What We Believe

OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH

We believe in one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

People are created in the image of the Triune God and are called to manifest and reflect holiness through obedience to the commandments which are set forth in Holy Scripture. Because human beings have woefully fallen in this responsibility and entered into a state of moral corruption, they have subsequently become estranged from their Creator.

Because of a profound love for creation, God has initiated a plan of redemption and accomplished it on behalf of the people of God in the realm of temporal history. The zenith of this redemption is located in the historical incarnation of God in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. We confess Jesus to be the Christ of the Old Testament prophecy, being at the same time fully God and fully human. Jesus, through His atoning death and bodily resurrection, has provided the meritorious basis of our justification, which we receive by faith alone.

The risen and ascended Christ has sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in the hearts of believers, affecting their regeneration and operating in their sanctification. The same Holy Spirit has been given to the people of God to empower them for the service of bearing witness to the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit brings God’s people together to form a corporate community of believers. We believe that Christ has established a visible church which is called to live in the power of the Holy Spirit under the regulation of the authority of the Holy Scripture, exercising discipline, administering the sacraments, and preaching the Gospel of Christ.

We support the work of Christian organizations and institutions that confess the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

We believe that the Bible in its entirety is divine revelation, and we submit to the authority of Holy Scripture, acknowledging it to be inspired by and to carry the full weight of God’s authority. We believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of all things and thus we are committed to the implementation of the social and cultural implications of God’s commandments and grace for the transformation of society and the well-being of people. We believe our faith should be visible in concrete forms and models of personal and social behavior. We seek to be faithful disciples of Christ, enduring in love and obedience until He comes again to consummate His kingdom.

DIVERSITY

The CCO loves college students and works to create spaces to join with students in experiencing all of our lives being caught up in the vision of God making all things new.

We believe that humans are created by God to be in community with one another and with creation itself. We know that sin has disrupted our ability to relate to one another and to belong. But the story of redemption is that God does not allow this disruption to stand. God’s work to renew all of creation is clearly seen in God becoming incarnate in the life and work of Jesus. Through Jesus, humans can be transformed and join in this grand story of God making a kingdom that is full of people—their varied cultures, ethnicities, abilities, and cultural riches being joined together to enjoy and fill this creation in the presence of God.

Read the extended version of our foundational statement that explores how the biblical narrative of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration shapes and informs the CCO’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Belonging. And for more about the CCO's commitment to these things, read the CCO Statement on Racial & Ethnic Diversity.

CCO CORE VALUES
All things belong to God.
Jesus changes people's lives.
We love college students.
We embrace God's multi-ethnic Kingdom.
Faithfulness is pursued together.
We celebrate life.

UNITY IN MISSION
The Chicago Agreement | Campus ministry unity

As ministries committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and united in his mission on college campuses, the following groups listed below met on October 25, 2010 and agreed to teach the staff, volunteers, faculty and student leadership of our organizations the following principles about relationships with other Christian groups. (John 13:34-35)

We are all part of Christ's body.
We do not regard any campus as our exclusive field. We recognize that many students and faculty may be helped through the various appeals and styles of the different organizations.
We will seek to establish relationships and build bridges with our counterparts in other Christian groups on campus. When establishing ministries on new campuses, we will take the initiative to communicate with the leadership of existing groups.
We will speak well of and refrain from criticism of each others' ministries and members.
We commit to addressing problems on a local, regional or national level by humbly communicating with our counterparts, seeking the Lord together to resolve the issues.
We affirm the leadership commitments students and faculty have made to each others' ministries and will not actively recruit them away from those groups. When starting a new campus work, each organization will endeavor to select new leaders, not leaders from other ministries.
We recognize students and faculty have the freedom to choose their involvement with any campus ministry. In general, we will encourage them to select and be involved with one primary organization.
We will encourage collaborative efforts on a voluntary basis between our organizations. We are open to share experiences and resources to assist each other with the unique challenges of campus ministry.

FOUNDING MINISTRIES
Asian American Christian Fellowship
Baptist Collegiate Ministry
Campus Ambassadors
Campus Crusade for Christ
Campus Outreach
Chi Alpha Christian Union
Coalition for Christian Outreach
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Great Commission Ministries Churches
The Impact Movement
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
The Navigators
North American Mission Board
Reformed University Fellowship
Student Mobilization
Young Life College

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