Our beliefs, and the teachings of our church, are based strictly on God’s inspired Word.
THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible in its entirety is the divinely inspired, everlasting Word of God, without error. It is His God-breathed revelation of Himself to mankind (Ps. 119:89, 160; Matt. 4:4; 5:18; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
We believe the Bible is the supreme authority for life, faith, and practice; that it reveals man’s true nature, instructs believers in righteousness, corrects, and gives examples for holy living (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11; 2 Tim. 3:16–17; Heb. 4:12).
GOD
We believe Scripture reveals the one true God, incorporeal, invisible and alive, self-existent, the Creator of the universe, the author and sustainer of life, perfect in holiness, judgment, justice, goodness, and truth (Gen. 1:1; 2:7; Ex. 3:14; Ps. 11:7; 31:5; 36:6; Isa. 45:5-6; Matt. 5:48; John 4:24; 5:26; Acts 14:15; Rom. 2:2; 1 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 15:4; 20:12-13).
We believe that God is holy, sovereign, infinite, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, eternal, immutable, and incomprehensible (1 Kings. 8:27; Ps. 147:5; Jer. 23:23-24; 32:17; Dan. 4:34-37; Mal. 3:6; Rom. 11:33; Rev. 1:8). God transcends His creation, yet desires to make Himself known and be involved in the affairs of mankind (Ps. 8:4-5; Jer. 23:23-24; Matt. 10:29-31; John 1:18; Acts 17:26-28; 1 Tim. 2:3-4).
We believe that God is a triune unity in His essence, who exists in the three persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that these three are equal in eternity, nature, and glory, having the same divine perfections (Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Isa. 44:6-8; 48:16; Matt. 3:13-17; 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Col. 1:15-17; 2:9-10; 1 Pet. 1:2).
We believe that all things, including mankind, were created for His pleasure and to bring glory to His name (Isa. 46:10; Rom. 9:22-24; 1 Cor. 10:31; Eph. 1:11-14).
CHRIST
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Second Person of the Godhead and the eternal Son of God. That in humiliation, He became a man without ceasing to be God, after having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Mic. 5:2; Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Matt. 1:16, 22, 23; 16:16; Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1-4, 14; 17:5; 20:28; Acts 16:31, 34; Phil. 2:5-8; Col. 1:15-17; 2:9; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8).
We believe that Jesus came to this earth to reveal God and redeem sinful mankind. After living a sinless life on earth, Jesus took the sins of the world on Himself to redeem mankind once for all and having been made sin at His death on the cross as man’s representative, that He was literally bodily raised from the dead, thereby making sure man’s justification (Isa. 53:6; Matt. 20:28; 28:5-6; John 1:18; 3:16-17; 14:7-10; Rom. 3:24-25; 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:3-7, 17-20; 2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 2:9-10; 4:15; 10:10; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; 2:24).
We believe that Jesus bodily ascended to heaven and as head of the church is seated at the right hand of God the Father. As man’s High Priest, He fulfills the ministries of representative, intercessor, and advocate (Acts 1:9-11; Rom. 8:34; Col. 1:18; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:25; 8:1; 10:12; 1 John 2:1-2).
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the eternal Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, that He was active in creation, and that He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (Gen. 1:2; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:3-4; Heb. 9:14).
We believe that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing at salvation all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 3:5-8; 14:16-17; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 12:12-14; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30; Titus 3:5-7).
We believe that the Holy Spirit intercedes for the believer, that He is the divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth, and that it is the privilege of the saint to be filled (controlled) by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13-14; Rom. 8:26; 1 Cor. 2:14; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:18).
We believe that the Holy Spirit gives at least one spiritual gift to every believer to use to serve the body of Christ and bring glory to God and that some of these gifts (e.g., tongues and miracles) were for the founding of the church and therefore have ceased. (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:1, 11; 13:8-10; 14:22; Eph. 2:19-22; 4:11-12; Heb. 2:3-4; 1 Pet. 4:10-11).
MAN
We believe that mankind was created in God’s image and for His pleasure on the sixth, literal 24-hour day of creation. Men and women are to know, fear, love, glorify, and obey God through fellowship with Him, to live in harmony with our fellow man, and to exercise dominion over the rest of creation. Mankind was created with innocence towards sin, Adam and Eve being the first man and woman (Gen. 1:1, 26-31; 2:7, 23-25; 3:8-9, 20; Ecc. 12:13; Isa. 43:7; Mark 12:30-31; 1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 1:16; Rev. 4:11).
We believe that human life begins at conception, that each person is a unity made up of both material and immaterial parts and that we will exist somewhere for all eternity (Isa. 49:5; Jer. 1:4-5; Ps. 139:13-15; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 4:12; Rev. 20:13-15).
We believe that all mankind sinned in Adam and that this sin is imputed to the entire race, giving all a sinful nature and making all guilty before God. That all men are sinners alienated from God, totally depraved and completely powerless to remedy their lost condition (Gen. 5:3; Ps. 51:5; John 3:18; 36; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12-19; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 12-13).
SALVATION
We believe that God provided a means of salvation for mankind through the death of His Son Jesus Christ, and that this death accomplished propitiation for sins to God, victory over Satan, sin and death, bought redemption for mankind, and reconciliation for the world (Gen. 3:15; John 12:31; Rom. 5:8-11; 1 Cor. 15:54-57; 2 Cor. 5:19; Eph. 1:4; Heb. 12:2; 1 John 2:2).
We believe that the condition for salvation is personal faith (trust) in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross in our place, voluntarily taking upon Himself the punishment that we all deserve. Salvation is a free gift offered by the mercy and grace of God and is available to all who believe (John 1:12; 3:16; 20:31; Acts 16:31; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7; 2 Pet. 3:9).
We believe that salvation only comes through Jesus Christ and that the shedding of His blood was essential in satisfying God. For without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin, and that this substitutionary sacrifice took place once for all eternity (Matt. 1:21; John 3:18, 36; 11:25; 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 3:25; 5:9; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:22-28; 10:12-14; 1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 5:12).
We believe that the redeemed have been chosen before the foundation of the world and yet God’s call is that whosoever will may come and that when a sinner trusts in Christ his sins are forgiven and he is justified before God, regenerated by washing and converted to a new direction of life, and sanctified to God from sin with the future prospect of glorification (Ps. 4:3; John 3:16; Rom. 3:23-30; 1 Cor. 6:11; 15:51-57; Eph. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13; Titus 3:4-8; Heb. 2:11; 10:10; 13:12; 1 Pet. 5:10).
We believe that the redeemed are sealed by the Holy Spirit, kept by God’s power and secure in Christ forever; but this is not a license to serve sin, rather the joy of using liberty to serve God (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 31-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-9; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15; Jude 1, 24).
We believe that every believer has two natures, the old sin nature and the believer’s new life in Christ. Empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit enables the believer to have victory over sin. The eradication of the old nature will not take place until glorification (Rom. 6:13; 7:14-25; 8:12-13; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:10; 1 Pet. 1:14-16).
CHURCH
We believe the church to be the body and espoused bride of Christ, one union, a spiritual organism made up of all believers from the day of Pentecost until now, and that it will one day be completed and united to Christ at the rapture, reign with Him, and show God’s wisdom and glory forever and ever (Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12:12, 14; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 3:10, 20-22; 5:25-27; 1 Thess. 4:16-17).
We believe that the local church is the visible representation of the body of Christ and that every believer is to be in submission to and an active part of the local assembly. We believe that the church is to worship and glorify God, edify and teach believers, keep itself pure, pray, administer the ordinances, promote good, and evangelize the lost (Matt. 28:19-20; John 17:14-18; Acts 2:42; 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; Rom. 15:6; 2 Cor. 7:1; Gal. 6:10; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Tim. 3:15; Heb. 10:25; 13:7, 17).
We believe the offices of the local church to be elder and deacon with their qualifications clearly delineated (Acts 20:17, 28; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1-7, 8-13; Titus 1:5-9).
We believe the two ordinances given to the Church are baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Baptism is commanded for all believers in order to publicly show their identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. This represents the reality of spiritual baptism that unites the believer into the body of Christ. We believe that the mode of immersion best fits the biblical record, history, and symbolic meaning of this ordinance (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 8:36-38).
The Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ Himself and is to be done in His remembrance by the representation of His broken body and shed blood, and should be practiced by all believers who are in a right standing with the Lord, until Christ returns (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 1:10; Luke 22:14-20; Acts 8:36-38; 16:31-33; 1 Cor. 11:20-30).
We believe that it is the responsibility of the church to engage in the discipline of believers when necessary. That any discipline by the church must be done according to the guidelines set down in Scripture. Church discipline is necessary to maintain it’s purity, to warn fellow believers of sin, and to restore the sinning brother (Matt. 18:15-17; Rom. 16:17-18; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; Gal. 6:1; 2 Thess. 3:10-15; 1 Tim. 6:1-5).
ANGELS
We believe that angels are a company of spirit beings created by God in holiness and that they have personality yet are distinct from human beings (Ps. 8:4-5; 148:2, 5; Mark 8:38; Luke 2:13; Col. 1:16; 1 Pet. 1:12; 2 Pet. 2:11).
We believe that though angels have great power and are without death, we are not to worship or pray to them since we are both God’s servants (Luke 20:36; 2 Pet. 2:11; Rev. 22:8-9).
We believe that Satan was the anointed cherub named Lucifer who was created by God and yet rebelled against Him and therefore lost his first estate. He has access to heaven thereby accusing the saints, dwells in the heavenly realms organizing evil spirits and is active on earth in opposing God by deceiving, blinding, tempting and hindering men and nations (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:12-17; Acts 5:3; 1 Cor. 7:5; 2 Cor. 4:3-4; Eph. 2:2; 6:11-12; 1 Thess. 2:18; Rev. 2:13; 12:7-10).
We believe that Satan was judged at the cross and will ultimately be cast into the Lake of Fire, but for now, the believer must resist him by God’s greater power through putting on the armor of God and watching for Satan’s attacks. We believe that only God knows our hearts and that we will not be tempted without His permission nor above that which we are able with His power to escape (2 Chr. 6:30; John 12:31-32; 16:5-11; 1 Cor. 10:13; Eph. 6:10-18; James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8-9; 1 John 4:4; Rev. 20:1-3, 7-10).
We believe that demons are well-organized ranks of unclean spirits whose prince is Satan and that they know Jesus and the one true God, yet have their own doctrine and know their own doom which is to be cast into the Lake of Fire for all of eternity (Matt. 8:28-29; 12:24; 25:41; Mark 1:23-27, 34; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; James 2:19).
END TIMES
We believe in the imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones through the rapture of His church to meet Him in the air (1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). Following a seven-year judgment on the earth (Dan. 9:24-27; Matt. 24:15-28), known as the Tribulation, Christ will return to the earth with His church to establish His Millennial Kingdom (Matt. 24:29-31; 25:31-33; Zec. 14:1-9; Rev. 19:11-21; 20:4-6). When that thousand-year period ends, the Lord will create a new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1-4).
We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God’s eternal covenant people, that she is now dispersed because of her disobedience and rejection of Christ, that she will be regathered in the Holy Land, and, after the completion of the Church Age, will be saved as a nation at the second advent of Christ, when all God’s promises to Israel will be fulfilled (Gen.13:14-17; 15:18-21; 2 Sam.7:12-16; Jer. 31:31-34; Zec. 12:10; 14:1-9, 16-21; Luke 1:31-33; Rom. 11:1-32).
We believe for the saved, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord; that all the dead in Christ will be resurrected with perfect bodies and eternal life. The unsaved of all ages will be resurrected to eternal damnation with new bodies that will not be annihilated while suffering conscious torment in the Lake of Fire (Hell) for all of eternity (Matt. 25:46; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 2 Cor. 5:8; Jude 7; Rev. 19:20; 20:10-15).
CHRISTIAN LIFE & CURRENT ISSUES
We believe a Christian is set apart by God to live for His glory in a sinful, fallen world (Matt. 5:16, Rom. 12:1-2; 14:7-8; 16:17; 1 Cor. 10:31; 2 Cor. 6:14-18).
We believe that God has established marriage as a lifelong, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman and that all sexual activity outside the marriage relationship, whether heterosexual, homosexual, or otherwise, is immoral and therefore sin (Gen. 2:24-25; Ex. 20:14, 17; 22:19; Lev. 18:22-23, 20:13, 15-16; Matt. 19:4-6, 9; Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-10, 15-20; 1 Tim. 1:8-11; Jude 7).
We believe that God created the human race male and female and that all conduct with the intent to adopt a gender other than one’s birth gender is immoral and therefore sin (Gen. 1:27; Deut. 22:5).