What We Believe

Statement of Faith

The Scriptures: That the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings; the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of man and the glory of God; and the divine final authority for all faith and practice (I Corinthians 2:13; I Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21).

The Trinity: That God is the creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons–Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are identical in essence, equal in power and glory, yet having different roles in the salvation of man and the glory of God (Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 16:28).

Jesus Christ: That Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became fully Man, without ceasing to be fully God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man by offering Himself on the cross, taking upon Himself the wrath of God in our place. He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into Heaven, and is now at the right hand of God the Father fulfilling His ministry as our High Priest and Advocate. Jesus Christ will return to earth in bodily form to judge the world and establish His millennial kingdom for a thousand years. (Hebrews 7:25, 9:24; Romans 3:21-26, 8:34; I John 2:1-2; Revelation 19, 20).

The Holy Spirit: That the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, indwells all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and seals and sanctifies them in Christ until the final day of redemption. He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. He works prior to conversion to draw those who will be saved. We teach that every believer is commanded of God to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:39; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30, 5:18-20; John 6:44, 16:8-9; II Timothy 1:14; Romans 15:16).

Man: That man was created in the image of God but fell into sin. Man is therefore lost and under the judicial sentence of death according to the judgment of God. This death is the eternal, conscious torment of hell, away from the presence of God (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 1:18ff, 3:22- 23, 5:12-21; Ephesians 2:1-3,12).

Salvation: That salvation is the free gift of God, offered to man by His grace alone and received by personal faith in Jesus Christ alone. This faith is demonstrated in works that are pleasing to God; and all true believers once saved shall be kept saved forever (Romans 8:1, 38-39; John 10:27-30; I Corinthians 1:4-8; Philippians 1:6; II Timothy 1:12).

The Church: That the church is a living spiritual organism made up of all persons who, through saving faith in Jesus Christ, have been born of the Holy Spirit. The church is His body of whom He is the head. Therefore, only those who are members of the true church are eligible to be members of the local church. The local church is autonomous–that is, it is not subject to any other church or hierarchy, only to Jesus Christ Himself (Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:15, 5:23-27; I Corinthians 12:12-14).

Roles of Men and Women: That God has created both men and women spiritually equal in their position before Him. We also believe that He has created distinct and separate spiritual functions – as exist within the triune God Himself – for men and women in the home and in the church. The husband is to be the servant-leader of the family, and men are to be the servant-leaders (elders) of the church (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18; Ephesians 5:22-23; 1 Timothy 2:8-15, 3:4-5, 12; Titus 1:5-6).

Eternal Things: The bodily resurrection of the dead, of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, and of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment in Hell, away from the presence of God (Mark 9:43-48; 1 Corinthians 15:51ff; Revelation 20:15, 22:3-5, 11).

Baptism: That the Lord has given the ordinance of baptism as the symbol and public declaration of our union with Jesus Christ in His life, death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism is only for believers in Jesus Christ (Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 1:13; Colossians 2:12). Baptism plays no part in effecting salvation. It is only an outward symbol of a previous inward change of heart (Luke 7:50; Ephesians 2:8). Immersion is the biblical mode of baptism and is, therefore, practiced whenever physically possible.

The Lord’s Supper: That the Lord has given the symbolic, continuing ordinance of the Lord’s Supper in order for believers to remember the person and work of Jesus Christ and to regularly celebrate the New covenant made by the promise of God (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34).

The Church’s Mission: That it is the mission of Jesus Christ, and therefore of all believers in Him, to declare and glorify the grace of God offered in the Gospel to every people group in the world, both locally and globally (John 17:18-19; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 10:42; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Psalms 22).

Human Sexuality: That the only legitimate form of sexuality that pleases God is that which is practiced within the biblical bonds of marriage between one man and one woman. Any form of fornication, adultery, homosexuality, incest, and pornography are sins; and to walk in a lifestyle such as these is a sinful affront to Jesus Christ and His Word (Genesis 26:8-10; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-32; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4).