Rivers Edge Camp is a Christian Camp, under the umbrella of the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada. Our statement of faith and practices is derived from the EMCC.  

 

1.) About the Bible: We believe that the Bible, consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy, and the only final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (Psalm 119:105; Matthew 4:4; John 17:17; II Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; II Peter 1:20-21)

 

2.) About God: We believe in the one true, living and holy God who is a self-existent, eternal, personal Spirit eternally existent as a trinity of three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These persons are distinct but inseparable, one in essence, power, and glory. God is the transcendent and immanent Creator, Sustainer and Ruler of all things visible and invisible. (Genesis 1:1-2; Isaiah 44:6-8; John 1:1-3,14; I Corinthians 2:9-12; Colossians 1:15-16, 2:9; Hebrews 1:3)

 

3.) About Humanity: We believe that God created humankind in His image, male and female, to enjoy a loving relationship with Him and with one another. God specially created humankind as the climax of His creative work on earth and established the family, based on covenant marriage between one man and one woman, as the building block of human community. We believe individual human lives are to be valued from conception, because God loves each one at every stage of life and desires that each one will come to know and love Him. Through human rebellion against God we have fallen and have come to be marred by a sinful nature. Humanity, apart from Christ, is now spiritually dead and, unless born again through Christ, cannot see the kingdom of God. We, in our own strength, without divine grace, cannot do good works pleasing and acceptable to God or bring glory to Him as we were designed to do. Through the finished work of Christ and God’s grace experienced in the influence and empowering of the Holy Spirit individuals are enabled to exercise their will to accept God’s gift and will. Personal acceptance of Christ’s redemptive work results in a restored relationship with God and freedom to fulfil our created purpose through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Gen. 6:5. John 3:3-7; Rom.3:10,18, 23; Eph. 2:1-3; Titus 2:11-14)

 

4.) About Salvation: We believe that in spite of our rebellion, God still loves all of humanity and has mercifully extended His life-giving grace toward us. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, people who believe in Him are forgiven of sin and declared righteous (justification), are made spiritually alive (regeneration), and are set apart into a never-ending relationship with Him as holy people who are being renewed in the image of God (sanctification)… Salvation is God’s gracious gift, to be accepted through faith, through which the believer can be assured of personal salvation which speaks to the past in the forgiveness of sins, to the present of a continuing walk with Christ, and to the future with the promise of resurrection life. (Matt 10:22; 22:37-40; 28:18-20; John 3:16-21; 15:4; Acts 2:22-42; Romans 5:1-2, 6:11,19-23; II Corinthians 5:14-6:2; Ephesians 2:8-10)

 

5.) About the Church: We believe that the true Church consists of all people everywhere who have been reborn through personal participation, by faith, in the death and resurrection of Christ, being called out to become part of the body of which Christ is the Head. The Church is visible to the world when believers gather in community and when they are active in serving and blessing others in Jesus’ name. The Church is the evidence of God’s saving work and a strategic part of God’s plan to reflect His grace, proclaim His truth, and extend His care to the world. The people of God have been sent on mission to the world – to love and worship God in a spirit of unity, to teach the Word of God, to celebrate Baptism and Communion, to encourage all people to follow Jesus, and to participate in the ever-growing kingdom of God. Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22, 3:8-11, 14-21; 4:1-16; Colossians 1:18-23

 

6.) About Christian Stewardship: In recognition of God’s ownership of all things, believers should practice systematic and proportionate giving, adopting the tithe as a minimum expression of their stewardship. They should regard Christian liberality as a privilege and sacred duty, and freely give of their substance for the spread of the Gospel at home and abroad, for the maintenance of the local church, and for the support of the agencies and enterprises of the denomination. Believers should also dedicate themselves, their time, talents, and substance to God and to the advancement of His kingdom. Christians are encouraged to spend time in Bible study, prayer, and in sharing the gospel. (Gen. 1:1, 14:18-23. 2 Mal. 3:8,10. 3 II Cor. 5:14-15, 8:9-12, 9:6-8)

 

7.) About Marriage, Singleness, Family and Human Sexuality: As human beings, men and women, we are created in the image of God. God saw that his creation of humankind was very good. As a result we have intrinsic worth and are found to be equally valued by God.

We believe God has established the church as a family of faith in which we are each sons or daughters. It is within this family of faith that we are established, rooted, fulfil our ministry, and find maturity in Christ. We also believe the family of faith is where the goodness of being either single or married is to be honoured. We recognize that God has created human beings for relationship with him and with each other. God’s intention is for people to be blessed through families: both the family of faith and the family into which God has placed us. God created the family to be the cornerstone of social order.

The home is a divinely established institution in which the husband is the head, but serves its members by the law of love, and in which husband and wife are to work together to raise their children in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Obedience to parents is to be rendered by children in the spirit of mutual respect and love.

Marriage is part of God’s design in establishing the family. We believe that marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. This heterosexual union is the only appropriate relationship within which the joy of sexual intimacy is to be expressed. We affirm such marriage as God’s design for a lifelong loving relationship, sexual intimacy, and the birth and nurture of children. Christian marriage is intended for those who share a common faith in Christ. Such a marriage is blessed of God.Since the EMCC believes the Bible defines marriage as being a covenant union of one man and one woman, the EMCC only recognizes covenantal heterosexual unions as marriages. 

 

8.) About Christian Practice and Conduct: Believers are not to be conformed to the view and lifestyle of the world of which they are a part, but, on the contrary, are to function as salt to prevent the spread of moral corruption, and as light to dispel spiritual darkness. High standards should therefore be set for their personal and collective life including the following:

1) their disposition and attitudes be characterised by godliness and the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control;

2) their social relationships bear witness to Christ, their entire conduct reflecting the spiritual ideals of Christianity rather than the world; they shall not engage in sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage; shall not marry unbelievers, shall not hold membership in oath-bound secret societies, and shall not compromise Christian principles in partnerships;

3) their bodies be treated as temples of the Holy Spirit, thus making it inconsistent with both Christian testimony and sound principles of health to compromise their influence and injure their bodies through inappropriate practices or substance abuse.

(1 Rom. 12:1,2. 2 Matt. 5:13. 3 Gal. 5:22-24. 4 II Cor. 6:14-16. 5 I Cor. 3:16,17, 6:19,20. 6 I Cor. 6:12-20.)

 

9.) About Attitude toward Civil Government: Civil government is ordained of God for the welfare of society to promote and protect the good and to restrain and punish evil. Therefore, we consider it the duty of Christians to pray for rulers and for those who are in authority over them and to give due loyalty, respect, and obedience to them. Christians are also encouraged to take an active interest in government at all levels. Where the demands of civil law would militate against the supreme law and will of God, Christians should obey God rather than man. (1 Dan. 4:17. 2 Rom. 13:1-5. 3 I Tim. 2:1-4. 4 Acts 4:13-20, 5:27,28)

 

10.) About attitude toward Strife and Military Service: Believers are to love their enemies, do good to those that hate them, overcome evil with good, and, as much as possible, live peaceably with all men. Therefore, it is not fitting for the Christian to promote strife between nations, classes, groups, or individuals.We are to exercise tolerance and understanding, and respect the individual conscience with regard to participation in war.

 

For a complete list of our articles of faith and practice, please visit: https://www.emcc.ca/who-we-are/our-beliefs/