Distinctives

a note from our elders

Riverbend Community Church is a non-denominational evangelical church in Lexington, SC. There are three primary distinctives of our vision at RCC: plurality of leadership, Home Group-based ministry, and an intentional strategy for multiplication locally, regionally, and globally.


Plurality of leadership means we practice team leadership at every level of our church ministry including elders, deacons, Home Groups leaders and ministry leaders. This way Jesus Christ is glorified as the literal head of the church and all people are able to serve using their spiritual gifts, passion and calling.


Home Group-based ministry means that while we gather weekly to celebrate what God is doing in our lives, we recognize that to truly grow in our faith and live out Christian community, we must focus on smaller gatherings that promote strong interpersonal relationships.


Intentional strategy for multiplcation means we are intentional in our desire to help fulfill Christ's Great Commission by helping plant churches in our city, in the southeastern US, and around the world.  


~The Elders of Riverbend Community Church

statement of faith

IN MATTERS OF DOCTRINE AND BELIEF, THE CHURCH STRIVES FOR THREE THINGS: IN ESSENTIAL MATTERS, UNITY; IN NONESSENTIALS, LIBERTY; IN ALL THINGS, LOVE. 

Membership Application


I.       Trinity

 God Is One God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 Psalm 90:2; Matthew 3:16-17, 14:16-17, 28:18-20 ; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2


II.      God the Father

 

God the Father holds all the attributes of God. He is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ through whom He adopts believers into relationship with Himself as their Father.

 

Matthew 6:9; Romans 1:7, 8:15, 15:6; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 1:2-3; Galatians 1:1;

Ephesians 1:2-5, 4: 5-6, 6:23; Colossians 3:17

III.      Jesus Christ the Son

 Jesus Christ holds all the attributes of God. He is the only begotten Son of God, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and by dying on the cross offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people. After three days He arose from the dead, demonstrating His power over sin and death. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will return again to receive his own and judge the living and the dead.

 

Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22-23, 3:17, 16:16; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-5, 8:58,14:6, 11-16, 17:5; Acts 2:31-32; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Colossians 2:9-10, 3:1; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 3:22,4:5; Revelation 1:8

 

IV. The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit holds all the attributes of God. He convicts of sin, imparts new life to those who believe in Christ through His indwelling presence and transforming power, gives assurance of our salvation and equips believers for holy living and effective service. The Holy Spirit indwells every Christian from the moment of salvation, providing understanding of spiritual truths and guidance in doing what is right.

 

Genesis 1:2; John 14:17, 26, 16: 8,13-16; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9-11, 26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-

13, 3:16; Galatians 5:16-18,22-23; Ephesians 1:13, 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:5

 

V.    Creation

God is the creator and ruler of all things visible and invisible.

 Genesis 1:1-2, 26-27, 2:3; Psalm 33:6; Jeremiah 32:17; John 1:3-4; Romans 11;36; Ephesians 2:10; Hebrews 11:3


VI.   The Bible

 The Bible is the inspired word of God, written by human authors. It is infallible, inerrant, absolute truth in the original manuscripts, and is relevant for today.

 

Psalm 119: 9,-11, 105, 160; Proverbs 30:5-6, 90:2; Ecclesiastes 3:11; 2 Timothy 3:15-

17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:19-21

 

VII.    Man

God created man in His image, male and female, to enjoy relationship with Him and with each other, reflecting God’s glory. However, man disobeyed God, bringing the penalty of sin on all mankind which alienated man from God.

 

Genesis 1:27, 3;5-8; Psalm 8:4-6, 139:13-14; Isaiah 53:6, 59:2; John 3:18; Romans 3:23, 6:23

 

VIII.    Salvation

Jesus Christ paid the penalty for all sin through his death on the cross. Salvation cannot be earned by man’s efforts, good works, or by any other means. It is God’s free gift of grace to everyone who repents and believes. God imputes Christ’s righteousness for salvation which justifies believers in His sight.

 

John 3:16-17; Romans 3:23-25, 5:8, 6:23; 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7; 1 John 5:12-13

 

IX.   Heaven and Hell

 Heaven and Hell are real. Man will either exist eternally separated from God by sin in Hell, or eternally in union with God in Heaven.

 

Matthew 5:22, 29-30, 10:20, 23:33; Luke 12:5; John 3:16; Colossians 1:4-5; Hebrews 12:23;

1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:16-17; 1 Peter 1:4, 2:4; Revelation 3:12, 20:12-15

 

X.   The Church

 The Church universal consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church, which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations. The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together in worship of God for edification through the word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the gospel, and for observance of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s supper.

 

Matthew 16:15-20, 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-47, 8:1; Romans 16:1, 5, 23; 1 Corinthians 12:27-31;

Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 3:10, 21, 4:11-16, 5:23-30; Colossians 1:18 4:15-16; Hebrews 12:23



XI.    Church Ordinances

 RCC practices two ordinances: the baptism of believers and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism represents being buried with Christ and raised to new life. The Lord’s Supper represents the body and blood of Christ and serves as a reminder to proclaim His death until He comes again.

 

Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12; Acts 19:3-5; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-

30; Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:17-20

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