At CSF, we affirm the essential doctrines that the historical, creedal, orthodox, Christian church agrees upon—the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people (Jude 1:3). We believe the teachings and commands of God are uniquely and providentially passed down in the God-inspired, holy 66 books of the Bible—our light and guide.

 

Of course, as a non-denominational campus ministry we allow for a diversity of opinion on certain issues. Campus ministry is a mission field where students come from a variety of backgrounds seeking shelter and spiritual nourishment. So CSF students harbor many opinions on peripheral matters. We want to welcome as many students as possible into this Christ-centered home on campus. However, on essentials our desire is to be united in living out the classical expression of the faith common among all Christians. We find more agreement in the essentials of mere Christianity than we find disagreement, and place a value on genuine ecumenical, biblical orthodoxy.

 

Among those essentials taught in God’s Holy Scriptures are:

 

1. We believe in the Triune God—Father, Son, Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
2. Because all humanity fell, helpless in a state of sin, the Son came and took on flesh to live among us (John 1:14). Jesus, fully God and fully man, was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life—the unique and only Son of God, our only hope for salvation (John 14:6).
3. Put to death on the cross, Jesus died the death we deserved to atone for our sin and raised bodily to life again, defeating Death (Hebrews 2:14-18).
4. It is through faith in Christ that we participate in the death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:5-8). Meriting nothing on our own, it is by the work of Christ that we are reconciled to God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
5. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in and regenerate Christians, establishing the Church—the worldwide community of Christians. (John 14:26; John 20:22)
6. Through the power of the Spirit, the Church exists both as an outpost of the Kingdom of Heaven (2 Peter 2:9-12) and as a means through which the message of Christ’s salvation reaches the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
7. Once the fullness of this mission has been carried out in the Father’s eyes, Christ will come again to judge the world, restore all things, and fully institute the Kingdom of God (Acts 3:21).

 

Until that day CSF lives the mission of the Church specifically for the college campus and all places it impacts, establishing a community which, through participation in, college students will witness and experience the Kingdom of God and the power of Christ’s salvation. Our prayer is for God to bring His Kingdom to UK (and beyond) as it is in Heaven. Amen.

Most churches and ministries have a key listing, a set of core doctrines, of what they believe. These typically aren’t knock down, drag out lists of everything they believe but they do hit at least a few key beliefs. The ancient Christian creeds were an attempt to summarize the teaching of the bible. Some creeds got at that Scriptural truth better than others. Here’s our fun attempt at a 21st century collegiate ministry rendition of hitting some of our key beliefs we’ve just discussed, expressing orthodoxy but with a uniquely CSF flavor. Hopefully this gives a taste of what CSF is like.

 

As revealed in God’s Holy Scripture, we believe in God the Father, who created something out of nothing, and the first member of the Trinity. He created heaven and earth. He’s the source of all there is, not an old white dude with a beard.

 

As revealed in God’s Holy Scripture, we believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God, begotten by the Father, eternal, forever, second person of the Trinity. Born of the Virgin Mary, he suffered and died the death that we deserved to die so we could live the life he deserved to live. He was crucified, buried, and on the third day, he rose again. He hungout for awhile with his friends in his cool, new resurrected body, then ascended to heaven.

 

As revealed in God’s Holy Scripture, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the gift to us from the Father, the third member of the Trinity. The Spirit, along with the Father and Son, is worshipped and glorified, and dwells within the new temple—the hearts of Christian believers.

 

As revealed in God’s Holy Scripture, we believe in we: the holy, ecumenical, little-c catholic church. We are connected to the saints throughout history in our confession of Jesus as Lord, and we believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Grace and peace. Amen.