OUR BELIEFS

THE BIBLE

We believe the Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament are verbally inspired by God, inerrant in their original writings, infallible, and the complete and final authority for life and godliness (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

THE GODHEAD

We believe in the Triune God, Creator of all things, existing in the three persons of the God­head – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – co-equal and co-eternal, possessing the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; Colossians 1:16).

THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God (John 1:1–2, 14; John 10:30; Hebrews 1:8), was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18, 20). We believe that Jesus lived a sinless, perfect life (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22), died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins (1 Peter 3:18), and was literally and physically resurrected from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry as Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9, 10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:24; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1–2). We believe Jesus is coming again to judge the living and the dead ( 1 Peter 4:5; Romans 14:9; 2 Timothy 4:1).
 

THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4) a distinct person within the Godhead (Romans 8:27; Ephesians 4:30), who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11), who regenerates (Titus 3:5), and permanently indwells all believers (John 7:39; 1 Corinthians 2:12; Romans 8:9). We believe that the Holy Spirit baptizes all believers into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-14), indwells, guides, instructs, fills, comforts, and empowers the believer for godly living (Mark 13:11; John 14:26; John 16:13; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16).   

THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God.   We believe that man is totally depraved and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26, 27; Romans 3:10-12; 22, 23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1–3, 12).

SALVATION

We believe that Christ died for our sins as our substitute and satisfied the just demands of a holy God (1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 4:10) and that our only hope of eternal life with God is through faith in Christ (Romans 1:16; John 3:16).  We believe that salvation is a free gift that comes completely by grace through faith apart from any works or merit of our own (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:15-16; Romans 4:5.) We believe that those who put their faith in Christ are forgiven and given the gift of eternal life (Colossians 1:13 – 14; John 10:28).

ETERNAL SECURITY AND ASSURANCE OF BELIEVERS

We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37–40; 10:27–30; Romans 8:1, 38, 39; 1 Corinthians 1:4–8; 1 Peter 1:5). We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word (1 John 5:13). 

THE MINISTRY AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS

We believe that God bestows spiritual gift(s) on every believer (1 Peter 4:10).  It is the responsibility of the believer to discover and develop their God-given spiritual gift(s) for the building up of the whole Body (Ephesians 4:16).  We believe that certain spiritual gift(s) are neither essential, nor prove the presence of the Holy Spirit, nor are an indication of deep spiritual experience (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, 13; Ephesians 4:7–8). We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accordance with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; 1 John 5:14, 15). We believe that it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to minister according to the gift(s) and grace of God that is given to them (Romans 12:1–8; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Peter 4:10–11).

THE CHURCH

We believe the Church, which is the body of Christ, began at Pentecost and is a spiritual organism made up of all those who have put their faith in Christ. (1 Corinthians 12: 12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23).  We believe that all those who have put their faith in Christ are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), that the establishment and function of local churches is clearly taught in the New Testament (Acts 14:27; 20:17; 28:32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13), that the church is to observe the ordinances of believer’s baptism as a testimony of faith and the Lord’s Supper as a remembrance of Christ’s death on our behalf, neither of which are necessary for salvation (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25).  We believe that the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 18-20) is the core mission of the Church.