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Christian Emergency Relief Teams (CERT) International is a non-denominational 501 (c) (3) dedicated to serving international churches and missionaries. We assist their ministries, creating open doors by meeting the practical needs of the local people and refugees. Free medical/dental clinics and humanitarian aid are provided in response to healthcare and emergency situations in underprivileged communities to show the love of Christ.
We are founded on the principles of Jesus from Matthew 9:35-38: He went out to the people, healed the sick, and preached the good news of the kingdom. He ministered to physical and spiritual needs, setting a model for holistic ministry.
CERT International was established in 1974 by David Courson in response to a hurricane in Nicaragua. Courson and members of his local church continued relief initiatives throughout the Nicaraguan civil war. As stability slowly entered the region, CERT began to branch out to other areas of need worldwide. In 1991, Courson chose to pursue other ventures, and the leadership of CERT was given to Dr. Ken Daugherty. Daugherty continued to expand the organization’s global reach, and the focus of CERT changed from crisis response to bringing emergency relief and aid to developing countries. As a pastor, Daugherty emphasized the importance of building up the local church internationally. The organization began working exclusively with churches and missionaries abroad to help strengthen their ministries by providing free healthcare, aid, and construction.
Today our focus has not changed. We serve people groups that have little to no access to healthcare and bring humanitarian aid into unstable regions. We aim to increase the kingdom of God by providing these services and working to build lasting relationships with churches and missionaries on the field.
Mission/Vision Statement
CERT International is a non-denominational 501 (c) (3) dedicated to serving international churches and missionaries. We assist their ministries, creating open doors by meeting the practical needs of the local people and refugees. Free medical/dental clinics and humanitarian aid are provided in response to healthcare and emergency situations in underprivileged communities to show the love of Christ.
Doctrinal Statement
About God
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. (Genesis 1:1,26, 27; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:2)
About Jesus Christ
Jesus is the Son of God. He lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heavens glory, and is coming again soon as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to redeem His bride, the church. (Matthew 1:22,23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5; 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; I Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13)
About the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son. He is present in the world to make man aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with the power for living, enables understanding of Biblical truth, and guides them in righteous living. He provides every Christian with spiritual gifts for service at salvation. No one gift is the primary sign of the fullness of the Spirit. We seek to live under His control daily. (2 Corinthians 3:17, John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 2:12, 3:16, 12:11; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18)
About the Bible
The Bible is Gods word to us. It was written by human authors who were under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. The 66 canonical books, as they were originally written, are inspired by God; and are the truth without any mixture of error. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1: 20-21, 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:150, 160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)
About Human Beings
People are the supreme object of Gods creation, created in the image of God. Although every person has potential for good, all of us are marred by our own attitude and acts of disobedience against God, called sin. By one man (Adam), sin entered into the world, and death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. This separates people from God and causes spiritual death along with many other problems in life. (Genesis 1:27, Psalm 8:3-6, 51: 1-8, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12, Isaiah 59:1-2)
About Salvation
Salvation is by grace through faith; and is Gods free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement; or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as Gods offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sins penalty. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9, John 14:6; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26, Romans 5:1)
About Eternity
Heaven is a literal place where God will wipe away every tear and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. Believers will live forever in Gods presence. We also, believe in a literal hell, which is a place of physical and spiritual torment, experienced as a result of eternal separation from God. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (John 3:16; John 14:7; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
About Marriage
We believe that marriage is an institution ordained by God and meant to be a relationship between one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23) We do not approve of what is known as same-sex marriages, domestic partnerships, or civil unions.
About Human Sexuality
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between one man and one woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of Gods gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter ones gender by surgery or appearance. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1: 26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4)
About the Christian Life
We believe that God calls us with a holy calling to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. God wants us to live in the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit, so we will not fulfill the lusts of our physical bodies. We believe that the fallen, Adamic nature of the flesh cannot be eradicated in this life. Therefore, keeping ourselves constantly in subjection to Christ, we must allow Gods Holy Spirit to live through us in a daily walk of faith. Otherwise, the flesh will certainly demonstrate its presence in our lives, to the Lords dishonor. It is the responsibility and privilege of every Christian to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and to seek and to make growing disciples. (Leviticus 26:30, Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 5:18, 1 Peter 3:15, Galatians 5:16)
About Missions
We believe that God has called us to be a Global Priority Church and has given us a Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:20)
About the Second Coming
We believe in the personal, bodily, imminent, and glorious return of Jesus Christ. We believe that He is coming to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming, and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus, and that this event is the blessed hope set before us in the Scripture, and for this we should be constantly looking (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14).
