Simi Prez passionate about putting faith into practice
Places of Faith
By Angela Randazzo Special to the Acorn

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers MAKING A DIFFERENCE- The Rev. Jeff Cheadle of Simi Valley Presbyterian Church encourages his congregation to get involved in the community with programs like Mission Possible.

Questions of faith

(answered by Cheadle)

What is the purpose of life?

One of the historic creeds of the church puts it well. The chief end of humankind is to glorify God and to enjoy God forever.

What must humankind do to get into heaven?

The Bible teaches in Ephesians 2:8 that we are saved by grace through faith. What that means is that salvation is the result of what God has done, not what human beings do. Salvation is a gift, and as such it is not earned but received. Salvation involves much more than "getting into heaven." It has a significant impact on our lives here and now. When God is at work in our lives, we are changed for the better, blessed to be a blessing to others.

What is your belief in heaven or hell?

Human beings were created for eternity with God. Enjoying eternity with God as we were created to do is heaven. Jesus acknowledged the reality of both heaven and hell. Some critics of the Christian faith state they don't believe in a God who would send anyone to hell. We don't believe in that kind of God either. So how do people find their way to hell?

C. S. Lewis puts it well in his book "The Great Divorce": "There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.' All that are in hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened."

What is the role of the church in the community?

Our church is extremely involved in community life. We are unique in that we believe our congregation exists not just for its members' sake, but for those who are not members.

Through our Mission Possible program hundreds of our members have addressed the real needs of many individuals, families and organizations in our community. Twenty years ago Simi Prez was one of a handful of churches that launched the PADS homeless program. We continue to seek opportunities to serve our community, whether alone or alongside other churches and community service organizations.

What is the church's view on gay rights and abortion?

Simi Prez is best understood in terms of what it stands for, not what it is against. We believe that all human beings fall short of God's standard of integrity. That is why we all need to be saved by grace through faith and why repentance and forgiveness are essential for anyone who wants to be in a relationship with God.

Our elders, deacons and pastors are expected to live their lives according to biblical standards. These include fidelity for those who are married and chastity for those who are single.

Women's role in the church?

Throughout history God has raised up both men and women for leadership. See Galatians 3:28. As a result, we believe that God calls both men and women to all ministries of the church, and so both men and women can serve as elders, deacons and pastors at Simi Prez.

We are eager to affirm the role of women in the life of the church. At the same time, Simi Prez has a strong, vital and growing Men's Ministry that recently sponsored a powerful weekend conference for men at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library called "No Man Left Behind."

What is your view on ecology issues?

The Bible teaches that the earth was created by and belongs to God. Human beings have been given the task of managing that creation in a way that glorifies God and blesses God's creation. A biblical worldview logically leads to care for and concern about the environment.