About Us
Our Vision
We exist for the purpose of reaching and growing people across the street and around the world in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s it, that’s us in a nutshell! We want to reach out to our community and world to help them know who Jesus Christ is and the difference that He can make in their lives.
Discovering Our Vision
Carolina Forest Community Church began as a vision placed on the hearts of a small group of believers from Pawley’s Island Baptist Church. In February of 1997 this group began meeting, praying and preparing for the Carolina Forest community and the church that God was planting there. On September 7, 1997, we celebrated with our first official worship service at Carolina Forest Elementary School, with over 300 people in attendance.
In March of 2000, we continued our quest to reach the unchurched and moved into the current multi-purpose facility that lies on 25 acres in the heart of Carolina Forest.
Following the example that Jesus himself set, CFCC is a “come as you are” and “meet people where they are” style of ministry. Following the example that Jesus himself set, CFCC is a “come as you are” and “meet people where they are” style of ministry. CFCC continues to grow in membership and outreach, encompassing people from all walks of life and equipping them at their various levels of spiritual maturity.
Our Values
We are a BATTLESHIP not a CRUISESHIP
Cruises are fun and entertaining. They are designed to cater to the wants and desires of the customer. The church is not a cruise ship built for comfort. We are a battleship. We have a purpose. we have a mission: to serve king Jesus. We are not here to entertain the saved. We are here to grow, to connect, and to deepen our relationship with Jesus so that we can be more effective in carrying out the mission of Jesus. If you are looking for a church where you can fit in by sitting back and enjoying the ride, we are not it. We are a church that willingly sacrifices our comforts and pleasures for the sake of our mission. You’re not going to see tons of affinity related ministries or events. That’s not what we are about. We are about growing people in Jesus, Deepening our relationship with Him, and Spreading the Gospel to fulfill His mission.
We are a HOSPITAL not a COURTROOM
Courtrooms are a place for judgment. Hospitals are a place for healing. Grace reigns as our supreme ethic. None of us are perfect. We don’t want you to pretend to be. Jesus makes it clear that because we have received a great mercy from Him, we are to show great mercy to others. We are not here to criticize and condemn others. We are a place where broken, hurting people can come to get healing without judgment.
We are a GYM not a MUSEUM
Museums are for preserving the past. Gyms are for growing and building. Gyms are a place of transformation. We aren’t here to maintain traditions. We don’t do things just because that’s how they’ve been done in the past. We want to see growth. We want to see lives changed. We want more than just conversion. Jesus never tells us to win converts but to make disciples. Our mission is to teach and train people how to be passionate followers of Jesus. Jesus calls us to an all-consuming journey that changes our lives forever. It’s a process. It takes time. We are not perfect. We are works in progress. We seek to strengthen our relationship with God and to grow in Him. We care more about growth than preserving traditions.
We are LEGOS not LONE RANGERS
If God wanted us to be alone, He wouldn’t have given us the church. We live in an independent, individualistic “lone ranger” society. That is not how God created us to be. We were created by community, in community, for community. Our lives are shaped by our community. We are like Legos. Legos are different in size, color, and function but they are made to be connected. We are designed to fit together. Not only do we value connection with other believers, we realize that we cannot be what God made us to be without them. We are a church committed to Encountering Jesus together and growing together in our relationship with Him. Community is part of God’s design for His church. We cannot honor God faithfully or follow God fully outside of the community He gave us.
We are all about JESUS
The message of the Gospel is simple: it’s all about Jesus. It’s always about Jesus. Therefore, Our priorities are simple: HE > WE > ME. Jesus comes first. Nothing else comes close. The driving force behind our focus and our decisions is what we believe most glorifies Jesus. After glorifying Jesus, our next focus is His bride, the church. on what’s good for the community as a whole. The individual comes last. We are not the King. He is. We believe by placing ourselves last, each person learns to focus on others, rather than themselves. Jesus says the greatest commandment in the law is to love God and love others. We are a church focused on: “What can we give?” rather than “What can we get?”
Our Beliefs
We believe literally in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as inspired of God and of supreme and final authority in faith and life. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21)
We believe angels were all originally created holy, but under the leadership of Satan, some angels now exist in a fallen state (Jude 6; Revelation 12). The first man, Adam, created in the image of God, sinned. Man thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God. Consequently, all human beings are born with the sinful nature. (Romans 3:23, 5:12; Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 51:5)
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and died for our sins as our substitutionary sacrifice according to the Scriptures, and all who receive Him by faith are justified on the basis of His shed blood. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, His bodily ascension into Heaven, and that He sits at the right hand of God the Father. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Colossians 1:14; Ephesians 1:4-9; Romans 5:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Timothy 1:15) (Hebrews 7:25, 9:24, 10:21; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 John 2:1; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Acts 1:9-11)
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, which is His Body, the Church. (Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:1-16; Colossians 1:15-18; Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
We believe water baptism and the Lord’s Table are the two main ordinances of the church and are for all born-again believers:
The ordinance of baptism is for those who have personally accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Baptism is an outward manifestation and testimony of the spiritual change which occurred in the believer’s life when they accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Our mode of baptism is immersion because it more closely typifies the believer’s relationship with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:36-38)
The Lord’s Table will be observed regularly. It is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and is open to all Christians who are walking in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:17-34)
We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost; the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost in the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8; Acts 24:14-15; John 5:28-29; Luke 16:19-31)
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14) Father: (Ephesians 4:6); Son: (Hebrews 1:8); Holy Spirit: (John 14:16-17).
We believe Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and is fully God and fully man. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-21; Luke 1:35-36; Hebrews 10:12; Philippians 2:5-8; John 14:8-12; 1 Timothy 2:5-6)
We believe the Holy Spirit exists eternally with the Father and the Son; His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. During this present age He convicts men (John 16:8); regenerates the believing sinner (Titus 3:5); places believers into the body of Christ by His baptism (1 Corinthians 12:13); and indwells (1Corinthians 6:19); seals (Ephesians 4:30); and fills (Ephesians 5:18) every believer. He guides (Romans 8:14), instructs (John 16:12-15), and empowers the believer for godly living and service.
We believe that believers in Christ are sanctified and set apart unto God for His service:
At the moment a person trusts Christ for salvation.
(1 Corinthians 1:2, 6:11; Hebrews 10:10, 14)Daily by the reading of the Word and by the teaching of the Holy Spirit.
(Psalm 119:11; Ephesians 5:25-26; John 17:17; Galatians 5:16; Romans 8:4)Ultimately when the believer comes into the actual presence of the Lord.
(1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 John 3:2; 1 Peter 1:4-6; Jude 24-25)
We believe in the imminent, personal return of Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10, 4:14-18, 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)
Our Staff
Rick Adkins
Lead Pastor
Brett Cloutier
Children’s Ministry Director
Carolyn Cloutier
Family Ministry Director
Haley Critelli
Media Coordinator
Thomas Critelli
Student Ministry Director
Tom Critelli
Campus Operations Supervisor
Michael Dutcher
Creative Arts Director
Tyler Edwards
Discipleship Pastor
Kerry Lembcke
Communications Director
Diane Moore
Financial Administrator
Mark Roach
Associate Pastor
Devan Toledo
Creative Arts Assistant
Cathy Weatherford
Administrative Assistant
John Ferreira
Community Director
Our Elders
Rick Adkins
Bob Brallier
Tyler Edwards
Ron Forrer
Charles Fox
Bob Moore
Mark Roach
Kris Locke
Elder in Training
John Ferreira
Elder in Training
Robert Bulsza
Elder in Training
Greg Sisson
Elder in Training
Our Family
The Bible teaches that believers are children of God. The church is a community of believers working together to fulfill the mission of Jesus for the glory of Jesus. While most churches use “membership” language to describe their core group of committed people, we prefer the term family.
Membership is typically about dues, rights, or access. Costco has membership. Netflix has membership. You pay them and they provide you with a service. There’s not really a relationship just an exchange. The church is not a club to be joined but a family to be a part of. Unlike clubs or memberships, families are all about relationship. Families connect, grow, support each other, and care for one another. That’s what we want our community to be: a family.
The first thing we like to do with anyone who is interested in joining our church family, is get to know you. We would love the opportunity to sit down with you and hear your story. We want to hear what led you to Jesus, your journey with Him and what brought you to us.
Join Us
You are welcomed here!
For those joining in-person, we have services at 9:00 AM & 10:30 AM.
For those joining our online services at 9:00 AM & 10:30 AM, watch and share comments on our Vimeo Livestream or YouTube Live.