STATEMENT OF FAITH

This statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe.

1) We believe that the Bible, the Old Testament and the New Testament, is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God in the original writings, and they are the supreme and final authority for all Christian faith and life (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:21).

2) We believe there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4, Mark 12:29, 1 Timothy 2:5), the Creator of everything (Genesis 1:1-2, Exodus 20:11, Nehemiah 9:6, John 1:1-3, Hebrews 1:1-3, Colossians 1:15-17), eternally existing in three distinct persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-19, 2 Corinthians 13:14). Each is truly Deity, and has precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections (John 1:1&14, Acts 5:3-4, Hebrews 1:1-3, Revelation 1:4-6).

3) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of Mary, a virgin, at His incarnation (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-20, Luke 1:35, Romans 1:4). He knew no sin, He did no sin, and in Him was no sin, so He lived a sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3:5). He died on a cross as a perfect, substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of the world, and was buried and rose again bodily from the dead (Acts 2:22-24, Acts 3:15, Romans 3:23-26, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 4:14). He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of the Father, ever living to make intercession for us as our High Priest and Advocate (Mark 16:19, Acts 2:33, 5:31, 7:55-56, Romans 8:34, Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 3:1, Hebrews 1:3, 2:10, 4:14-16, 7:24-26, 8:1, 9:24, 10:12, 12:2, 1 Peter 3:22).

4) We believe that the Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son (Acts 5:3-4). He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-15). He regenerates (John 3:3-6, Titus 3:5), permanently indwells (John 14:16-17, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 6:19), leads, guides, and empowers each and every believer (John 14:16-17 & 26, 1 Corinthians 12:1-13, Galatians 5:22-23), sealing them unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30). Spirit baptism occurs once at the time of faith in Christ, but the Spirit’s filling may occur repeatedly after salvation. Some gifts of the Spirit such as speaking in tongues and miraculous healings had special significance during the New Testament apostolic period and are not commonly in operation during this present age(1 Corinthians 12:11-13, 13:8, Hebrews 2:3-40).

5) We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27, 2:16-17, James 3:9), but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, experienced death, is guilty before a holy God , and is unable of himself to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 3:1-7, Romans 3:9-20, 23, Romans 5:12).

6) We believe that the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ provides the only grounds whereby the sinner can be justified by God. All who by faith receive the Lord Jesus Christ are justified and redeemed by His blood (John 3:16-18, 5:24, 6:40, Acts 4:12, Romans 3:21-26, 4:25, 5:8-9, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 Peter 1:18-19), receive the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7), and are born again by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-6, Titus 3:4-7). Through the new birth they become children of God (John 1:12-13. 3:3-5), have eternal life, and become members of the Body of Christ, which is the church, or assembly (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). They are sealed and kept by the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 1:13-14, Ephesians 4:30, 1 Peter 1:5) and shall never perish (John 5:24, 10:27-29, 1 John 5:13).

7) We believe the local assembly is to be a fellowship of believers gathered unto the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Head (Ephesians 1:22, Colossians 1:18). The believers gather to remember the Lord in the breaking of bread, to be instructed in doctrine, and to fellowship and pray together (Acts 2:42). The assembly is to be shepherded by a plurality of qualified, recognized elders who are responsible to feed, lead, and protect the flock (Acts 14:23, 20:17-28, Ephesians 4:11-13, Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:2-3). Each believer is called into a life of separation from all worldly and sinful practices (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1, Titus 2:8-15, James 4:4, 1 John 2:15-17). Further, each is gifted by the Holy Spirit for ministry as He has prepared (Romans 12:1-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-31). It is the responsibility of the church, both corporately and individually, to spread the truth of the Gospel and the Word of God to all the world (Acts 1:8, 1 Thessalonians 1:8).

8) We believe that each one who has put his or her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior should be baptized by immersion as a public declaration that they are identifying with the Lord in His death, burial and resurrection, and desiring to walk in newness of life (Acts 8:12, 35-39, 16:31-33, Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12). Baptism is not a means of, or an aid to, salvation; however, it is expected of all believers in obedience to our Lord’s command (Matthew 28:19).

9) We believe that the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, or the Breaking of Bread, should be practiced weekly by the local assembly (Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, Acts 2:42, 20:7, 1 Corinthians 11:23-29). The observance of the Lord’s Supper does not require that some man directs it. Believers may exercise their common priesthood under the leadership of the Holy Spirit to remember and worship their Lord (1 Peter 2:5).

10) We believe in the personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds to take all believers home to be with Himself, called the rapture (John 14:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). His coming for His church is imminent, and will be pre-tribulational and pre-millennial (though we cannot set a date). Believers will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ to have their lives as Christians examined by the Lord Jesus, and will be rewarded accordingly (Romans 14:10, 12, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 2 Corinthians 5:10). Following the rapture, there will be a time of judgment upon this earth which will be seven years in length, known as the Tribulation, or Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Jeremiah 30:7, Daniel 9:24-27, Matthew 24-25, Revelation 6:1-18:24) culminating with the glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ to Earth (Matthew 24:29-31, Acts 1:11, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, Titus 2:13, Revelation 1:7, Revelation 19:11-16). Upon returning, the living will be judged (Matthew 25:31-46), Satan will be bound (Revelation 20:1-3), the restoration of Israel will occur (Romans 11:25-26), and the Millennial reign of Christ will be established (Isaiah 2:2-4, 11:1-10). At the close of the Millennium, Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:1-3), the Great White Throne judgment occurs (Revelation 20:11-15), the kingdom is delivered to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:20-28), and a new Heaven and a new Earth is created (Isaiah 2:2-4, 11:1-10, 65:17, 2 Peter 3:10-13).

11) We believe every human being will spend eternity in one of two places – either everlasting blessedness in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ, or everlasting conscious punishment in the Lake of Fire (Matthew 25:46, John 3:16, Revelation 20:11-15). At death the spirit and soul of one who has trusted the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation passes immediately into His presence until the resurrection of his glorified body (2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23). The spirit and soul of the unbeliever after death remains in conscious torment in Hades until the final judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the Millennium, at which time their spirit and soul and body are reunited and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (Luke 16:19-26, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, Jude 6-7, Revelation 20:11-15). It is God’s will that all men be saved (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9), but each person must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16). God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21, Rom 10:9-10, 1 Cor 6:9-11)

12) We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps 139.)

13) We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.)

14) We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:18-25.) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy and fulfillment to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4.) Where there has been a violation of God’s design, God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21, Rom 10:9-10, 1 Cor 6:9-11)