SAN DIMAS - To join Christian Community Credit Union, you must affirm a personal statement of faith.   The statement is clearly laid out on Christian Community's Web site.

"God loves us and created us to know Him," the message reads. "He has a wonderful plan for our lives. People are sinful and separated from God, so we cannot know Him or experience His love and plan. Jesus Christ is God's only provision for our sin. Through Him alone we can know God and experience His love and plan. I have received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord."

John T. Walling, the credit union's president and CEO, said the not-for-profit financial cooperative appeals to Christians who want to feel good about themselves - and about where their money is going.   "It's God-honoring principles," Walling explained. "It's about giving back to the Christian community, providing for your eventual retirement and living on the balance."

Founded in 1957 as American Baptist Ministers Credit Union, the name was shortened in 1962 to American Baptist Credit Union. In 2001, the credit union assumed its current name.

"Our mission is to partner with members and ministries to help them become better stewards and achieve their financial goals," Walling said.

Today, Christian Community Credit Union boasts about 29,000 members throughout the U.S. and in 40 foreign countries.  "We're in the top 5 percent of all credit unions in terms of assets," Walling said. "We have assets of over $441 million."  And Christian Community is still growing.  Last year, it grew by nearly 3,000 members, and 3,541 additional members have joined so far this year, he said.

"We feel it's good," Walling said. "We've certainly done a lot of marketing with church ministries, showing them how we can help them manage their money well."

About half of the loans Christian Community makes are to individuals for real estate loans, car loans or other needs.   The remaining loans are issued to build, remodel or expand church facilities.   "Last year we did about $90 million in loans to churches and we'll probably do that much this year," Walling said. "It's the same for individuals."

One of Christian Community's clients is Calvary Chapel Golden Springs in Diamond Bar.  The church, headed by Senior Pastor Raul Ries, draws 8,000 to 10,000 worshippers a week.   "From a ministry standpoint, it's kind of a perfect marriage," said Cathy Barrett, the Calvary Chapel's chief financial officer. "The credit union supports our kind of ministry by not charging a lot of fees. We're able to keep more of our resources to put toward building the kingdom of God."

Barrett also is impressed by Christian Community's credit card program.

"The fee that the merchants pay \ goes to missions all over the world," she said. "They put about $200,000 a year toward mission work. That's kind on in line with what our goals are." Walling says that's exactly the intent.

"Christian Community Credit Union saw a need where we could help those who are on the front line in the Lord's work," he said.  Our members can be proud," Walling added, "that their credit union is dedicated to supporting missions and ministry-related projects in the Christian community."