ARTICLE I - WHO WE ARE
1. Contact Info - P.O. Box 215 Leavenworth, KS 66048 | [email protected]
2. Purpose - We strive to be a Christian church that leads the lost and unbelieving to salvation in Jesus Christ and that further equips Christ followers with biblical wisdom, knowledge, and training. As we seek and save the lost, and grow alongside one another, we desire to maintain a culture of loving fellowship that functions as a complete body of believers. We believe that the first century Christian church, found in the book of Acts, is an exemplary model of how to do church. Just as God used those simple people, we pray that God would use City Won Church to radically impact our world for Jesus, love one another deeply, multiply disciples both locally and in faraway places, and to see the Lord add to His church daily.
Psalm 19:17, 1 Corinthians 12:12, Acts 2:42-47, John 4:22-24, Psalm 100:1-2, Matthew 28:16-20
3. Objectives - Teach the whole Bible | Fellowship with one another | Keep the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus in the center of our focus | Pray for one another, our church, and the full kingdom of God | Joyfully worship God in Spirit and Truth | Spread the Gospel locally and abroad.
4. Our History - A couple years prior to its 2021 inception, City Won Church was an unnamed desire of a few couples in Leavenworth County Kansas. As they prayed for God to send a Pastor to join them, a Pastor, who lived two thousand miles away, began to feel God call him to the middle of the country. Answering the call of God, Pastor Kyle Mitchell moved his family to Leavenworth, Kansas and quickly met the prayerful couples. The group began to meet and talk about doctrine and culture and methods and realized that they had a common vision and mission. So, they began to meet in their living rooms to bond and to seek God’s will and timing for the launch of this new church. City Won Church held its first public service on January 2nd, 2022 at The Riverfront Community Center in Leavenworth, KS.
5. Calvary Global Network - City Won Church chooses to be in free association with the Calvary Global Network family of Calvary Chapel churches. Beginning in 1965 in Southern California, this fellowship of churches grew out of Chuck Smith's Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. In November 2016, Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa left the Calvary Chapel Association and formed the Calvary Chapel Global Network. Calvary Global Network is a community of churches committed to engaging in gospel proclamation, disciple-making, and church planting throughout the world.
ARTICLE II - GOVERNANCE
1. Elders - The Elders are male Family Members that meet the spiritual qualifications established in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:1-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-3. The Elders oversee the direction of the church and the active ministry demands of the body, and they are to make all necessary decisions in total unity. Our goal is to have the majority of the Elders be from outside of the church Staff, and no one is directly compensated for their service. An Elder may be added or removed at any time by the rest of the Elders. In the event of a conflict of interest, or an extended excused absence, an Elder may be excluded from a decision without a compromise to Elder unity.
2. Lead Pastor - Like the apostles in the early church, the roles of the Lead Pastor are primarily in the areas of prayer and teaching (Acts 6:4), and to discern the vision and pace that unites the church in its mission (Proverbs 29:18). He is to be a man that meets the spiritual qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:1-9. As one of the Elders, the Lead Pastor functions as a “leader among equals” and is to lean heavily on the other Elders for wisdom, accountability, assistance, and encouragement.
3. Executive Director and Executive Board - The Executive Director is tasked with the financial, legal, and executional functions of the church. He or she is also empowered to assemble an Executive Board made up of church Family Members for increased wisdom, innovation, and accountability. All Elder appointed Executive Board members serve for an indefinite length of time and no one is directly compensated for their service.
4. Staff - The Staff is made up of those tasked with full time, part time, or key volunteer duties. They are deemed as those that “work” for the church, and may or may not be compensated for their tasks. All Elder appointed Staff members serve for an indefinite time period, pursuant to all local, state, and federal employment practices and laws.
5. Deacons - The Deacons are Family Members who meet the spiritual qualifications set forth in Acts 6:3 and 1 Timothy 3:8-13. All Elder appointed Deacons serve for an indefinite time period. His or her duties will generally consist of the supervision and maintenance of the tangible and real property owned, leased, or rented by the church. They are to set an example in godly conduct, see that all things are done in decency and order (1 Corinthians 14:40), and provide for the security and safety of the facilities and all those who attend the property.
6. Family Members - A Family Member is one whose commitment to the fellowship is deep and comprehensive. They are consistent in attendance, service, giving, growth, and fellowship. We do not have traditional church membership standards, practices, and lists, but rather believe that one’s behavior dictates their status as a Family Member. Self-evident Family Members are given a stronger voice in the shaping of the church than those who participate casually and irregularly.
ARTICLE III - STATEMENT OF FAITH
1. The Triune God
a. The one and only true God is Spirit: self-existent, infinite, personal, unchangeable, and eternal in His being; perfect in holiness, love, justice, goodness, wisdom, and truth; omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent; Creator and Sustainer of all things, visible and invisible; both immanent and transcendent to creation; eternally existent in three persons, one in substance and coequal in power and glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Gen. 1:1; Ex. 3:14, 34:6; Deut 6:4, 32:4; 1 Kings 8:27; Neh. 9:6; Ps. 90:2, 103:8, 116:5, 147:5; Isa. 6:3, 40:28, 57:15; Jer. 23:23-24; Mal. 3:6; Matt. 28:19; John 4:24, 14:16; Acts 17:28; 1 Cor. 8:4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Col. 1:17; 1 Tim. 1:17; Heb. 1:2, 12 and 11:3; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 John 4:10-16
b. The Father is begotten of none. He is the eternal Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Author of salvation, the Father of all who are born into the newness of life through faith in Christ.
Gen. 1:1; Ps. 90:2; John 13:3, 16:28; Eph. 1:3-4; 1 Pet. 1:2-3; 1 John 2:23, 3:1
c. We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; in His eternal generation from the Father; in His incarnation by which He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, thus uniting the divine and human natures in their completeness into the one unique person of Jesus Christ; in His sinless life and miraculous works; in His vicarious death to make atonement for the sins of the world; in His bodily resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father; in His sovereign power and lordship; in His present mediatorial ministry as the believer's Advocate; in His second coming in power and glory.
Isa. 53:6; Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 1:35; John 1:1,14,18; Acts 2:22, 24-32; Rom. 1:3-4, 8:34; 2 Cor. 5:18-19; Eph. 1:19-22; Col. 3:4; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 1:8, 4:15, 7:25; 1 Pet. 1:18, 2:22 and 24, 3:18; 1 John 2:1-2
d. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the triune God, proceeding from the Father and sent by the Son, is one in substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternally God. His office and work is to reprove or convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; to regenerate those who repent of their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; to sanctify, empower, teach, guide, and comfort the believer. The Scriptures reveal the work of the Holy Spirit in the church to be that of uniting believers into the body of Christ, possessing it as the temple of God, equipping it with gifts and graces for service, giving it the body of inspired truth and imparting to it the spirit of illumination and guidance into all truth, and presiding over and guiding the church into the will of God.
Matt. 28:19; Luke 24:49; John 3:5-6, 14:16-18 and 26, 15:26, 16:7-14; Acts 1:8, 2:14, 13:24, 15:28; Rom. 12:68; 1 Cor. 2:10-12, 6:19-20, 12:4-11, 12:13; 2 Cor. 6:16, 13:14; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 2:21-22; 2 Thess. 2:13; Tit. 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:2, 1 John 2:20-27
2. The Bible
a. The Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God given by divine inspiration and is inerrant in the original manuscripts. The Bible today remains the unchanging authority in matters of Christian faith and practice. It is true and reliable in all the matters it addresses and free of any errors or contradictions.
Ps. 119:9, 89, 105; Matt. 24:35; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:25; 2 Pet. 1:21
3. Mankind
a. Creation. The first man, Adam, was created by an immediate act of God and not by a process of evolution. Adam and Eve were created in the image and likeness of God, possessing personality and holiness; in their original state Adam and Eve enjoyed sweet fellowship with God, the purpose of their creation being that they might glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Because all people have been created in the likeness of God they are self-conscious personalities capable of free and rational choice.
Gen. 1:27; Eph. 1:5-6
b. The Fall. Our first parents did not remain in the perfect state of their original creation, but, being deluded through the subtlety of Satan, voluntarily disobeyed the positive command of God, and thus were alienated from God and incurred upon themselves and their posterity the sentence of death both physical and spiritual. Even the earth was cursed because of Adam's sin. In consequence of this act of disobedience, the entire human race has become so corrupted that in every heart there is by nature that evil disposition which eventually leads to responsible acts of sin and to just condemnation.
Gen. 3:13, 16-17; Isa. 64:6; Rom. 7:7; 1 John 1:8
c. His Redemption. God has provided redemption for everyone through the mediatorial work of Christ, who voluntarily offered Himself on Calvary as a perfect sacrifice for sin, the just suffering for the unjust, bearing sin's curse and tasting death for everyone.
John 10:17-18; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 1:15, 2:5-6; Tit. 2:11-12; Heb. 2:9; 1 Pet. 3:18
4. Salvation
a. Since all people are sinners and guilty before God and are dead in trespasses and sin and therefore are unable to save themselves, God has, out of His infinite love, given His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to become their Savior.
Matt. 1:21; John 3:14-17, 6:44; Rom. 3:10-12, 19, 20, 23; Eph. 2:13, 8-9
b. Repentance. Genuine repentance is a necessary attitude and act of one's will that makes it possible for a holy and just God to forgive one's sins. As an attitude it involves a knowledge of, a change of mind toward, and a godly sorrow for sin; a proper reverence for God's holiness; and a surrender to God. As an act it means confessing and forsaking sin. Repentance is one's appropriate response to the grace of God in conviction. As a fruit of repentance, insofar as possible where sin has been committed against another, restitution should be made.
Ps. 51:3-4; Prov. 28:13; Isa. 6:15, 55:6-7; Matt. 3:2 and 8, 4:17; Luke 13:3, 15:18, 18:13, 19:8; John 16:8-11; Acts 11:18; Rom. 2:4, 10:9-10; 2 Cor. 7:9-10; 2 Tim. 2:25
c. Faith. Faith must accompany repentance and is an act of the will whereby one embraces the promises of God and appropriates to oneself personally the provisions of God's grace. It is resting in the completeness and adequacy of the atoning merit of Christ's sacrifice as the sole ground and hope of salvation. Faith must be active throughout the life of the believer and must manifest itself in obedience and good works.
Acts 13:38-39, 16:31; Rom. 4:3, 5:1; Eph. 2:8-10; Heb. 11:6; James 2:17
d. Justification and Regeneration. When the requirements of repentance and faith have been met, God justifies and regenerates the sinner. Justification is a judicial act absolving from guilt and punishment and restoring to divine favor. Justification has to do with the changing of the sinner's standing before God. Regeneration has to do with the changing of the sinner's nature through the impartation of divine life. Regeneration is a spiritual quickening, a new birth. This experience is witnessed by the indwelling Holy Spirit who produces in the heart a desire to do the will of God.
John 3:3, 5, 5:24; Acts 22:10; Rom. 5:1, 9, 4:4-5, 8:16, 33; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:1; 2 Pet. 1:4
e. Sanctification and Filling with the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is the work of God in making people holy. It is the will of God. It is provided in the atonement, and is experienced through faith by the operation of the Holy Spirit through the Word and the blood. While the divine work of making people holy begins at conversion, believers must surrender to the Holy Spirit's sanctifying power in their lives as they battle the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Furthermore, through a subsequent decisive experience, believers are to deny self, be purified in heart, and be filled with the Holy Spirit that they may be separated wholly unto God to serve Him in righteousness and holiness. Their growth in Christ-likeness will be accelerated and deepened through continually submitting to His Lordship in every aspect of life until they are called to heaven.
Ps. 4:3; Matt. 16:24; John 17:17; Acts 15:8-9; Rom. 6:19 and 22, 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 7:1; Gal. 2:20, 6:14; Eph. 5:26; Col. 3:3, 1 Thess. 4:3, 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 12:14, 13:12; 1 Pet. 1:2 and 15-16; 2 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 5:6
f. Resurrection and Glorification. The bodily resurrection of Christ is true, and because He lives we too will live. At the return of the Lord the bodies of the righteous dead will be raised and the living believers with them will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and will be changed so that both will have literal, spiritual, and immortal bodies like unto Christ's own glorious body. Our glorification is God's final act in our salvation and will be realized when we see Him as He is.
1 Cor. 15:38, 19-23; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Thess. 4:14-17; 1 John 3:2
5. The Church
a. The invisible and universal church is an organism composed of all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who have been called out from the world, separated from sin, and vitally united by faith to Christ, its living Head and sovereign Lord.
1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 1:22-23, 4:15-16; Col. 1:18; Heb. 12:23
b. The visible and local church is an organized body of believers in Christ who are voluntarily joined together, and who meet at regular times for teaching in the Word, fellowship of the saints, observance of the ordinances, administration of discipline, exercise in prayer, and participation in public worship and evangelism.
Matt. 18:15-17; Acts 2:42, 46, 47, 20:7; 1 Cor. 5:14, 16:2
c. The primary duties of the church consist of glorifying God and exalting the Lord Jesus Christ, building itself up in the faith, and of preaching the Gospel in all the world.
Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8, 20:32; Eph. 1:5-6, 3:21, 4:11-16; 1 Pet. 4:11; Jude 20-21
6. The Last Things
a. The Return of Christ. The second coming of Christ is the hope of the church and will be personal, bodily, visible, premillennial, and redemptive. His return, for which we must be constantly prepared, is a source of encouragement and consolation, a motive for pure and holy living, and an inspiration for ministry and mission. Christ will descend into the clouds, where His church, the waiting bride, will be caught up to meet Him. Subsequently, He will return to earth with His church to judge and rule the entire world.
Matt. 24:14, 36-51, 25:1-13; Mark 13:10, 32-37; Luke 21:27-28; John 14:13; Acts 1:11; 1 Cor. 15:58; Col. 3:1-4; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11; Tit. 2:12-13; Heb. 9:28; James 5:7-8; 1 John 2:28-3:3; Rev. 1:7, 22:12-13
b. The Tribulation. In the final years of this present age an unprecedented time of intensified persecution and divine judgments will occur worldwide. This period of "great tribulation" will culminate with the coming of Christ who will triumph at the Battle of Armageddon, subdue evil and fully establish His kingdom on earth.
Matt. 24:15-31; 1 Cor. 15:24-25; 2 Thess. 2:1-10; Rev. 6:1-19:21
c. The Millennium. After Christ returns with His church, He will reign on earth for a thousand years. During this period, Satan will be bound, and Christ will demonstrate His sovereign power over evil by ruling the world in righteousness.
Ps. 2:7-9, 98:9; Isa. 9:3-7, 11:6-9; Dan. 7:13-14; Rev. 20:1-6
d. The Judgments. No condemnation awaits those in Christ who by faith were judged as sinners at the cross and have passed out of death into life. However, as children in the family of God, they are being disciplined and chastened during this lifetime as God fashions them to the image of His Son. Their lives and works will be judged for rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Those without faith in Christ will appear before God for
final judgment and condemnation at the Great White Throne.
Ps. 96:13; Eccl. 12:14; Matt. 25:14-46; John 5:24; Rom. 8:1, 29; 1 Cor. 3:8-15, 4:2-5, 11:32; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Tim. 4:8; Heb. 9:27, 12:5-8; Rev .20:11-15
e. The Eternal State. Ultimately, all unbelievers will be justly sentenced to eternal conscious punishment in hell together with Satan and all his angels. All believers in Christ will live forever, experiencing eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace.
Isa. 65:17, 66:22; Dan. 12:2; Matt. 25:42, 46; Mark 9:42-48; John 5:28-29, 14:1-3; Eph. 1:3-14; Phil. 3:20-21; 2 Thess. 1:8-9; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 14:9-11, 20:10-15, 21:1-22:7
ARTICLE IV - CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
1. Ordinances
a. The Christian ordinances are two in number, baptism and communion. They are the outward rites appointed by Christ to be administered in each local church, not as means of salvation, but as visible signs and seals of its reality.
b. Baptism. Baptism by water is the symbol of one's union by faith with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection, and constitutes the public confession of these spiritual realities to the world and is the answer of a good conscience toward God. Baptism is therefore to be administered by immersion to those who have been born again by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and who give evidence of the genuineness of their salvation.
Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38-41, 8:36-39; Rom. 6:35; Col. 2:12; 1 Pet. 3:21; Mark 16:16
c. Communion. Communion was instituted by Christ Himself on the night of His betrayal. We believe that it is a memorial of Christ's death, a center of communion and fellowship, a testimony to saving faith, and a visible seal of Christ's redemptive covenant. It is to be observed only by the children of God and consists in partaking of the consecrated emblems of bread and the fruit of the vine, which symbolize the death of Christ for the remission of our sins and our continual dependence upon Him for life and sustenance until He comes. While the Lord's Supper is open to all true believers regardless of denomination, each one is strongly exhorted to "examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup."
Matt. 26:26-30; Luke 22:15-20; 1 Cor. 10:16, 11:23-24
2. Divine Healing
a. In the redemptive work of Christ, provision has been made for man's physical healing. This benefit may be realized based on the conditions set forth in God's Word.
Gen. 3:16-19; Job 2:7; Isa. 53:4-5; Matt. 8:16-17; Mark 6:13; Acts 10:38; James 5:13-16; 1 Pet. 2:24; Mark 16:17-18
3. The Sabbath
a. In this present age the first day of the week has been traditionally set aside as the Sabbath Day for rest and worship. This observance is commended to the followers of the Lord Jesus in commemoration of His glorious resurrection. The first day of the week has been kept as the Sabbath by the church from apostolic times, but the heart of the commandment allows for any day to be used. It is imperative that we keep a Sabbath.
John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Gen. 2:13; Ex, 20:811; Num. 15:32-36; Col. 2:16
4. Christian Stewardship
a. God's ownership of all things creatively and redemptively is unquestioned in the Scriptures. Since we are saved by grace and the death of Christ provided our ransom, our whole being, body, soul, and spirit should be freely given to God, which is our reasonable service.
b. Not only does God claim our love and devotion, but He has made us stewards of what we have in time, talent, and treasure. Since giving of our means to support the Lord's work is a scriptural injunction and an act of worship received and memorialized by our Lord, and since tithing antedates the Mosaic Law, was confirmed in the Law, and was approved by our Lord Jesus Christ, and since the New Testament clearly indicates that our giving is to be proportionate, believers are encouraged to adopt the system of tithing their income as a minimum expression of their stewardship. Our stewardship in material things is to be motivated by the spirit and an example of our Lord who gave Himself for us all.
Gen. 14:20, 28:22; Mal. 3:8, 10; Matt. 23:23; Acts 4:32; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 8:9, 9:6-7
5. Dedication of Children
a. The Scriptures teach the divine concern for the well being of little children and their commitment to God. We, therefore, heartily encourage the formal dedication of little children in a public service of the church.
1 Sam. 1:24-28; Matt. 19:13-15
6. Marriage and the Home
a. Marriage is a sacred institution ordained of God and is an indissoluble union of one husband (born male) and one wife (born female) until parted by death. Marriage should only be entered into in the fear and will of God. Accordingly, a believer should not be united in holy matrimony with an unbeliever.
Gen. 2:24; Deut. 7:3; Matt. 19:46; 1 Cor. 7:7, 39; 2 Cor. 6:14-17
b. Ministers and parents have an obligation to teach the sanctity of marriage and to warn against believers being yoked with unbelievers. Ministers should not knowingly officiate at the marriage of a believer and an unbeliever.
2 Cor. 6:14-15
c. Ministers are forbidden from encouraging or officiating same sex “marriages."
Gen. 2:24; Lev. 18:22; Matt. 19:4,5; Rom. 1:26,27; 1 Cor. 6:9,10
d. The home is a divinely ordained institution in which the husband is the head but serves its members by the law of love. Filial obedience is to be rendered by children in the spirit of mutual respect and love. The home is the most important institution in which to nurture children in the faith, and great care is to be exercised by pastors and parents in building homes that are genuinely and consistently Christian.
Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 78:46; Eph. 5:22 and 25, 6:14; Col. 3:18-21
7. Divorce
a. Divorce is viewed in the Scripture as contrary to God's will. Christians should seek, by forbearance and forgiveness, to preserve the marriage bond.
Gen. 2:24; Mal. 2:15-16; Matt. 5:31-32, 19:3-12; Mark 10:11-12; 1 Cor. 7:10-16
b. Divorce between members of the church is an occasion of great tragedy. Such brings the teaching and reality of Christian reconciliation under reproach. The Pastors and Elders will counsel the offenders in the proper steps toward repentance and reconciliation. Care should be exercised that such action be as redemptive as possible for all parties.
c. Pastors are to refrain from performing marriage ceremonies where one or both parties are divorced, except where adultery of the previous marriage partner is involved. Where such persons are recognized as living genuine Christian lives, and where there is good evidence that a true Christian marriage is intended, pastors are permitted at their discretion to solemnize the marriage.
8. Conduct
a. Christians are not to be conformed to the worldview and lifestyle of the world of which they are a part, but, on the contrary, are to function as salt to prevent the spread of moral corruption and as light to dispel spiritual darkness. It is therefore imperative that they set high standards for their personal and collective life.
b. A Christian's disposition and attitude should be characterized by godliness and the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
c. A Christian's social relationships should bear witness to Christ with their entire conduct reflecting the spiritual ideals of Christianity rather than the world. They should
not hold membership in oathbound secret societies and should not compromise Christian principles in partnerships.
d. A Christian's body should be treated as temples of the Holy Spirit, making it inconsistent with both Christian testimony and sound principles of health to injure their influence or bodies by the use of intoxicating beverages to the point of drunkenness, illegal narcotics, and other harmful products.
Isa. 5:22; 1 Cor. 6:12, 19-20; 2 Cor. 6:14, 7:1; Gal. 5:18-26; 1 Tim. 2:9-10; 1 Pet. 3:24
9. Attitude Toward Civil Government
a. Civil government is ordained by God for the welfare of society to promote and protect the good and to restrain and punish evil. Therefore, it is the duty of Christians to pray for rulers and for those that are in authority over them and to give due loyalty, respect, and obedience to them. Christians are also encouraged to take an active interest in government at all levels. Where the demands of civil law would militate against the supreme law and will of God, Christians should "obey God rather than men."
Dan. 4:17; Matt. 22:17-21; Acts 4:19, 5:29; Rom. 13:14; 1 Tim. 2:14; Tit. 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13-14
1. Contact Info - P.O. Box 215 Leavenworth, KS 66048 | [email protected]
2. Purpose - We strive to be a Christian church that leads the lost and unbelieving to salvation in Jesus Christ and that further equips Christ followers with biblical wisdom, knowledge, and training. As we seek and save the lost, and grow alongside one another, we desire to maintain a culture of loving fellowship that functions as a complete body of believers. We believe that the first century Christian church, found in the book of Acts, is an exemplary model of how to do church. Just as God used those simple people, we pray that God would use City Won Church to radically impact our world for Jesus, love one another deeply, multiply disciples both locally and in faraway places, and to see the Lord add to His church daily.
Psalm 19:17, 1 Corinthians 12:12, Acts 2:42-47, John 4:22-24, Psalm 100:1-2, Matthew 28:16-20
3. Objectives - Teach the whole Bible | Fellowship with one another | Keep the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus in the center of our focus | Pray for one another, our church, and the full kingdom of God | Joyfully worship God in Spirit and Truth | Spread the Gospel locally and abroad.
4. Our History - A couple years prior to its 2021 inception, City Won Church was an unnamed desire of a few couples in Leavenworth County Kansas. As they prayed for God to send a Pastor to join them, a Pastor, who lived two thousand miles away, began to feel God call him to the middle of the country. Answering the call of God, Pastor Kyle Mitchell moved his family to Leavenworth, Kansas and quickly met the prayerful couples. The group began to meet and talk about doctrine and culture and methods and realized that they had a common vision and mission. So, they began to meet in their living rooms to bond and to seek God’s will and timing for the launch of this new church. City Won Church held its first public service on January 2nd, 2022 at The Riverfront Community Center in Leavenworth, KS.
5. Calvary Global Network - City Won Church chooses to be in free association with the Calvary Global Network family of Calvary Chapel churches. Beginning in 1965 in Southern California, this fellowship of churches grew out of Chuck Smith's Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. In November 2016, Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa left the Calvary Chapel Association and formed the Calvary Chapel Global Network. Calvary Global Network is a community of churches committed to engaging in gospel proclamation, disciple-making, and church planting throughout the world.
ARTICLE II - GOVERNANCE
1. Elders - The Elders are male Family Members that meet the spiritual qualifications established in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:1-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-3. The Elders oversee the direction of the church and the active ministry demands of the body, and they are to make all necessary decisions in total unity. Our goal is to have the majority of the Elders be from outside of the church Staff, and no one is directly compensated for their service. An Elder may be added or removed at any time by the rest of the Elders. In the event of a conflict of interest, or an extended excused absence, an Elder may be excluded from a decision without a compromise to Elder unity.
2. Lead Pastor - Like the apostles in the early church, the roles of the Lead Pastor are primarily in the areas of prayer and teaching (Acts 6:4), and to discern the vision and pace that unites the church in its mission (Proverbs 29:18). He is to be a man that meets the spiritual qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:1-9. As one of the Elders, the Lead Pastor functions as a “leader among equals” and is to lean heavily on the other Elders for wisdom, accountability, assistance, and encouragement.
3. Executive Director and Executive Board - The Executive Director is tasked with the financial, legal, and executional functions of the church. He or she is also empowered to assemble an Executive Board made up of church Family Members for increased wisdom, innovation, and accountability. All Elder appointed Executive Board members serve for an indefinite length of time and no one is directly compensated for their service.
4. Staff - The Staff is made up of those tasked with full time, part time, or key volunteer duties. They are deemed as those that “work” for the church, and may or may not be compensated for their tasks. All Elder appointed Staff members serve for an indefinite time period, pursuant to all local, state, and federal employment practices and laws.
5. Deacons - The Deacons are Family Members who meet the spiritual qualifications set forth in Acts 6:3 and 1 Timothy 3:8-13. All Elder appointed Deacons serve for an indefinite time period. His or her duties will generally consist of the supervision and maintenance of the tangible and real property owned, leased, or rented by the church. They are to set an example in godly conduct, see that all things are done in decency and order (1 Corinthians 14:40), and provide for the security and safety of the facilities and all those who attend the property.
6. Family Members - A Family Member is one whose commitment to the fellowship is deep and comprehensive. They are consistent in attendance, service, giving, growth, and fellowship. We do not have traditional church membership standards, practices, and lists, but rather believe that one’s behavior dictates their status as a Family Member. Self-evident Family Members are given a stronger voice in the shaping of the church than those who participate casually and irregularly.
ARTICLE III - STATEMENT OF FAITH
1. The Triune God
a. The one and only true God is Spirit: self-existent, infinite, personal, unchangeable, and eternal in His being; perfect in holiness, love, justice, goodness, wisdom, and truth; omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent; Creator and Sustainer of all things, visible and invisible; both immanent and transcendent to creation; eternally existent in three persons, one in substance and coequal in power and glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Gen. 1:1; Ex. 3:14, 34:6; Deut 6:4, 32:4; 1 Kings 8:27; Neh. 9:6; Ps. 90:2, 103:8, 116:5, 147:5; Isa. 6:3, 40:28, 57:15; Jer. 23:23-24; Mal. 3:6; Matt. 28:19; John 4:24, 14:16; Acts 17:28; 1 Cor. 8:4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Col. 1:17; 1 Tim. 1:17; Heb. 1:2, 12 and 11:3; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 John 4:10-16
b. The Father is begotten of none. He is the eternal Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Author of salvation, the Father of all who are born into the newness of life through faith in Christ.
Gen. 1:1; Ps. 90:2; John 13:3, 16:28; Eph. 1:3-4; 1 Pet. 1:2-3; 1 John 2:23, 3:1
c. We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; in His eternal generation from the Father; in His incarnation by which He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, thus uniting the divine and human natures in their completeness into the one unique person of Jesus Christ; in His sinless life and miraculous works; in His vicarious death to make atonement for the sins of the world; in His bodily resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father; in His sovereign power and lordship; in His present mediatorial ministry as the believer's Advocate; in His second coming in power and glory.
Isa. 53:6; Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 1:35; John 1:1,14,18; Acts 2:22, 24-32; Rom. 1:3-4, 8:34; 2 Cor. 5:18-19; Eph. 1:19-22; Col. 3:4; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 1:8, 4:15, 7:25; 1 Pet. 1:18, 2:22 and 24, 3:18; 1 John 2:1-2
d. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the triune God, proceeding from the Father and sent by the Son, is one in substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternally God. His office and work is to reprove or convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; to regenerate those who repent of their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; to sanctify, empower, teach, guide, and comfort the believer. The Scriptures reveal the work of the Holy Spirit in the church to be that of uniting believers into the body of Christ, possessing it as the temple of God, equipping it with gifts and graces for service, giving it the body of inspired truth and imparting to it the spirit of illumination and guidance into all truth, and presiding over and guiding the church into the will of God.
Matt. 28:19; Luke 24:49; John 3:5-6, 14:16-18 and 26, 15:26, 16:7-14; Acts 1:8, 2:14, 13:24, 15:28; Rom. 12:68; 1 Cor. 2:10-12, 6:19-20, 12:4-11, 12:13; 2 Cor. 6:16, 13:14; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 2:21-22; 2 Thess. 2:13; Tit. 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:2, 1 John 2:20-27
2. The Bible
a. The Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God given by divine inspiration and is inerrant in the original manuscripts. The Bible today remains the unchanging authority in matters of Christian faith and practice. It is true and reliable in all the matters it addresses and free of any errors or contradictions.
Ps. 119:9, 89, 105; Matt. 24:35; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:25; 2 Pet. 1:21
3. Mankind
a. Creation. The first man, Adam, was created by an immediate act of God and not by a process of evolution. Adam and Eve were created in the image and likeness of God, possessing personality and holiness; in their original state Adam and Eve enjoyed sweet fellowship with God, the purpose of their creation being that they might glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Because all people have been created in the likeness of God they are self-conscious personalities capable of free and rational choice.
Gen. 1:27; Eph. 1:5-6
b. The Fall. Our first parents did not remain in the perfect state of their original creation, but, being deluded through the subtlety of Satan, voluntarily disobeyed the positive command of God, and thus were alienated from God and incurred upon themselves and their posterity the sentence of death both physical and spiritual. Even the earth was cursed because of Adam's sin. In consequence of this act of disobedience, the entire human race has become so corrupted that in every heart there is by nature that evil disposition which eventually leads to responsible acts of sin and to just condemnation.
Gen. 3:13, 16-17; Isa. 64:6; Rom. 7:7; 1 John 1:8
c. His Redemption. God has provided redemption for everyone through the mediatorial work of Christ, who voluntarily offered Himself on Calvary as a perfect sacrifice for sin, the just suffering for the unjust, bearing sin's curse and tasting death for everyone.
John 10:17-18; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 1:15, 2:5-6; Tit. 2:11-12; Heb. 2:9; 1 Pet. 3:18
4. Salvation
a. Since all people are sinners and guilty before God and are dead in trespasses and sin and therefore are unable to save themselves, God has, out of His infinite love, given His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to become their Savior.
Matt. 1:21; John 3:14-17, 6:44; Rom. 3:10-12, 19, 20, 23; Eph. 2:13, 8-9
b. Repentance. Genuine repentance is a necessary attitude and act of one's will that makes it possible for a holy and just God to forgive one's sins. As an attitude it involves a knowledge of, a change of mind toward, and a godly sorrow for sin; a proper reverence for God's holiness; and a surrender to God. As an act it means confessing and forsaking sin. Repentance is one's appropriate response to the grace of God in conviction. As a fruit of repentance, insofar as possible where sin has been committed against another, restitution should be made.
Ps. 51:3-4; Prov. 28:13; Isa. 6:15, 55:6-7; Matt. 3:2 and 8, 4:17; Luke 13:3, 15:18, 18:13, 19:8; John 16:8-11; Acts 11:18; Rom. 2:4, 10:9-10; 2 Cor. 7:9-10; 2 Tim. 2:25
c. Faith. Faith must accompany repentance and is an act of the will whereby one embraces the promises of God and appropriates to oneself personally the provisions of God's grace. It is resting in the completeness and adequacy of the atoning merit of Christ's sacrifice as the sole ground and hope of salvation. Faith must be active throughout the life of the believer and must manifest itself in obedience and good works.
Acts 13:38-39, 16:31; Rom. 4:3, 5:1; Eph. 2:8-10; Heb. 11:6; James 2:17
d. Justification and Regeneration. When the requirements of repentance and faith have been met, God justifies and regenerates the sinner. Justification is a judicial act absolving from guilt and punishment and restoring to divine favor. Justification has to do with the changing of the sinner's standing before God. Regeneration has to do with the changing of the sinner's nature through the impartation of divine life. Regeneration is a spiritual quickening, a new birth. This experience is witnessed by the indwelling Holy Spirit who produces in the heart a desire to do the will of God.
John 3:3, 5, 5:24; Acts 22:10; Rom. 5:1, 9, 4:4-5, 8:16, 33; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:1; 2 Pet. 1:4
e. Sanctification and Filling with the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is the work of God in making people holy. It is the will of God. It is provided in the atonement, and is experienced through faith by the operation of the Holy Spirit through the Word and the blood. While the divine work of making people holy begins at conversion, believers must surrender to the Holy Spirit's sanctifying power in their lives as they battle the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Furthermore, through a subsequent decisive experience, believers are to deny self, be purified in heart, and be filled with the Holy Spirit that they may be separated wholly unto God to serve Him in righteousness and holiness. Their growth in Christ-likeness will be accelerated and deepened through continually submitting to His Lordship in every aspect of life until they are called to heaven.
Ps. 4:3; Matt. 16:24; John 17:17; Acts 15:8-9; Rom. 6:19 and 22, 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 7:1; Gal. 2:20, 6:14; Eph. 5:26; Col. 3:3, 1 Thess. 4:3, 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 12:14, 13:12; 1 Pet. 1:2 and 15-16; 2 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 5:6
f. Resurrection and Glorification. The bodily resurrection of Christ is true, and because He lives we too will live. At the return of the Lord the bodies of the righteous dead will be raised and the living believers with them will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and will be changed so that both will have literal, spiritual, and immortal bodies like unto Christ's own glorious body. Our glorification is God's final act in our salvation and will be realized when we see Him as He is.
1 Cor. 15:38, 19-23; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Thess. 4:14-17; 1 John 3:2
5. The Church
a. The invisible and universal church is an organism composed of all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who have been called out from the world, separated from sin, and vitally united by faith to Christ, its living Head and sovereign Lord.
1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 1:22-23, 4:15-16; Col. 1:18; Heb. 12:23
b. The visible and local church is an organized body of believers in Christ who are voluntarily joined together, and who meet at regular times for teaching in the Word, fellowship of the saints, observance of the ordinances, administration of discipline, exercise in prayer, and participation in public worship and evangelism.
Matt. 18:15-17; Acts 2:42, 46, 47, 20:7; 1 Cor. 5:14, 16:2
c. The primary duties of the church consist of glorifying God and exalting the Lord Jesus Christ, building itself up in the faith, and of preaching the Gospel in all the world.
Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8, 20:32; Eph. 1:5-6, 3:21, 4:11-16; 1 Pet. 4:11; Jude 20-21
6. The Last Things
a. The Return of Christ. The second coming of Christ is the hope of the church and will be personal, bodily, visible, premillennial, and redemptive. His return, for which we must be constantly prepared, is a source of encouragement and consolation, a motive for pure and holy living, and an inspiration for ministry and mission. Christ will descend into the clouds, where His church, the waiting bride, will be caught up to meet Him. Subsequently, He will return to earth with His church to judge and rule the entire world.
Matt. 24:14, 36-51, 25:1-13; Mark 13:10, 32-37; Luke 21:27-28; John 14:13; Acts 1:11; 1 Cor. 15:58; Col. 3:1-4; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11; Tit. 2:12-13; Heb. 9:28; James 5:7-8; 1 John 2:28-3:3; Rev. 1:7, 22:12-13
b. The Tribulation. In the final years of this present age an unprecedented time of intensified persecution and divine judgments will occur worldwide. This period of "great tribulation" will culminate with the coming of Christ who will triumph at the Battle of Armageddon, subdue evil and fully establish His kingdom on earth.
Matt. 24:15-31; 1 Cor. 15:24-25; 2 Thess. 2:1-10; Rev. 6:1-19:21
c. The Millennium. After Christ returns with His church, He will reign on earth for a thousand years. During this period, Satan will be bound, and Christ will demonstrate His sovereign power over evil by ruling the world in righteousness.
Ps. 2:7-9, 98:9; Isa. 9:3-7, 11:6-9; Dan. 7:13-14; Rev. 20:1-6
d. The Judgments. No condemnation awaits those in Christ who by faith were judged as sinners at the cross and have passed out of death into life. However, as children in the family of God, they are being disciplined and chastened during this lifetime as God fashions them to the image of His Son. Their lives and works will be judged for rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Those without faith in Christ will appear before God for
final judgment and condemnation at the Great White Throne.
Ps. 96:13; Eccl. 12:14; Matt. 25:14-46; John 5:24; Rom. 8:1, 29; 1 Cor. 3:8-15, 4:2-5, 11:32; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Tim. 4:8; Heb. 9:27, 12:5-8; Rev .20:11-15
e. The Eternal State. Ultimately, all unbelievers will be justly sentenced to eternal conscious punishment in hell together with Satan and all his angels. All believers in Christ will live forever, experiencing eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace.
Isa. 65:17, 66:22; Dan. 12:2; Matt. 25:42, 46; Mark 9:42-48; John 5:28-29, 14:1-3; Eph. 1:3-14; Phil. 3:20-21; 2 Thess. 1:8-9; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 14:9-11, 20:10-15, 21:1-22:7
ARTICLE IV - CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
1. Ordinances
a. The Christian ordinances are two in number, baptism and communion. They are the outward rites appointed by Christ to be administered in each local church, not as means of salvation, but as visible signs and seals of its reality.
b. Baptism. Baptism by water is the symbol of one's union by faith with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection, and constitutes the public confession of these spiritual realities to the world and is the answer of a good conscience toward God. Baptism is therefore to be administered by immersion to those who have been born again by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and who give evidence of the genuineness of their salvation.
Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38-41, 8:36-39; Rom. 6:35; Col. 2:12; 1 Pet. 3:21; Mark 16:16
c. Communion. Communion was instituted by Christ Himself on the night of His betrayal. We believe that it is a memorial of Christ's death, a center of communion and fellowship, a testimony to saving faith, and a visible seal of Christ's redemptive covenant. It is to be observed only by the children of God and consists in partaking of the consecrated emblems of bread and the fruit of the vine, which symbolize the death of Christ for the remission of our sins and our continual dependence upon Him for life and sustenance until He comes. While the Lord's Supper is open to all true believers regardless of denomination, each one is strongly exhorted to "examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup."
Matt. 26:26-30; Luke 22:15-20; 1 Cor. 10:16, 11:23-24
2. Divine Healing
a. In the redemptive work of Christ, provision has been made for man's physical healing. This benefit may be realized based on the conditions set forth in God's Word.
Gen. 3:16-19; Job 2:7; Isa. 53:4-5; Matt. 8:16-17; Mark 6:13; Acts 10:38; James 5:13-16; 1 Pet. 2:24; Mark 16:17-18
3. The Sabbath
a. In this present age the first day of the week has been traditionally set aside as the Sabbath Day for rest and worship. This observance is commended to the followers of the Lord Jesus in commemoration of His glorious resurrection. The first day of the week has been kept as the Sabbath by the church from apostolic times, but the heart of the commandment allows for any day to be used. It is imperative that we keep a Sabbath.
John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Gen. 2:13; Ex, 20:811; Num. 15:32-36; Col. 2:16
4. Christian Stewardship
a. God's ownership of all things creatively and redemptively is unquestioned in the Scriptures. Since we are saved by grace and the death of Christ provided our ransom, our whole being, body, soul, and spirit should be freely given to God, which is our reasonable service.
b. Not only does God claim our love and devotion, but He has made us stewards of what we have in time, talent, and treasure. Since giving of our means to support the Lord's work is a scriptural injunction and an act of worship received and memorialized by our Lord, and since tithing antedates the Mosaic Law, was confirmed in the Law, and was approved by our Lord Jesus Christ, and since the New Testament clearly indicates that our giving is to be proportionate, believers are encouraged to adopt the system of tithing their income as a minimum expression of their stewardship. Our stewardship in material things is to be motivated by the spirit and an example of our Lord who gave Himself for us all.
Gen. 14:20, 28:22; Mal. 3:8, 10; Matt. 23:23; Acts 4:32; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 8:9, 9:6-7
5. Dedication of Children
a. The Scriptures teach the divine concern for the well being of little children and their commitment to God. We, therefore, heartily encourage the formal dedication of little children in a public service of the church.
1 Sam. 1:24-28; Matt. 19:13-15
6. Marriage and the Home
a. Marriage is a sacred institution ordained of God and is an indissoluble union of one husband (born male) and one wife (born female) until parted by death. Marriage should only be entered into in the fear and will of God. Accordingly, a believer should not be united in holy matrimony with an unbeliever.
Gen. 2:24; Deut. 7:3; Matt. 19:46; 1 Cor. 7:7, 39; 2 Cor. 6:14-17
b. Ministers and parents have an obligation to teach the sanctity of marriage and to warn against believers being yoked with unbelievers. Ministers should not knowingly officiate at the marriage of a believer and an unbeliever.
2 Cor. 6:14-15
c. Ministers are forbidden from encouraging or officiating same sex “marriages."
Gen. 2:24; Lev. 18:22; Matt. 19:4,5; Rom. 1:26,27; 1 Cor. 6:9,10
d. The home is a divinely ordained institution in which the husband is the head but serves its members by the law of love. Filial obedience is to be rendered by children in the spirit of mutual respect and love. The home is the most important institution in which to nurture children in the faith, and great care is to be exercised by pastors and parents in building homes that are genuinely and consistently Christian.
Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 78:46; Eph. 5:22 and 25, 6:14; Col. 3:18-21
7. Divorce
a. Divorce is viewed in the Scripture as contrary to God's will. Christians should seek, by forbearance and forgiveness, to preserve the marriage bond.
Gen. 2:24; Mal. 2:15-16; Matt. 5:31-32, 19:3-12; Mark 10:11-12; 1 Cor. 7:10-16
b. Divorce between members of the church is an occasion of great tragedy. Such brings the teaching and reality of Christian reconciliation under reproach. The Pastors and Elders will counsel the offenders in the proper steps toward repentance and reconciliation. Care should be exercised that such action be as redemptive as possible for all parties.
c. Pastors are to refrain from performing marriage ceremonies where one or both parties are divorced, except where adultery of the previous marriage partner is involved. Where such persons are recognized as living genuine Christian lives, and where there is good evidence that a true Christian marriage is intended, pastors are permitted at their discretion to solemnize the marriage.
8. Conduct
a. Christians are not to be conformed to the worldview and lifestyle of the world of which they are a part, but, on the contrary, are to function as salt to prevent the spread of moral corruption and as light to dispel spiritual darkness. It is therefore imperative that they set high standards for their personal and collective life.
b. A Christian's disposition and attitude should be characterized by godliness and the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
c. A Christian's social relationships should bear witness to Christ with their entire conduct reflecting the spiritual ideals of Christianity rather than the world. They should
not hold membership in oathbound secret societies and should not compromise Christian principles in partnerships.
d. A Christian's body should be treated as temples of the Holy Spirit, making it inconsistent with both Christian testimony and sound principles of health to injure their influence or bodies by the use of intoxicating beverages to the point of drunkenness, illegal narcotics, and other harmful products.
Isa. 5:22; 1 Cor. 6:12, 19-20; 2 Cor. 6:14, 7:1; Gal. 5:18-26; 1 Tim. 2:9-10; 1 Pet. 3:24
9. Attitude Toward Civil Government
a. Civil government is ordained by God for the welfare of society to promote and protect the good and to restrain and punish evil. Therefore, it is the duty of Christians to pray for rulers and for those that are in authority over them and to give due loyalty, respect, and obedience to them. Christians are also encouraged to take an active interest in government at all levels. Where the demands of civil law would militate against the supreme law and will of God, Christians should "obey God rather than men."
Dan. 4:17; Matt. 22:17-21; Acts 4:19, 5:29; Rom. 13:14; 1 Tim. 2:14; Tit. 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13-14