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Doctrines: 

The Triune God 

We believe in the one living and true God, eternally (John 17:3) existing in perfect unity as three equally and fully divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20). Each member of the Godhead, while executing distinct but complementary roles in redemptive history, has precisely the same nature, attributes, and being, and is equally worthy of the same glory and honor and obedience (John 1:1-4; Acts 5:3-4). 

God the Father 

We believe God the Father created all things in six literal days for His glory according to His own will (Revelation 4:11), through His Son, Jesus Christ. He upholds all things by the Word of His power and grace, exercising sovereign headship over all creation, providence, and redemption (Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:3). 

God the Son 

We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, moved by love in accordance with the will of the Father, took on human flesh (John 1:1, 14, 18). Conceived through the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the virgin Mary. He, being fully God and fully man (John 14:8-9), lived a sinless life and sacrificially shed His blood and died on the cross in our place, accomplishing redemption for all who place their faith in Him. He arose visibly and bodily from the dead three days later and ascended into heaven, where, at the Father’s right hand, He is now Head of His Body the Church, the only Savior and Mediator between God and people, and will return to earth in power and glory to consummate His redemptive mission (1 Timothy 3:16). 

God the Holy Spirit 

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ during this age. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He draws the unredeemed to repentance and faith, and at salvation imparts new spiritual life to the believer, bringing that person into union with Christ and the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit sanctifies, seals, fills, guides, instructs, comforts, equips, empowers, permanently indwells at salvation, and bestows spiritual gifts to the believer for Christ-like living and service (John 16:8; 13:15; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:22; 4:11-12; Romans 8:9-17; 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 12:4-5, 11-13, 19; Galatians 5:25; Hebrews 2:1-4; 2 Corinthians 12:12). 

The Scriptures 

We believe the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments to be the full record of God’s self-disclosure to humankind. Different men, while writing according to their own styles and personalities, were supernaturally moved along by the Holy Spirit to record God’s very words, inerrant in the original writings. Therefore, those applying themselves to study its literal, historical-grammatical context can accurately understand God’s Word. Scripture is fully trustworthy as our final and sufficient authority for all of life (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). 

Humankind 

We believe that God created humankind—male and female—in His own image and likeness, free of sin, to glorify Himself and enjoy His fellowship. Tempted by Satan, but in the sovereign plan of God, humans freely chose to disobey God, bringing sin, death, and condemnation to all humankind. All human beings, therefore, are totally depraved by nature and by choice. Alienated from God without defense or excuse, and subject to God’s righteous wrath, all of humankind is in desperate need of the Savior (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 3:10-19; Romans 1:18, 32). 

Salvation 

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as the substitutionary atonement in our place, and that salvation is found in none other than Jesus Christ. Before Creation, God chose those who would be saved and granted this unearned grace solely based on His sovereign good pleasure. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was the sole and complete payment for sins, fully satisfying God’s righteous wrath, for each person that turns from sin in repentance and places their faith in Christ alone by grace alone. At salvation each person is made a new creation by the Holy Spirit, declared righteous before God, and secured as an adopted child of God forever. Genuine faith continues in obedience and love for Jesus Christ with a life eager to glorify God and persevere to the end (Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 12:13). 

 Statement of Faith

The Church 

We believe that upon placing one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, the believer is made part of the Body of Christ, the one universal Church, of which Jesus Christ is the Head. The Scriptures exhort believers to gather locally in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, fellowship, the ordinances of baptism and communion, service to the local body through the development and use of talents and spiritual gifts, and outreach to the world to make disciples (Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 2:42-46; 
1 Corinthians 14:26; Matthew 28:18-20). Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the Church under the watchful care of a plurality of elders. A church’s members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ (Ephesians 4:16). 

Baptism and Communion 

Baptism and communion are the two ordinances required in the church. We believe that Christian baptism by immersion in water is a public identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Although baptism is not required for salvation, it is commanded of all believers and is for believers only (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 41; Acts 18:8). Scripture shows that a person was baptized after personally receiving forgiveness of sin through accepting Jesus Christ. The waters of baptism are a symbol of our death, burial, and resurrection to newness of life that happens when we become new creations in Christ (Colossians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:1-4). 

Communion is the commemoration by believers of Christ’s death, and a reminder—through the bread and the juice—of the Savior’s broken body and shed blood. Communion is to be a time of confession of our sin and should be preceded by careful self-examination according to Acts 2:41; Romans 6:3-6; 1 Corinthians 11:20-29. 

Missions 

We believe it is the aim, duty, and privilege of every believer and local church fellowship to glorify God by responding as active participants in the Great Commission call of Jesus Christ to go and make disciples of all nations. We believe the primary focus and priority of this call is centered on efforts that establish, strengthen, and reproduce biblically-based churches, which then plant churches that plant churches for future generations and God’s glory. 

Realizing that the cause of Christ extends beyond any one local fellowship, we commit ourselves to an ongoing ministry of extending the call of Christ to make disciples around the world (Matthew 28:19-20). 

Things to Come 

We believe in and expectantly await the glorious, visible, personal, premillennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The blessed hope of His return has vital bearing on the personal life, service, and mission of the believer (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost. The lost will be raised to judgment and experience eternal wrath in hell. The saved will be raised to eternal joy in the new heaven and new earth in the manifested presence of God (Acts 1:3, 9; Hebrews 7:25-26). 

Assimilation and Church Membership 

We believe in the importance of serving the body of Christ by offering clear paths for people to start and develop healthy and growing relationships with others in the church body. We value an intentional plan to help every interested person enjoy godly relationships in the church. Church membership is a byproduct of people who are growing in Christ and who grasp the importance of serving the Lord by using their gifts to serve others in the local church. 

Harvest Groups Podcast

Helpful conversations about Community and Discipleship Groups (D-Groups) at
Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago.
Community Group Leader Podcast
Community Group Leader Podcast | Episode 1
Community Group Leader Podcast | Episode 2
Community Group Leader Podcast | Episode 3
Community Group Leader Podcast | Episode 4
Community Group Leader Podcast | Episode 5
Community Group Leader Podcast | Episode 6
Community Group Leader Podcast | Episode 7
D Group Leader Podcast
D-Group Starter Guide Conversation 1 | Share Your Story
D-Group Starter Guide Conversation 2 | Goals and Expectations
D-Group Starter Guide Conversation 3 | HEAR Journals and Scripture Memory
D-Group Starter Guide Conversation 4 | Accountability and Prayer
Conversation 1 D-Group Multiply Guide | Who, Why, Where?
Bonus Episode 1 | Am I Ready to Lead a D-Group?
Conversation 2 D-Group Multiply Guide | Identifying Potential Members
Bonus Episode 2 | How to Select the Right People for Your D Group
Conversation 3 D-Group Multiply Guide | Inviting Potential Members
Bonus Episode 3 | How to Invite People to Your D-Group
Conversation 4 D-Group Multiply Guide | Celebrate & Commission

Community Group Outreach/Service Ideas

Create homeless blessing bags together, distribute to homeless outreach in area or keep in your car to give out.  

Serve at The Ruth Project either downtown Elgin or at the farm 

Serve together at Feed My Starving Children 

Contact campus ministry team to “adopt” a single mother in the congregation, and provide her with ongoing support (babysitting, groceries, gifts of encouragement)  

Contact local elementary/middle/high school and ask to provide regular blessing baskets to teachers   

Contact local senior/assisted living facility and offer to host a praise and worship night or ongoing Bible study 

Serve at local soup kitchen  

Sign up to serve with Habitat for Humanity  

Find more Volunteer opportunities at https://www.volunteermatch.org/ 

Contact the Lead Team