About Us
Weekly Service Times: Sunday Morning 10:30am
(Any special weeknight service will begin at 6:30pm)
Christ’s Church of Starke is independent and unaffiliated with any other group or denomination that has a similar name.
The Lord led our Pastor to change the name of our church back in 2011. This was announced on March 20, 2011 during the morning’s message to the agreement of the flock. It is highly recommended that those interested in this topic should listen to the complete message from that morning. Here is the edited portion of that message that addresses this change directly. Portion of 3/20/11am message
What we believe….
Christ’s Church of Starke – Statement of Faith
1. Scripture – We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was inspired and penned by Spirit-controlled men, and therefore has truth without any admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the absolute center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions, should be held. (2Timothy 3:16, 17; 2Peter 1:19-21.)
2. God – We believe there is one – and only one – living and true God; and infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly glorious in His holiness, and worthy of all and every possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing specific and harmonious roles in the great work of redemption. (John 14:16, 17; Matthew 28:18; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35.)
3. Jesus Christ – We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. We believe in His bodily resurrection from the grave and in His ascension to the right hand of God – where He ever liveth to make intercession for us – and in His premillennial, visible, bodily return to the earth at the end of the age. (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1,2; Luke:1:35; Hebrews 1:1-3; Titus 2:14; Isaiah 7:14; John 1:14.)
4. Holy Spirit – We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world, He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convinces and convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the broker in the act of conceiving Life in the new believer; that He seals, endures, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer throughout our pilgrim journey; that He fills the patient and prepared believer to be the witness Jesus has commanded us to be (Genesis 1:1-3; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5,6; Ephesians 1:13, 14; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35; John 1:33; Acts 1:8; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; Romans 8:14; Romans 8:16; Romans 8:26,27.)
5. Satan – We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age and the author of all the powers of darkness and their deceptions, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Matthew 4:1-34; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10.)
6. Creation – We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, “each after its own kind”, by direct act, according to the Genesis account; and not by the process of evolution. We also believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God. (Genesis, chapters 1 and 2; Colossians 1:16,17; John 1:3.)
7. Fall of Man – We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression, fell from his sinless state and consequently all mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but of choice; and, therefore, under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 1:18-20; Romans 5:10-19; Romans 1:13; Romans 1:32.)
8. Atonement for Sin – We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through faith; through the mediatorial role of the Son of God, who, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death, made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted of setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the just dying for the unjust; Christ the Lord bearing our sin in His own Body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful Person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior. (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14-16; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; 1John 4:10; 2Corinthians 5:21; 1Peter 3:18; 1Peter 2:24; 1Corinthians 15:3,4.)
9. Grace in the New Birth – We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous in justification and progressive toward sanctification; that in the new birth, the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives the very resurrected glorified Life of the Risen Lord which is the free gift of God and the actual hope of glory (Colossians 1:27;) that the new creation is brought solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel and a life taking up our cross; that its proper evidence appears in the Holy fruits of repentance, faith and newness of life. (John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 5:1; John 3:6,7; Acts 16:33,36; 2Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:10; Ephesians 2:1; II Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8; John 20:21,22.)
10. Justification – We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secured to such as believe in Him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of divine and eternal life, on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness imputed to us. (Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 8:1; Romans 5:9; Romans 5:1.)
11. Faith, Repentance and Salvation – We believe that personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation; that this faith is the gift of God and the very faith of Jesus Christ; that a corresponding action in salvation is repentance toward God which is of itself an act of God’s grace toward sinful man (Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 3:22; Galatians 3:22; Philippians 3:9; Acts 16:31; 2Timothy 2:25; Acts 20:21.)
12. The Security of the Saints – We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, are truly righteous in His esteem; that the security of the believer is confirmed in the accountability and responsibility to obey, serve, and mature into His image; that all who continue in unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse of judgment. (Malachi 3:18; Romans 6:17,18; 1John 5:19; Romans 6:23; Luke 6:25; Matthew 25:14-30.)
13. Marriage and the Home – We believe that the home was the first institution God provided for man (Genesis 2:12- 24), and that marriage is a sacred relationship between one man and one woman and honorable for all (Hebrew 13:4; 2Corinthians 7:2). Marriage is used as an emblem of the union of Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:21-23). “What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder” (Mark 10:9.)
14. The Church – Regarding the universal church, we believe that the true Spiritual church is a New Testament organism; unknown to the Old Testament prophets; established by Jesus Christ, who is it’s sole Head and we His body; revealed, empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit; created into existence upon the resurrection of our Lord (Ephesians 3:2-6; Matthew 16:18; John 20:21-23; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22,23; 1Corinthians 12:12-28.)
Regarding the local church, we believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interferences of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for the true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Acts 2:41,42; 1Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22,23; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 20:7,28; 1Timothy 3:15; Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23,24; Acts 15:4-28; Matthew 18:15-17.)
15. Ordinances – We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith in the crucified, buried, risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. (Acts 8:26-39; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; Matthew 28:19; 1Corinthians 23:28; Luke 22:14-20.)
16. Civil Government – We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society; that the magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Romans 13:1-7; 1Timothy 2:1,1; Acts 5:29; Revelation 19:16.)
17. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ – We believe in the personal, imminent and pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed and ready ones and to establish the Millennial Kingdom. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Thessalonians 1:6-12; Revelation 20:1-6.)
18. The Judgment Seat of Christ – We believe that every saved person will appear before the “Judgment Seat” to be judged by the Righteous Lord in regard to works of faithful service and that those works will be tried by fire. We believe that regular emphasis of this coming reckoning is vital to persuade and remind believers of their responsibility and accountability to obey the commands of scripture and to warn them of possible punishment for disobedience or neglect (Matthew 25:14-30; 1Corinthians 3:11-15; 2Corinthians 5:10,11.)
