What To Expect
When you show up for a City Harbor meeting you will hear people talking and laughing. You will find coffee and someone new to meet. You will see people sing and pray like they mean it, like it matters.
Our City Kids Ministry offer opportunities for our kids to learn and have fun. Each teacher is background checked and trained according to our safe place policies. Your kids will have an activity at every City Harbor meeting.
Where We Meet
We meet at the Hampden United Methodist Church located at 3451 Falls Road, Baltimore, MD 21211, at 9am Sunday mornings.
What We Believe
Why would Jesus’ followers form communities of faith? What examples and teaching are available for Jesus’ followers to learn from? How do Jesus’ followers define their passionate purpose and practice?
We believe. We care. We act. City Harbor Church…helping people take next steps in following Jesus.
God loved us first. With God, passion and purpose never happens without people. God showed us love through Jesus Christ. We are responding to Jesus Christ. We identify as Jesus followers. This brings definition to our individual and collective sense of identity, value, and purpose. This informs every aspect of what it means for us to be a local church.
Jesus made clear the focus of God’s “big picture” purpose: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
This is what Peter, and the witnesses of Jesus were focused on communicating, constantly, everywhere: “Everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.” – Acts 10:43
This is the message that the early believers and Paul focused on giving to others: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”- Romans 10:9
Here is the truth that this early church, at large, was focused on: “Through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God – something the law of Moses could never do.” – Acts 13:38-39
We choose to respond as they did: confessing and forsaking our sins, believing in and receiving Jesus Christ as Savior, making our faith public in water baptism, and receiving the Holy Spirit as our guide. – Acts 2:22-42
We now live by faith in Jesus. Any good things we do spring from a thankful love motivation, and not an attempt to earn God’s love. “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” – Ephesians 2:8
This leads us to a culture of grace, and not shame. “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” – Romans 8:1
Through this miracle of salvation, we have begun new spiritual lives together. “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 Realizing our new spiritual life, as God’s gift to us through Jesus Christ, comes before we bring any value from our personal identity characteristics in culture, gender, ethnicity, or otherwise.
Now we experience spiritual freedom from any darkness. “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” – Colossians 1:13-14 We are now free to live in new ways (Ephesians 2:1-10), receiving the guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13) and allowing the Holy Spirit to shape new ways of thinking and feeling (Ephesians 4:23).
Now the love of Jesus gives us spiritual strength (Ephesians 3:16-20). As we give the best of our energy to receive this love of Jesus and respond to it, we will be positively changed for the rest of our lives.
The message that Jesus wanted communicated, first and foremost: “There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.” – Luke 24:47 Jesus gave his followers purpose. We are to communicate this message.
We believe that God has shown us love through Jesus Christ our Savior, seen in Romans 5:8-11
We respond with our wholehearted love for God and a sacrificial love for our neighbors, as Jesus taught in Matthew 22:37-39. Also seen in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Philippians 2:1-11; 1 John 4:7-11
Together we follow the teaching of Jesus and the example of his first followers, by inviting people to receive this saving grace through Jesus, and by committing to the lifestyle of grateful devotion, as seen in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 2:38-47; 4:29-35; 5:42.
We come together, building relationships with each other as a church family where each person has value, identity, and purpose, as seen in 1 Timothy 3:15, 5:1-2 1 Corinthians 12:16-17.
Motivated by the compassion of Jesus, we choose a lifestyle of courageous generosity and work together, meeting the needs of others, as seen in Acts 4:29-35; 11:19-30; 2 Corinthians 8-9.
Our church family is served by a team of leaders, including deacons and elders, who meet the qualifications, seen in 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9.
We will follow the example of the early church in their high value on loving respect seen in mutual submission to each other, motivated by a constant awareness of Jesus (Ephesians 5:21). This is informed by our growing understanding of who Jesus is, what Jesus values, what Jesus has taught, and what Jesus desires.
We find guidelines for our healthy relationships within the organization in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Hebrews 13:17; Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 5; Galatians 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; 1 Timothy 5:19-20; Titus 3:10-11.
We are following the example of the Christian church in Antioch who became a cohesive healthy spiritual family of Jesus followers, as seen in Acts 11:19-30. They did not allow unique characteristics of race, ethnicity, culture, economy, or education to keep them from being a unified group. They took action to help others across such lines.
We will help people take next steps in following Jesus, in ways that are as simple and as effective as possible, as seen in Acts 15:7-19.
We believe that God wants us to make this new way of living available to more people each year, as seen in Acts 16:5; 18:9-10.
This is an abbreviated version of our Statement of Faith and it does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe, however, that the following Statement of Faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible.
Here’s a snapshot of what we believe:
- God is so passionate about each one of us; He’s bigger, better and closer than we could imagine.
- The Bible is the perfect guidebook for living life.
- Jesus is God clothing Himself in humanity so we can see Him.
- God lives in and through us now by the Holy Spirit and wants us to be filled and overflowing with His presence.
- Nothing we see around is an accident. God created it all.
- We could never do enough good things to have a relationship with God. Grace is the only way to step into a relationship with Him.
- Trusting and relying solely upon God is the only way we grow in our relationship with Him.
- With God we win, all other options lead to failure. God has allowed evil to provide us with two choices. If we choose God, He can bring good even out of evil events and He tells us in the Bible that there is victory for those who choose Him. The other option isn’t so good.
- Death is a beginning not an end. The beginning of the rest of your life will be in one of two very real places, heaven or hell.
- The church is God’s family and He wants the church to do as He did, to serve people just as He did.
- Jesus is very real and He is coming back.
- The Bible
Holy Bible
We believe in the inspiration of the accepted canon of Scriptures as originally given and that in their original language they are infallible, inerrant (free from error of any sort in all matters with which they deal), and the sole and final authority for all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13) Since the Bible is the inspired Word of God, it is then authoritative in all areas of human identity and behavior, including marriage, family, sexuality, morality, and ethics.
God
We believe in the Eternal Godhead who has revealed Himself as One God existing in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, distinguishable but indivisible. (Matthew 23:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
Creation
We believe in the creation, test and fall of man as recorded in Genesis; his total spiritual depravity and inability to attain to Divine righteousness. (Romans 5:12, 18)
Jesus Christ
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, very God and very Man. (Luke 1:26-35; John 1:14-18; Isaiah 714; 9:6)
Christ’s Crucifixion & Resurrection
We believe Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, and personally appeared to His disciples. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 4:25)
Christ’s Ascension & Return
We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, His exaltation, and personal, literal and bodily coming again the second time for His Church. (John 14:2, 3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
Salvation
We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace, through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work of the cross of Calvary by which we obtain remission of sins. (Ephesians 2:8,9; Hebrews 9:12,22; Romans 5:11)
Water Baptism
We believe in the necessity of water baptism by immersion in the Name of the Eternal Godhead in order to fulfill the command of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:34-36; 19:1-6)
Holy Spirit Baptism
We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the continuing empowerment of the Holy Spirit for the work of building the Kingdom of God, and that the miraculous gifts (including speaking in tongues) continue to function today, just as they did when the Church was established in the book of Acts. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Peter 4:10; Ephesians 4:7-12; Acts 2:1-4; 8:14-17; and 19:6.)
Gifts of the Spirit
We believe in the operation of the Gifts of the Spirit as enumerated in 1 Corinthians 12-14, as manifested in the Early Church.
Spirit Filled Life
We believe in the Spirit-filled life, a life of separation from the world and perfecting of holiness in the fear of God as expressing the true Christian faith. (Ephesians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1)
Healing
We believe in the healing of the body by Divine power, or Divine healing in its varied aspects as practiced in the Early Church. (Acts 4:30; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 12:9, James 5:14)
Communion
We believe in the table of the Lord, commonly called the Communion or the Lord’s Supper, for believers. (1 Corinthians 11:28-32; Matthew 26:26-28)
Satan & His Judgment
We believe in the reality and personality of the Devil and eternal judgment of Satan and his angels. (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10-15)
Heaven & Hell
We believe in eternal life for believers (John 5:24; 3:16), and eternal punishment for the unbelievers. (Mark 9:43-48; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:10-15)
The Church
We believe that there is one true universal Church, made up of genuine believers, but this one universal Church is also composed of many local Churches in given localities. These Churches are under the sovereign Headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, exercising autonomous government under Him, administering all its local affairs and ministry, as well as the propagation of the Gospel. (Acts 15:22; with Matthew 16:18; 18:15-20)
IN ADDITION TO THESE BASIC FUNDAMENTALS, WE ALSO HOLD THAT:
The theological framework for understanding all of God’s dealings with mankind is to be found in the divine covenants revealed in Scripture.
Romans 9:4-5; Galatians 3-4; Ephesians 1:9-14; 3:11 Hebrews 8; 13:20
We believe in the public gathering of the Church together for prayer, worship, teaching and preaching of the Bible and the administering of the sacraments of the church.
Acts 2; I Corinthians 11; Hebrews 10:25
The Bible defines marriage as the covenant relationship between a man and a woman. The importance of this union to society requires that we support and protect marriage as the Word of God does.
Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 19:4-6
Humanity as a whole is united in origin, in the fall, and in the provision of the atonement through Christ, making every person equally worthy of love and forgiveness; as well as just and unbiased treatment.
John 3:16; Acts 10:34; 17:26; Romans 5:6-21; Colossians 3:8-16
God’s eternal purpose involves all races and nations, culminating in every nation, tribe and tongue being represented before His throne.
Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 2:14-18; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Revelation 5:9; 7:9
The Church of Jesus Christ is the last instrument that God is using to extend His kingdom prior to the second coming of Christ.
Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:20-23; 3:10
The local church is autonomous; it is self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating in its mature state.
Acts 2; 13:1-4
The biblical form of church government is a plurality of elders with a Lead Pastor who all qualify on the basis of 1 Timothy 3 in spiritual life, character, domestic life and ruling ability.
Every believer in Christ must be subject to God’s authority in a specific local church for spiritual protection and long-term fruitfulness.
Hebrews 13:17