Our mission is to make Him known, share His Love and build up His Body, the Church.
About the Church
Calvary Chapel Payson is a non-denominational fellowship of believers that is an affiliate of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa California, with Pastor Chuck Smith as it's founder, and under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Although we are not opposed to denominational congregations, we believe that God’s (Agape) Love, is greater than any of our denominational differences and is the true basis of Christian fellowship. We look for the presence of His Love in our lives as the greatest evidence that we are truly following Him. Our greatest desire is to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ and to be conformed into His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our mission is to make Him known, share His Love and build up His Body, the Church.
We Believe
Calvary Chapel faithfully upholds expository teaching; A "verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book" approach to teaching the Bible. This essentially means that the sermons are directly related to a passage of the Bible, and following sermons will start where the previous sermon left off (often this is done from Genesis to Revelation). We hold the opinion that topical studies fail to present the "whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27) and that ministers who use this approach often choose topics that they have a certain inclination to teach, while leaving out important controversial issues of the Bible. It is Calvary's desire to teach, not preach the word, in order to equip and train laymen for everyday ministry as well as encourage development of a personal relationship with Christ.
Eschatology; Calvary Chapel holds strongly to the pretribulation and premillennial viewpoints. We believe that the rapture of the Church will occur first, followed by a literal seven year period of Great Tribulation, followed by the second coming of Jesus Christ, and then finally a literal thousand year reign of Jesus Christ on earth called the Millennial Kingdom. Calvary Chapel also rejects Supersessionism or Replacement Theology and instead believes that Israel will play an important part in the end times.
Calvary Chapel's most defining practice is the emphasis on the Bible. We believe that God meant what He said and said what He meant, and His desires is that we follow the Word literally.
We simply teach the Word of God, simply.
Calvary Chapel Payson is a non-denominational fellowship of believers that is an affiliate of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa California, with Pastor Chuck Smith as it's founder, and under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Although we are not opposed to denominational congregations, we believe that God’s (Agape) Love, is greater than any of our denominational differences and is the true basis of Christian fellowship. We look for the presence of His Love in our lives as the greatest evidence that we are truly following Him. Our greatest desire is to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ and to be conformed into His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our mission is to make Him known, share His Love and build up His Body, the Church.
We Believe
- Worship of God should be spiritual; We remain flexible and yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit to direct our worship.
- Worship of God should be intelligent; Our services are conducted with emphasis upon teaching the Word of God, so that He might instruct us as to how He would be worshiped.
- Worship of God is fruitful; therefore, we look for His love in our lives as the supreme manifestation that we have truly been worshipping Him.
- Worship of God should be inspirational; We give a great place to music in our worship.
- Our worship music is contemporary in style, using common instruments of today. We also include traditional hymns in our worship.
- We believe the Bible is the inspired, complete Word of God revealed to man, and that the Bible is complete and without heresy or untruth.
- We believe all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today but must be used according to the Word of God as outlined in the Bible.
- We believe the evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is Agape love.
- We believe in both the sovereignty of God, which is called predestination, and the responsibility of man, free will. So we are neither Calvinists nor Armeniests in our biblical views. We consider ourselves Biblicists.
- We do not maintain a church membership; You must be born again spiritually to join the church of Jesus Christ, therefore membership is in the whole church of Jesus, not just our local fellowship.
- We accept the Water Baptism of all Christian, Bible-believing fellowships.
- We do not believe a person must be water baptized to go to heaven, but should be baptized publicly to follow the example of The Lord Jesus and the teaching of the Apostles
- We allow Communion (Lord's Supper) with any person who claims Jesus as their Lord. We observe Communion on the first Sunday of the month.
- In our form of church government Calvary Chapel operates under a mostly episcopal structure. (A Senior Pastor led, Church Elder and Deacon run, form of government)
- Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Although Calvary Chapel believes in the continuing efficacy of the gift of tongues, we do not recognize uninterpreted tongues spoken to the whole congregation to be those inspired (or at least directed) by the Holy Spirit because of our understanding of 1st Corinthians 14. Interpreted tongues and modern prophecy are affirmed doctrinally by Calvary Chapel. Practicing tongues in private is more common.
- Tongues and prophecy are not a normal part of typical Sunday morning church services, but they are held as doctrinally valid. Sunday evening and during prayer meetings and believers meetings we encourage the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be exercised by the Church body in accordance with the scriptures.
Calvary Chapel faithfully upholds expository teaching; A "verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book" approach to teaching the Bible. This essentially means that the sermons are directly related to a passage of the Bible, and following sermons will start where the previous sermon left off (often this is done from Genesis to Revelation). We hold the opinion that topical studies fail to present the "whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27) and that ministers who use this approach often choose topics that they have a certain inclination to teach, while leaving out important controversial issues of the Bible. It is Calvary's desire to teach, not preach the word, in order to equip and train laymen for everyday ministry as well as encourage development of a personal relationship with Christ.
Eschatology; Calvary Chapel holds strongly to the pretribulation and premillennial viewpoints. We believe that the rapture of the Church will occur first, followed by a literal seven year period of Great Tribulation, followed by the second coming of Jesus Christ, and then finally a literal thousand year reign of Jesus Christ on earth called the Millennial Kingdom. Calvary Chapel also rejects Supersessionism or Replacement Theology and instead believes that Israel will play an important part in the end times.
Calvary Chapel's most defining practice is the emphasis on the Bible. We believe that God meant what He said and said what He meant, and His desires is that we follow the Word literally.
We simply teach the Word of God, simply.
