What We Believe
Hucrest Community Church is committed to being the body of Christ in spirit, word, and deed. We are committed to studying the Word of God and faithfully living it out as we make more and maturing disciples. We seek to love and serve all people, beginning with those within our sphere of activity and influence.
While the “Bible is our rule of faith,” here are some foundational beliefs that reflect the heart of our church:
- Salvation makes us members of the body of Christ. We believe that the church is composed of every person who has accepted Jesus Christ as Savior. We enter into the life of the church, not by joining an organization, but by committing our lives to Christ.
- The body of Christ is one, here and now. We believe that God calls all Christians to live in unity and peace. While Christians may not agree on all things, we can embrace the spirit of Christ in caring concern for one another. Jesus is our common foundation.
- All members of the body of Christ are to live a holy life. We believe that God’s standard of life for all Christians is one of moral purity and godliness, to live as Christ and to represent Christ in this world.
- The Lordship of Jesus Christ. There is one Lord, God’s Son, Jesus Christ, over the church, so Christ is the church’s ultimate authority in all things.
- The Great Commission. Each of us is called to fulfill Matthew 28:18–20, making “more and maturing disciples” of Jesus.
- The Great Commandment. We are called to fulfill Matthew 22:37–39, not only loving God with our entire being, but also loving all that He loves.
- The Holy Spirit’s Work. God’s Spirit equips believers with unique gifts that enable us to carry out the mission of Christ in the world. At the same time, the Spirit produces fruit (see Gal. 5:22-23) in every believer, which demonstrate the Spirit’s presence within us.
- Stewardship. All of life is to be used for the honor, glory, and service of God.
We worship, serve, and grow together as citizens of God’s kingdom. We celebrate our life in Christ and embrace our call to be the body of Christ to our world—all to the glory of God.
Who We Are
Hucrest Community Church is part of a worldwide movement known as the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), a movement of churches that first appeared in the 1800s in the midst of the broader American Holiness Revival. The pioneers of the Church of God hoped to restore a more biblical understanding and practice of what it means to be the church. Each congregation of the Church of God is an autonomous gathering of believers that is interdependently connected to the larger church for pastoral and congregational accountability and to partner in cooperative ministries and missions.
Our congregation voluntarily contributes toward and works with our state ministry, the Association of the Churches of God in Oregon and Southwest Washington, but there are no expectations other than the annual certification of ministers and pastors by the state. Nationally the general offices of the Church of God are located in Anderson, Indiana, where the General Assembly of the Church of God meets annually.
As for the structure of our local church, we are congregational in government, that is, the final authority of decisions for our church rests with the congregation. We are led by a Ministry Council consisting of five ratified congregational leaders and pastoral staff, who oversee the spiritual programs of the church. We also have a congregationally-ratified nine-member Board of Trustees who deal with the management of finances, property and legal matters.
