Who We Are

The gospel is the heart of the Christian faith. It is the good news of what Christ accomplished for us through his death and resurrection. Out of his immeasurable love, Jesus willingly gave his life to rescue us from our sins and open the door to a relationship with him. We are saved by trusting Christ as our Savior and Lord of our lives. Our salvation is a gift of God's grace; we are not saved by our efforts to impress God or prove how morally deserving we are of his love. Jesus already definitively proved his love for us on the cross.

Our lives of faith, including obedience to God's commands, are a joyful response to what he already did for us. The gospel, therefore, is our primary lens of faith. The Apostle Paul said it this way in Galatians 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We are a Christ-centered, interdenominational church. What does it mean to be interdenominational? It's similar to nondenominational in the sense that we are an independent congregation with no formal ties to a denomination. In contrast to nondenominational churches, however, we actively celebrate the mosaic of denominational backgrounds represented among our congregation (not unlike interdenominational Christian colleges that cultivate denominational diversity in their student bodies). Since our founding, we have had senior and associate pastors from Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and nondenominational backgrounds.

We resonate with C.S. Lewis' words in his preface to Mere Christianity where he states that his main concerns are the beliefs that have
"been common to nearly all Christians at all times." While many of us at CCLW have opinions on secondary matters of faith, we hold those
views lightly and try to stay focused on what concerns all Christians: growing in Christlikeness, trusting God in all areas of our lives, loving our neighbors well, and serving as Christ’s ambassadors to a watching – and often hurting – world.

The church began in 1973 with an Easter service organized by a small group of laypeople and attended by around 200 locals and visitors. This inspired a dream for an interdenominational church called River Hills Community Church. In the half century since that Easter morning, our church has - by God's grace - played a consistent and vital role in serving the spiritual and material needs of the Lake Wylie/Clover area. In the hopes of reaching more of the community than the immediate vicinity of River Hills, in 2019 the church was renamed Community Church at Lake Wylie (CCLW).

WHAT WE BELIEVE

About God
We believe that God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and that God is still creating. God is the spiritual parent of every person and the Lord of all history. God's desire is love and wholeness for every person and all creation. God has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and are often called the Triune God or the Trinity.

About Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is God's Son and the full expression of God's love for us. By placing faith in Christ's sacrificial death, we find forgiveness for our sins, and through His resurrection, we receive eternal life.

About the Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is the living presence of God with us and in us. The Holy Spirit is the power of God to cleanse, heal, inspire and empower. The Holy Spirit is present and at work within the church today.

About the Bible
We believe the Bible is God’s inspired word to us, written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. In the original manuscripts, we believe the Scriptures to be infallible and authoritative, useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training the Christian life. Since God’s Word was made flesh in Jesus, His life becomes the ultimate lens through which to interpret all scripture.

About the Human Condition
We believe that we are created in the image of God, but left on our own, we are basically vain, proud, self-seeking and self-serving people. Though we sometimes try, we can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus as God’s offer of forgiveness can a person be saved from the burden and penalty of sin. Salvation is God’s free gift of grace offered to all people, but it must be received and embraced.

About the Christian Life
The biblical concept of a life of faith is that we are to grow in grace toward the image and example of Christ. It is God's Spirit that leads us and empowers us toward this goal. It compels us into an authentic love relationship with God that results in a radical love for others.

About Baptism
We believe that baptism is an outward sign of God's love and our acceptance into the community of faith. As an interdenominational church, Community Church celebrates children and adult baptisms for professing members. Baptisms are celebrated as a communal part of Sunday worship, engaging the supportive commitment of the entire congregation.

About the Church
We believe the church is the people of God "re-membering" Christ’s Body in the world today. Thus, the church is the Body of Christ, and each member is an important part...hands, feet, heart.

About Eternal Life
Eternal life is the ultimate gift of God which begins through faith in Christ. The Christian is promised abundant life this side of heaven and life lived in the presence of God forever.