Beliefs
• We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in Power and Glory; that this triune of God created all, upholds all, and governs all. (Matthew 28:19; Isaiah 40: 12-26, 46: 8-11)
• We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God, fully inspired, and the infallible rule of faith and practice; that they are to be interpreted according to their context and purpose and in reverent obedience to the Lord who speaks through them in living power. (2 Timothy 3:14-17; Romans 15:4; James 1:22)
• We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Matthew 6:9, Isaiah 6:3; Romans 11:33-39; Psalms 138:5-6; Matthew 7:11; Isaiah 55:6-7)
• We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings, His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into Heaven, perpetual intercession for His people and personal, visible return to earth. We believe that in His first coming Jesus inaugurated the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God. (John 1:14-18; Luke 1:18-20; Hebrews 4:15; Ephesians 1:20; I Thessalonians 4:16; Mark 1:14-15)
• We Believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower for ministry all who believe in Christ; we believe the Holy Spirit indwells in every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding Helper, Teacher and Guide. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all the Biblical gifts of the Spirit. (John 15:26, 16:8, Titus 3:5; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9, Ephesians 1:13; John 14:16; I Corinthians 12:4-11)
• We believe that all men are sinners by nature and choice and are therefore under condemnation, that God regenerates and baptizes by the Holy Spirit those who repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. For those that do there is no condemnation. (Ephesians 2:1-10; Acts 2:38; Ezekiel 36:26; John 1:12-13; John 10:9)
• We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe in water baptism and communion open to all believers. (Acts 2:38; I Corinthians 11:23-30; Luke 3:3)
• We believe in the laying on of hands for the Holy Spirit, for receiving gifts of the Spirit, for healing and for recognition and empowering of those whom God has ordained to lead and serve the church. (Acts 13:3; Mark 6:5; I Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6)
Values
• We value the pursuit of God. We are hungry to know God’s presence, hear His voice and follow after Him. (Psalms 63:1-3)
• We value Christ-likeness. We desire that through the power of the Holy Spirit who reveals to us the Spirit of Truth, Jesus’ love, mercy, grace, truth, purity, power, and integrity would shine through all that we are and do. (Ephesians 5:1,2)
• We value being Spirit-led. We honor Jesus as our Head and the Holy Spirit as our Counselor. We seek to be responsive to the Holy Spirit in life and ministry. (Ephesians 5:25)
• We value Prayer. We believe that prayer is essential because it is our primary means of communion with God and because it is God’s primary means of accomplishing His purposes in the world.
• We value discipleship. We aim first to grow as disciples of Christ ourselves and then to make disciples of others. (Matthew 28: 18-20)
• We value the mercy and grace of God. We believe that mercy and grace are fundamental to all that God does in salvation. We therefore aim to extend mercy and grace to one another and to all we may minister to. (Colossians 3:12-13)
• We value integrity. It is important to us to speak the truth, deal honestly, and live uprightly. (Ephesians 4:15)
• We value servant leadership. We believe that Christ has put significant leadership authority in the hands of the pastors. We aim to exercise that authority with humility, selflessness, grace, care for the sheep, and sincere desire to build up the Body of Christ. (Galatians 5:13)
• We value the individual. We strongly feel that every individual is personally known and loved by God, and is, therefore, worthy of our love, respect and attention. We believe that each person is uniquely created and gifted by God, and placed by Him in the Body of Christ where their capabilities can be of maximum benefit to themselves and to the whole Church.
• We value unity. We are convinced that all who belong to Christ are one in His Body, the Holy Spirit, and the church. We aim to maintain unity by honoring all who call on Jesus’ name and by seeking reconciliation with all parts of the church. (John 17: 21-23; Acts 4:12)
• We value relationships. We are honored by every person that God adds to Calvary Chapel Desert Hills. We aim to work together to build the church through maintaining mutual respect, open communication, determined cooperation, and believing and speaking the best about each other. (I Corinthians 13: 4-7)
• We value reality. We aim to walk in the Spirit and see real supernatural works of God. We aim also to function on the natural plane based on God’s leading in conjunction with excellent rational thinking. (James 1:5)
Priorities
• Worship:
Our priority is to worship God in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) We strive to be embraced by God and the outpouring of His miraculous presence among us in love, mercy, forgiveness, restoration and blessing. (Colossians 3:16)
• Fellowship:
We are the family of God, one Body in Jesus Christ, joined together as brothers and sisters forever. (John 17:20-23; Romans 12:3-5) We seek to develop real, intimate, enabling friendships together built on covenant love, mutual responsibility and faithfulness. (Hebrews 3:12-14; Philippians 2:3-5; Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 3:12-17)
• Training (Equipping, Teaching, Discipleship):
Our desire is to not only know the Word of God but to also do the Word of God. The Greek word for disciple is natheteuo which means “to learn to do” not “to learn to know”. James 1:22 says, “But prove yourselves doers of the Word and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” Our overall vision for Calvary Chapel Desert Hills comes from Ephesians 4:11-13 and is to equip the saints for works of service. Therefore, teaching the Bible in a simple and practical way is important to us.
• Ministry:
We believe that all Christians are called to serve Christ in the power of His Spirit, in ways that build up the local church. (1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; Acts 1:8)
• The Word:
We teach the Word of God in a practical, inspiring way. (Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17;) We aim to hear and obey God’s Word to us: to be “doers of the Word” who are being transformed into the likeness of Christ. (Matthew 7:24-27; James 1:22)
• Prayer:
We desire to enter into the presence of God with fervent and powerful prayer. We seek daily, real, Spirit-led speaking with and hearing from God. (Hebrews 4:16; Romans 8:26-28; James 5:16; Jude 20-21; Colossians 4:2)
• Evangelism:
The Bible calls all Christians to share their faith with a lost and dying world. (Matthew 28:19-20) We are called to do the ministry of Christ in the world today. (Acts 26:18)