Our History

2011

Cactus Pointe Baptist Church began in the cafeteria of Trailside Point Elementary School on July 3, 2011. There were 17 people in that first service, with one young man trusting Christ as his Savior. Since that time, hundreds of people have visited our church, with many coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

2013

In February of 2013, CPBC moved to its current location on Baseline Road in a renovated garage. After meeting in the house for a year, and experiencing more growth, we moved into the other building on the property and have been meeting in there ever since. Now “the house” is used for staff office, Sunday school classes, one-on-one discipleship, & nursery.

2018

In the spring of 2018 God starting leading Rob Sisco to become an Evangelist. After much prayer, the members of CPBC voted on the 19th of August 2018 and called Joshua Wandell as their Pastor.

2019
On January 1st 2019. Joshua Wandell officially became the Pastor of CPBC. He has served at Cactus Pointe since 2012. Many things have transpired over the course of those years, but one thing remains, we are a group of “called out” believers determined to honor God and grow in faith, and lead others to Christ.

Pastor Joshua Wandell

Joshua Wandell was led to the Lord by his dad at his bedside in 1994. He was privileged to be raised in a pastor’s home. Near the end of high school he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.

While still in the Marines, he came to Cactus Pointe in 2012 just before the one year anniversary of this newly planted church. After 5 years of faithful service to his country, he was honorably discharged and 2 months later in 2013, he was married to his lovely wife Katherine.

Later that year he became the youth pastor and served with the teens for 4 1/2 years. In 2015 God called him to preach while under the ministry of Pastor Rob Sisco. He enrolled in the church’s Bible Institute in late 2016 to pursue full time ministry.

In August of 2018 with a 20-1 vote, the church called him to be their next pastor effective January 1, 2019, upon the resignation of Rob Sisco. In November 2018 he was ordained into the Gospel ministry. Pastor Wandell and his wife Katherine have been blessed with six children.

With a passion for souls, Pastor Wandell has a vision to win the Laveen community and greater Phoenix area to the Lord. His life verse is 1 Samuel 12:24 – “Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider how great things he has done for you.”

What Do We Believe?

Scriptures

The Bible is the inerrant, inspired, infallible and preserved Word of God and is our sole authority in all matters of faith and practice. We believe God has preserved His Word in the King James Bible for English-speaking people.

God

There is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; glorious in holiness and worthy of all honor, praise and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the redemption of man.

Jesus Christ

Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, co-equal, co-essential, and co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. He was born into this world of Mary, a virgin. He is both perfect God and perfect man and lived a sinless life honoring the divine law by His personal obedience. He died a substitutionary death on the cross, securing redemption for sinners through His shed blood. He supernaturally rose again on the third day with a glorified body.

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that he was active in the creation; in His relation to the unbelieving world, He convicts of sin, of righteousness and judgement; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony of God’s Word; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, dwells, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.

Salvation

The salvation of sinners is wholly of the grace of God through the merit of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. It is received by simple faith in the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. It is a free gift offered by God to every individual. It cannot be earned, only received.

Eternal Security

It is the power of God that keeps men eternally secure. Man cannot gain salvation by his works, neither can he lose it because of his works.

Church

The church is a local, organized, visible, assembly of baptized believers joined together in the doctrine and fellowship of the gospel; it’s mission is found in the Great Commission, first to make disciples, second to build up the church by baptizing those believers, and third, to teach and instruct them as He has commanded. There are only two Scriptural offices, the pastor and deacon, whose qualifications, duties, and claims are clearly defined in the New Testament. The church is self governed, and is free from any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; as there is only one Head of each church, the Lord Jesus Christ. The church is given two ordinances to observe: baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Last Days

Jesus shall return to earth bodily, personally, and visibly; first to raise the righteous dead and catch up all living believers in the twinkling of an eye. This will occur before the seven-year tribulation period begins and the millennial reign of Christ. At the final Day of Judgement all Christ rejecting sinners will be raised, judged, and cast into the lake of fire for everlasting damnation. The saved will then live with Him for eternity according to the sure promises of God.

John 14:1-3 | 1 Corinthians 15:42-52 | 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 | Revelation 20:1-5, 11-15, 21:1-9, 22:1-5

This doctrinal statement does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole authority of all that we believe.

Why Are We Baptists?

The Baptist Distinctives

As an Independent Fundamental Baptist church we do not belong to a convention, denomination or a national organization. We feel it is important to uphold biblical traits that would help clarify what kind of church we are. Below you’ll find out what makes us different.

B - Biblical Authority

The Bible is the only authority in all matters of belief and practice
because the Bible is inspired by God and bears the absolute authority of God Himself.
Whatever the Bible affirms, Baptists accept as true. No human opinion or decree of any
church group can override the Bible. Even creeds and confessions of faith which
attempt to articulate the theology of Scripture do not carry Scripture’s inherent authority. A true doctrinal Baptist church can give biblical evidence and reason for all that they do or do not do.

John 17:17 | Acts 17:11 | 2 Timothy 3:16-17 | Hebrews 4:12 | 2 Peter 1:16-21

A - Autonomy of The Local Church

The local church is an independent body accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church. All human authority for governing the local church resides within the local church itself. Thus the church is autonomous, or self-governing. It owes no allegiance or obedience to any tribunal in the universe, except that of Jesus Christ. No committee, council, presbytery, association or convention has the slightest authority over a church. Autonomy does not mean isolation. A Baptist church may fellowship with other churches around mutual interests and in an associational tie, but a Baptist church cannot be a “member” of any other body.

Matthew 16:17-19 | Acts 20:19-30 | Colossians 1:18 | 1 Timothy 3:15

P - Priesthood of Every Believer

Each saved person has the God given right and access to God on their own via the intercessory work of Jesus Christ. No other mediator is needed between God and people. We can study God’s Word, pray, and offer spiritual worship to God. Each believer has equal access to God whether we are a preacher or not.

1 Timothy 2:5-6 | Hebrews 4:14-16

T - Two Ordinances

The Scriptures teach that the church should practice two ordinances:

Baptism: This was always done by immersion and, in the true biblical church, it remained by immersion. It identifies the individual with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism is a picture – an outward sign of an inward work. It is not a sacrament (a means of receiving grace), it does not save you.
Lord’s Supper or Communion: This communion was and is a memorial observance of the body and blood of Christ. It has no saving efficacy, and it was never the place of mystical transubstantiation nor consubstantiation. In no way can this ordinance save you, it is a picture of what makes Salvation possible (the broken body and shed blood of Christ).

Matthew 28:19, 20 | 1 Corinthians 11:23-28 | Romans 6:3-5 | Acts 2:41-42

I - Individual Sole Liberty

Nothing we say, do, or believe can be outside of the guidelines of God’s Word; however, within those guidelines, there is room for God to direct each child of God. Our message and motivation are the same if they’re biblical, yet the means are not always the same. This liberty of a believer is never a license to the flesh, nor is it an excuse to do what I think is best. My liberty does allow me within the parameters of God’s Word to do as God directs.

Romans 10:17, 14:1-8, 12-23

S - Saved, Baptized Church Membership

Church membership is restricted to individuals who give a testimony of personal faith in Christ and have publicly identified themselves with Him in believer’s baptism by immersion. When the members of a local church are believers, a oneness in Christ exists, and the members can endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Acts 2:41-47 | 1 Corinthians 12:13; | Ephesians 4:3

T - Two Offices

The Bible mandates only two offices in the church

Pastor– The three terms – “pastor,” “elder,” and “bishop,” or “overseer” – all refer to the same office. God never intended for a Bishop to be an office who was over a denominational body. It is the responsibility of the Pastor to serve the church by leading, teaching, and overseeing the church work.
Deacon– They are godly men whose ministry is to help the pastor and serve the people. They are not leaders of churches, but servants to churches.

S - Separation of State and Church

God established both the church and the civil government.

We believe that the church should not be state run and that the state should not be run by the church. We believe in separation of the power of church and state so that the church can do its job without interference from the government. We are instructed by Scripture in regards to government, to pray for, have respect for, to be obedient to, and accept its God given role. Neither the state, nor the church should control the other, nor should there be an alliance between the two. The church is not to receive help from the state, except protection and full freedom in the pursuit of spiritual ends.

Matthew 22:21 | Acts 4:18-20 | Romans 13:1-2 | 1 Timothy 2:1-2 | 1 Peter 2:13-14

The Bible Way To Heaven

1. We ALL have sinned.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” – Romans 3:23

God’s Word tells us that we all have sinned. Sin is any act contrary to God’s laws and commandments, and those sins that I have committed separate me from God

We have all fallen short of God’s requirements, for at one time or another, we have all deliberately chosen to disobey God.

2. There is a price for sin.

“For the wages of sin is death;” – Romans 6:23

The “wage” or payment for our sin is spiritual death, and eternal separation from God in place called Hell.

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20:14-15

3. Jesus Paid That Price

Even though we were lost and separated from God, He loved us, and because He is love, God sent His Son to die on the Cross and raise from the dead three days later.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, He became the payment for our sin. Now, we do not have to pay for our sin ourselves. By His grace, salvation is provided.

“But God commendeth [meaning proved or demonstrated] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

4. Believe and Receive Jesus

In order to have a relationship with God and an eternal home in Heaven, we must stop trusting ourselves, our works, and our religions, and place our full trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of our sin and eternal life.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Romans 10:13

That is a promise directly from God that if you will pray to Him, confess that you are a sinner, ask Him to forgive your sin, and turn to Him alone to be your Saviour; He promises to save you and give you the free gift of eternal life.You can make that decision today by praying from your heart, something like this:

Dear God, I know that I am separated from you because of sin. I ask you to forgive me of my sin. I confess that in my sin, I cannot save myself. Right now, I turn to you alone to be my Saviour. I ask you to save me from the penalty of my sin, and I trust you to provide eternal life to me in Jesus’ name – Amen

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe in the name of the Son of God.” – 1 John 5:12-13

You’ll never regret that decision! If you have just trusted Christ, we would love to know about your decision and give you a Bible and help you learn more about that new relationship! Give us a call 623-277-6298 or email us here and let us know today!