Mission Statement

Our mission is to be a loving community dedicated to leading people to Jesus, educating them towards Christ-like maturity, helping them to use their God given gifts and providing a safe atmosphere where Almighty God can be exalted by His people.

We Are Family

The concept of church as we know it today originated in the New Testament. The first Christians met in homes, but eventually moved to local central locations. The purpose was to encourage and help followers of Christ, in order that they might serve Him and bring others into a right relationship with God.

We believe that the local church is still the vital core for effective ministry. Not to be confused with a building or facility, the local church is simply a network of people committed to worship Jesus and fulfilling the work of God.

We are a church that is committed to making disciples. Our mission is to be a loving community, dedicated to leading people to Jesus, educating them toward Christ-like maturity, encouraging them to use their God given gifts and providing a safe atmosphere where Almighty God can be exalted by His people.

We feel, if we as Christians are to maintain our walk with God, we must submit ourselves to His Word and godly examples firmly rooted in the faith. These goals can best be accomplished through a warm and caring body of believers---the local church.

We are a family. Our desire is to help one another reach their divine potential. There is no one who has to compete for love and respect at CFC, because everyone is loved and respected. There is not a judgmental spirit of legalism, but a spirit of grace which calls us to live in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and to walk as brothers and sisters.

Description of Our Services

The Sunday morning service normally opens with singing, Scripture reading, or prayer. This is usually followed with the song service led by our awesome worship team which includes a contemporary band and several singers. It is during this time that hearts are opened to the healing power of the Holy Spirit and many find a spiritual soothing in their souls.

There will then be corporate prayer where the church prays for the needs of the congregation. Those who need a special touch from God may come down to the altar and be prayed over.

Once worship, prayer, announcements and the offering have concluded, the pastor will preach an expository message coming from a portion of Scripture. The message will include a historical setting which is explained and then an application from the Scriptures for the congregation. The message will conclude with a call to respond to the truth of God's Word with a prayer of commitment.

What We Believe

We are an Assemblies of God Church which holds to a statement of faith that comes from the Word of God.

These are nonnegotiable tenets of faith that all Assemblies of God churches adhere to. This list is derived from the official Statement of Fundamental Truths. Click links below to see the complete original statement with scriptures.

1. WE BELIEVE...The Scriptures are Inspired by God and declare His design and plan for mankind.

2. WE BELIEVE...There is only One True God–revealed in three persons...Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (commonly known as the Trinity).

3. WE BELIEVE...In the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. As God's son Jesus was both human and divine.

4. WE BELIEVE...though originally good, Man Willingly Fell to Sin–ushering evil and death, both physical and spiritual, into the world.

5. WE BELIEVE...Every Person Can Have Restored Fellowship with God Through 'Salvation' (accepting Christ's offer of forgiveness for sin). [1 of 4 cardinal doctrines of the A/G]

6. WE BELIEVE...and practice two ordinances—(1) Water Baptism by Immersion after repenting of one's sins and receiving Christ's gift of salvation, and (2) Holy Communion (the Lord's Supper) as a symbolic remembrance of Christ's suffering and death for our salvation.

7. WE BELIEVE...the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a Special Experience Following Salvation that empowers believers for witnessing and effective service, just as it did in New Testament times. [1 of 4 cardinal doctrines of the A/G]

8. WE BELIEVE... The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is ‘Speaking in Tongues,’ as experienced on the Day of Pentecost and referenced throughout Acts and the Epistles.

9. WE BELIEVE...Sanctification Initially Occurs at Salvation and is not only a declaration that a believer is holy, but also a progressive lifelong process of separating from evil as believers continually draw closer to God and become more Christ-like.

10. WE BELIEVE...The Church has a Mission to seek and save all who are lost in sin. We believe 'the Church' is the Body of Christ and consists of the people who, throughout time, have accepted God's offer of redemption (regardless of religious denomination) through the sacrificial death of His son Jesus Christ.

11. WE BELIEVE...A Divinely Called and Scriptural Ordained Leadership Ministry Serves the Church. The Bible teaches that each of us under leadership must commit ourselves to reach others for Christ, to worship Him with other believers, and to build up or edify the body of believers–the Church.

12. WE BELIEVE...Divine Healing of the Sick is a Privilege for Christians Today and is provided for in Christ's atonement (His sacrificial death on the cross for our sins). [1 of 4 cardinal doctrines of the A/G]

13. WE BELIEVE...in The Blessed Hope—When Jesus Raptures His Church Prior to His Return to Earth (the second coming). At this future moment in time all believers who have died will rise from their graves and will meet the Lord in the air, and Christians who are alive will be caught up with them, to be with the Lord forever. [1 of 4 cardinal doctrines of the A/G]

14. WE BELIEVE...in The Millennial Reign of Christ when Jesus returns with His saints at His second coming and begins His benevolent rule over earth for 1,000 years. This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel and the establishment of universal peace.

15. WE BELIEVE...A Final Judgment Will Take Place for those who have rejected Christ. They will be judged for their sin and consigned to eternal punishment in a punishing lake of fire.

16. WE BELIEVE...and look forward to the perfect New Heavens and a New Earth that Christ is preparing for all people, of all time, who have accepted Him. We will live and dwell with Him there forever following His millennial reign on Earth. 'And so shall we forever be with the Lord!'

History

Reverend Ken MacDonald, from Zion Bible Institute, started our church as an independent church in 1957 in the town of Westport, Ma. He led the church to New Bedford to a storefront on Ashley Boulevard and then bought a building from the Presbyterian denomination located on County and Sawyer Street where services were conducted.

It was not long after the move to County and Sawyer that Rev. MacDonald resigned and Rev. Price pastored the church and brought the church into the Assemblies of God denomination. Due to an unfortunate situation, he resigned and the church was without a pastor for over one year. During that time, different members preached and cared for the people.

God called William Borrows to pastor the church in 1969. He came from California with his wife and son. He pastored the church for 31 years and during that time moved the church to 818 Church St.

On April 23, 2000 Rev. Borrows retired as senior pastor at the age of 75. Rev. Kenn Bongiorno interviewed for the position and was unanimously elected as the new pastor of Christian Fellowship Center in May of 2000. He began his tenure June 16, of that same year.

The church experienced united in purpose and vision to build a multi-cultural loving community, dedicated to leading people to Jesus, educating them toward Christ like maturity, encouraging them to use their God given gifts in the world, and providing a safe atmosphere where Almighty God can be exalted by His people.

The vision is to evangelize the people of New Bedford and help them grow in Christ making them a thriving part of the church. They will then become part of the ministry by using their talents to minister to the people around them resulting in more people evangelized and discipled.

God led and honored the vision with a congregation that outgrew its facilities. In May of 2008 the church building was vacated and in August construction on a new facility began with the tearing down of the former church. Christian Fellowship Center rented for one year the Zeiterion Theater (a local theater in downtown New Bedford) where Sunday morning services were conducted. They also rented Roosevelt Middle School for the last six months of construction. The building was completed the second week of September and on September 20th the church opened with two service 9:00 AM and one at 11:00 AM.

We most humbly thank God for our many years of service, and pray for continued blessings and divine guidance. Thank you Christian Fellowship for the right recipe to reach our region with the gospel of Jesus Christ--God's love through His people.