About

We’re glad you found us!

We are a church that believes in the message of the gospel as found in the Bible; a message of hope, truth and love.

Like almost every church, we say we are all about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What is the gospel? Does it really have the power to change our lives? How does that happen? If you only do one thing while you’re visiting this website, please follow the links under the tab “Meet Jesus”.

We have come to know the reality of Jesus Christ’s words, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free!” It is because we have proven this promise in our lives that we worship together. Our goal is to know the truth that God has revealed in His Word.

You’re most welcome to visit and join in with us as we worship God together on Sunday mornings. You’re also welcome to join in any of the other activities hosted by the church. If you do, we pray that you will find the truth of God’s Word to be encouraging, uplifting and life-changing.

Please have a look around the website for more information on the many activities that might interest you. Whether you’re an older person or a young mum, whether you’ve been a Christian for years or just interested in finding out more about God, we trust that you will find something that meets your need.

We would love to meet you in person, so come and visit, have a chat and a coffee and let us show you around. Who knows, it may just be that we can introduce you to what becomes your new church family.

We can’t wait to meet you!

Family Worship Service – 9:30am Sundays

When you come to this 90 minute service you will have the opportunity to join many other Christians in worshipping our great God by singing contemporary Christian songs and hymns, taking communion, praying together and listening to practical Bible teaching that will help you live out your Christian faith.

What should I wear?

Casual clothes are the norm at Craigmore, so there’s no need to dress up. People wear anything from jeans and t-shirts to jacket and tie.

Where is Craigmore Christian Church?

213 Yorktown Road, Craigmore; across the road from the Craigmore Village Shops.

Where can I park my car?

There are two church car parks; one at the front entrance off of Yorktown Road, and another just around the corner off of Blair Park Drive. If these carparks are full you can park your car across the road at Craigmore Village Shops.

What time should I arrive?

5 to 10 minutes before the service is great, so you can get settled and have a short chat to others in the congregation.

How do I make sure I am not in someone’s seat?

There is no such thing, really, even though people tend to sit in approximately the same place every week! If a seat is empty, you can sit there. We are always very happy to welcome visitors, and it does us good to get a different view from time to time.

What do I need to bring?

Just you! Song words are projected during the singing, as are Bible readings and verses during the message, but if you prefer, we encourage you to bring your Bible.

Can I bring my children?

Yes! Children are very welcome – at any age, bring them along with you. We encourage children to join their family in worship and listening to the teaching of God’s word. During the school terms, the children are invited to go out part-way through the family worship service to CCC Kids where they enjoy age appropriate teaching from God’s Word.

What if my child makes a noise?

Your child probably will make a noise, and that is fine – we would rather have the noise and your child and you join us. We are happy for you to get up and move around if it helps you to comfort your child – there is a cry room at the back of the auditorium, and some books and toys.

How do I know when to stand or sit?

The person leading the service will make that clear. We usually stand just for singing. Look around and see what other people are doing if you are not sure.

Do you have toilets?

Yes – just outside the auditorium, including facilities for people who are disabled.

What happens after the service?

At the end of the service, the speaker says a brief closing prayer and invites everyone out to the cafe. People will tend to chat for a few minutes in the auditorium, then many will drift through to the cafe for either a free instant tea or coffee or a Barista coffee and chat. We would love to meet you – so please come through and join in.

Will I be singled out?

At Craigmore Christian Church, you won't be put on the spot, feel forced to give money, and we pray you don't feel embarrassed. Our aim is to be accepting to all who seek to know more about our God. You will be greeted as you enter by one of the team and provided with a Welcome Pack that has some basic information and a response slip to pop in the offering box or hand to one of our Greeting Team.

Our History

Craigmore Christian Church is affiliated with the Christian Community Churches of Australia.

Our story began in 1962, when the new City of Elizabeth just north of Adelaide was being built. One of the many hundreds of construction workers involved in building the city was a man named Bill Springham. He had a passion to share the gospel of Jesus with the people who were moving into this fledgling community. He with his friends Murray & Heather Jackson began a Sunday School in Elizabeth Park Primary School in the new satellite city.

The Elizabeth Christian Church began to meet a little while later in the home of Ron & Lib Sweetman. The church fellowship grew and eventually moved to its new building on the corner of Hart Street and Yorktown Road in 1967, where it continued until May 1981.

Due to God’s blessing, the growth of the church congregation and the need for larger facilities for the newly established Craigmore Christian School, Elizabeth Christian Church moved up the hill to 213 Yorktown Road, Craigmore where it is today, and changed its name to Craigmore Christian Church.

Over the years God has continued to bless and grow both the church and the school ministry and we have continued expanding on the same property at Craigmore.

Early after the move to Craigmore, Yangala Retirement Village was built through the generosity of the church and a number of its Christian friends. The Craigmore Christian Community Inc. is a ministry of the Craigmore Christian Church, through which it operates the 19 unit village on the corner of Blair Park Drive and Carinya Street.

In 2010 Craigmore Christian Church moved into its new church facilities comprising of a 1000 seat auditorium, a café area, the church offices and other facilities. The school shares the site, and with the church jointly operates a new gymnasium, as part of wonderful new classrooms, administration and library. All of this was provided wonderfully by the generosity of God’s people.

In 2011 further buildings were added to the impressive complex, courtesy of the the Federal Governments Building Education Revolution which extended the existing complex with both primary classrooms and secondary science laboratories.

Our Heritage

In the mid 1800’s, a movement under the leadership of men like George Mueller began in Ireland & England in reaction to church restrictions on Communion. Believing that the only basis for sharing in Communion was saving faith in Christ, without the mediation of any human Priesthood, they met in homes to celebrate Communion in a very simple way. Their spontaneous worship focussed around the Lord’s Table is regarded by many church historians as the purest expression of primitive Christianity since the early church. Their leadership in autonomous local assemblies was relatively unstructured relying on a plurality of lay Eldership rather than paid clergy or a denominational hierarchy. They were marked by their strong commitment to the authority of the Bible, to sound doctrine and thorough biblical teaching, and to a profound dependence on the Holy Spirit’s enabling and empowering.

At Craigmore Christian Church, we still hold to many of our distinctives to this day and our membership of Christian Community Churches of Australia reflects this history and heritage.

Our Statement of Faith

We believe:

- In the Bible as the Divinely inspired inerrant Word of God, the revelation of His mind and will to man, our infallible, all-sufficient guide for salvation and for the Christian life (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21)

- In One God, the Creator of all, eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

- In the total depravity of the nature of man through his fall in the garden of Eden, and the absolute inability of man to save himself from eternal punishment by his own works (Genesis 3; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8-9)

- In the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved (I Thessalonians 4:17) and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost (Revelation 20:11-15)

- In the finished work of Christ on the Cross of Calvary, through which sacrifice Christ has effected complete and eternal redemption, God setting His seal of approval on the work of Christ by raising Him bodily from among the dead, enthroned Him at His own right hand in heaven and that He is Head of the church, the Lord of the individual, the High Priest over the House of God and Advocate in the family of God

- In the immediate and eternal salvation of every person who truly believes on Christ and by faith rests on His finished work as the only righteous ground on which a Holy God can forgive sins

- That all who by faith receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour are born again of the Holy Spirit, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and by the Holy Spirit baptised into the Body of Christ, the Church, of which He is the risen and ascended Head (I Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18)

- That the early church met together and continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread, and in prayers (Acts 2:42) – God’s pattern for the church today

- In the personal, imminent, and premillennial coming of the Lord to the air to Rapture (catch up) the Church (I Thessalonians 4:13-17)

- In the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is true God and true man begotten of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and that He has a perfect and sinless humanity (John 1:1; Philippians 2:6; Matthew 1:23-25; I John 3:5)

- In the revelation of Christ in glory at His Second Advent to the earth to establish His Kingdom on earth and to reign in righteousness (II Thessalonians 1:6-10; Philippians 2:9-11)

- It to be the response of all believers to be baptised by immersion in water as a mark of obedience to the command of Christ that all disciples should be baptised (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42)

- In the priesthood of all believers and encourage all to fulfil their roles according to the teaching laid down in the Bible. In view of modern pressures, we note specifically the teaching regarding the role of men and women in the public worship of the Church (I Timothy 2:8-14; I Corinthians 14:33-35)

- That God has given spiritual gifts to the believers for the benefits of the church and seek to develop these in the lives of each believer. However we are not a charismatic church, in the modern, narrow sense of that word, and so do not teach or encourage believers to speak in “tongues” or “prophetic utterances”

- In marriage as defined and instituted by God as the holistic union of one man to one woman to the exclusion of all others voluntarily entered into for life (Matthew 19:5-9). When so defined, marriage is the only Biblically valid/legitimate context for sexual expression of any kind when engaged in by mutual consent and limited in all senses only to the parties of that marriage union (1 Corinthians 7:2-6; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:2-8). As the foundational relationship of the family, marriage as defined above provides the optimal environment for producing and raising children (Genesis 2:24).

Our Core Values – What Matters To Us

In 2002, we studied the Book of Acts and found the following eight things are what mattered to the early church. They are also the things that matter to us too…

- the Pre-eminence and Lordship of the resurrected Jesus Christ,

- a deep, and expectant, dependence upon the Holy Spirit for His filling and empowering.

- a whole-hearted submission to the absolute authority of the Word of God,

- a dependence on, and an intimacy with God expressed through prayer, and the meditation on His Word,

- a deep commitment to fellowship with the local body of believers, characterised by submission and sacrificial service,

- a sense of calling, and a passion for the mission of reaching a lost world with the gospel of faith and repentance,

- the worth of every person, created in God’s image, tho’ tragically lost, yet for whom Christ died to redeem, in order to transform into His own likeness and powerfully use.

- the expectation of dynamic growth of the church, in number, in extent of influence, and in Christ-like character.

Our Mission – Why We Are Here

“Craigmore Christian Church exists to raise up disciples of Jesus Christ to reach a lost world.”

These words resonate with Matthew 28:19-20. They touch on both the global scope and personal depth of the Great Commission. Making disciples is the church’s business. “Raising up disciples” implies that those who are reached by our mission in turn embrace it themselves. The term “disciple” implies qualities that Jesus Himself prescribed. A New Testament disciple is someone who…

- Puts Christ first in his life and is taking steps to separate from sin

- Maintains a rich daily devotional life, and is developing his prayer life

- Continues in the Word through regular study, memorisation and application

- Demonstrates Christ’s love by identifying with and serving other believers

- Identifies with Jesus Christ and is actively sharing his faith

- Is a learner, open and teachable

Our Vision – Where Are We Going

“Vision” is seeing what it will be like when we are succeeding. The profile above paints this picture for us individually, but as a church we are aiming …

- for sustained growth and on-going leadership development through church-planting

- for an ever broadening base to send and support effective labourers for World Mission

- to maintain a congregation of 500, and a leadership core of 12 disciple-making families

- to see a new church planted and a new missionary endeavour commissioned every five years

Our Strategy – How Are We Going To Get There

Embedded in our mission statement are three steps, each of which build upon one another in turn, like the tiers in a wedding cake;

- Evangelising – Bringing lost people back to God. (See Acts 14:21)

- Establishing – Building disciples to maturity in Christ. (See Acts 14:22)

- Equipping – Developing leaders to fruitful living. (See Acts 14:23)

- When we build into others lives to help them fulfil their potential, (as Paul the apostle charged Timothy in 2 Tim 2:2).

Then the power of multiplication kicks in as Jesus intended, and the task He left us to accomplish becomes achievable.

Craigmore Christian Church is a part of the network of the Christian Community Churches of Australia.

We affirm the Statement of Faith and the Doctrines of the Christian Community Churches of Australia.

Statement of Faith of CCCAust

Statement of Faith – Christian Community Churches Australia (cccaust.org)

We believe the Bible as originally given by God is divinely inspired, infallible, and entirely trustworthy, and is the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct, from which we can know that:

- God: There is one true eternal creator God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

- Creation: God created all things, making man and woman in His own image and for relationship with Him.

- Sin: Sin entered into the world through human disobedience following the rebellion of Satan against God.

- Christ: The Son, Christ Jesus, was born of a virgin and lived as a sinless man. Out of the abundance of God’s love the Father gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die to save all people from sin. Christ rose from the grave defeating the power of sin.

- Salvation: The death and resurrection of Christ brings salvation by grace through faith to those who repent, seek forgiveness, and believe in Him.

- Spirit: The Holy Spirit, following Jesus’ return to His Father in heaven, lives within those who have salvation as a comforter and guide, guaranteeing their eternal hope.

- The Church: The true universal Church is a spiritual entity composed of all individuals who put their faith in Jesus Christ. God has called individual Christians to meet together as local churches.

- Life: Those who trust in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour are called to live a transformed life and as such we have the responsibility to:

- Encourage other Christians through meeting together for worship and fellowship;

- Uphold moral directives and ethical values contained in the Bible as expressed within the context of their personal life, their marriage life (the covenantal relationship of one man and one woman), and their relationships with others;

- Share the good news to all the world;

- Be active in expressing God’s love through social justice.

- Eternity: Jesus is the only way to a relationship with God. Those who have received salvation have eternal life as joint heirs with Christ. Those who do not believe in Christ are separated from God for eternity.

- Return & New Creation: Christ will return as Lord to the earth and everyone will see him. There will be a new heaven and a new earth.

These statements we are called to believe, uphold, and proclaim to all persons in all spheres of life.

Doctrine

Microsoft Word - CCCAust Doctrinal Statement Ver 2003.01.docx