Most people are a little apprehensive about visiting a new congregation. We want to tell you a little bit about the church that meets at Cloudcroft.
The term “church” is from the Greek word ekklesia. The literal definition is “a group of people gathered together.” In the Bible it can refer to the Old Testament assembly of believers (Acts 7:38), or a riotous mob (Acts 19:32), but usually to a Christian assembly, a church: as a totality (Ephesians 3:10), or in a specific locale (Colossians 4:15). In the New Testament a “church” is NEVER a building or meeting place.
All who are “in Christ Jesus” have been called out of the darkness into His wonderful light. We are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, and we have been called out of the darkness and into His wonderful light so that we may declare the praises of him who called us out (1 Peter 2:9). That of course is Jesus Christ, who died, was buried, and rose on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). It is Christ’s church, His body, that we belong to and Ephesians 4:4 tells us there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
The local body of believers that meet in Cloudcroft is a growing, friendly, body of believers. We are a diverse congregation that reflects the fact that Christ’s church is for all who sincerely seek the truth. Our crowd ranges in age from little kids to those who have been around for a long time (by earthly standards). We have people from all walks of life – from blue collar to white collar, military and ex-military, students to retirees.
We believe that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:30-31). We believe that he lived a completely sinless life (1 Peter 2:22), completely fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17), that he died, was buried, and rose on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), and we believe that the Bible is the inspired, flawless word of God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5).
We believe that those of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? and therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. And if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:3-5). We believe and teach baptism for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
We do not use musical instruments in our worship because we see no examples of instruments being used in the early church and we do not believe that Scripture gives us the authority to do so. The whole congregation sings a capella just as they did in the first century church (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). We observe the Lord’s Supper each Sunday, just as they did in New Testament times (Acts 20:7).
The Cloudcroft Church of Christ is made up of real people, with real issues, who agree on the only real solution, the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. We come together on Sunday’s and Wednesdays to worship God in song, pray together, observe the Lord’s Supper (Sunday’s) and to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18) through sound, biblical teaching (Titus 2:1).