I. What is Christianity? (An Overview)
1. What is the Biblical picture of a Christian?
There is much confusion today about what authentic Christianity is. Even in the narrower world of western Christendom there is at times a misconception as to what a true follower of Christ looks like. In essence, true Christianity begins in our inner heart transformation, not by outward works of religious merit. Jesus referred to this as being “born again” in John 3:3. This eternal changes begin in one who recognizes his or her lost condition and humbly comes before Jesus and confesses their sins to Him asking for His forgiveness in grace. The hope of a Christian’s forgiveness in not found in his or her own good works, but in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for the penalty of their sins. A Christian is then one who is forgiven by God and then transformed from the inside out. They do good works not to earn their salvation, but because they are saved. The Bible refers to one who has been changed by Jesus Christ, as a Christian.
Consider the following scriptures:
"Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.'" (John 3:3)
"For a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." (Acts 11:26)
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
"And without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6)
"But now God has shown us a different way to heaven-not by being good enough and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way…Now God says He will accept and acquit us - declare us not guilty - if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can all be saved in the same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like." (Romans 3:21-22)
To trust or have faith doesn't mean merely to agree with a doctrine intellectually. In the Bible, faith always includes action and response.
"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder." (James 2:19)
"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:17)
In the Bible, trust in God involved responses (action) in several ways: not works to earn salvation but responses that reveal faith.
A Biblical Christian response to this belief and faith can be seen in:
A. REPENTANCE
To repent means to “change one's mind.”
When we repent, the direction of our whole life changes dramatically -- it's like making a U-turn!
"I tell you the truth, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." (Luke 13:3)
"Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" (Acts 2:38)
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." (Act 3:19)
B. CONFESSION
Confession means to agree with God’s assessment of who we are. It means to honestly admit and express verbally before others our need for forgiveness and our decision to trust in Jesus.
"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)
"For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:10)
C. BAPTISM
Baptism comes from the Greek word “baptidzo”, which simply means to dip or immerse. In New Testament times, when a person decided to trust in Jesus, he or she would be “baptidzo” - immersed.
Baptism symbolizes the very core of our faith. Christ demonstrated immersion.
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." (Romans 6:3-4)
"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Galatians 3:27)
Conclusion: Repentance, confession, and baptism are the Biblical responses to God’s grace and trusting in Jesus.
2. What is a Biblical Picture of the Church?
Culture, business practices, or even denominational traditions often determine the nature, structure and practices of the church. At Cypress Crossings Christian Church, the Bible alone is our guide to determining what the local church is and does. What does the Bible say about the church? Here are a few examples.
A. The church is a body.
"Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it."
(1 Corinthians 12:27) ( Ephesians 5:23; Ephesians 1:22, 23, Colossians 1: 18, 2-19)
We are a body, not a business - an organism, not primarily an organization!
"Just as each of us has one body with many members and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith." (Romans 12: 4-6)
- In an organization, maintenance & profit margins become the focus.
- In an organism, specifically the church, ministry and serving others for their benefit, is the focus.
- In a body, each part has a function.
- In the body of Christ, the function is selected by God.
- In the church body we all have a crucial role to play.
"God gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up..." (Ephesians 4: 11-12)
B. The church is a family.
"You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds." (1 Peter 3:8) (LB) (Galatians 6:10; Hebrews 2: 10-12; 1 Peter 4:17)
"Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."
(1 Timothy 5:1-2)
So as a family we operate on the basis of relationships not rules.
C. The church is a fellowship.
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42)
Fellowship is something we are, not just do. A top priority in fellowship is harmony and unity.
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:3)
"So let us concentrate on the things that make for harmony and the growth of our fellowship together." (Romans 14:19)
"My prayer is not for them alone, I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." (John 17.20)
(Colossians 2:2, 3:13, 14, 15; 1Corinthians 1:10, 14:33; John 13:34-35; 2 Timothy 2:23; Romans 12:16-18, 15: 5-6; 2 Timothy 2:14; Proverbs 17:14; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 1:27, 2: 1-3, 4:2; 1 Peter 3:8; Psalms 133:1)
Point: A healthy family promotes unity.
"(Often) your meetings do more harm than good because I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you." (1 Corinthians 11:17-18)
D. The church is a flock (Jesus’ favorite metaphor for the church).
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10: 11)
II. What is Cypress Crossings Christian Church?
Our Mission
“We are committed to Fully loving God by Actively Following Jesus and Compassionately Seeking Others.”
(Mark 12:30-31 and Matthew 28:18-20)
Our Values
For all Christians, the foundation for the understanding and discernment of God’s will and desire for them corporately and individually is prayer. C4 is a church family who believes in and practices the spiritual discipline of prayer. The following Core Values for C4 are a direct result of prayer:
- The Supremacy of Christ and His Word.
- The Mission of Christ.
- The Growth in Christ.
- The Community of Christ.
- The Worldview of Christ.
Our Beliefs
- We believe in the one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as revealed in the Holy Bible and made known in Jesus Christ our Lord.
- We believe that Jesus, the divine Son became human, was born of a virgin, ministered in word and miracle, died for our sin, was raised bodily from the dead, ascended to God’s right hand and is coming again for His people.
- We believe that the Holy Spirit is presently ministering through the Christian Community and empowering lives of godliness and service.
- We believe humankind was created by God in His image and distinctively as male and female. Because of this, every human being, male and female, in every race and ethnicity, has equal and glorious value. Every human in endowed with a free will, though we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but can find restorative grace through Jesus Christ. Marriage in God’s design is of one male and one female.
- We believe that the Holy Bible is completely God-breathed, true in all its teaching, and the final authority for all matters of faith and practice. It is relevant for our time.
- We believe that Jesus Christ established his Church on earth to carry out His saving mission among all ethnic people groups and formed to it be One Holy People.
- We believe that there is a bodily resurrection of all humankind: the saved in Jesus Christ into everlasting joy, and the unsaved into everlasting punishment. Satan, Hell, and Heaven are all real.
- We believe in God’s saving grace that calls forth from people: faith, repentance, confession, baptism, and a new life and ministry through the Holy Spirit. Baptism is by immersion as seen in the New Testament. Ephesians 2:8, John 3:16, Matthew 18:3, Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1-11, Colossians 2:12, Ephesians 2:10.
- We believe that it is normal for every Follower of Jesus Christ to pursue a fully committed life to Jesus and to engage in their areas of gifted ministry.
- We commit ourselves to the teaching, practices and defense of these truths until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Vision
Cypress Crossing Christian Church’s (C4) mission and purpose is to live Jesus’ commands “to go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20), to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” and “to love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31). We believe God has called us to focus on reaching all those in Cypress, the surrounding Northwest Houston area, and world who are looking for the love, grace, mercy, and peace found in a committed relationship with Jesus. At C4, we are committed to fully loving God by actively following Jesus and compassionately reaching others.
Because of this, we envision:
• a conscious lifestyle of sharing the good news of Christ’s life, ministry, death, and resurrection with everyone we meet.
• an authentic discipleship process of walking alongside one another that includes corporate worship, teaching that is Biblical and relevant to everyday life, small groups where our people model Biblical community by doing life together, growth that challenges us to serve others, and opportunities for outreach into the community and world in service and evangelism.
• a facility that will accommodate our mission and provide ample room for community worship services, small group Bible study, prayer, family recreational activities, and community service.
• training and sending out many of our members as missionaries, church planters, and church workers all over the world as C4 becomes a resource center and model for Kingdom growth in Cypress and the surrounding Northwest Houston area, Houston and Harris County, Texas, our nation and the world.
As a result of C4’s lifestyle of sharing the love of Christ and the discipleship process, we envision the Cypress area being different in the years to come, with the influence of Christ being increasingly felt in homes, businesses, education, and politics. We desire to grow as God prospers us and uses us to reach a lost, hurting, untrusting and dying world.
Our Growth
Once People come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ it is imperative that they begin a tract of personal growth with Jesus Christ. At the Crossings, beginning that journey is as simple as A. B. C.
Actively engage in corporate and private worship.
-Sunday morning attendance and involvement.
-Begin daily private worship and Bible Reading.
Build on the foundation in Connection groups.
1. Spiritual Growth4. Fellowship
2. Pastoral Care5. Accountability
3. Encouragement6. Just plain fun
Commit to Ministry involvement.
- Share your faith story with family and friends.
- Join ministry team or area of service.
a. Helper in Ministry Area.
b. Apprentice.
c. Worker
d. Leader
Our Membership- Why Make a Commitment?
The difference between “attendees” and “belonging” can be summed up in one word: commitment.
At Cypress Crossings Christian Church we recognize the need to be a membership-based church and therefore ask you to commit to membership for a least seven reasons:
1. A Biblical Reason: Christ is committed to the church.
“Christ loved the church, and He gave his life for it." (Ephesians 5:25)
2. A Cultural Reason: It is an antidote in our society.
We live in an age where very few want to be committed to anything; job, marriage, and country. This attitude has produced a generation of church 'shoppers and hoppers'. Membership swims against the current of America's consumer religion. It provides a model for our society on the value of belonging.
3. A Practical Reason: It defines who can be counted upon.
Every team must have a roster. Every school must have an enrollment. Even our country takes a census and requires voter registration. Membership identifies our family.
4. A Personal Reason: It produces spiritual growth.
The New Testament places a major emphasis on the need for Christians to be accountable to each other for spiritual growth. You cannot be accountable when you are not committed to any specific church family.
5. A Creative Reason: It creates the type of future we desire.
Commitments are greatly misunderstood in our culture - they are often seen as something that 'ties us down' or holds us back. But commitments aren't constraints, they are road maps. They are the tools that God uses to shape our future! Our commitments help us create the type of life and future that will glorify God and fulfill us. We make our commitments, but in the end our commitments make us.
6. A "Same Page" Reason: Membership does not mean uniformity, but it does mean unity.
As followers of Christ we are all different and there is really a lot of freedom in the Church of Jesus Christ for all kinds of practices. But when we commit to the same mission and values of the church we commit to each other as a football team commits to the same play book. By doing this we avoid division and commit to going forward together in strength and unity.
7. A Legal Reason: It shows our willing submission to the authorities.
In order for us to benefit from non-profit status and 501c3 standing, we must be able to clearly illustrate and define to the State what our membership is. This shows that we are indeed a non-profit entity by their standards.
What is expected of me as a member?
At Cypress Crossings Christian Church, we never ask our members to do more than the Bible clearly teaches. We only expect our members to do what the Bible expects every Christian to do. These responsibilities are spelled out in our Membership Covenant.
Having received Christ as My Lord and Savior and having been baptized by immersion into His name, I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with the Cypress Crossings Christian Church family. In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the other members, to do the following:
1. I commit myself anew to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
2. I commit myself to the authority of the Scriptures and I accept them as the foundation and guide for my life, doctrine, and practices. I commit myself to personal growth through the study of the scriptures. I commit myself to refrain from advocating doctrines that are foreign to the Statement of Beliefs in such a way as to cause dissension.
3. I commit myself to and will support the Church mission, beliefs, and values.
4. I commit myself to protecting the unity of our church by acting in love towards other members, by refusing to gossip, and by following the leaders as they follow Christ.
5. I commit myself to active involvement in the life of the church by:
- Faithful and regular attendance in our Sunday morning gatherings.
- Sharing my faith story with others and inviting them to attend.
- Developing friendships by involvement in small connection groups.
- Active participation and service in a specific ministry area.
- Consistent support of Cypress Crossings Christian Church through prayer and tithing according to my ability.
Next steps on mission:
1. Who is in my world that I can serve and share my faith story with?
2. What is an area where I can serve my church family? (Here are some ministry team opportunities)
- C4 Community fellowship
- Outreach
- Children
- Students
- Adult discipleship
- Administration
- Pastoral care
- Sunday morning gathering Worship team, including audio and video
- Physical properties
- Prayer team
- Technical team
1. What is the Biblical picture of a Christian?
There is much confusion today about what authentic Christianity is. Even in the narrower world of western Christendom there is at times a misconception as to what a true follower of Christ looks like. In essence, true Christianity begins in our inner heart transformation, not by outward works of religious merit. Jesus referred to this as being “born again” in John 3:3. This eternal changes begin in one who recognizes his or her lost condition and humbly comes before Jesus and confesses their sins to Him asking for His forgiveness in grace. The hope of a Christian’s forgiveness in not found in his or her own good works, but in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for the penalty of their sins. A Christian is then one who is forgiven by God and then transformed from the inside out. They do good works not to earn their salvation, but because they are saved. The Bible refers to one who has been changed by Jesus Christ, as a Christian.
Consider the following scriptures:
"Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.'" (John 3:3)
"For a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." (Acts 11:26)
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
"And without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6)
"But now God has shown us a different way to heaven-not by being good enough and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way…Now God says He will accept and acquit us - declare us not guilty - if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can all be saved in the same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like." (Romans 3:21-22)
To trust or have faith doesn't mean merely to agree with a doctrine intellectually. In the Bible, faith always includes action and response.
"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder." (James 2:19)
"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:17)
In the Bible, trust in God involved responses (action) in several ways: not works to earn salvation but responses that reveal faith.
A Biblical Christian response to this belief and faith can be seen in:
A. REPENTANCE
To repent means to “change one's mind.”
When we repent, the direction of our whole life changes dramatically -- it's like making a U-turn!
"I tell you the truth, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." (Luke 13:3)
"Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" (Acts 2:38)
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." (Act 3:19)
B. CONFESSION
Confession means to agree with God’s assessment of who we are. It means to honestly admit and express verbally before others our need for forgiveness and our decision to trust in Jesus.
"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)
"For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:10)
C. BAPTISM
Baptism comes from the Greek word “baptidzo”, which simply means to dip or immerse. In New Testament times, when a person decided to trust in Jesus, he or she would be “baptidzo” - immersed.
Baptism symbolizes the very core of our faith. Christ demonstrated immersion.
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." (Romans 6:3-4)
"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Galatians 3:27)
Conclusion: Repentance, confession, and baptism are the Biblical responses to God’s grace and trusting in Jesus.
2. What is a Biblical Picture of the Church?
Culture, business practices, or even denominational traditions often determine the nature, structure and practices of the church. At Cypress Crossings Christian Church, the Bible alone is our guide to determining what the local church is and does. What does the Bible say about the church? Here are a few examples.
A. The church is a body.
"Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it."
(1 Corinthians 12:27) ( Ephesians 5:23; Ephesians 1:22, 23, Colossians 1: 18, 2-19)
We are a body, not a business - an organism, not primarily an organization!
"Just as each of us has one body with many members and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith." (Romans 12: 4-6)
- In an organization, maintenance & profit margins become the focus.
- In an organism, specifically the church, ministry and serving others for their benefit, is the focus.
- In a body, each part has a function.
- In the body of Christ, the function is selected by God.
- In the church body we all have a crucial role to play.
"God gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up..." (Ephesians 4: 11-12)
B. The church is a family.
"You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds." (1 Peter 3:8) (LB) (Galatians 6:10; Hebrews 2: 10-12; 1 Peter 4:17)
"Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."
(1 Timothy 5:1-2)
So as a family we operate on the basis of relationships not rules.
C. The church is a fellowship.
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42)
Fellowship is something we are, not just do. A top priority in fellowship is harmony and unity.
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:3)
"So let us concentrate on the things that make for harmony and the growth of our fellowship together." (Romans 14:19)
"My prayer is not for them alone, I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." (John 17.20)
(Colossians 2:2, 3:13, 14, 15; 1Corinthians 1:10, 14:33; John 13:34-35; 2 Timothy 2:23; Romans 12:16-18, 15: 5-6; 2 Timothy 2:14; Proverbs 17:14; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 1:27, 2: 1-3, 4:2; 1 Peter 3:8; Psalms 133:1)
Point: A healthy family promotes unity.
"(Often) your meetings do more harm than good because I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you." (1 Corinthians 11:17-18)
D. The church is a flock (Jesus’ favorite metaphor for the church).
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10: 11)
II. What is Cypress Crossings Christian Church?
Our Mission
“We are committed to Fully loving God by Actively Following Jesus and Compassionately Seeking Others.”
(Mark 12:30-31 and Matthew 28:18-20)
Our Values
For all Christians, the foundation for the understanding and discernment of God’s will and desire for them corporately and individually is prayer. C4 is a church family who believes in and practices the spiritual discipline of prayer. The following Core Values for C4 are a direct result of prayer:
- The Supremacy of Christ and His Word.
- The Mission of Christ.
- The Growth in Christ.
- The Community of Christ.
- The Worldview of Christ.
Our Beliefs
- We believe in the one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as revealed in the Holy Bible and made known in Jesus Christ our Lord.
- We believe that Jesus, the divine Son became human, was born of a virgin, ministered in word and miracle, died for our sin, was raised bodily from the dead, ascended to God’s right hand and is coming again for His people.
- We believe that the Holy Spirit is presently ministering through the Christian Community and empowering lives of godliness and service.
- We believe humankind was created by God in His image and distinctively as male and female. Because of this, every human being, male and female, in every race and ethnicity, has equal and glorious value. Every human in endowed with a free will, though we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but can find restorative grace through Jesus Christ. Marriage in God’s design is of one male and one female.
- We believe that the Holy Bible is completely God-breathed, true in all its teaching, and the final authority for all matters of faith and practice. It is relevant for our time.
- We believe that Jesus Christ established his Church on earth to carry out His saving mission among all ethnic people groups and formed to it be One Holy People.
- We believe that there is a bodily resurrection of all humankind: the saved in Jesus Christ into everlasting joy, and the unsaved into everlasting punishment. Satan, Hell, and Heaven are all real.
- We believe in God’s saving grace that calls forth from people: faith, repentance, confession, baptism, and a new life and ministry through the Holy Spirit. Baptism is by immersion as seen in the New Testament. Ephesians 2:8, John 3:16, Matthew 18:3, Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1-11, Colossians 2:12, Ephesians 2:10.
- We believe that it is normal for every Follower of Jesus Christ to pursue a fully committed life to Jesus and to engage in their areas of gifted ministry.
- We commit ourselves to the teaching, practices and defense of these truths until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Vision
Cypress Crossing Christian Church’s (C4) mission and purpose is to live Jesus’ commands “to go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20), to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” and “to love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31). We believe God has called us to focus on reaching all those in Cypress, the surrounding Northwest Houston area, and world who are looking for the love, grace, mercy, and peace found in a committed relationship with Jesus. At C4, we are committed to fully loving God by actively following Jesus and compassionately reaching others.
Because of this, we envision:
• a conscious lifestyle of sharing the good news of Christ’s life, ministry, death, and resurrection with everyone we meet.
• an authentic discipleship process of walking alongside one another that includes corporate worship, teaching that is Biblical and relevant to everyday life, small groups where our people model Biblical community by doing life together, growth that challenges us to serve others, and opportunities for outreach into the community and world in service and evangelism.
• a facility that will accommodate our mission and provide ample room for community worship services, small group Bible study, prayer, family recreational activities, and community service.
• training and sending out many of our members as missionaries, church planters, and church workers all over the world as C4 becomes a resource center and model for Kingdom growth in Cypress and the surrounding Northwest Houston area, Houston and Harris County, Texas, our nation and the world.
As a result of C4’s lifestyle of sharing the love of Christ and the discipleship process, we envision the Cypress area being different in the years to come, with the influence of Christ being increasingly felt in homes, businesses, education, and politics. We desire to grow as God prospers us and uses us to reach a lost, hurting, untrusting and dying world.
Our Growth
Once People come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ it is imperative that they begin a tract of personal growth with Jesus Christ. At the Crossings, beginning that journey is as simple as A. B. C.
Actively engage in corporate and private worship.
-Sunday morning attendance and involvement.
-Begin daily private worship and Bible Reading.
Build on the foundation in Connection groups.
1. Spiritual Growth4. Fellowship
2. Pastoral Care5. Accountability
3. Encouragement6. Just plain fun
Commit to Ministry involvement.
- Share your faith story with family and friends.
- Join ministry team or area of service.
a. Helper in Ministry Area.
b. Apprentice.
c. Worker
d. Leader
Our Membership- Why Make a Commitment?
The difference between “attendees” and “belonging” can be summed up in one word: commitment.
At Cypress Crossings Christian Church we recognize the need to be a membership-based church and therefore ask you to commit to membership for a least seven reasons:
1. A Biblical Reason: Christ is committed to the church.
“Christ loved the church, and He gave his life for it." (Ephesians 5:25)
2. A Cultural Reason: It is an antidote in our society.
We live in an age where very few want to be committed to anything; job, marriage, and country. This attitude has produced a generation of church 'shoppers and hoppers'. Membership swims against the current of America's consumer religion. It provides a model for our society on the value of belonging.
3. A Practical Reason: It defines who can be counted upon.
Every team must have a roster. Every school must have an enrollment. Even our country takes a census and requires voter registration. Membership identifies our family.
4. A Personal Reason: It produces spiritual growth.
The New Testament places a major emphasis on the need for Christians to be accountable to each other for spiritual growth. You cannot be accountable when you are not committed to any specific church family.
5. A Creative Reason: It creates the type of future we desire.
Commitments are greatly misunderstood in our culture - they are often seen as something that 'ties us down' or holds us back. But commitments aren't constraints, they are road maps. They are the tools that God uses to shape our future! Our commitments help us create the type of life and future that will glorify God and fulfill us. We make our commitments, but in the end our commitments make us.
6. A "Same Page" Reason: Membership does not mean uniformity, but it does mean unity.
As followers of Christ we are all different and there is really a lot of freedom in the Church of Jesus Christ for all kinds of practices. But when we commit to the same mission and values of the church we commit to each other as a football team commits to the same play book. By doing this we avoid division and commit to going forward together in strength and unity.
7. A Legal Reason: It shows our willing submission to the authorities.
In order for us to benefit from non-profit status and 501c3 standing, we must be able to clearly illustrate and define to the State what our membership is. This shows that we are indeed a non-profit entity by their standards.
What is expected of me as a member?
At Cypress Crossings Christian Church, we never ask our members to do more than the Bible clearly teaches. We only expect our members to do what the Bible expects every Christian to do. These responsibilities are spelled out in our Membership Covenant.
Having received Christ as My Lord and Savior and having been baptized by immersion into His name, I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with the Cypress Crossings Christian Church family. In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the other members, to do the following:
1. I commit myself anew to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
2. I commit myself to the authority of the Scriptures and I accept them as the foundation and guide for my life, doctrine, and practices. I commit myself to personal growth through the study of the scriptures. I commit myself to refrain from advocating doctrines that are foreign to the Statement of Beliefs in such a way as to cause dissension.
3. I commit myself to and will support the Church mission, beliefs, and values.
4. I commit myself to protecting the unity of our church by acting in love towards other members, by refusing to gossip, and by following the leaders as they follow Christ.
5. I commit myself to active involvement in the life of the church by:
- Faithful and regular attendance in our Sunday morning gatherings.
- Sharing my faith story with others and inviting them to attend.
- Developing friendships by involvement in small connection groups.
- Active participation and service in a specific ministry area.
- Consistent support of Cypress Crossings Christian Church through prayer and tithing according to my ability.
Next steps on mission:
1. Who is in my world that I can serve and share my faith story with?
2. What is an area where I can serve my church family? (Here are some ministry team opportunities)
- C4 Community fellowship
- Outreach
- Children
- Students
- Adult discipleship
- Administration
- Pastoral care
- Sunday morning gathering Worship team, including audio and video
- Physical properties
- Prayer team
- Technical team