Statement of Faith

1. The Bible. We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, without error in the original autographs, accurate in all areas it touches, and true in all it says. No other writings, experiences, tongues, prophesies, visions, revelations or traditions of any kind are inspired in this sense (Psalm 119:86, 151, 160, 172; Matthew 5:18; John 17:17; I Corinthians 13:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). 

2. The Trinity. We believe God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He is one God eternally existent in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are equal in every way, yet distinct in their tasks and relations to humanity (Genesis 1:1, 26-27; 3:22; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; 1 Peter 1:2). 

3. Jesus Christ. We believe Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human. We believe in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory to reign on earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Matthew 1:22, 23; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; John 1:1-5; 11:25-26; 14:10-30; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 4:14-15; Revelation 20:1-6). 

4. The Holy Spirit. We believe the Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation and gives one or more spiritual gifts that differ, according to the will of God, to be used for the common good. We believe that some gifts of the Holy Spirit were foundational such as apostle and prophet or confirmatory such as speaking in tongues and miraculous healings, and were therefore temporary, and are not to be expected as the norm for the church in all ages. The Holy Spirit provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. As Christians, we are to seek to live under His control daily (John 14:16-17, 26; 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; 2:41, 44, 47; 10:43-44; Romans 8:9; 12:3-6; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 3:16; 12:7, 11, 13; 13:8-13; 2 Corinthians 3:14; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2:19-22; 5:18; Hebrews 1:1-2; 2:3-4; Revelations 22:18).

5. Human Beings. We believe that man was originally created in the image and likeness of God, living in perfection and open fellowship with God. When Adam sinned against God, however, the whole race became stained with the sin nature and inherited spiritual death, the exception being the Man Christ Jesus. Alienated from a Holy God and bound by sin, mankind is dependent on the grace of God to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:2-3:20; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; 59:1-2; Romans 3:23; 5:12-21; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-12; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:15; I Peter 2:22).

6. Salvation. We believe that the sole condition for receiving everlasting life is faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose bodily from the dead. Assurance of everlasting life is based only on the promise God makes in His Word that everyone who believes in Jesus Christ alone possesses everlasting life. Good works, which can and should follow regeneration, are not necessary for a person to have assurance of everlasting life (John 1:12; 3:14-16, 36; 4:10-14; 5:24; 6:40, 47; 11:25-26; 14:6; Acts 13:38-39, 48; 16:31; Romans 4:5, 21-22; 6:23; I Corinthians 15:1-8; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Timothy 1:16; Titus 3:5, 8; Hebrews 11:1; 1 John 5:9-13; Revelation 22:17). 

7. Eternal Security. We believe that those who believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life are born into the family of the all- powerful God. Therefore, they cannot be taken from Him, as they are kept by His power, by the love of Christ, and by the seal of the Holy Spirit, not by their own self-efforts. They can therefore be assured of eternal life (John 1:12; 5:24; 6:35-40; 10:25-29; Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10, 14; I John 5:11-13). 

8. Sanctification: We believe sanctification is being set apart or made holy to God. The Bible alludes to pre-conversion sanctification whereby the Lord sets apart the unbeliever for salvation and/or service. For the Christian, sanctification is realized in three ways. All believers are positionally sanctified when they first believe by virtue of being in Christ. Christians are personally or progressively sanctified as they allow the Holy Spirit to guide their lives, and begin to produce the fruit of the Spirit. Therefore, obedience to the Word of God, while not necessary for obtaining everlasting life, is the essential responsibility of each Christian. Christians will be ultimately sanctified when they become completely conformed to the image of Christ in His presence (Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 14:25-33; John 8:31-32; 15:1-8; 17:17; Acts 9:15; Romans 1:1; 6:12-23; 8:1-17; I Corinthians 1:2; 2:14-3:4; 6:11; 7:14; Galatians 1:15; 5:16-26; Ephesians 1:7; 5:18, 26-27; Colossians 1:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 5:13-14; 10:10, 14; I Peter 1:2, 15-16; 2:1-3; 2 Peter 3:18;  I John 3:2-3; Jude 24-25).

9. The Church. We believe that all who have put their faith in Jesus Christ are members of the worldwide community of believers in Christ united by the Holy Spirit who relate to God on the basis of the New Covenant and gather in local assemblies. The mission of the church is to glorify God and to be a visual expression of Christ to a lost world. As the body of Christ, the church strives to grow into the fullness of Christ. Each member has a part to play. The church is encouraged to meet on a regular basis, observe the ordinances of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, worship the Lord together, build one another up in the faith, and make disciples of all the nations. The purpose of water baptism is to identify with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection and to identify as a disciple of Christ. The purpose of the Lord’s Supper is to remember and celebrate Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and to encourage believers to anticipate His return. (Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; 22:37-39; 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42, 46-47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23, 27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:7, 28; Romans 1:7; 6:3-4; 12:3-15; I Corinthians  1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 11:23-26; 12:7, 11, 12-13, 18; 14:3, 13; Galatians 3:26-27; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11, 21; 4:7-16; 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18; I Timothy 2:8-14; 4:13).

10. Church Government. We understand the Bible to teach that Jesus Christ is the Head over His Church. Christ governs the local church through the leadership of gifted men, elders and deacons, whose divine appointment is recognized by the body of believers who comprise the church. Hence, every local church has the right, under the headship of Christ, to decide and govern its own affairs. We believe that multiple-elder leadership best reflects the Headship of Jesus Christ over His Church. Rather than exalt any one man, multiple-elder leadership gives pre-eminence to Jesus Christ as the elders function under His Headship to shepherd the flock of God (John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:1-14; 17:17; Acts 6:1-5; 14:25; 15:2, 6, 25; 20:17; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 1:20-23; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:15-20; I Timothy 3:1-13; 5:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Titus 1:5-9; James 5:14; I Peter 5:1-5).

11. Future Events. We believe that the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the air at any time to receive all believers to Himself and then they will face Christ at the Judgment Seat to determine, what, if any rewards they will receive for the deeds they did on earth since becoming a Christian (Matthew 24:36-51; John 14:1-3; I Corinthians 3:11-15; 15:51-57; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-5:11; Revelation 22:12). The anticipation of Christ’s return at any time to reward the believer is one of the greatest motivations for living for Him now (Matthew 16:24-27; 24:45-51; 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27; I Corinthians 3:11-15; 9:24-27; 15:51-58; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 2 Timothy 2:12; Titus 2:11-15; Hebrews 9:28; I John 2:28-3:3; 4:17-19; Revelation 2:1-3:22; 22:12-21). The removal of the church from the earth will be followed by the fulfillment of Israel’s seventieth week of years (Tribulation) during which the church will be in heaven and the world will be judged and “the beast” will rise to power (Daniel 7:7-8, 19-21, 23-25; 9:24-27;11:36-45; Matthew 24:1-28; Revelation 4:1-18:24). At the end of Israel’s seventieth week, Jesus Christ returns to earth as He went, literally and bodily on the clouds of heaven, and with power and great glory to defeat the beast and his armies and then reign on earth for a thousand years (Psalm 2:1-9; Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45; 7:9-14, 22, 26-27; Matthew 24:29-31; Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 19:1-20:6). During this thousand years (Millennial Kingdom), Satan will be bound and later cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:1-10), the curse which now rests upon all of creation will be lifted (Isaiah 11:6-9; Romans 8:19-23), Israel will be restored to her own land and given the realization of God’s covenant promises (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:17; Deuteronomy 28-30; 2 Samuel 7:12-17; Isaiah 11:1-9; 32:16-18; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:24-27; 37:21-22; Romans 11:25-27), and the whole world will be brought to the knowledge of God (Isaiah 11:9). After these thousand years, all unbelievers will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment (Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:11-15). Then God will destroy the heavens and earth by fire (2 Peter 3:10-11; Revelation 21:1a) and create a New Heaven and Earth where believers will dwell with the Lord forever (Revelation 21:1-22:21). 

12. Eternal Judgment. We believe that all people are born with an eternal spirit/soul and will one day be resurrected; the believer will be resurrected to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord; the unbeliever will be resurrected and judged according to his works at the Great White Throne judgment to determine his degree of everlasting conscious punishment in the Lake of Fire (Daniel 12:1-3; Matthew 25:41, 46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; I Corinthians 15:51-58; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Revelation 14:9-11; 19:20; 20:1-15).