FAQ

From left to right, Eastgate's Board of Elders:

Lance Livingston, Mike Brown, Dan Crute, Riley Woodrum, Rob Woodrum, Ron Cravatta

FAQ

1. Most churches have a statement of beliefs. Do you guys have one too?

Yes, we have a statement of beliefs, and they are as follows:

We Believe: That the Bible is the inspired revelation of God, that every word is breathed out by God. We believe that it is relevant today, and life changing for all who will trust in it’s truths, and therefore a central source for developing a proper worldview.

We Believe: That God is revealed in the Bible to be eternally manifested in three distinct yet unified and equal personalities; The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three make up the one triune God. Don't get it? Neither do we...that's what makes God so much fun!

We Believe: That mankind is separated from God because of sin and disobedience, and in need of salvation that is obtained by faith in the sacrificial blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross; not in religious works or good behavior, but by grace alone.

We Believe: That Jesus is the Christ (the Hero who rescues us), the incarnation of God (God became a man); that He came in flesh and blood. We believe in His virgin birth, His sinless and perfect life and ministry in word and deed; that he was put to death in the flesh for our sins, and rose from the dead after three days. We believe that He ascended to the right hand of the Father in Heaven, and will return in the flesh to establish His Kingdom on earth.

We Believe: In COMMUNITY, that the Christian journey is not about individualism, but about growing together as community of Christ followers. We believe the church should not be a purpose driven business, but a loving and accepting family.

We Believe: In the liberty of every believer to be personally led by the Holy Spirit in following God’s plan for his life.

We Believe: In the statement of the Moravians: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in ALL things love.”

     Having stated those beliefs, understand that we don't have a litmus test we deliver at the door. Our main goal is to journey together toward an authentic faith in Jesus Christ, learn from His Word, and grow from our experiences together.

2. What is a typical church service like with you guys?

      Well, basically, we begin our meeting with a time of corporate worship. We spend about a half an hour singing together and communicating our love for God. People can stand or sit, clap or stand still...everyone has the freedom to express his own heart to God. After that, we break for announcements, and allow the children to be excused to Kidsgate meetings...and this is a good time to snag another cup of coffee. Bible study is important to us, so we usually spend about 35 or more minutes in teaching. We do expository Bible studies (which is a fancy way of saying book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse) in order to see how our lives can conform to God's plan in relevant ways.

3. What do you mean by an "informal" meeting environment?



     It means that we are trying to create a very comfortable setting for our meetings together. Essentially, we think worshiping God should be as natural as breathing, so why not make the environment where we gather to do this a place where we feel at home, and safe to be ourselves? Instead of stiff pews and a forced reverence, we have tables, chairs, and couches, and we let God provide our sense of reverence. People can come dressed up if they like that...or come in their pajamas if they're running late! If we're all family in God's love, it shouldn't matter what we're wearing. Dress is a NON-issue.

4. I've been to your fellowship, and you don't pass a plate for an offering. What's up with that? How are you supported?



    We do have two offering boxes located on either side of the building, and as God leads those in the fellowship to give, the needs of the church are provided for. Chuck Smith, the founder of Calvary Chapel coined a phrase we think is great: "Where God guides, God provides." That has been our motto concerning finances, and God has always come through. We just think it's vulgar and unnecessary to hound those who gather as the church for money. We have confidence that people will know there are needs, and we trust them enough to be led by God to meet them.

5. Who's in charge of this thing?

     That's a great question. While many churches follow criteria set down by various organizational traditions for establishing church government, we had a strong desire to follow the model of the early church in developing our governing structure. From what we can see from Acts and the didactic teachings of Paul, there seemed to be a plurality of leadership in the early church. Hence, we adopted a model where we have a lead pastor who is accountable to, and in working harmony with a board of elders who have oversight of various aspects of the fellowship's interests. No one person has total authority within the church, but each member of this leadership team is accountable to each other, and the larger community in seeking the leading of God for the church.

     The board of elders presently consists of: Mike Brown, Lance Livingston, Riley Woodrum, Ron Cravatta, and Dan Crute. You may e-mail them through the church e-mail address, and it will be forwarded to the appropriate person.



6. Do I have to be a surfer, or a young person to be part of this church?

     Not at all. All you have to be is a person who's tired of religious hype, and is looking for something real. We have people of all age groups who gather with this church community. We aren't trying to cater to one specific demographic, and we hope that it's just our genuine desire to follow Christ that is attractive to people. As far as the surfer motif goes...well, if you've seen Trading Spaces, you know that thematic design is all the rage. The pastor enjoys surfing, and beach culture...so go figure.