OUR STATEMENT OF FAITH - WHAT WE BELIEVE
THE BIBLE IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY IN ALL MATTERS OF FAITH AND PRACTICE
1. THE SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Bible, composed of the Old and New Testaments, is inspired of God and absolutely inerrant and infallible in the original manuscripts II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21.
2. THE TRUE GOD
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:16-17; Ephesians 4:4-6; Psalms 90:2.
3. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternally existing Son of God, begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He took upon Himself a human body and a human nature, yet without sin. We believe in His substitutionary death on the cross making atonement for the sins of the world, His bodily resurrection and ascension into Heaven where he intercedes for believers Luke 1:35; Romans 3:25; John 3:16; I Corinthians 15:3-4.
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit; that He is the Agent of the new birth; that He baptizes all believers at the time of conversion thereby placing them into the Body of Christ, which is the Church; indwelling and sanctifying them, sealing and securing them unto the day of redemption; that it is commanded to all the saved to be filled with the Spirit John 16:7-11; Romans 8; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 5:18; I Corinthians 12:13.
5. MAN
We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from God. We believe that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and in the case of those who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought and deed by choice Romans 3:10-12; Romans 5:10-19; Ephesians 2:1-3.
6. SALVATION
We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. We believe that He died for our sins as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice. All who by faith receive Him as their personal Savior are justified on the ground of His shed blood and his resurrection from the dead and are born again by the Holy Spirit and kept eternally secure. The reality of this experience will be evidenced by a genuine love for Christ, His Word, and His people, and by a life characterized by Christ-like motives and standards John 3:16-18; John 10:27-30; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 3:24-26; Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8-10; Colossians 2:11-15; Hebrews 9:11-15
7. THE CHURCH
We believe that all true believers, upon trusting Christ as Savior are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ which is the Church.
We believe that the New Testament Local Church is a body of those who have received salvation through Jesus Christ - gathered together for edification, worship and to carry out the Great Commission. The scriptural ordinances of the church are baptism and the Lord’s Supper Acts 2:41-47; Romans 12:4-5; I Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 1:18.
8. SATAN
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan who is referred to in scripture as the "god of this world" Isaiah 12-15; I Peter 5:8-9; II Corinthians 4:3-4.
9. SANCTIFICATION
We believe that sanctification is a threefold work - past, present & future. God sets us apart at the moment of salvation and we are positionally seated with Christ in Heaven. It is a progressive work in the life of the believer as he daily becomes conformed to the image of Christ. This work will be brought to completion when all believers receive their glorified bodies Ephesians 2:6; Romans 8:17; I Thessalonians 4:3-4; I John 3:2.
10. CHRISTIAN CONDUCT
We believe that all believers are called to a life of separation from all worldly and sinful practices that dishonor the holy character of the God we worship & serve. Rather, we strive to live according to the standard of conduct established in God's word for those who would follow Him. II Corinthians 6:14-17; II Corinthians 7:1; Romans 12:1-2; James 4:4.
11. LAST THINGS
We believe in the pre-tribulational rapture of the Church. We believe in the pre-millenial return of Christ to the earth. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all the dead, the saved to eternal life and blessedness in Heaven, and the unsaved to eternal, conscious suffering in Hell John 5:28-29; Zechariah 14:3-5; I Corinthians 15:51-58; I Thessalonians 4:13-18.