You could understand our faith just by reading the ancient Nicene Creed (noting the word "catholic" means comprehensive, complete, universal). The Lausanne Covenant is also a good contemporary way of understanding our faith, as is C. S. Lewis' book Mere Christianity. From the start of this ministry in 1989 we've officially summarized our faith in this set of Foundational Assumptions.
FOUNDATIONAL ASSUMPTIONS
OUR COMMITMENT TO SCRIPTURE
We recognize the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, as inspired of God and as the supreme and final authority in faith and life. We are committed to carry out our mission under its authority and seek to apply Biblical principles to all facets of inspiration and action.
OUR COMMITMENT TO EVANGELISM
We reaffirm our commitment to evangelism as “The presentation of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit in such ways that persons may be led to him as Savior and follow him as Lord within the fellowship of his Church.” We want youth throughout the world to have an opportunity to hear and respond to the call to “no longer live for themselves, but to live for Christ who for their sake died and rose from the dead.”
OUR COMMITMENT TO ENGAGEMENT WITH HUMAN NEED
We sorrowfully acknowledge the brokenness of the world at personal, interpersonal, social, national and international levels, and we seek to work for justice, reconciliation, and God’s transformation in all arenas of life. We particularly seek to work with those in inner cities, the poor, the oppressed and the suffering as part of our Christian discipleship. We believe that we are called to care for people throughout the world and called to responsible stewardship for the earth, its environment and resources.
OUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY
As members of the Board of Directors and staff, we affirm our commitment to “love one another as Christ loved us”. We seek to model this Christ-centered openness among ourselves and reproduce it in every expression of our ministries. We pray that by our Christlike love all will know that we are Jesus’ disciples, and affirm that the fulfillment of this command is essential to the accomplishment of our mission.
OUR COMMITMENT TO THE CHURCH
We affirm our conviction that the Church of Jesus Christ, as the visible community of believers of any culture, race or nationality, is a vital component of the life of faith and of the work of God’s Kingdom in the world. We seek to exercise our ministry by strengthening the ministry of congregations throughout the world, also serving the one holy catholic and apostolic church in ways appropriate to our mission. We especially seek to enable the Church to create a loving Christian community among youth, provide Biblical teaching oriented to their unique needs, facilitate their involvement in worship, and enable them to minister in accordance with God’s calling.
OUR COMMITMENT TO REASON
We believe in the unity of God’s truth, whether humanly discovered or supernaturally revealed, and we value the search for knowledge in all areas of life. We are guided by our faith in Jesus Christ who is “the way, the truth, and the life.” We seek to interact with the educational community in general and the seminaries of the Church in particular in such ways as will further the goal of bringing God’s truth to young people.