STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Word of God
We believe that the Bible (both Old and New Testaments) is the Word of God, fully inspired by Him and without error in the original manuscripts. The Scriptures contain the complete revelation of His will and plan for salvation. They are intended to teach, guide, correct, and nourish the believer, and are the final, divine authority for all matters of Christian faith and life.
2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Peter 2:1-2; 2 Peter 1:20-21
The Godhead
We believe in one living and true God, creator of all things, perfect in every way, without beginning or end, and eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and that these are equal in every divine attribute and perfection.
Genesis 1:1, 26; Psalm 90:1-2; Isaiah 45:5-6, 21-22; Acts 17:24-28;
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. We believe in His sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary and atoning death on the cross, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven where He is now exalted at the right had of God and intercedes for His people as our High Priest, and His personal visible return to earth as promised in the Scriptures.
John 1:1-3, 14; Luke 1:26-37; Romans 3:21-25, 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 20-24; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:14-16
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, regenerates the believer into new life in Christ at the moment of salvation, sanctifies the believer in Christ-likeness, and seals the believer unto the day of redemption. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He guides, instructs and empowers them for godly living and service.
John 14:16, 26; Acts 1:8, Romans 8:16, 26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 10-16; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Ephesians 1:13-14, Titus 3:5-6
Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam’s sin man fell, and thereby incurred physical, spiritual, and eternal death. As a result, all human beings are born with a sin nature and are under the just condemnation of God. Because of sin, man is alienated and separated from God and unable to remedy his lost condition.
Genesis 1:26; Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Ephesians 2:1-10
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received through personal faith in Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. We believe that those who repent and forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, become new creatures in Christ, are freed from condemnation, and receive eternal life as God’s children.
John 1:12-13, 3:3-6, 3:16, 14:6; Romans10:9-13; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 2:8-10
Ordinances
We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the church. We believe that water baptism is an outward expression and a celebration of a person’s new life in Christ. We believe that the biblical pattern for baptism is by immersion in water in the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for the remembrance of His death and for the proclamation of His death until He comes again.
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:38-41, 8:12-13, 10:47; Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
The Church
We believe in the universal church, which is a living, spiritual body of Christ made up of all persons who have been regenerated and baptized by the Holy Spirit through saving faith in Jesus Christ, of which Christ is the head. We believe in the establishment of local churches as the pattern of the New Testament clearly defines. We believe in the autonomy of each local church under the headship of Christ to decide and govern its own affairs. We believe that God has given the local church the primary task of taking the good news of Jesus Christ to the world and helping believers grow and glorify the Lord.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22, 4:14-16; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 4:15-16
Last Things
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the consummation of His Kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body and in the final judgment: of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, and of the unbeliever to everlasting conscious punishment and suffering.
Matthew 16:27, 24:4-31; John 14:3; 1 Corinthians 15:40-58; Philippians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18, 5:1-11; Titus 2:13; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15