Who We Are

Northpoint Evangelical Free Church is a community of believers, united by faith in Jesus Christ, who exist to worship and reflect the glory of Almighty God in all that we do, through the power of the Holy Spirit.  In this we are:

• Bound by the Word.  We delight in studying and obeying the Bible for it is God’s truth, the Authority that governs all that we do.
• Driven by the Gospel.  We are devoted to the good news of forgiveness through Jesus Christ, the only message of life for the world.
• Committed to the family.  We recognize that strong churches come from strong families and seek to strengthen the Kingdom by securing the home.
• Dedicated to holiness and mutual encouragement.  We understand the necessity of living holy lives, and acknowledge our responsibility to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds.”  Our earnest desire is to assist, rather than hinder, the work of Christ in one another.

The central ministry of our church is the teaching of the Bible in order to increase the knowledge and application of God’s Word in our lives, and to shine the light of the Gospel in a dark world.  We hold Colossians 1:28 as our mission statement:  “We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ” (Colossians 1:28).

The elders of Northpoint Evangelical Free Church are deeply committed to studying and teaching God’s truth with clarity, diligence, and authority.  This statement represents our convictions concerning the major theological truths of the Bible and reflects the heart of the teaching here at Northpoint.

As a local gathering of members of the Body of Christ we do not wish to exclude any who have received Christ as Lord and Savior from participation with us.  However, we ask all who fellowship with us to respect our doctrinal position and work to maintain the unity of our Body.

Statement of Faith

The Evangelical Free Church of America is an association of autonomous churches united around these theological convictions:

God

We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons:  the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

The Bible

We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors.  As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged.  Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

The Human Condition

We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan.  In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath.  Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled, and renewed.

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures.  Jesus – Israel’s promised Messiah – was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.  He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

The Work of Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins.  His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.  He convicts the world of its guilt.  He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God.  He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

The Church

We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone.  They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head.  The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers.  The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the Gospel.  Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.

Christian Living

We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose.  God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor, and justice for the oppressed.  With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil.  In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the Gospel in word and deed.

Christ’s Return

We believe in the personal, bodily, and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.

Response and Eternal Destiny

We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the Gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ.  We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace.

Amen.

History

Northpoint Evangelical Free Church is a congregation of over 1200 people located in Corona, California. Serving the surrounding community for over thirty years, the congregation is committed to worship, growing in Christ-likeness, and promoting His Kingdom. Northpoint was first organized as Corona Evangelical Free Church in 1979 by five families who were members of the Highlander EFC in nearby Riverside. The church now occupies a campus of just over seven acres located in the southern foothills of the Ontario Valley.

Northpoint Values

The congregation at Northpoint reflects the Southern California suburban community out of which the church has grown. Although families with children are a significant segment, the congregation also includes a fair distribution of retirees, empty-nesters, and those who are single or married without children.

Ministry groups are active and the level of volunteer participation is healthy; both men and women are well-represented in youth and student ministries, missions, local service, and the worship arts. Strong, capable, and willing lay leaders are present in most ministry areas. Biblical teaching is widely desired and the congregation expects strong exposition and application of the Scriptures in both the Sunday morning services and small-group settings.

Worship is an integral part of the body life at Northpoint.  Over the years a blended style of worship has been consistent with the goal always being to proclaim the truths of who God is and what He has done for us so that our hearts rejoice in the praise of His name.

Small group ministries are an established part of the intended program of discipleship; those who are active in the life of the church are expected to participate in a small group. However, this is an area that is challenged by the hectic nature and structure of family/work life in Southern California and needs additional growth.

The Congregation

The communities of Corona, Norco, and Temescal Canyon have experienced substantial population growth since 1995.  The dynamic changes in our surrounding community present Northpoint with an opportunity to further promote God’s Kingdom.  Based on an assessment of our ministry objectives and values, we are anxious to grow our corporate ministries in six specific categories:

Enhance our Commitment to and Practice of Prayer. As nothing of any godly value happens without prayer, our first and foremost commitment as a congregation must be increased diligence in this area.  God moves through the prayers of His people, so Northpoint desires to be a community dependent on prayer.  Family prayer guides are a regular and visible part of our church’s ministry.

Excite a Thriving Learning Environment. We value the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.  Our dedication to this is evident in our services, our adult, student and children’s classes, and in all of our church activities.  We are constantly working to develop avenues for teaching new groups of people in both the surrounding Christian and secular communities.  We desire to be a church where regular seminars on everything from creation to parenting are regularly held and publicized and where pastors can come for training, encouragement, and resources.

Engage in Meaningful Relationships within the Church. As we grow, it becomes more and more difficult for people to develop meaningful relationships within the church family, especially in the corporate worship setting.  It is our belief that a healthy Christian church experience must include life-on-life discipleship and support.  So, we have made it our goal to see every individual at Northpoint involved in an intimate community, study, or personal accountability group, known at Northpoint as Connect Groups.  We also stress the importance of cross-generational relationships and experience-based mentoring, offering regular opportunities for relationships with and training from others who have “been there, done that.”

Exercise our Gifts for the Benefit of our Ministry. The expansion and growth of ministry requires the participation of more people in the congregation.  We are well aware of the fact that the service and gifts of our whole congregation are crucial to our vision for the future.  We believe that God has sovereignly designed the Church to function as a body, with gifts provided by the Holy Spirit to individuals as necessary for the benefit and health of the church.  We are excited to see our congregation’s gifts used in new and powerful ways:  artists and writers using their talents, individuals serving others for the first time, and new leaders being trained and facilitated for vibrant ministry.

Enlarge our Community Exposure and Outreach. We understand that the Gospel is preached through both word and deed, so we seek to minister to our community in numerous ways.  Certainly evangelism is key; we offer evangelism training classes regularly to give people the tools and confidence to share their faith.  Important as well, however, are our ministries of common grace – caring for personal and physical needs – that have always marked the Christian Church.  We desire to be a church that cares for its community in very practical ways:  providing basic care for widows and low-income families, participating in community clean-up, etc.  Through these ministries, we hope to increase our opportunities to share the message of the Gospel with people and see many lives changed by the power of Christ.

Extend our Ministry Beyond our Borders. As we work to reach our growing community, we must never forget about the billions of people throughout the world who need Christ, and our call, as part of the Church, is to reach them.  We are passionately committed to supporting world missions by sending individuals and teams from our own congregation around the world.

Values Statement:

Northpoint is a community of believers, united by faith in Jesus Christ, who exist to worship and reflect the glory of Almighty God in all that we do, through the power of the Holy Spirit.  In this we are:

Bound by the Word – We delight in studying and obeying the Bible as God’s truth, the authority that governs all that we do.

Driven by the Gospel – We are devoted to the good news of forgiveness through Jesus Christ, the only message of life for the world.

Committed to the Family – We recognize that strong churches are built upon strong families and we seek to strengthen the Kingdom by securing the home and helping it grow in Christ-likeness.

Dedicated to Holiness and Mutual Encouragement – We understand the necessity of living holy lives and acknowledge our responsibility to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds.”  Our earnest desire is to assist the work of Christ in one another.

The central ministry of our church is the teaching of the Bible in order to increase the knowledge and application of God’s Word in our lives and to shine the light of the Gospel in a dark world.

The leadership of Northpoint is deeply committed to studying and teaching God’s truth with clarity, diligence, and authority.  This statement represents our convictions concerning the major theological truths of the Bible and reflects the heart of the teaching here at Northpoint.

As a local gathering of members of the body of Christ we do not wish to exclude any who have received Christ as Lord and Savior from participation with us. However, we ask all who fellowship with us to respect our doctrinal position and work to maintain the unity of the body.