What We Believe

These truths are those we hold to be the central and historic doctrines of the faith found in the Scriptures.

Word of God -   We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired by God and without error in the original writings. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and sufficient revelation of God. God has supernaturally preserved His word through the ages so as to be entirely reliable (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; John 17:17; Romans 3:4; John 20:30-31; Matt. 24:35).

The Person of God -   We believe God is knowable because He has revealed himself as He wishes to be known. We believe in one eternal, sovereign God, creator of all. God has one essence, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three persons of the Trinity share precisely the same eternal substance, yet function individually in administration and in relation to one another. We believe God is omniscient, that He knows all things, past, present, and future. (Rom. 1:18-20; John 1:18; 1 Cor. 2:16; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; Isa. 46:10).

God the Father -   We believe in God the Father. He is spirit, infinite and perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Luke 10:21,22; John 4:24, Matt. 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Rom. 1:7; 1 Tim. 1:1,2; 2:5,6; 1 Pet. 1:3; Rev. 1:6).

Jesus Christ, the Son -   We believe Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He lived a sinless life and atoned for our sins by shedding His blood on the cross. He was resurrected bodily and ascended to heaven where He lives as the advocate for believers. (Matt. 1:20-23; John 1:1,2; Rom. 3:24, 25; Rom. 8:34; Phil 2:5-10; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 1:1-3; Heb. 7:25).

The Holy Spirit -   We believe in God the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. His ministry is to bring glory to God. He regenerates, sanctifies, comforts, indwells and empowers all who believe. He baptizes individuals into the body of Christ at the moment of their salvation and guarantees their perseverance. (John 14:16,17,26; 16:7-15; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Gal. 5:22-26; Eph. 1:13-14). 

Human Life and Sin -  We believe mankind was created in God's image and in fellowship with God, but due to sin the image of God was marred and fellowship with God was broken. The consequence of sin is physical, spiritual and eternal death which is separation from God. Everyone is, therefore, a sinner by nature and choice and is under condemnation. (Gen. 1:26; Gen. 3; Rom. 3:23; 6:23; Jer. 17:9; John 3:18; Eph. 2:1-3).

Salvation -  The salvation of man is wholly a work of God's free grace and is not the work, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness or religious ceremony. God regenerates and imputes His righteousness to those who repent and forsake their sin and put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation. He thereby justifies them in His sight. They become new creatures and are delivered from condemnation and receive eternal life and a relationship with God. (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7; John 3:16-17; Rom. 3:24-26; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:1; 1 John 5:11-13; John 1:12).

The Church -   We believe Christ's Church is a living spiritual body composed of regenerate persons of which Christ is head. Our local Church membership shall consist of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith, who worship and fellowship together, and observe the ordinances of baptism by immersion and the Lord's supper. 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. (1 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 2:19-22; Phil. 1:1; Acts 2:42; Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

Last Things -   We believe in the personal, visible, and imminent return of Jesus Christ. The just shall be raised bodily to everlasting joy in heaven, and the unjust to everlasting conscious punishment in hell. (1 Thess. 4:15-17; Acts 1:11; John 14:1-4; Rev. 20:4-6, 11-15; 2 Tim. 4:1; Phil 3:20; Psalm 16:11; Matt. 16:27; 2 Thess. 1:7-10).