Our Services - Calvary Chapel Emporia

We are Back in Emporia, Come Join Us This Sunday. 413 Ingleside Ave. Emporia Virginia, 23847

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

1 Peter 4:8

Why our church

It's all about love

Jesus‘ love for us is described in the Bible as unconditional, sacrificial love. Jesus demonstrated this love by going to the cross and taking the punishment that we deserve for our sins. He showed us that love is more powerful than death and that nothing can separate us from His love. Jesus‘ love is also described as being gracious, merciful, and compassionate. He showed us that love is not just an emotion, but a way of life. His love is not based on our performance or behavior, but is instead a free gift to all who believe in Him.

Jesus

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

1 Peter 4:8

Community

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

Proverbs 17:17

Love

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”

1 Corinthians 13:4

Love Jesus

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”

Corinthians 13:4

Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them. Thus, we at Calvary Chapel believe that God has given the command for believers in Christ to be baptized.

However, we do not believe that someone who has professed a belief in and commitment to Jesus Christ is not saved until they are baptized. The scripture is clear on this point. The apostle Paul said. “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1Cor 1:17). When asked by the Philippians jailer,” What must I do to be saved,” Paul and the other disciples responded, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:30-33). Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved”.

What then does baptism do? (Romans 6:3-4) tells us, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?. Therefore, we have buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life”. In other words, baptism is an identifying work that demonstrates our connection with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. We go down into the waters of baptism, just as Jesus was buried in the tomb. We rise up out of the water just as Jesus rose up from the dead. Furthermore, we are demonstrating to family and friends that our old life is buried, and our new life has begun.

Another question that we are frequently asked is” in whose name are we baptized?”. Should we be baptized in the name of Jesus only, or in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit? There are lengthy doctrinal discussions over what we should do since there is Biblical precedence for both practices. But the short and simple answer is that Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”. Simon Peter said in Acts 2:38, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. “Whose command are you going to follow?. We follow the command of Jesus and baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Witch, incidentally, also follows the command of Peter, who didn’t say, “be baptized in the name of Jesus ONLY”.

Baptisms occur at Calvary Chapel of Branchville when someone expresses a desire to the Senior Pastor to be baptized. We typically schedule them to take place at our annual baptism celebration. If you have been born again into a new life in Christ, but have not yet been baptized, we encourage you to be obedient to the Lord and do so.

Calvary Chapel differs from most mainline churches in its style of church government.

Most churches are either run with a Congregational form of church government (a democracy run by voting and committees), a Presbyterian form (a board of elders over a Pastor), or an Episcopal form (a monarchy that dictates what happens in local churches). Each of these governmental forms has their positives and negatives, but at Calvary Chapel, we have adopted what we believe to be a Biblical model of church leadership.

Church government at Calvary Chapel is very simple, not a complex bureaucracy. Committees and subcommittees are essentially non-existent. At Calvary Chapel, we believe that the Senior Pastor is responsible for the church, responsible to hear from God, and responsible to feed and love His people faithfully. The Senior Pastor guides the church in the fear of the Lord as he is led by the Holy Spirit.

Because the Senior Pastor is only one man, Elders, and Pastors are appointed to help the Senior Pastor care for the spiritual needs of the congregation, and Deacons are appointed to help the Senior Pastor care for the material needs of the church. Feel free to call on these men for spiritual or physical assistance.

The appointment of Elders is done by the Senior Pastor (Titus 1 :5), in concert with much prayer and fasting (Luke 6: 12-13). Deacons are appointed following discussion and prayer by the Pastors, Elders ( Acts 6:3; 1Tim 3: 10). The Biblical prerequisites. For both of these offices (Acts 6, 1Tim 3, Titus 1) are heavily weighed and absolutely required.

Following is a list of ministries in that Elders and Deacons assist the Senior Pastor in ministering to the congregation physically and spiritually:

The ministries of an Elder
Guard the flock. (Acts 20)
Shepherd the church. (Acts 20, 1Pet 5)
Work hard to help the weak. (Acts 20)
Be an example to the sheep. (1Pet 5)
Go to the sick and pray over them, anointing them with oil. (James 5)
Discuss and come to conclusions regarding church doctrine. (Acts 15)
Preach and teach. (1Tim 5)
Choose men for the work of missions and ministry. (Acts 15) Meet to hear the status of the church and ministries. (Acts 15, 21) Have stewardship over what to do with church finances. (Acts 11:30,Titus 1)
Take care of the church. (1Tim 3)
Rule what goes on in the church. (1Tim 5: 17)
The ministries of a Deacon
Minister to the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the prisoners. (Matt 25:44)
Provide for a need financially. (Luke 8:3)
Serve as Jesus served. (Matt 20:28)
Prepare the house, food, etc. for visitors. (Luke 10:40)
Be available to serve physical needs. (John 2:5)
Wait tables. (Acts 6:2)
Share the gospel. (1Cor 3:5)
Use spiritual gifts to minister to those in the church. (1Pet 4: 10) Serve with the strength that God supplies. (1Pet 4: 11)

By definition, Calvary Chapel is a charismatic church. We believe that the gifts of the spirit (Rom 12; 1Cor 12; 1Pet 4) continue to be in operation today. But we also believe the exercise of these gifts must be decent and in order (1 Cor 14:40) within Biblical boundaries, to the edification of the church. Therefore, we cannot be defined as “Pentecostal”.

Calvary Chapel’s Sunday morning services are designed to be centered around the verse-by-verse teaching of God’s Word, as-well as for the evangelism of unbelievers. Therefore, we have smaller studies in the form of Bible Studies where the gifts of the Holy Spirit can operate freely under the leadership of mature Christians.

Because the fruit of the Spirit includes self-control (Gal 5:22-23), we do not believe that “Holy laughter,” being “slain in the spirit,” Shaking, trembling, barking, etc. are following Biblical gifts:

Word of Wisdom
God, acting on the knowledge you have, enables you to solve a conflict or arrive at a godly decision.

Word of Knowledge
A supernatural revelation – knowledge of things that you didn’t discover or know on your own.

Faith
A super-abundant dose of faith, enabling you to step out and do things for the kingdom of God that might make you no earthly sense.

Gifts of Healing
Gifts of healing are imparted to some who are sick, handicapped, injured, or dying.

Effecting of Miracles
A gift in which God causes a supernatural event – changing the natural laws and flow of things for a certain purpose.

Prophecy
A forth-telling of the Word of God – sometimes speaking of the future, but often simply speaking the written Word of God appropriately.

Teaching
The ability to take the deep things of God and make them understandable to others.

Distinguishing of Spirits
The ability to see the spirit – the attitudes, the motives – of a person.

Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues
Speaking praises to God in an unknown language (of men or angels). An interpretation is necessary in a public setting so that we can say “amen”. It is a sign to unbelievers, but only when practiced decently and in order (no more than 2 to 3, each in turn, with interpretations).

Serving
We’re all called to serve one another, but some are gifted supernaturally to serve, either by their ability or their availability.

Exhortation
Used God to strongly urge people to do good deeds, or warn them against evil deeds.

Leading
Given to people that God places in leadership in the church.

Mercy
The supernatural ability to show unexpected and abundant kindness to the undeserving.