Calvary Chapel Oxford is part of a worldwide network of Calvary Chapel assemblies, which grew out of the 'Jesus movement' in California in the late 1960s. The good news of Jesus Christ is at the heart of the Calvary Chapel movement —
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but inherit eternal life
(John 3: 16).

Jesus Christ and His Word are the centre of our lives: the people of God gather together for the glory of God through worship and edification through the teaching of the Word. Calvary Chapel assemblies are characterised by a devotion to systematic Bible teaching, and the life and ministries of the church flow out of our daily meditation on God's Word.

We believe in the power of the Grace of God, through which Christ's redemptive love is expressed, and that grace, not judgment, is the central expression of the Gospel. Calvary Chapel has always maintained an informal and accepting atmosphere, where many broken lives have found restoration. Salvation in Christ Jesus is not an experience of being burdened by church membership or obligations but is the experience of freedom and love. (2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 5:1; 1 John 2:5)

The Holy Spirit was sent by Christ to bear witness to His truth, and through whose power the church would exist. The Holy Spirit did not come on His own authority, and does not draw attention to Himself (John 16: 13-15): we do not pray to the Holy Spirit or place Him in the place reserved for Christ alone. We do not attempt to build the church of Christ with evangelistic strategies, advertising gimmicks, or management and marketing techniques. The Lord builds His church (Psalm 127:1; Matt. 16:18]. Our services maintain a focus on Christ and His word.

We maintain a doctrinal emphasis on the pre-millennial rapture of the church, which has a great consequence for the way we live our lives. We live in expectancy, which is a motive for daily holiness; we live watching the signs of the times in world current affairs; we actively support the persecuted church and pray against the growing prejudice against the faith in the UK and the EU; we pray for present day Israel and support Jewish believers in Israel; and we take seriously the many warnings throughout the New Testament on the rise of false teachers, false doctrines and apostasy in the church during the 'last days' (Matt. 24; 2 Peter 3: 3-13). Most of all, however, we have the 'blessed hope' of the return of our Lord in our hearts (Titus 2: 13): this hope transcends all personal struggles and empowers us to express the love of God to all people.

Calvary Chapel maintains a Pastor-led government. The primary task of the leader is to impart the 'whole council of God' to the people ([Acts 20: 27): Calvary Chapel teaches the Scriptures verse by verse from Genesis to Revelation. Leading is inseparable from teaching; the leader is therefore a pastor-teacher (Eph. 4:11). This does not mean the domination of one man: Calvary Chapel Oxford has a council ensuring a broader oversight of congregational matters. The pastor is not the only 'minister': all are ministers of Christ (Eph. 4: 12). All can be inspired and empowered to minister to their fellow believers. There is no class system of hierarchy in the Kingdom of God: we are all equal before Him, and all equally responsible for the welfare of our brothers and sisters in the family of God (Gal. 2: 6; Gal. 3: 28; Matt. 10: 41-42).


Statement of Beliefs

  • Jesus Christ is the foundation and cornerstone of the church. He came to restore our broken relationship with God the Father, our Creator. His finished work on the cross made that possible.
    (1 Cor 3: 11; Eph2: 20; Rom 5: 6-10)
  • The Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God and is relevant and applicable to all people today. We place great emphasis on teaching it in public, studying it in private, and using it as a guide for our daily lives.
    (2 Tim 3: 16-17; I Timothy 4: 13; I Thes 2: 13]
  • Worship is a way of life. We also worship the Lord with music and singing, believing that the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. (John 4: 23; Rom 15: 11; Psalm 108: 3-5)
  • Spiritual growth is encouraged by abiding in Jesus, through obedience to His Word, prayer, fellowship and yielding our lives to the Holy Spirit. As believers, we are to increase our knowledge and understanding of God's will.
    (John 15: 4; Rom 8: 29; Eph 5: 18)
  • Christian ministry is a vital part of the believer's life. Each and every member of the body of Christ maintains a specific role and can play a significant part in the body of believers. We seek to develop each person for the benefit of all.
    (Eph 4: 11-13; I Cor 13: 13; 1 Pet 2: 9)
  • Love is the greatest virtue and demonstration of the reality of Jesus Christ and the fullness of His Spirit in our lives. Love should be exhibited in our words and through our actions.
    (John 13: 35; I Cor 13: 13; 1 John 4: 8)


We Reject

  • Teachings or movements that do not uphold the Scriptures as the measure and guide to all truth, or who promote fundamental teachings not taught by Scripture.
  • Five Point Calvinism: We believe human beings are endowed with free will — a will to heed or to reject the truth. God's grace can indeed be resisted, but those who resist are not predestined for damnation. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world and has called all people to repentance. The task of the church is, therefore, to share the Gospel and express His love for all peoples.
  • 'Amillennialism' and 'postmillennialism': We believe in the pre-millennial pre-tribulation rapture of the church.
  • 'Replacementism' or the teaching that Israel as a nation has been replaced by the church in the progressive will of God.
  • Doctrines or teachings that promote an obsession with the supernatural or assert that followers of Christ can be either controlled in their behaviour or inhabited by demonic spirits.
  • Teachings that promote hysterical or uncontrolled behaviour and attribute it to the work of the Holy Spirit.
  • Teachings that promote material wealth as a virtue and maintain an emphasis on money or material possessions.
  • 'Positive confession' (or 'faith movement') practices that attempt to command or manipulate the sovereign power of God in working miracles. We do not believe the atonement of Christ provides physical healing.
  • Prophetic statements that replace, supersede or usurp the centrality and authority of Scripture in the life of the church or the believer.
  • The incorporation of humanist or secular psychology and philosophy into biblical teaching and church leadership.