Who We Are
Forest Ridge Calvary Chapel has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and be conformed to His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only their over-emphasis of the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the Body of Christ.
What is the Gospel?
The gospel is the good news of God’s grace invading the darkness of this world. It is the grand narrative of creation, fall, redemption and consummation ordained by God and orchestrated through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Christ’s crucifixion is the heart of the gospel. His resurrection is the power of the gospel. His ascension is the glory of the gospel.
Christ’s death is a substitutionary and propitiatory sacrifice to God for our sins. It satisfies the demands of God’s holy justice and appeases His holy wrath. It also demonstrates His mysterious love and reveals His amazing grace. Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man. There is no other name by which men can be saved. At the heart of all sound doctrine is the cross of Jesus Christ and the infinite privilege that redeemed sinners have in glorifying God because of what He has accomplished. Therefore, we want all that takes place in our hearts, churches and ministries to proceed from and be related to the gospel.
Christ’s death is a substitutionary and propitiatory sacrifice to God for our sins. It satisfies the demands of God’s holy justice and appeases His holy wrath. It also demonstrates His mysterious love and reveals His amazing grace. Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man. There is no other name by which men can be saved. At the heart of all sound doctrine is the cross of Jesus Christ and the infinite privilege that redeemed sinners have in glorifying God because of what He has accomplished. Therefore, we want all that takes place in our hearts, churches and ministries to proceed from and be related to the gospel.
Our Beliefs
THE BIBLEWe believe that the Scriptures, which consist of the Old and New Testaments, are the fully inspired Word of God without error in the original manuscripts, and the infallible rule of faith and practice. The Word of God is the foundation upon which the church operates, and the basis by which the church is governed. We believe that the 66 books of the Bible supersede any and all earthly law in precept and principle (Isaiah 28:13; Nehemiah 8:8; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:3-4 and 1:21).
THE TRINITYWe believe that there is one living and true GOD, eternally existing in three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory. We believe that the Trinity created all, upholds all, and governs all things (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:8and 48:16; Matthew 28:19-20; John 10:30; Hebrews 1:3).
GOD THE FATHERWe believe in the person of God the Father—an infinite, eternal, personal Spirit—perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, hears and answers prayer, and saves from sin and death all those who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalms 90:2; Psalms 102:27; John 3:16 and 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17; Titus 1:3).
JESUS CHRISTWe believe in the person of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, teachings, substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal, visible return to earth (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; Mark 16:19; Luke 1:34-35; John 1:1-2, 8:58 and 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 1:2; Revelation 1:8).
GOD THE HOLY SPIRITWe believe in the person of the Holy Spirit—that He proceeds forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; that He does regenerate, sanctify, and empower for ministry all who believe the biblical gospel (Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 3:18; John 16:8-11; Romans 8:26 and 15:13,16; Hebrews 9:14). We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and functions as their abiding helper, teacher, and guide (John 6:13, 14:16-17 and 16:8-11; Romans 8:26). We believe the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a distinct and separate experience to that of regeneration, occurring either subsequent to, or simultaneous with the experience of the new birth. We believe the baptism with the Holy Spirit is evidenced in the Christian’s life as a dynamic enablement to be a bold and more effective witness for the gospel. We believe that the supreme evidence of the Spirit-filled life is the fruit of the Spirit, and love (Galatians 5:33-23; 1 Corinthians 13). We believe in and advocate the present-day ministry of the Holy Spirit in the church regarding the exercise of all biblical gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to the instructions outlined in 1 Corinthians 12-14.
HUMANITYWe believe that all people are sinners by nature and choice. All people have broken the law and heart of God at the level of desire, imagination, thought, and behavior, and as a result are under God’s righteous judgment.
THE GOSPELWe believe the gospel - the good news that God forgives, regenerates, and saves all who come to Him through faith in the biblical gospel. This is possible because, though all humans are guilty, Jesus Christ died on the cross in our place for our sins absorbing God’s wrath on our behalf. In so doing God is able to forgive the spiritual crimes of people without violating the demands of justice. God now offers an invitation to every sinner to believe in the gospel for reconciliation with God. We believe Jesus will ultimately renew the entire cosmos in the new heaven and earth, and that all who believe the gospel will rule and reign with Him in His kingdom (Romans 3:23, Acts 3:19, Acts 20:21, Ephesians 2:1-3, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 John 2:2, John 3:16, Matthew 11:28, Revelation 22:17).
THE CHURCHWe believe in the universal church—the living and organic spiritual body of people—of which Christ is the Head and all who are born-again through faith in the biblical gospel are a part (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:15-16).
ORDINANCESWe believe that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances for the church: (a) full emersion water baptism of believers in the gospel, and (b) the Lord’s Supper (or communion) (Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
ETERNAL DESTINYWe believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell. All those who place their faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord, while those who reject Jesus’ free gift of salvation proclaimed in the gospel will spend eternity separated from God and His people in hell (Psalm 9:17; Matthew 5:3, 5:22, 18:9 and 25:31-34; Mark 9:42-49; Luke 12:5; John 3:18; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 14:10-11 and 20:11-15).
THE RAPTUREWe believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church through which all believers will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and be taken out of the world prior to the Tribulation that will then come upon the earth (Isaiah 26:20; Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 21:36; Romans 1:18, 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-16 and 5:9; 2 Peter 2:7-9; Revelation 3:10, 5:7-10 and 7:13-14).
THE SECOND COMINGWe believe the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will be a personal, visible return to earth. The Second Coming will coincide with the establishment of His millennial kingdom, the resurrection, final judgment, eternal blessing of the righteous, and eternal condemnation of the wicked (Matthew 16:27; Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:11-15).
THE TRINITYWe believe that there is one living and true GOD, eternally existing in three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory. We believe that the Trinity created all, upholds all, and governs all things (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:8and 48:16; Matthew 28:19-20; John 10:30; Hebrews 1:3).
GOD THE FATHERWe believe in the person of God the Father—an infinite, eternal, personal Spirit—perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, hears and answers prayer, and saves from sin and death all those who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalms 90:2; Psalms 102:27; John 3:16 and 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17; Titus 1:3).
JESUS CHRISTWe believe in the person of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, teachings, substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal, visible return to earth (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; Mark 16:19; Luke 1:34-35; John 1:1-2, 8:58 and 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 1:2; Revelation 1:8).
GOD THE HOLY SPIRITWe believe in the person of the Holy Spirit—that He proceeds forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; that He does regenerate, sanctify, and empower for ministry all who believe the biblical gospel (Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 3:18; John 16:8-11; Romans 8:26 and 15:13,16; Hebrews 9:14). We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and functions as their abiding helper, teacher, and guide (John 6:13, 14:16-17 and 16:8-11; Romans 8:26). We believe the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a distinct and separate experience to that of regeneration, occurring either subsequent to, or simultaneous with the experience of the new birth. We believe the baptism with the Holy Spirit is evidenced in the Christian’s life as a dynamic enablement to be a bold and more effective witness for the gospel. We believe that the supreme evidence of the Spirit-filled life is the fruit of the Spirit, and love (Galatians 5:33-23; 1 Corinthians 13). We believe in and advocate the present-day ministry of the Holy Spirit in the church regarding the exercise of all biblical gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to the instructions outlined in 1 Corinthians 12-14.
HUMANITYWe believe that all people are sinners by nature and choice. All people have broken the law and heart of God at the level of desire, imagination, thought, and behavior, and as a result are under God’s righteous judgment.
THE GOSPELWe believe the gospel - the good news that God forgives, regenerates, and saves all who come to Him through faith in the biblical gospel. This is possible because, though all humans are guilty, Jesus Christ died on the cross in our place for our sins absorbing God’s wrath on our behalf. In so doing God is able to forgive the spiritual crimes of people without violating the demands of justice. God now offers an invitation to every sinner to believe in the gospel for reconciliation with God. We believe Jesus will ultimately renew the entire cosmos in the new heaven and earth, and that all who believe the gospel will rule and reign with Him in His kingdom (Romans 3:23, Acts 3:19, Acts 20:21, Ephesians 2:1-3, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 John 2:2, John 3:16, Matthew 11:28, Revelation 22:17).
THE CHURCHWe believe in the universal church—the living and organic spiritual body of people—of which Christ is the Head and all who are born-again through faith in the biblical gospel are a part (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:15-16).
ORDINANCESWe believe that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances for the church: (a) full emersion water baptism of believers in the gospel, and (b) the Lord’s Supper (or communion) (Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
ETERNAL DESTINYWe believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell. All those who place their faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord, while those who reject Jesus’ free gift of salvation proclaimed in the gospel will spend eternity separated from God and His people in hell (Psalm 9:17; Matthew 5:3, 5:22, 18:9 and 25:31-34; Mark 9:42-49; Luke 12:5; John 3:18; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 14:10-11 and 20:11-15).
THE RAPTUREWe believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church through which all believers will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and be taken out of the world prior to the Tribulation that will then come upon the earth (Isaiah 26:20; Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 21:36; Romans 1:18, 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-16 and 5:9; 2 Peter 2:7-9; Revelation 3:10, 5:7-10 and 7:13-14).
THE SECOND COMINGWe believe the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will be a personal, visible return to earth. The Second Coming will coincide with the establishment of His millennial kingdom, the resurrection, final judgment, eternal blessing of the righteous, and eternal condemnation of the wicked (Matthew 16:27; Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:11-15).