What We Believe
About the Bible
We believe that the Bible (the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament) is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and life. 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pt. 1:20, 21; Mk. 13:31; Jn. 8:31, 32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32
About the Trinity
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. Gen. 1:1, 26; Jn. 1:1, 3; Matt. 28:19; Rom. 1:19, 20; Eph. 4:5,6
About God the Father
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and spiritual death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. Lk. 10:21, 22; Matt. 23:9; Jn. 3:16; 6:27; Rom. 1:7; 1 Tim. 1:1, 2; 2:5, 6; 1 Pt. 1:3; Rev. 1:6
About Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, eternally existing, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth. Matt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:26-38; Jn. 1:1; 20:28; Rom. 8:46; 9:5; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pt. 2:21-23; Jn. 20:30, 31; Matt. 20:28; Eph. 1:4; Acts 1:11; Rom. 5:6-10; Heb. 7:25; 9:28; 1 Tim. 3:16
About the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son. He came to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide. Jn. 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26, 27; Jn. 16:9-14; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Gal. 5:22-26
About Salvation
We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual, and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. Salvation is a free gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement or good works. We believe that those who repent and trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become new creatures, delivered from condemnation and receive eternal life. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. Gen. 1:26; 5:2; Gen. 3; Gen. 2:17; 3:19; Eccl.2:11; Jn. 3:14; 5:24; Jn. 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; Rom. 9:22; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 19:3, 20; 20:10, 14, 15; 21:18; Ps. 51:7; Jer. 17:9; Js. 1:14; Rom. 3:19; Prov. 28:13; 1 Jn. 1:9; Jn. 3:16; Jn. 1:13; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:1; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; Jn. 14:6; 1:12; Titus 3:5; Gal. 3:26; Rom. 5:1
About Grace
We believe our salvation rests upon the gift that God has given us in the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. It is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the sealing and sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit that gives us this security. There is a falling away of some believers, but if it persists; it shows that their faith was not genuine and they were not born of God. Jn. 10:29-30; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 7:25, 10:10-14; 1 Pt. 1:3-5; Rom. 8:38-39, 11:29; Eph. 1:13-14; 1 Jn. 2:19; Lk. 8:9-14
About Eternity
We believe man was created to exist forever. He will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence. Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 2:25; 5:11-13; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:15
About the Church
We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, good works, and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. Eph. 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Eph. 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:23-25
About Christian Maturity
We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being of his fellow men; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions; and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ. 1 Cor. 10:31; Rom. 12:1-3; Heb. 12:1-2; Jn. 14:15, 23-24; 2 Cor. 9:6-9; 1 Cor. 1:9-10
About Church Ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of the believer in the water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 11:23-26
About Last Things
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked. Matt. 16:27; Mk. 14:62; Jn. 14:3; Acts 1:11; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thess. 4:15; 2 Tim. 4:1; Titus 2:13
About Marriage
We believe that marriage is a sacred relationship between one man and one woman. God’s intentions for marriage are outlined for us in the Bible. The marriage relationship is to function as a picture of God’s grace-filled covenant relationship with His church. We believe that all sexual intimacy outside the context of marriage between one man and one woman is in direct violation of God’s Word. Gen. 2:20-25; 1 Cor. 6:12-20; Eph. 5:21-33; Col. 3:18,19; Heb. 13:4