What We Believe

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

We Call Ourselves the Rudyard Christian Reformed Church

Because we belong to Jesus Christ and want to be his followers. It is through the Love of Christ that we are united into a family of faith.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, - John 1:12

Because we are part of that historic branch of the Christian church that follows the teachings of the 16th-century reformer John Calvin, who struggled to return Christianity to its biblical roots.

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. - Titus 2:1

Because God has called us to be a fellowship of his people in the world. We often call ourselves “the CRC” for short.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. - Hebrews 10:24-25

Our emblem is the cross in a triangle. The triangle represents the Trinity, our belief in the one God who is known as three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

  Our Core Beliefs

The Christian Reformed Church of Rudyard’s core beliefs are rooted in the authority of Scripture, centered on Jesus Christ, and shaped by a Reformed understanding of God’s grace, truth, and mission.

There is nothing you can do to make God love you more or love you less. You cannot earn your way into heaven through good works. Salvation is a gift from God which none of us deserve.

Salvation is based on who your faith is in. To honor Jesus’ sacrifice, we try to live lives that honor Him, but our efforts cannot compare to what He has done for us. Salvation is about faith in who Jesus is and belief in what He did for you.

Jesus is all we need, we lack absolutely nothing. He is enough, and our Salvation is complete only through Him.

We were created to give glory to God and God alone. Any chasing after other things reflects our sinful desire to worship ourselves instead of God. He is enough, and He wants you to be all-in, body, soul, and mind.

Everything we need to know is sufficiently taught in the Scriptures. The Bible is clear in the necessary things that anyone can understand it through ordinary means. Other tools may be used that help summarize scripture and can allow us to gain a deeper understanding of it, but do not add to it.

Our Creeds and Confessions

The creeds and confessions that our church holds to are valuable summaries and useful tools to help us understand God's words of life. These include:

The Apostles Creed

The Nicene Creed

Athanasian Creed

The Belgic Confession

The Heidelberg Catechism

The Canons of Dort