The church that meets at Rivanna River

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      We are so happy that you have stopped by our website, and we pray that your travels will give you opportunity to stop by and join us as we worship God together.  The church that meets along the north fork of the Rivanna River, a house church just north of Charlottesville, Virginia, in the eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a warm and loving church family.  Those who meet here belong to the "church" of Christ … not in a denominational sense, but in the sense in which Paul used the phrase in Romans 16.
     We are part of the Lord's church, and we are seekers—a group of brothers and sisters who meet under the Headship of Christ.  Rites and rituals have taken a back seat to relationships with our Father and with one another.  By the way, "one anothering" is mentioned 153 times in the Bible (NASB); 103 of those references are in the New Testament.  By comparison, love is mentioned 151 times in the Bible.  Seems to me love and one anothering go hand in glove.  In planting this church, we know we will face difficulties, and we will experience many things as we learn to love, accept, admonish, serve, edify, uplift, comfort, forgive, and support one another.  We also know we are certain to experience Jesus in ways most only read about in books!
     The Bible tells us that some things are essential—in these essential beliefs, we have unity.  For example, “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." — Ephesians 4:4-6 (NIV)
     But the Bible also tells us that inside this one Body (the church), there is plenty of room for personal freedom and opinion—in these non-essential beliefs, we have liberty.  You may recall Paul's admonition to the church at Rome, "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters...  Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?  To his own master he stands or falls...  So then each of us will give an account of himself to God...  So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God." — Romans 14:1,4,12,22 (NIV)
     Finally the Bible insists that, whether we are talking about the essentials or our opinions, we do so in love—in all our beliefs, we show charity.  "If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." — 1Corinthians 13:2 (NIV)
     So in that spirit of oneness and of love, let us share other important beliefs we hold and teach.  We …

• believe in God our Father who created the universe, our world, and everything good, right, and perfect in it (Genesis 1:1; James 1:17)
  
• believe that Jesus is the Son of God; that he lived the perfect life and died on the cross for the remission of our sins; that he was buried in a tomb and raised to life again on the third day (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Philippians 2:5-11)
  
• believe in the Holy Spirit as the third person in the Godhead who dwells with us, lives in us, and inspired the holy men of God to compose the scriptures (John 14:16-17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
  
• seek to follow the Bible, God’s own perfect word for us, in all matters of faith and practice (Colossians 3:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
  
• seek to worship God according to the New Testament and to the example of the first century church as God’s family and the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13).    
  
• seek to live faithfully by the teachings of the Bible (Luke 9:23). 
  
• seek to love one another as Jesus loved us because our Lord teaches us that by this love all men will know that we are Christians (John 13:34-35; Acts 11:26).
  

     Please, do drop by when you find yourself in our little corner of His world!

Faith:

If we were to adopt a statement of faith, it would resonate with the sentiments of Richard Wurmbrand's powerful and awe-inspiring message to his son (recorded in his son's book, Between Hammer & Sickle):

"... these things I know for sure.  First, there is a living God and he is our loving father.  Second, Jesus Christ is the savior and bridegroom of our souls.  Third, the Holy Spirit works in us to make us more and more Christ-like.  Fourth, there exists beyond question an eternal life.  And lastly, love is the best of ways. "