Crafts Church - Our Beliefs

Discover Crafts Church

Crafts Church is a historic country church nestled near Smith Mountain Lake, Glade Hill, Va. We are serious about the Bible, dedicated to worshipping God and walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

Worshipful Gatherings

We welcome you to come to our blended worship of old hymns, and modern praise. We will dive deep into the wonder of the Bible. Most of the sermons at Crafts are Exegetical/Expository. Meaning, a close examination of the text, going verse by verse and sometimes word by word.

Our fellowship is like family. We enjoy each other's company and appreciate each other. Together we work to serve the Lord and each other.

Bible Study Group

Engage in enlightening discussions and study sessions to deepen your understanding of the Bible and its relevance in everyday life.

Everyone is encouraged to participate, ask questions in this informal gathering of friends.

Statement of Faith

The statement of faith 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 statement of faith accurately represents the teachings of the Bible and, therefore, is binding upon all members, staff, and volunteers. All literature, whether print or electronic, used in the church shall be in complete agreement with the statement of faith. All activities permitted or performed in any facilities owned, rented, or leased by this church, or engaged in by any member of the church staff (volunteer or paid and all decisions of the administration of this church shall not conflict with the statement of faith. In all conflicts regarding interpretation of the statement of faith, the pastor and church council, on behalf of the church, have the final authority.

Beliefs on Doctrine
1. Apostles' Creed (traditional)
Additional Religious Beliefs
1. Marriage and Sexuality
  1. We believe that the term "marriage" has only one legitimate meaning, and that is marriage sanctioned by God, which joins one man and one woman in a single, covenantal union as delineated by Scripture. Marriage ceremonies performed in any facility or space owned, leased, or rented by this church will be only those ceremonies sanctioned by God, joining one man with one woman as their genders were determined by anatomy at birth (and not subject to change). Whenever there is a conflict between the church's position and any new legal standard for marriage, the church's statement of faith, doctrines, and biblical positions will govern. (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:22-23; Mark 10:6-9; I Cor. 7:1-9).
  2. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage as defined in (a) above. We believe that any other type of sexual activity, identity, or expression that lies outside of this definition of marriage, including those that are becoming more accepted in the culture and the courts, are contradictory to God's natural design and purpose for sexual activity. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1: 26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9-10; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4).
  3. We believe that God creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, unchangeable genders together reflect the image and nature of God, and the rejection of one's biological gender is a rejection of the image of God within that person. (Genesis 1:26-27).
2. Sanctity of Life
  1. Abortion: We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being created in the image of God and must be valued and protected, (ob 3:16; Ps. 51:5; 139:13-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1.:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:36, 44)
  2. Euthanasia: We believe that an intentional act or omission that facilitates premature death, is assuming a decision that is to be reserved for God. We do not believe that discontinuing medical procedures that are extraordinary or disproportionate to the expected outcome is euthanasia. (Ex. 20:13; 23:7; Matt 5:21; Acts 17:28)
3. Love. We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward those who are not believers, those who oppose us, and those who engage in sinful actions. We are to deal graciously, humbly, gently, and patiently with those who oppose us. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such actions. (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 5:44- 48: Luke 6:31: John 13:34-35: Rom. 12:9-10: 17-21: 13:8-10: Phil. 2:2-4: 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; I Peter 3:8-9; 1 John 3:17-18)
4. Protection of Children. We believe that children are a blessing from the Lord and must be absolutely protected within the church from any form of abuse or molestation. The church has zero tolerance for any person, whether paid staff, volunteer, member, or visitor, who abuses or molests a child. (Ps. 127:3-5; Matt. 18:6, 19:14; Mark 10:14)