The God Head:
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and that these three are one God, having the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and are worthy of the same homage and obedience. (Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; II Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6)
The Lord Jesus Christ:
We believe in the pre-existence, incarnation and virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ who came into the world to reveal the Father, and was the brightness of His glory and the express image of His Person; that the Lord Jesus Christ was the Creator of all things, for by Him the worlds were made. We believe that in Christ dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and that He was very God and very Man, the I AM, the Jehovah of the Old Testament. We further believe in the sinless life of the Lord Jesus Christ, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His bodily ascension into heaven, and His imminent return. We further believe that He is presently seated at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for His redeemed. We also acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord over all things in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth. (John 1:1-2, 14; I Timothy 3:16; Acts 7:37-38; Philippians 2:9-10; Hebrews 7:25)
The Holy Spirit:
We believe that the Holy Spirit, though omnipresent and active in the affairs of mankind from all eternity, was sent, after the glorification of Jesus Christ, on the day of Pentecost, to dwell in every believer, uniting all to Christ in one body. He is the source of all power and all acceptable service. We believe that ministries are committed to the Holy Spirit including the restraining of evil in the world; the convicting of the world respecting sin, righteousness, and judgment; the regenerating of all believers; the sealing of all believers unto the day of redemption; and the continued filling for power and service of those among the saved who are yielded to Him and to His will. We believe that the fruit of the Spirit is the manifestation of the character of Christ in the believer’s life. We further believe that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to Christians today and that all of the gifts of the Spirit should be and must be operative in the church for the church to manifest her full glory under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. (John 3:6, 14:16-17; Romans 8:9; 12:1-11, I Corinthians 6:19; 12:8-11; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 2:22, 4:11-13)
The Church:
We believe that the Church universal and the local church as an expression thereof is the bride of Christ and that all authority and government in the church is subject to Jesus Christ, as the Head of the Church. (Eph. 5:23-32; Col. 1:24)We believe in the office ministries of the Church wherein God gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, to equip believers, to prepare them for works of service, and to build up the body of Christ. (Eph. 4:11-13)
We believe that the local church should be Elder led in the unity of the Holy Spirit and in the bonds of peace and subject to apostolic oversight, all in accordance with the new Testament order set forth in the book of Acts and the other New Testament epistles. (Acts of the Apostles; Epistles; Eph. 4:3-6)
The Sacraments:
We believe that water baptism is commanded and should be administered by the mode of immersion and in the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We also believe that we are identified with Jesus Christ and participate in His death, burial, and resurrection through water baptism. (Matthew 28:10-20; Acts 8:16; Romans 6:4)
We believe that through the Lord’s Supper the believer renews and affirms the reality of the New Covenant. It commemorates the death of Jesus Christ for us and a reaffirmation of His imminent return. The elements are to be received with joy and gratitude upon confession and repentance from every known sin. We also believe that this sacrament is open to all Christian believers. (Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians 11:23-24)`
Salvation Only Through Christ:
We believe that repentance and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ produces the work of justification in the believer through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Further, we believe that, owing to universal spiritual death through sin, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born of the Spirit. We also believe that our redemption has been accomplished solely by the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died as our substitute. (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8,9) We believe in the eternal security of the believer based on the completed work of Jesus Christ and that, as born-again children of God, we have the assurance of salvation. (I Jn. 5:13; Jn. 5:24, 6:37-40, 10:27-28; Rom. 8:38-39, 11:29)
The Walk of the Believer:
We believe that a continuous walk of grace should be the emphasis of heart righteousness and purity, believing in the keeping power of God, walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh, in conduct that demonstrates the character of Jesus Christ, not being conformed to the world, but being transformed by the renewing of the mind. We further believe that each believer must lay a foundation of Biblical truth and experience upon which one builds their life. Through the Lordship of Jesus Christ, these foundation stones are established in the new birth and include repentance from dead works, faith toward God, the doctrine of baptisms, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. (Romans 4:1-5, 8:25, 12:1; I Corinthians 3:11, Galatians 5:16-25; Hebrews 6:1,2; Jude 24)
Ministers of the Church:
We believe in the divinely called, commissioned and equipped five-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers as given to the Church by the Lord Jesus Christ after His Ascension. We further believe that all Christians are called to be ambassadors for Christ and that all believers have been given the ministry of reconciliation. (Ephesians 4:11-13; II Corinthians 5:20).
Worship:
We believe that the whole purpose of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Therefore, we believe in the act of worshipping God with one’s total being as set forth in the Holy Scriptures. (Psalms 150; Mark 12:29-31; Ephesians 5:18-21) We also believe that giving of one’s time, talent and finances is a tangible expression of worship and an act of gratitude to God for the wealth of blessings He has given to us, His children. We believe that every Christian, as a steward of these blessings, is obligated to support his local Church financially. We believe that God has established the principle of the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give according to their faith and what they have purposed in their hearts. Offerings go to support of the local church, the relief to those in need and to the spread of the Gospel.
Evangelism and Missions:
We believe that it is the explicit message of our Lord Jesus Christ to those whom He has redeemed, that they are sent forth by Him into all the world to be witnesses of His saving grace and that their primary purpose in life should be to glorify God by obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ’s command to preach the Gospel to every creature. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 17:18; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:18-20; I Peter 1:17, 2:11)
The Bible:
We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, equally in all parts and in the whole and is totally inerrant in the original manuscripts. We further believe it is the supreme revelation from God and of God, superior to conscience and reason, though not contrary to them; and it is therefore our infallible rule in all matters. We believe that all the Scriptures center around the Lord Jesus Christ and hence that no portion is properly read nor understood until it leads to Him. (John 5:39; II Timothy 3:16,17; I Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12)
Creation of the World and Man:
We believe that God sovereignly created the world out of nothing. We further believe that man was created in the image of God and by a direct and immediate act of God. Because of God’s great love for His creation, we firmly believe in the sanctity of human life. (Genesis 1:1, 26-27, 2:4)
Man's Fallen Condition:
We believe that man by willful transgression fell from a state of righteousness and holiness in which he was first created into total spiritual depravity; a state of death in trespasses and sins in which he is held as a slave of sin and an enemy of God, being unable to attain divine righteousness by his own efforts, but must be redeemed and delivered by the power of the Gospel. (Romans 3:23-25; 5:12-21; I Corinthians 15:1-4; II Corinthians 4:3-4)
Sin:
We believe sin is a reproach to any people and that unrepentant sin and unrighteous conduct identified in the Holy Scriptures, transgresses the commandments of Jesus Christ and compromises the local church, and requires appropriate action, including sanctions as necessary, to protect the fellowship of believers and the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Lev. 18:23, 20:7-22; Prov. 14:34; Matt. 18:15-17; Rom. 1:21-33, 8:3-4; I Cor. 5:1-13, 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21, 6:1; II Thess. 3:14-15)
The Eternal State:
We believe that at death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ pass immediately into His Presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body, when Jesus Christ comes for His own, whereupon soul and body reunited shall be with Him forever in glory. (Luke 16:19-26; 23:42; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1;23; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6,7; Revelation 10:11-15)
Satan - The Fallen Angel:
We believe that satan is the originator of sin, and that, under the permission of God, he, though subtlety, led our first parents into transgression, thereby accomplishing their moral fall and subjecting them and their posterity to his own power and that he is the enemy of God and His people. However, we also believe that satan was defeated by Jesus Christ at Calvary and the He has delegated this authority over satan to His body, the church. At the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, satan will be bound and cast into the abyss for a thousand years, and after the thousand years he will be loosed for a short time and then cast into the Lake of Fire. (Genesis 3:1-19; Romans 5:12-14; II Corinthians4:3-4; 11:13-15; Ephesians 6:10-12; II Thessalonians 2:4; I Timothy 4:1-3; Colossians 2:15; Revelation 20:1-3,10)
