About

Who we are...
Eric McAdams
Lead Pastor

Eric, wife Erin, and sons Julien and Isaac came to CBF in 2016. Eric grew up in Coatesville and served several churches in Ohio and Pennsylvania before coming home to lead CBF. When Eric talks about church he shares:

I love the Lord, and I love seeing people come to know Him in a more personal way. I'm not interested in passing judgement - I'm interested in people who are willing to hear what God has to say to them. Faith is not a magic potion that suddenly makes everything ok. It is a constant source of hope, love, and peace in a world that lacks all three. I believe that there is no greater pursuit than the one that leads us to the fulfillment of all that we were created to long for - the pursuit of God. You in?

Eric loves golf, anything with wheels and an engine, and anything that Apple releases that has an “i” in front of it.

What We Believe...
Scripture

The Holy Scriptures (the Bible) are God-breathed; the inspired Word and faithful witness to Jesus Christ and the gospel. Identified as the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, they are the fully reliable record of His revelation to humanity, inerrant as originally written. As such, the Holy Scriptures are authoritative and foundational to the church and infallible in all matters of faith, salvation and life. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; John 5:39; 17:17, Rev. 22:18-19)

The Godhead

1. We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14).

The Person and Work of Jesus Christ:

1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceive by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God, and redeem sinful men, forever continues true God and true man. (John 1:1, 2, 14; Matt. 1:21; Luke 1:35).

2. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Rom. 3:24, 25; 4:24, 25; 1 Peter 1:3-4; 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Cor. 15:3-4).

3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God; where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9,10; Heb.1:3, 9:24, 7:25, Rom.8:34, I John 1-2).

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit:

1. We believe the Holy Spirit is that Person of the Godhead who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the supernatural agent of regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; 3:6-8; 2 Cor. 12:12-14; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 1:13-14; 1 Cor. 6:19).

2. We believe He is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truth; and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (John 16:13; 1 John 2:20-27; Eph. 5:18).

3. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts, for the edification of the Body of Christ. The gift of evangelism, pastors, teachers, are given for the perfecting of the saints today. Gifts, such as faith, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling, and mercy are also functional in the Church. Each individual believer should look to the Lord to bestow and develop his gifts. The Holy Spirit, working in and through a fully submitted life, will produce both fruit and gifts that work together, under his authority, to glorify God. (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; 27-31; 1 Cor. 13:8-10; 2 Cor. 12:12; Eph.4:7-12; Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:3-4).

4. Concerning the sick and afflicted, we believe that God does hear and answer prayer of faith in accord with His own will. (James 5:14,15; John 15:7; 1 John 5:14, 15).

Man

Humanity

God created humanity, male and female, in His image and likeness. God blessed them, telling them to multiply and fill the earth. In love, the Lord gave humans authority and stewardship over all the earth and its creatures. Through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, humanity has fallen and sin entered the world. Therefore, humanity lives in sin against its Creator, thus spreading suffering and death in the world. Every     person is created with an eternal soul - those who respond to God’s gift of salvation through Jesus will live eternally in glory with God; those who reject God’s offer of salvation will live eternally, separate from God and in torment. Despite human sinfulness, humanity continues in and is defined by having been created according to God’s image. Thus, all humans, collectively and individually, deserve love, honor, and respect. (Genesis 1:26-28; Romans 5:12-21; Colossians 1:15; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 3:18; Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; 47-49; 1 John 3:2; Colossians 3:3-4)

Sin
Sin is both the condition of separation that exists between fallen humanity and a holy God, as well as any and every willful and intentional word, thought, attitude and action that is disobedient and contrary to God and His perfect standard. Every single person has sinned and continues to sin. Sin results in damaged relationships, suffering and death. Because all humans are sinners, and unable to remedy their lost condition on their own, all humans need the good news that God loves them unconditionally and offers to forgive their sins and reconcile them to Himself through Jesus Christ. (1 John 3:4; James 4:17; Romans 14:23; Romans 5:12, 17-19; 7:24-25; Mark 7:21-23; 1 John 3:8; Ephesians 2:2; Galatians 5:19-21; Romans 6:23; 3:23-24; Ephesians 2:12-13)

Marriage
God loves us with a perfect, freely given and eternally faithful love. He has established marriage as an exclusive and sacred union between one naturally born man and one naturally born woman to be a unique living witness that reflects and honors God’s covenant relationship with His people in Jesus Christ. Human sexuality is then a gift from God, given for procreation and pleasure, to be honored and kept only within the context of marriage. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:18-22; Ephesians 5:21-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-5; Romans 1:24-27, Hebrews 13:4)

Salvation

Salvation

Salvation is the restoration of human fellowship with God through deliverance from the bondage of sin and death (justification). Salvation is given solely by the grace of God and experienced through personal faith in Jesus Christ, not earned by merit or good works. It is received by true repentance, rejecting any and all self-saving efforts, and placing full trust in the completed work of Jesus Christ: His substitutionary death in our place, His perfect life applied to us as a credit before God the Father and His resurrection life imparted to us by God’s grace. Thereby, the believer becomes born again - a new creation in God’s sight - having eternal life, by the Holy Spirit, who indwells each Christian. (John 3:3-6, 16-17; Romans 8:21-23; 6:18, 22-23; 1 Corinthians 1:9; II Cor. 5:17; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; Colossians 3:1; Ephesians 2:4-10)

Repentance
Repentance is a change of mind and direction in response to the grace of God prompted by the Holy Spirit and grounded in the Word of God. It includes recognition of, and turning away from, personal sinfulness. The one who repents places their trust in, and gives allegiance to, Jesus Christ and is accompanied by a new life sanctified (made righteous) by the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ. (Matthew 4:17; Luke 5:32; Acts 2:38; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; 10:17; Colossians 1:19-20; Romans 12:1-2)

The Church

The Church

The Church is the Body and Bride of Christ, a spiritual family, made up of all born-again persons of this present age. We believe that upon placing one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, the believer is made part of that Body of Christ, the one universal Church, of which Jesus Christ is the Head. We believe the local church is an assembly of professed believers in Jesus Christ who are voluntarily joined together in one locality for the purposes of worship, study of the Word of God, observance of the ordinances (baptism and communion), Christian fellowship, equipping for committed discipleship, specifically stewarding our lives for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission (making disciples of Jesus Christ). A church’s members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ. (Eph. 1:22-23; I Cor. 12:12-31, 10:32-33; Acts 2:42-47; I Cor. 1:1-2; Eph. 4:11-13, 15-16; Matt. 16:18; 28:19-20)

Baptism
Baptism is an outward sign and proclamation of the internal change in our hearts through our decision to trust Jesus Christ and his work in us through the Holy Spirit. It is a symbolic participation in, and spiritual
identification with, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism proclaims the good news that Christ has made us His own, and that it is only in Him that our new life of faith and obedience emerges. We baptize by immersion recognizing the example of Jesus, the testimony of Scripture and the meaning of the word “baptize” (to immerse). (Romans 6:3-6; Galatians 3:26-27; Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:38) 

Communion (The Lord’s Supper)
Communion is a celebration and remembrance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The bread and juice are taken from elements of the Jewish Passover Seder, and are symbolic of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice - His body broken on the cross and His blood shed in atonement for human sin. The observance of communion encompasses both solemn remembrance of the price paid for our sin and joyful anticipation of the glorious eternal life that salvation affords. (I Cor. 11:23-34; Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19-20; I Cor. 10:16-17; Joshua 5:10-12; Jeremiah 31:31-34; John 6:47-51)

Satan and Demons

Satan is a created being - once the highest of all angels. He incurred the judgment of God by rebelling against Him, taking numerous angels with him in his fall, and by introducing sin into the human race by his temptation of Adam and Eve. He is the author of sin, the prince of demons, the great accuser, enticer and deceiver. He has temporary authority on earth as well as power over unbelievers in the world. Unbelievers are in bondage to him, and he blinds their minds to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Satan is the adversary of Christ and His Church. His destiny is eternal punishment in Hell. Demons are fallen angels, under Satan’s authority and control, and used by him in his assault on humanity and the rest of God’s creation. They will come under his same judgment and punishment. (Genesis 3:1-15; Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Luke 8:26-39; Romans 16:20; II Corinthians 4:3-4; II Corinthians 11:14; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Timothy 2:26; I Peter 5:8; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:1-14; Revelation 20:10)

End Times

The glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth will be personal, bodily and visible. He will gather His saints, and establish His kingdom. This second coming of Jesus Christ will occur at a time known only to God and so demands our constant expectancy. This blessed hope motivates the disciple to godly living, sacrificial service, and energetic missions. There will be a bodily resurrection of the dead—of the saved to everlasting life and of the lost to everlasting punishment. (Matthew 16:27; Matthew 24:27-30; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 15; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; II Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:11-14; Philippians 3:20; Revelation 1:7; Revelation 20:4-6,11-15)

The Eternal State:

1. We believe in the bodily resurrections of all men, the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25, 26; Rev. 20:5, 6, 12, 13).

2. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss, they await the first resurrection, when the spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; Rev. 20:4-6; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:20, 21; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17).

3. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery until the resurrection, when with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne of Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment. (Luke 16:19-16; Matt. 25:41-46; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6:7; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 20:11-15).

Our Core Values
Christ’s Headship

We acknowledge Christ as the head of our church and submit ourselves and all our activities to His will and good pleasure (Eph. 1:22-23).

Biblical Teaching

We strive to teach God’s Word with integrity and authority so that seekers find Christ and believers mature in Him (2 Tim. 3:16).

Authentic Worship

We desire to acknowledge God’s supreme value and worth in our personal lives and in the corporate, contemporary worship of our church (Rom. 12:1-2).

Prayer

We rely on private and corporate prayer in the conception, planning, and execution of all the ministries and activities of this church (Matt.7:7-11).

Sense of Community

We ask all our people to commit to and fully participate in biblically functioning small groups where they may reach the lost, exercise their gifts, be shepherded, and thus grow in Christlikeness (Acts 2:44-46).

Family

We support the spiritual nurture of the family as one of God’s dynamic means to perpetuate the Christian faith (2 Tim. 1:5).

Grace-Orientation

We encourage our people to serve Christ from hearts of love and gratitude rather than guilt and condemnation (Rom.6:14).

Creativity and Innovation

We will constantly evaluate our forms and methods, seeking cultural relevance and maximum ministry effectiveness for Christ (I Chron. 12:32).

Mobilized Congregation

We seek to equip all our uniquely designed and gifted people to effectively accomplish the work of our ministry (Eph. 4:11-13).

Lost People

We value unchurched, lost people and will use every available Christhonoring means to purse, win, and disciple them (Luke 19:10).

Ministry Excellence

Since God gave His best (the Savior), we seek to honor Him by maintaining a high standard of excellence in all our ministries and activities (Col. 3:23-24).

FAQ
When you first think about checking out a new church you probably want to have some idea what to expect. Here are some of the basics, and we look forward to seeing you Sunday!
What time does the service begin and how long is it?

We currently have two Sunday morning services  9am and 10:3oam. Both services are the same, so you are free to attend whichever works best for your schedule.  For now, and in order to be as safe as possible, there are no children's ministries.  We invite families to sit and worship together in our service.  Please wear a mask while you come into our sanctuary and when you fellowship with others.  Hand sanitizer is availabe at all entrances and throughout the building.  The 10:30 service is live streamed to the CBF YouTube page and CBF Facebook page.

What is worship like?

You will find the atmosphere to be friendly and inviting and the preaching engaging and relevant. The worship music is led by a live band and the music is selected from the currnet contemporary worship scene. There is a more blended service on the first Sunday of the month when we celebrate communion. It is not uncommon to see people clapping and actively participating in the service. Our worship service for kids ages 4 years to 5th grade, called Powerhouse, runs at the same time. This is not babysitting or a traditional Sunday School. This unique worship experience is just for them! It has music, teaching, skits, videos and more. All in their language and at their level. It is awesome and they'll love it! 

Where are you located? Where do I park?

We are located on E. Lincoln Hwy (Main St.) in downtown Coatesville at the corner of Main and 4th. You an park on the street, directly behind the church off of Chestnut St., or across from the church in the Mason's Lodge parking lot to the right of the firehouse. You will find a parking map Here. The main entrance to the church is off of 4th Avenue (through the portico).

How does everyone dress at your church?

You'll find suits and ties, jeans and t-shirts, shorts and all sorts in-between. Come as you are and feel comfortable!

Is there a fellowship time, to just get to know people?

***During the ongoing pandemic, our coffee, refreshments and snacks are not being served.***

Yes! Between our education hour and worship, at 10:15am we serve coffee, snacks and other beverages. This is a great opportunity to mingle, talk, and just take some time to realx and make new friends. We also invite you to visit our Welcome Center right outside the Worship Center main doors. There you will find information about ministries and upcoming events as well as friendly people to answer any questions you may have.

Is there a traditional "Sunday School" program?

***During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all sunday school and education ministries are suspended.***

Yes, though we wouldn't call it "traditional"! From 9:15am-10:15am we gather for education opportunities for children, teens, and adults. Our adult offerings are called ABF's (Adult Bible Fellowships). They are engaging teachings and descussions that are never boring! Teens and children also have there own age specific classes each week and there is nursery care offered throught the morning.

Do you have small groups that meet so I can meet people in a smaller setting?

We have an active small group ministry. There are home-based groups that generally meet weekly or every other week during the school year. These are laid back groups that rotate topics and have a strong fellowship component to them. It's not unusual to find that small groups will get together outside of the normal meeting times just to hang together and have a fun night out. We also have topical groups just for men and women that meet in the evenings at the church.

What kind of church are you?

CBF is led by leaders from within our own church, not by an outside denominational office or headquarters. We are one of over 5,500 similar evangelical churches nationwide called "Independent Christian Churches", claiming over 14 million members in the United States alone. CBF is a non-denominational church and is independently chartered and incorporated at the local, state, and federal levels. While CBF is an independent church, it does have affiliations with various denominations and we work with a variety of local community and national mission and ministry agencies.

Are you a new church?

CBF has a long and rich history in the city of Coatesville. Originally the Presbyterian Church of Coatesville founded in 1833, it later became an independent and non-denominational church. The move was made in 1996 to meet the needs of a burgeoning and changing population throught the greater Coatesville area and the name Coatesville Bible Fellowship was born.

What do you believe about baptism? How do I get baptized?

We believe in a "believer's baptism" for adults, teenagers and older children. When you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and are ready to let the world know, then it's time to get baptized! We do water immersion baptism both in our worship center as well as outdoors by request. We do not baptize infants as we believe it is by choice that we walk into the water as a public declaration of our faith. We do prayer dedications in our worship services to celebrate the birth of a child and the parent's desire to raise the child in a Godly home until the child makes a decision for Christ.