Statement of Faith
Doctrinal Statement
We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration and inerrancy of the Scriptures. The Bible is God’s written Word and is the only guide for faith and practice.
We believe in the unity of the Godhead in three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
We believe in the personality and deity of God the Father.
We believe in the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is both fully God and fully man.
We believe in the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit.
We believe in the reality and personality of angels, including Satan, the adversary of God and man.
We believe in the fall of man and his total depravity. All men are sinners and lost apart from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe in the reality and eternal existence of heaven and hell. Those trusting in Christ are bound for heaven and those not trusting in Him are bound for hell.
We believe in salvation by the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross and the shedding of His blood.
We believe in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only condition of salvation. Salvation is by God’s grace through faith apart from works.
We believe in the eternal security of all born-again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe in the physical resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and His glorified bodily presence at the right hand of God as our only High Priest and Advocate.
We believe in the imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to rapture His Church to Himself.
We believe in the visible and premillennial return of Christ with His Church to establish His millennial kingdom on earth.
We believe in the physical resurrection of all men: the saints to heaven and the lost to hell.
We believe in the importance of the local church in the fulfilling of the Great Commission through evangelism both here and worldwide.
The Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God (Matthew 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). We hold the Bible to be inerrant in the original writings, infallible, God-breathed, and the complete and final authority for faith and practice (2 Peter 1:20-21).
We believe that the Scriptures, interpreted in their normal, literal sense, reveal divinely distinguishable dispensations in the outworking of God's purposes. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purposes. Three of these--the age of law, the age of the church, and the age of the millennial kingdom--are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture (Genesis 12:1-3; John 1:17; 2 Corinthians 2:9-17; Galatians 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10; Colossians 1:24-25; Hebrews 7:19; Revelation 20:2-6).
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-32), Creator of all (Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11), eternally existing in three distinct persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14), yet one in being, essence, power, and glory, having the same attributes and perfections (John 10:30).
The Person and Work of the Father
We believe the Father sent His Son Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14). He draws people to Jesus for salvation (John 6:44). He adopts into His family as His children all who place their faith in Christ (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:5). He both hears and answers the prayers, offered in the name of Christ, of believers (John 16:23-24).
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is very God, the express image of the Father, who, without ceasing to be God, became man, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man (Matthew 1:21; John 1:18; Colossians 1:15; 1 Peter 1:18-21).
We believe that God the Son, being made in human likeness and taking the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7-8), became incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ; that He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23); that He is truly God and truly man; that He lived a perfect, sinless life; that all His teachings and utterances are true. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross and shed His blood for all mankind (1 John 2:2) as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice (Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3). We hold that His death is efficacious for all who believe (John 1:12; Acts 16:31); that our justification is grounded in the shedding of His blood (Romans 5:9); and that it is attested by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Peter 1:3).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven in His glorified body (Acts 1:9-10) and is now seated at the right hand of God as a High Priest and Advocate for His redeemed people (Romans 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebews 7:25, 8:1-6)
Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe in the deity (Acts 5:3-4) and the personality of the Holy Spirit who is of the same nature as God the Father and God the Son.
We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11). He is the primary agent for restraining sin in the world (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7) though they do not accept Him (John 14:17).
He regenerates sinners (Titus 3:5) and indwells believers (Romans 8:9). He is the agent by whom Christ baptizes all believers into His body (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). He is the seal by whom the Father seals believers unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14). He is the Divine Teacher who illumines believers' hearts and minds as they study the Holy Scriptures (John 14:16, 26; Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 2:9-12).
We believe it is the duty and privilege of all the saved to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. This filling is commanded (Ephesians 5:18). Conditions for being filled are yieldedness to the Spirit's control and a dependent life (Galatians 5:16). The results of filling are victory over sin, Christlike character, worship, submissiveness, and service (Galatians 5:22-23).
We believe that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to each member of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:11). The Son of God sovereignly assigns the place of the ministry of the gifts in the body, and the Father provides the energy in the outworking of the gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). Each believer is to exercise his spiritual gift(s) for the common good to the building up of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:7-12).
We believe that the gift of speaking in tongues, which was a sign to the nation of Israel, and the other sign gifts gradually ceased as the New Testament was completed and its authority was established (1 Corinthians 13:8; 14:21-22; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:4).
Angels, Good and Evil
We believe in the reality and personality of angels. We believe that God created an innumerable company of these sinless, spiritual beings who were to be His messengers (Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 148:2; Hebrews 1:14).
We believe in the personality of Satan. He is a fallen angel who, as a result of his pride and ambition to be as God, led a great company of angels into rebellion against God (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:12-15). He is now the prince of the power of the air and the unholy god of this world. He is the great enemy of God and man, and his angels are his agents in the prosecution of his unholy purposes. Though he will command and empower the antichrist (Revelation 12:9-10), he is destined to final defeat at the hands of God’s Son and shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire, a place prepared for him and his angels (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
Man
We believe that man came into being by direct creation of God on the sixth day of creation—not from any sort of evolution--and that man is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Man was created in innocence, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless state (Genesis 3:1-6, 24). As a result, all mankind are now sinners, both by birth and by choice, and under just condemnation and with neither defense nor excuse (Romans 1:18-20, 5:12-19). The ultimate purpose of man on earth is to glorify God (1 Chronicles 16:24, 28; Psalm 96:3; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Thessalonians 1:10).
Sin
We believe that the human race sinned in Adam (Romans 5:12), that sin is universal in man (Romans 3:23), and that it is exceedingly heinous to God. We believe that man inherited a sinful nature, that he became alienated from God, that he became totally depraved, and that of himself, he is utterly unable to remedy his lost estate (Ephesians 2:1-5, 12). We believe that all men are guilty and in a lost condition apart from Christ.
Salvation
We believe that salvation is a gift of God's grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross apart from any works that we have done, and results in eternal life (Acts 13:39, 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ shed His blood to accomplish justification through faith, propitiation to God, redemption from sin, and reconciliation of man (Hebrews 10:12; 2 Corinthians 5:19). Justification involves the pardoning of sin and the imputation of righteousness (Romans 3:24-25, 5:18-19). "Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8-9) and "bore our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24). He is every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and all-sufficient Savior (Isaiah 53:4-6).
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24).
We believe that it is the privilege of all who are born again to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word (Romans 8:16; 1 John 5:13). We also believe that Christian liberty should never serve as an occasion to the flesh (Galatians 5:13).
We believe that the essential meaning of sanctification is “set apart to God.” We believe that the Scriptures disclose several aspects of sanctification. In addition to God's work of bringing a sinner to Christ, the sinner is set apart to God. This is positional sanctification and refers to his standing (Hebrews 10:9-10). He then undergoes a process whereby the Holy Spirit quickens his affections, desires, and attitudes, enabling him to respond in faith to live a life of victory over sin. This is progressive sanctification and refers to his state (2 Corinthians 3:18; 7:1; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:20-32; 5:25-27; Colossians 3:10). Some day his standing and his state will be brought into perfect accord. This is prospective, or ultimate, sanctification (1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 John 3:2-3).
The Security of the Saints
We believe that all who are born again are eternally secure and kept by the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 1 Peter 1:3-4).
The Church
We believe that the Church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, began at Pentecost (Acts 2:37) and will continue until Christ raptures the Church to Himself and is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age (1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27). All members of the Church are believers of this age are baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit at the moment of their salvation (1 Corinthians 12:13) and should commit to a local church (Hebrews 10:24-25).
We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 20:17; 1 Timothy 3:1-13). A local church is a congregation of born-again believers in Christ associated by covenant of faith and fellowship in Christ (Acts 2:41-42, 20:17-28). Its leadership is composed of pastor-elders, elders, and deacons (Ephesians 4:11; 1 Timothy 3:1-15).
We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4).
We believe in the practice of believer's water baptism by immersion as a testimony of the believer’s identification with Christ, the Lord's Supper as a remembrance in of Christ's death for the Church (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:8; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26), and humble service towards fellow believers as a remembrance of Christ’s humble service during his earthly ministry (John 13:1-17; Philippians 2:1-11)
We believe that the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord, and that separation from religious apostasy, sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded by God (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11).
We believe in the Great Commission as the primary mission of the Church. It is the obligation of the saved to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20) by witness, by word and life, to the truths of Holy Scripture. The gospel of the grace of God is to be preached to the entire world (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-47; John 20:21-22; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20). Converts are to be taught to obey the Lord and to testify concerning their faith in Christ as Savior in water baptism and to honor Christ by holy living and observance of the Lord's Supper (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29).
Heaven and Hell
We believe the eternal destiny of man is either heaven or hell. The unbelieving and unregerate will spend eternity in hell, a place of conscious suffering and torment (Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:15). Those who trust in Christ will spend eternity with Him in heaven, a place of conscious rest, blessedness, and joy (John 14:1-6).
Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for protection from wrongdoing and the protection of the interests and good order of human society, and that government officials are to be prayed for (1 Timothy 2:1-8), honored, and obeyed (Romans 13:1-7), except in things opposed to the Word and will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of conscience and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth (Acts 5:29).
In case of disobedience to civil authorities as a result of conviction or conscience, the believer is responsible to still remain submissive to whatever judgment the authority passes as a result of the believer’s disobedience to the given civil authority (Acts 4:17-20).
Things to Come
We believe in that "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13), the personal, imminent, pretribulational, and premillennial coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to rapture His saints and receive His Church to Himself (John 14:3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
We believe in the subsequent, visible return of Christ to the earth with His saints to establish His promised millennial kingdom (Zechariah 14:4-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6).
We believe in the physical resurrection of all men--the saints to everlasting joy and bliss, and the wicked to conscious and eternal torment (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13).
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6).
We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection when, with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne judgment and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting, conscious punishment (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15).
