OUR STATEMENTS OF FAITH

A brief overview of what we believe

We believe that only the sixty-six books of the Bible are the inspired, and therefore inerrant, Word of God . It is the final authority for all we believe and how we are to live.  

 

(2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Psalm 119:89,130,151,160; John 17:17; Luke 24: 25-27; Proverbs 30:5-6; Rev. 22:18-19; 2Peter 1:2-4 ; Isaiah 40:8 ; Romans 15:4 ; Matthew 5:18)

We believe that the one true God exists eternally in three persons, father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that these, being one God, are equal in deity, power, and glory.

 

 (Genesis 1:26, 17:1 ; John 10:30-33, 14:9-11, 16-17, 15:26 , 17:5; Luke 1:35 ; Psalm 83:8, 90:2; Mark 1:9-11 ; Luke 3:21-22 ; John 1:32-33 ; Matthew 3:16-17; Rev. 4:9-11,5:13-14; 1Tim. 1:17 ; Titus 2:13 ; 2 Peter 1:1 ; Mark 12:29;  Matthew 28:19;1 Cor. 12:4-6 ;  1 John 5:7; 1 Cor. 2:10-11 ; Phil. 2:5-6; Eph. 2:18; 2 Cor. 13:14)

We believe that God the Father is the Creator of heaven and earth, By His word and for His glory, He freely and supernaturally created the world from nothing. Through the same word He daily sustains all His creatures. He rules over all and is the only Sovereign.

 

(Matthew 5:48; Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3; Nehemiah 9:6; Hebrews 1:2-3; Psalm 103:19; Ephesians 1:11; 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 90:2, Psalm 33:6--9; 86:8-10; 95:3; 96:4-5; 103:19; 104:all; Rev. 4:11)

We believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the eternal Word made flesh, supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, the life, and the only way by which a person can be saved. He is as much God as the Father is God ; co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

 

(Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-3,14;  Hebrews 10:9; John 1:29; I John 2:1-2; John 14:3; John 20:28,29 I Thessalonians 4:15-17; Acts 1:11; Phil. 2:5-11; Col.1:15-19; Rev. 5:13 ).

We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine Person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; and presently works to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, persuades men to repent of their sins and confess Jesus as Lord, unites believers to Jesus Christ in faith, brings about the new birth, and dwells within the regenerate. The Holy Spirit unifies, purifies, and gifts the church for service in the earth. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all Biblical gifts of the Spirit.

 

(Gen.1:2; John 15:26, 16:8-11; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 6:3-6, 8:9-11;  I Corinthians 12:7-13; II Thessalonians 2:13; I Peter 1:1-3).

We believe that Man (male and female) was originally created in the image of God, righteous and without sin, In consequence of Adam’s disobedience, all his offspring are by nature and choice the children of God’s wrath, justly condemned in His sight. Apart from a special work of grace, they are wholly incapable of returning to God or contributing in any way to their acceptance with God.

 

(Gen. 3:1-6, 24; Jeremiah 13:23;  Rom. 1:18-20, 28, 32 ; 5:12,19;  3:10-19; Eph. 2:1, 3;  Gal. 3:22; Eph. 2:2-3)

We believe the gospel is that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose the third day, according to the Scriptures. This good news is revealed in His birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension. Christ's crucifixion , as the sin-bearing substitute that satisfies the righteousness of God is the heart of the gospel, His resurrection is the power of the gospel, and His ascension is the glory of the gospel. There is no other name by which men must be saved.

 

(1Cor. 15:1-5; Gal. 1:11-12; Roman1:1-4; )

We believe man's response to the gospel is rooted and grounded in the free and unconditional election of God for His own pleasure and glory. It is also true that the message of the gospel is only effectual to those who genuinely repent of their sins and, by God's grace, put saving faith in Christ.  The new birth is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; The evidence of this new birth is  Biblical repentance , characterized by a changed life, and saving faith is evidenced by kingdom service or works. We affirm that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel; which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.

 

(Eph. 2:8; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24; John 3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Isa. 53:4-7; Rom. 3:25; I John 4:10; I Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:21; John 10:18; Phil. 2:8; Gal. 1:4; I Pet. 2:24; I Pet. 3:18; Isa. 53:11; Heb. 12:2; I Cor. 15:20; Isa. 53:12; Heb. 9:12-15; Heb. 7:25; I John 2:2,11-13; James 2:14-17; 2 Thes.1:8-9)

We believe that salvation, the free gift of God, is provided by grace alone, through faith in Jesus Christ alone,  because of Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. Anyone turning from sin in repentance and looking to Christ and His substitutionary death receives the gift of eternal life and is freely declared righteous by God.

 

(I Thess. 1:4; Col. 3:12; I Pet. 1:2; Titus 1:1; Rom. 8:29-30; Matt. 11:28,29; Isa. 55:1,6-8; Rev. 22:17; Rom. 10:9-13; John 6:37;  Acts 2:38-39;  John 3:15-18,36; I Tim. 1:15; I Cor. 15:10; Eph. 2:4-9; John 5:39-40)

We believe that water baptism is only intended for the individual who has received the saving benefits of Christ's atoning work through faith and has thus become His disciple. Therefore, in obedience to Christ's command, we water baptize converts by immersion in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We receive into our membership those who have confessed their faith in the Lord Jesus through baptism.

 

(Acts 8:36-39; John 3:23; Rom. 6:4-5; Matt. 3:16; Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; Acts 2:41-42, 9:17-19;10:47-48;16:14-15; Matt. 28:19-20)

We believe the Lord’s Supper is to be observed only by those who have become genuine followers of Christ. This ordinance symbolizes the breaking of Christ's body and the shedding of His blood on our behalf. As we partake of the Lord’s Supper with an attitude of faith and self-examination, we remember and proclaim the death of Christ, receive spiritual nourishment for our souls, and signify our unity with other members of the body.

 

(1  Cor. 11:23-28; Luke 24:30-35; Mathew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:14-22; 1 Cor. 5:7-8)

We believe that the church is God's primary instrument through which He is fulfilling His redemptive purposes in the earth. God has given the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, and the Holy Spirit gifts individual believers in the church with supernatural gifts for the edification of the body. All the gifts of the Holy Spirit as outlined in scripture are for the church today.. We affirm there exists one universal church comprised of all true Christians everywhere. of which Christ is the Head. We equally affirm believers are to assemble, identify with and participate in a local, identifiable congregation, that is a local church.

 

(Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:41-47; 1 Cor. 12:27-28;  Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 4:11-12;  I Cor. 11:18-22; 12:4, 8-11; Acts 14:23;  Acts 15:22-23;  Acts 20:17, 28; I Tim. 3:1-13,15 ;  Matt. 28:19-20; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23-30;  II Cor. 8:23-24, I Cor. 16:1;   I Cor. 6:3-6,; I Cor. 5:11-13)

We believe that the term 'marriage' has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one's sex, or disagreement with one's biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God. We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of the church as the local Body of Christ and to provide a biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, should abide by and agree to this Statement on Marriage and Sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sins, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with scripture nor the doctrines of the church.

 

(Matthew 19:4-6,Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18,20-25; 4:1,25, 5:2;8:15-16; 9:1,7; Lev.18:22-26; Mark 10:5-9; Romans 1: 22-32; 1 Cor. 5:1-5,9-12; 6:9-11; 7:10-11; Gal.5:19; Eph.5:2-7; 22-33; Col.3:5-7; 18-19;1 Ths.4:3-8; 1 Tim 3:2,11; Hebrews 13:4)

We believe the consummation of all things includes the return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the judgment of the just and the unjust, and the fulfillment of Christ's kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth. In the Consummation, Satan with his hosts and all those outside Christ are finally separated from the benevolent presence of God, enduring eternal punishment, but the righteous, in glorious bodies, shall live and reign with Christ forever.

 

 

(Acts 1:9-11;  Revelation 22:7, 12; 1 Cor. 15:20-26;42-54; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; John 3:36; Matthew 25:31-46; Rev.21:1-4; Romans 2:2-11)