What We Believe

God

We believe in the one true and living God, the Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, and Ruler of all things. He is infinite, eternal, unchangeable, and is revealed to us as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26-27; Deuteronomy 32:6; Deuteronomy 33:27; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Job 42:1-2; Isaiah 46:10; Malachi 3:6; Matthew 28:19-; John 14:6-13; Romans 11:36; 2 Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 1:11; Colossians 1:15-17; James 1:17)

the Father:

We believe that God, as Father, reigns over His entire universe and the flow of human history is according to His purposes and plan. He is all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing, and all-wise. He is fatherly in attitude toward all men but is Father, indeed, to those who have become His children through Jesus Christ. (1 Chronicles 29:10-12; 2 Chronicles 20:6; Psalm 31:15; Psalm 115:3; Psalm 135:6; Psalm 145:9; Proverbs 16:9; Isaiah 45:9; Isaiah 46:10; Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 5:45; Matthew 7:11; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; John 17:1-8; Acts 17:25; Romans 8:14-15; Romans 11:36; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:11; Ephesians 4:6; Hebrews 12:9)

the Son:

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, is God. He became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, in order that He might reveal God to the world and redeem sinful man. He accomplished this redemption by voluntarily giving Himself as a sinless, substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, thereby satisfying God’s righteous judgment against sin. After dying for our sins and His bodily resurrection from the grave, He ascended to the right hand of His Father, where He intercedes on behalf of those who trust Him. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 11:27; Matthew 14:33; Matthew 16:16; Matthew 17:5; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:34-35; Luke 22:70; Luke 24:46; John 1:1, 2, 14, 18, 29; John 3:16; John 10:30,38; John 11:25-27; John 12:44-50; John 14:7-11; John 16:28; Acts 2:22-24; Romans 1:3-4; Romans 3:24-26; Romans 5:6-21; Romans 8:1-3,34; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 1:13-22; Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 1:1-3; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22; 1 John 4:14-15)

the Holy Spirit:

We believe the Holy Spirit is God.  The Holy Spirit indwells the believer at the moment of spiritual birth, baptizes the believer into the body of Christ and is God the Father’s seal guaranteeing our eternal inheritance. He bestows spiritual gifts upon every believer, and controls those who yield to Him. He is the convictor of sin, righteousness and judgment; the believer’s Guide to and Teacher of truth, Counselor, and Comforter. (John 4:24; John 14:16-17, 26; John 16:7-13; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 13; Galatians 4:6; Galatians 5:22-26; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; 1 John 4:13)

One Mediator

We believe that each believer has direct access to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:26-27; 1Timothy 2:5-6, Hebrews 10:19-22)

The Scriptures

We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16<). We understand this to mean that the whole Bible is inspired, in that holy men of God "were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21) to write the very words of Scripture. We believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of Scripture as it appeared in the original manuscripts. We believe that the whole Bible in those original manuscripts is, therefore, without error. We believe that all Scripture centers around the Lord Jesus Christ in His person, work, and in His first and second coming. Therefore, no portion of the Old Testament is properly read or understood until it leads to Christ. We also believe that all Scripture was designed for our practical instruction, to help us to become more Christ like. (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21)

Creation

We believe that God (Christ) created the heavens and the earth, including all life, by direct act; that human beings are a special creation of God, made in His image with the capacity to know God. (Genesis 1:1, 26-27; Ecclesiastes 12:7; John 1:1-5; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 4:11)

The Devil – Satan

We believe that Satan and his demonic allies are not coequal with God. They are created beings that rebelled against God. Since they are not equal to God, their actions are with the permission of God and kept within the limits which God has set for them. (Job 1:12; Job 2:6; Luke 22:31) He (Satan) exerts himself, to draw away the souls of men from embracing salvation through Jesus Christ. Disguised as a serpent, he was the agent of temptation for the first man and woman (Genesis 3:1, 10). Presently, he is the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) and leads the “spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). His position is only temporary because he has already been overcome by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus came into the world to “destroy the works of the devil”. (1 John 3:8) Eventually, he is destined to the judgment of an eternal punishment in the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:2, 10)

Nature of Man

We believe that all mankind fell through the sin of the first man, Adam, and that all men are sinners in need of salvation because “every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood”. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 3; Genesis 8:21; John 3:3; Romans 3:10, 23; Romans 5:12-15)

Salvation

We believe that salvation is a free gift of God’s grace. It is immediate and eternal upon acceptance of Jesus Christ as a one-time sacrifice for our sins. It cannot be obtained through any works, sacraments, traditions, church membership, or merits of our own. It is available to all who believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross as payment for their sins and that God raised Him from the dead. (John 1:12; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)

Eternal Security

We believe that once we have received the grace of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, we are eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 3:16; John 10:27-30; Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 10:10, 14)

After Life (Eternal Habitation)

We believe that those persons who die without faith in Jesus Christ spend eternity in Hell and those persons who die with their sins forgiven, through faith in Christ, spend eternity in Heaven. (John 3:18; John 5:24)

Hell

We believe that those who die without Christ will have to endure an eternal and conscious existence in infernal agony, regret, and suffering God's wrath, in Hell. (Mark 9:48; Luke 12:5; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10, 14-15)

Heaven

We believe that immediately upon death, the soul of the believer leaves the body and enters into the presence of the Lord forever. (2 Corinthians 5:1-9; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

His Return

We believe that Jesus Christ, the son of God, is coming back to earth. It is a two fold event. (1) He is coming back “for” His saints. This part of the event will occur just before the great tribulation period on the earth. It is when Christ comes “in the air” to take away (rapture) His Saints. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) The rapture will occur the instant that the last person is saved that will make up the “bride of Christ”. (John 10:16; Romans 11: 25; 2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 19:7; Revelation 21:9) (2) He is coming back seven years later “with” His saints. This is known as His Second Coming. (Revelation 19:7-14; Matthew 24:29-30) At this time, He will meet the armies of the world at Armageddon. (Revelation 16:16) He will destroy the armies (Revelation 19:17-21) and cast Satan into the Abyss for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-3). He will rule and reign on earth for the thousand years. (Revelation 20:4-6) After this comes judgment for Satan and the unrighteous. (Revelation 20:10-15)

Resurrection

We believe in the resurrection of Christ and everyone that has ever lived upon the earth. (Acts 24:15) However, we believe that the Bible teaches that there are at least two resurrections of men; one for the just (Luke 14:14) and one for the unjust. These occur at different times and under different circumstances. (John 5:25-29; 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 20:5)

of Christ

We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ and in His ascension into heaven. (Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6; Acts 1:9-11)

of the Saved

We believe in the resurrection of the body of the righteous. (Luke 14:14; John 5:29; 1 Corinthians 15:22-23)

of the Unsaved

We believe in the resurrection of the body of the unrighteous unto everlasting torment. (John 5:29; Revelation 20:5-7, 11-15)

Church

We believe that the church is a local body [a] of baptized believers [b] united in an organized relationship [c] which corporately worship God: (1) by maintaining “the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer" [d], (2) by maintaining a holy discipline [e], (3) by going into all the world and preaching the Gospel to every creature [f], and (4) that each local church is independent of all but God [g].

[a] (Matthew 16:18; Matthew 18:17; Acts 8:1; Acts 9:31; Acts 13:1; Romans 16:5, 16; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:2; Colossians 4:15; Revelation 1:11; Revelation 22:16)

[b] (Acts 2:41; Acts 18:8; Romans 6:4-5; 1 Corinthians 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 12:13)

[c] (Acts 19:39; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 1 Corinthians 12:27-28; 1 Corinthians 14:40; Ephesians 4:15-16; Ephesians 5:30; 1 Timothy 3:15)

[d] (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 10:14-22; 1 Corinthians 11:2, 17-32; Romans 6:3-10, Acts 8:34-38; Mark 1:9-11)

[e] (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Timothy 5:20-21; 2 Corinthians 2:6)

[f] (Mark 16:15; Ephesians 4:12)

[g] (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18; Colossians 2:19)

Baptism

We believe in water baptism by immersion, after salvation. It is an affirmation of faith in Jesus, not necessary for salvation, but in obedience to Christ. (Romans 6:3-10, Acts 8:34-38, Mark 1:9-11)

Communion

We believe that “Communion” (1 Corinthians 10:16 KJV) or “The Lord’s Supper” (1 Corinthians 11:20) or "the breaking of bread" (Acts 2:4; Acts 2 20:7) is an ordinance of the church, not necessary for salvation, but in obedience to Christ. It was instituted by Christ on the Passover night in which he was betrayed and is to be observed by his followers until his second coming. It is symbolic of his body being broken and his blood shed for our redemption. It is the visible token of Christian fellowship. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8; 1 Corinthians 10:14-22; 1 Corinthians 11:17-32)

Tithing

We believe in tithing. Tithing is not necessary for salvation, but is in obedience to His Word. God is the Creator of all things. Everything is His. All that we have is His. By His grace we have what we have. We believe that He desires us to give, at least some of what He gives us, back to Him. (1 Corinthians 16:1-4; Hebrews 7:1-10) We believe, based on the examples from the Old Testament, we should give Him at least one tenth of all that He gives us. (Genesis 14:20; Genesis 28:22; Matthew 23:23)

Our Walk

We believe that we have a holy calling to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit, and so to live in the power of the indwelling Spirit in order that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. The flesh is never eradicated in this life. We must choose to keep the flesh in subjection to Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, or it will manifest its presence in our life and dishonor our Lord. (Romans 6:11-13; Romans 8:2, 4, 12-13; Galatians 5:16-23; Ephesians 4:22-24; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 1:4-7; 1 John 2:15-17; 1 John 3:5-9)

Our Work

We believe that until the return of Christ, it is our duty and privilege, as Christians, to be instruments of Jesus Christ as we teach and minister to the lost and needy in the world. (Isaiah 1:17; Matthew 25:36; Matthew 28:18-20; James 1:26-27)