Statement of Faith
1. We believe the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments to be the full record of God’s self-disclosure to mankind. Different men, while writing according to their own styles and personalities, were supernaturally moved along by the Holy Spirit to record God’s very words, inerrant in the original writings. Therefore, those applying themselves to study its literal, historical-grammatical context can accurately understand God’s Word. Scripture is fully trustworthy as our final and sufficient authority for all of life (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
2. We believe in the one living and true God, eternally (John 17:3) existing in perfect unity as three equally and fully divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20). Each member of the Godhead, while executing distinct but complementary roles in redemptive history, has precisely the same nature, attributes, and being, and is equally worthy of the same glory and honor and obedience (John 1:1-4; Acts 5:3-4).
3. We believe God the Father created all things in six literal days for His glory according to His own will (Revelation 4:11), through His Son, Jesus Christ. He upholds all things by the Word of His power and grace, exercising sovereign headship over all creation, providence, and redemption (Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:3).
4. We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, moved by love in accordance with the will of the Father, took on human flesh (John 1:1, 14, 18). Conceived through the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the virgin Mary. He, being fully God and fully man (John 14:8-9), lived a sinless life and sacrificially shed His blood and died on the cross in our place accomplishing redemption for all who place their faith in Him. He arose visibly and bodily from the dead three days later and ascended into heaven, where, at the Father’s right hand, He is now Head of His Body the Church, the only Savior and Mediator between God and man, and will return to earth in power and glory to consummate His redemptive mission (1 Timothy 3:16).
5. We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ during this age. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He draws the unredeemed to repentance and faith, and at salvation imparts new spiritual life to the believer, bringing that person into union with Christ and the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit sanctifies, seals, fills, guides, instructs, comforts, equips, empowers, permanently indwells at salvation, and bestows spiritual gifts to the believer for Christ-like living and service (John 16:8; 13:15; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:22; 4:11-12; Romans 8:9-17; 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 12:4-5, 11-13, 19; Galatians 5:25; Hebrews 2:1-4; 2 Corinthians 12:12).
6. We believe that God created mankind—male and female. This constituted the institute of marriage between male and female. They were created in His own image and likeness, free of sin, to glorify Himself and enjoy His fellowship. Tempted by Satan, man freely chose to disobey God, bringing sin, death and condemnation to all mankind. All human beings, therefore, are totally depraved by nature and by choice. Alienated from God without defense or excuse, and subject to God’s righteous wrath, all of mankind is in desperate need of the Savior (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 3:10-19; Romans 1:18, 32).
7. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as the substitutionary atonement in our place, and that salvation is found in none other than Jesus Christ. Before Creation, God granted this unearned grace solely based on His sovereign good pleasure. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was the sole and complete payment for sins, fully satisfying God’s righteous wrath, for each person that turns from sin in repentance and places their faith in Christ alone by grace alone. At salvation each person is made a new creation by the Holy Spirit, declared righteous before God, and secured as an adopted child of God forever. Genuine faith continues in obedience and love for Jesus Christ with a life eager to glorify God and persevere to the end (Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 12:13).
8. We believe that Christians, born of the Spirit, are to live the new life in the present power of the Spirit. "If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk" (Gal. 5:16-25; Col. 2:6). The Christian’s responsibility and his normal attitude of life is to yield himself to God (Rom. 6:13).
9. We believe that Christian baptism is a public declaration of the believer’s salvation in Christ, identifying with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection symbolized by immersion in water. The Lord’s Supper is the united commemoration by believers of Christ’s death until He comes and should be preceded by a careful self-examination (Acts 2:41; Romans 6:3-6; 1 Corinthians 11:20-29).
10. We believe it is the aim, duty, and privilege of every believer and local church fellowship to glorify God by responding as active participants in the Great Commission call of Jesus Christ to go and make disciples of all nations. We believe the primary focus and priority of this call is centered on efforts that establish, strengthen, and reproduce biblically-based churches, which will then plant churches that plant churches for future generations and God’s glory. Christian "living" includes Christian service and the preaching of the Gospel in all parts of the earth. In carrying on this work, there is needed the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit which is granted to every believer as he yields and trusts (Acts 1:8; I Cor. 12:7; Eph. 3:20; Acts 5:32). In all of this service, prayer is to have the central place (Jn. 14:12-14; Eph. 6:18, 19).
11. We believe there is one universal Church. This one Church is comprised of those the Father has given to the Son and the Holy Spirit has called to saving faith in Jesus Christ through the gospel. This does not mean that all members of the church are born again. The Church exists to magnify the glory of God as they worship Him in Spirit and truth and serve His purpose in the world. We believe the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd of the Church is Jesus Christ, the power of the Church is the Holy Spirit, the authoritative book of the Church is the Scriptures, and the ultimate mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ from every people group as it takes the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all mankind. We believe this one universal Church is to be visibly expressed in local assemblies that are subject to Christ in all things as they are led by the Holy Spirit and governed by God-appointed men who meet the biblical qualifications for elders. As the body of Christ, the Church is the tangible representative of Christ in the world, proclaiming and living out the Gospel as lights in the world.
We believe the local church community is the venue Christ modeled and commanded for discipleship. Therefore, believers should commit to a local body of Christ followers who consistently gather to worship God, hear and apply the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, observe the Lord’s Supper and Baptism, and live in community together as each one uses their spiritual gifts to build each other up in the faith serving one another in love. We believe that followers of Christ are set free and empowered to live for God’s glory to the degree in which they know and apply the truth of God’s Word; right doctrine leads to right thinking, which leads to right heart change which enables right living. Therefore, the Church is to educate its members theologically equipping them to engage in the good works God has prepared in advance for them to do.
12. We believe in God's creation of an angelic host sometime prior to the creation of mankind. These spirit beings were created to bring God glory through heavenly adoration, special acts of proclamation, and unique acts of service on earth for God's people and God's plan. We believe that Satan (Lucifer) was originally created as one of these angelic beings. He, however, chose to defy God in his pride and was banished from heaven along with his "demonic" followers. Satan and his demonic following continue their efforts to thwart God's plan on the earth through sin's darkness. The forces of sin are, however, limited by God, defeated at Calvary, and ultimately will be vanquished at Christ's return and final judgment. (Genesis 2:1, Genesis 3:24, Genesis 18:2, Judges 9:23, 2 Kings 6:17, Nehemiah 9:6, Job 1-2, Job 38:6-7, Psalm 68:17, Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel 28:14-17, Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 16:5, Luke 10:17-18, Romans 16:20, 1 Corinthians 4:9, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 6:10-13, 1 Peter 1:11-12, Revelation 12:10, Revelation 20:10)
13. We believe in and expectantly await the glorious, visible, personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The blessed hope of His return has vital bearing on the personal life, service, and mission of the believer (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost. The lost will be raised to judgment and experience eternal wrath in hell. The saved will be raised to eternal joy in the new heaven and new earth in the manifested presence of God (Acts 1:3, 9; Hebrews 7:25-26).