
-President Daryl Merrill Jr.
“In a world shaped by shifting philosophies, CLC remains firmly anchored in the Word of God. Here, He reveals Himself and what He desires us to know. Our foundational beliefs and mission are drawn solely from Scripture, and these principles are central to every course we offer.”
Statement of Faith
I. The Inspired Scriptures
We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of both the Old and New Testaments in their
original autographs (II Timothy 3:16, 17; I Peter 2:2; II Peter 1:21).
II. Special Creation
We believe that God created all things in time and space by the power of His Word. The events
of the creation week are literally and historically true and we believe in the Biblical record,
including the literal existence of Adam and Eve as the progenitors of all people, the literal full
and resultant divine curse on the creation, the worldwide cataclysmic deluge, and the origin of
nations and languages at the tower of Babel (Genesis 1-11; John 1: 1-3; Colossians 1:16;
Hebrews 1:1-3, 11:3).
III. The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God; God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As a person of the Divine
Trinity, God the Father is spirit, infinite, sovereign, eternal, unchangeable in all His attributes.
He is worthy of honor, adoration and obedience (Genesis 1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 48:16;
Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; I Timothy 1:17; John 4:24).
IV. Man and Original Sin
We believe that man was created in the image of God, historically fell in Adam and now the
entire human race shares in total depravity (Genesis 1:26, 3:1-24; John 3:3-6; Romans 5:12, 19;
Ephesians 1:7; 2:1-5).
V. The Person and Work of Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless
life, suffered and died a substitutionary death on the cross for the sin of the world (Isaiah 7:14;
Matthew 1:21-23; Luke 1:26-35; John 5:19, 36; 8:26; Acts 10:38). After His literal, physical
death as a redemptive sacrifice on the cross, Jesus Christ was literally and historically resurrected
and ascended bodily into heaven where He ever lives to make intercession (Acts 2:32, 36;
Ephesians 1:7; I Corinthians 1:17,18; 15:1-4; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 3:18; I John 2:2;
Hebrews 4:14-16, 7:25).
VI. Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God by grace alone and is received through personal faith
in the person and finished work of Christ (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 6:23; Ephesians 2:4-10;
Acts 2:38,16:3; Hebrews 6:1).
VII. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, fully God, convicting, regenerating and sanctifying
the indwelt believer to live a holy, Christ-like life (John 16:7, 8; 3:3-6; Acts 5:3, 4; Romans 8:1-
6,8, 9; Galatians 5:17-22; I Corinthians 6:11; I Peter 1:2). The promise of a personal baptism in
The Holy Spirit is evidenced by subsequent gifts which empower the believer for a victorious life,
the edification of the church and the evangelization of the nations (Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:20;
Luke 11:13, 24:46-49; John 7:38, 39; Acts 1:5, 8, 2:4, 32, 33, 39, 5:32; I Corinthians 12-14).
VIII. The Nature and Ordinances of the Church
We believe in the New Testament pattern of a local church: indigenous, self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating. The ordinances of Christ include water baptism by immersion
for believers only and the Lord's supper (Acts 1:4-8; 2:42-47; 5:32-35; 6:1-6, 13:2, 14:23;
20:28; I Corinthians 1:2; 1:26; 12:26, 27; Ephesians 4:11; Colossians 1:18; I Timothy 3:1-13;
Titus 1:5-9).
IX. Divine Healing
We believe in healing as a provision of God in answer to believing prayer (John 14:13,14;
I Corinthians 12:9; James 5:14-16).
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X. The Second Coming of Christ and the Last Days
We believe in the personal, visible, Second Coming of Jesus Christ which is the "blessed hope"
of the church; the bodily resurrection and final judgment of all mankind resulting in eternal death
for the wicked in a place of eternal punishment which was prepared for Satan, (a personal,
malignant being who acts as tempter and accuser). All who die outside of Christ shall
be confined in conscious torment for eternity, whereas those who die in Christ are saved and
shall receive eternal reward in the presence of God (Matthew 24:30-46; Acts 1:9-11;
I Corinthians 15:51, 52; I Thessalonians 4:16-18; Titus 2:13; II Peter 3:13; Revelation 11:15;
20:4-6, 11-15; 21:1-4).