply, and people who help others grow in their relationship with Jesus. We desire to equip you by simply teaching through the Bible, simply from Genesis to Revelation. “I entrust you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance…” Acts 20:32
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The Mission & Our Purpose
Jesus said to His disciples: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
We want to be obedient to Jesus and help you tell others about the good news of forgiveness of sins through Jesus, help others grow closer to Jesus, and be equipped in the community. We do that by:
1. Win – Share the gospel and love people to Jesus
2. Disciple – Live and teach the Bible to those saved in Jesus
3. Send – Equip followers of Jesus to go and minister to others for Jesus
It’s all about Jesus! Not about religion, but a personal relationship with God and life in His Kingdom. We simply love God and love people!
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The Model & Our Culture
The early church “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42, 47
We want to continue in the blessings the Lord has given to His church, and we don’t come as consumers, but as servants. We do this by:
1. Doctrine: We love to learn from the Bible, because all of God’s Word is living and powerful. We carve out time to be alone for Bible reading and make time to join with others to study His Word. The B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the book for us. The Word of God is the foundation of what we believe, and it equips us (Eph. 4:11-12; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Acts 20:27).
“Simply teaching the Bible Simply”. You can’t know how to apply the Bible to life, unless you understand what the Bible really says, and this is why we teach through the Bible in an expository fashion, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book and always in context (Neh. 8:8; Acts 20:27; Heb. 4:12).
2. Fellowship (koinōnia): We love spending time together and seek a bond that surpasses that of our natural families, which is only possible because of our common fellowship with Jesus (Matt. 12:46, Luke 14:26). As a spiritual family, we care for each other, do life together, and encourage one another because we are united in the grace of God (Heb. 10:24-25, 1 Cor. 12:12-27, 1 Peter 4:10).
3. Breaking of Bread: We love getting to know each other better over a meal and regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:46, 1 Cor. 11:23-26). We can’t stop thanking God for His mercy and partake in communion together, which is not an obligation we try to squeeze in, but the proclamation of the sacrifice of Jesus’ on the cross for our sins and the celebration of His resurrection.
4. Prayer: We make time to be alone in prayer, and make time to join with others to pray. We love to pray to God, and as we do, it changes us to trust Him even more. We pray for each other as well, because it is the ultimate weapon we have for the spiritual warfare that we face daily (Eph. 6:10-20, 1 Thes. 5:16-18).
This is the pattern that allows for us to be a group devoted to God, and a fellowship that desires to please God.
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Our Beliefs & Philosophy
Calvary Chapel of Fergus Falls has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know God and be more like Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only their over-emphasis of doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the body of Christ. We believe that the only true basis of Christian fellowship is His (Agape) love, which is greater than any differences we possess and without which we have no right to claim ourselves Christians.
We are a non-denominational, Bible-believing church established to worship, glorify, and share the good news of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We encourage you to review our Statement of Faith & Philosophy of Ministry, read the Calvary Chapel Distinctives, and learn more about the history of the Calvary Chapel movement, watch “A Venture of Faith” documentary or “Calvary Distinctives” overview, and check out the movie “Jesus Revolution” which shares the start of Calvary Chapel.
We are affiliated with the Calvary Chapel Association (CCA), and agree with the Defending Inerrancy initiative and affirm the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (CSBI). (The role of CCA is simply to affiliate churches, provide guidance and encouragement, and offer opportunities for fellowship.)