Our beliefs are the basis of our practice. For more information about what we believe, please see our doctrinal statement. The section below is a summary of what you might observe when you visit Copper Cove Chapel. We hope that you notice…
- A Focus on the Glory of God—We believe that all the universe exists by God’s will, for God’s pleasure and to make Him known. To this end we make every effort to keep our theology, worship, ministry, and living focused on Him and what He has revealed as His will. Whenever we make a decision we ask, “Does this bring glory to God in the way He has prescribed?” Thus we attempt to be doxological (glory centered) rather than mainly pragmatic (I Cor. 10:31; Is. 48:9-11; Eph. 1: 4-6; Matt. 5:16; Rom. 3:25-26).
- Bible Centeredness—We believe that the Bible is God’s inerrant Word. It is our highest authority in areas of faith and practice. Consequently, you will find a significant emphasis on the careful teaching and study of God’s word at our weekly gatherings (II Tim. 3:16-17; 4:2; Heb. 4:12; I Peter 1:21).
- Elder Leadership—We believe that the church should be thoughtfully overseen by a group of qualified servant leaders called pastors or elders. Though they may divide the work among themselves in different ways, and some may be paid while others volunteer, they share the responsibility of shepherding God’s people through the teaching of His Word. There is not one “senior pastor” (Titus 1:5; Acts 20:17; I Tim. 3:1-13; I Pet. 5:1-2).
- Integrated Ministry—We believe that the biblical model of worship and fellowship is largely integrated: young and old, rich and poor, married and single, men and women. For this reason, you will likely notice that our activities are structured in a way that facilitates a family dynamic. From a fairly young age children join in the main Sunday service. Church workdays, Bible studies, and potlucks are multigenerational. We do have some ministries targeted toward certain groups, but even these seek to involve the larger congregation wherever possible. (Titus 2:1-9; Eph. 6:1-4; Deut. 6:4-7; I Tim. 2:11-14).
- Holistic Worship for God—We notice that Scripture sees worship as more than just singing. We emphasize that all of life and in particular all of the corporate expressions of the Church are characterized as worship, and worship is always for the one worshiped not for the worshiper. Fellowship, prayer, giving, Scripture reading, singing, the preaching of the Word, baptism and communion are all actions of worship! You will find a variety of musicians and musical styles, but times of singing are viewed as deliberate responses to God’s truth for his glory. These can be deeply moving times but they are not chiefly for our experience or enjoyment. Rather, they are for God (Romans 12:1-2; Eph. 5:19; Heb. 12:28-29; 13:15).
- Simplicity—You will not find a lot of programs at Copper Cove Chapel. There are many good ministries for a church to do and the people of crossroads are involved in lots of them: evangelism, foreign missions, humanitarian work, community activism, prison ministry, addiction treatment and a host of other ministries. These are done mainly at the individual level, rather than organized by the leadership of the church. We believe that a healthy church is an active church and that the focus of the local church should be to prayerfully equip its members through the Word for service to each other and to the community at large. Thus, the focus of organized ministry is toward the members of the church (Acts 6:4; Eph. 4:12-15; Gal. 6:10; Col. 4:2; Rom. 12:10).