About Common Ground Community Church

Thank you for taking the time to find out more about Common Ground Community Church and our community. Lead by Pastor Roger Allen and a board of Elders; Common Ground Community Church is a multi-cultural and multi-generational church that ministers to people of all ages and walks of life who are looking to strengthen their relationship with Christ. The emphasis of our ministry is to have a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ and to lead others to a deeper knowledge of Him.

Common Ground Community Church was established in Portsmouth, VA in 2001. We hope that after you look through our website and attend a worship service, you will consider becoming a more active part of our growing community of faith. Below, you will find our Mission Statement; some words about who we are (our values); where we are going (what we envision becoming); our beliefs (a.k.a. doctrinal statement); and our locaton (with directions). We hope these statements are informative.



Mission Statement

"Connecting the Community to the Creator"

Who We Are

Common Ground Community Church is a fellowship of believers in partnership with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia who value: Real Faith (the kind Jesus spoke about)
  • That loves as we have been loved by God
  • That forgives as we have been forgiven by God
  • That gives as we have received from God
  • That restores lives and relationships with God
  • That feeds and directs us through the Word of God
  • That empowers us by the Spirit of God
  • That transforms us to the likeness of God
  • That lives in relationship to the Son of God
  • That attempts great things for God
That expresses itself in: Real Worship
  • That communicates Jesus
  • That contemplates Jesus
  • That celebrates Jesus
  • That conforms us to Jesus
  • That compels us to live for Jesus
Real Family (as the picture of real church life)
  • That laughs as one
  • That cries as one
  • That cares as one
  • That grows as one
  • That serves as one
  • That lives for God as one


Where We Are Going

We envision as a church a community of faith with no racial walls that reproduces itself throughout the Tidewater area connecting the community to:
  • Their creator, Jesus Christ
  • His community, The Church
  • His Likeness as they grow
  • His service as they love
  • His name praised as they proclaim Him
  • The community and the ends of the Earth
In the context of:
  • Communication with Him (prayer)
  • Adoration toward Him (praise, worship,life)
  • Growing in Him(study and spiritual disciplines)
  • Loving others as we were taught by Him (serving others-you know-"washing feet")

We envision a community of faith where family and friends matter as these relationships gain meaning in light of our relationship to Jesus Christ.

We envision a community of faith that is constantly amazed at our God and what He is doing among us.

What We Believe

  • About The Bible
The Bible is God's written word to us. It includes the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament. Human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote it. It is the ultimate source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. The Bible is the final authority for all matters of faith and practice for the Church. Because it is inspired by God it is without any mixture of error in all it commands, confirms, asserts, or denies. {2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:13;Psalm 119:105,160; Psalm 12:6; Proverbs 30:5}
  • About God
God is the creator and ruler of the universe. There is one God; He is infinite, eternal, almighty, and perfect in holiness, truth and love. In the unity of the godhead there are three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-existent, co-equal, co-eternal. The Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Holy Spirit, yet each is truly Deity.One God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—is the foundation of the Christian faith and life. {Genesis chapter 1; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14}
  • About Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of his people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. {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; 1 Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13}
  • About The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit brings God’s people to faith in Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily. The Holy Spirit causes God’s people to grow in Christ until His return or their death, whichever comes first. {2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13;14:16,17; Acts 1:8;1 Corinthians 2:12,3:16; Ephesians 1:13;Galatians 5:25;Ephesians 5:18}
  • About Human Beings
God made people—male and female—in His own image. God gave people rule, under God’s authority, over all creation. People rebelled against God, which resulted in mankind’s estranged relationship to God. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience and disregard toward God called "sin." Sin separates people from God and causes many problems in life. {Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1,2}
  • About Salvation
God’s character means He cannot forgive man’s rebellion without satisfying His justice at the same time. God sent His son, Jesus Christ the God-man, to take man’s sin upon Himself. This enables God to be just when He forgives the sins of anyone who seeks His forgiveness. Those who believe that Jesus took his or her sins upon Himself on the cross, died, and rose again three days later will accept His sacrifice and believe on Him. Salvation in Christ alone is God's free gift to us, but we must accept His gift in Christ. We can never make up for our sin or eliminate our guilt by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as the payment for our sin can anyone be saved from sin's penalty and power. When we turn in faith from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus Christ, we are saved. Life with God forever begins the moment we turn to and trust in Jesus Christ to save us. Jesus is the only mediator between God and man, and that faith in His death and resurrection is the only way to have a right relationship to God. Those who believe on Jesus Christ publicly declare their faith to the world by immersion in water (baptism) in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. {Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 14:6; John 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1; Romans 10:9,10; Ephesians 4:4-6}
  • About the Preservation and Endurance of All Who Are "Born Again"
Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot “lose your salvation.” Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security. To put it another way; God’s grace keeps us and God’s grace causes us to “keep on keeping on.” {John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10,14; 1 Peter 1:3-5}
  • About Eternity
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. We believe the blessed hope of believers is the return of Jesus Christ! One day He will return, and we will live with Him and enjoy Him forever without sin or the distractions of this present world. {John 3:16; John 14:17; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; 1 Corinthians. 2:7-9}

Our Affiliations

Common Ground Community Church is a member of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia

Our Location (and directions)

We are located at 3725 Towne Point Road, Portsmouth, VA 23703.

  • If you are travelling on  Rt 164 from Norfolk, take the Towne Point Road Exit. Turn right onto Towne Point Road, then left at the Getty Mart (you will still be on Towne Point Road). Then, take the next left onto Pepperwood Lane, and then the next left which will take you to our church building.
  • If you are travelling on 164 from 664 toward Portsmouth, take the Towne Point Road exit. Take a left at the light onto Towne Point Road and follow the above directions.
  • If you are on College Drive off 664, go to the Burger King and turn left (this puts you on Towne Point Road). Take Towne Point Road to Pepperwood Lane, turn right, then left and you will be at the church.
  • If you are on College Drive coming from Western Branch Blvd, go to Burger King, turn right and then follow the above directions.
  • If none of these directions make sense to you, call us, or go to Mapquest and put in the church address and pray hard; you will need it!