Statement of Faith

The Bible We believe the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of God’s will for the salvation of men and women, and the final authority for all Christian faith and life. (2 Timothy 3.16-17, 2 Peter 1.19-21, Matthew 5.17-18, John 10.34-36)

The Trinity We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6.4, Matthew 28.19, 2 Corinthians 13.14)

The Father We believe in God the Father, an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He actively and mercifully intervenes in the affairs of humanity, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Exodus 34.6-7, John 3.16, John 4.23-24, Ephesians 1.3)

Jesus Christ We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. He rose bodily from the dead. He ascended into heaven. He is now our High Priest and Advocate at the right hand of the Father. (John 1.1-18, Romans 4.25, Ephesians 1.15-23, Colossians 1.15-23, Hebrews 7.23-25)

The Holy Spirit We believe the Holy Spirit is fully God, equal with the Father and the Son. The primary ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus by convicting non-Christians of their need for Christ; giving new birth to believing sinners; and indwelling, sanctifying, leading, teaching, and empowering believers for godly living and service. We believe that all Christians are to be baptized (filled) with the Holy Spirit subsequent to conversion. We also believe that all of the spiritual gifts listed in the Bible (Romans 12.6-8, Ephesians 4.11, 1 Corinthians 12.8-10, 28-30) continue to be distributed by the Spirit today; that these gifts are divine provisions central to spiritual growth and effective ministry; and that these gifts are to be eagerly desired, faithfully developed, and lovingly exercised according to biblical guidelines. (John 3.3-8, John 14.15-27, John 16.5-15, Romans 8.9-17, 1 Corinthians 12-14, Galatians 5.16-26, Ephesians 5.18-21)

Humanity We believe God created humanity in the image of God. We further believe men and women are sinners by nature and action and are therefore spiritually dead. We also believe that those who repent of sin and place their trust in Jesus Christ are spiritually born again to new life by the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1.27, Acts 2.38-39, Ephesians. 2.1-9, Romans 3.9-26, Romans 5.12-21)

Salvation We believe that salvation is a free gift of God and is received by individuals through faith in Jesus Christ apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We believe that the shed blood of Jesus and His resurrection provide the only grounds for the forgiveness of sins for all who believe and that only those who receive Jesus Christ are born of the Spirit, become children of God, and are given eternal life. (John 3.16-17, John 8.23-24, John 14.6, Acts 16.29-34, Romans 3.21-31, Romans 10.9-10, Ephesians 2.4-9, 1 Timothy 2.3-6, Titus 3.5-7)

The Church We believe that the Church is composed of all people who through saving faith in Jesus Christ are united together in the Body of Christ of which He is the head. (Ephesians 1.22, 2.14-22 and 4.1-5)

Ordinances We believe the following three ordinances have been established by God as channels of His grace to us, provided we practice them in faith.

Baptism- We practice the baptism of believers. We give freedom for each church to choose which mode of baptism to practice- sprinkling (aspersion), pouring (affusion), or immersion- and we see both Biblical truth and imagery behind each mode. Sprinkling- Hebrews 10.22; Pouring- Acts 2.17; Immersion- Romans 6.3-4.
Communion- We believe communion is both a remembrance and a proclamation of the death of Jesus on behalf of humanity (Matthew 26.26-28, Luke 22.19-20, 1 Corinthians 11.23-26.) There is freedom for each church to decide how to take communion (common cup, intinction, individual servings) and how often to do so.
Christian Marriage- Christian marriage is a loving, exclusive, and covenantal union between one man (born male) and one woman (born female) for life (Genesis 2.23-24 and Matthew 19.4-6.) This union is the only appropriate context for sexual intimacy and all sexual activity outside of this union is sinful (Hebrews 13.4.) We believe Christian marriage is a reflection of the union between Jesus and His Church (Ephesians 5.25-33.)

Christ’s Return We believe that the personal and imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ is our future hope and has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer. (Matthew 24, John 14.1-4, 1 Thessalonians 4.16-18, Titus 2.11-14, Revelation 19-20)

Resurrection We believe in the bodily resurrection from the dead: of the believer to everlasting joy with the Lord; and of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting separation from God. (1 Corinthians 15.35-58, 2 Corinthians 5.1-10, 2 Thessalonians 1.5-10, Revelation 20-21)

Kingdom of God We believe that the Kingdom of God has come in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, that it continues to come in the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Church, and that it will be consummated in the glorious, visible and triumphant appearing of Christ when He returns to the earth as King. We believe that after Christ returns He will bring about the ultimate defeat of Satan, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the eternal blessing of the righteous. At that time, the Kingdom of God will be completely fulfilled in the new heaven and the new earth. (Matthew 4.23, Matthew 12.28, Mark 13.26, Acts 1.1-8, Acts 2.14-39, Romans 14.17-18, 1 Thessalonians 4.15-17, Revelation 19.11-16, Revelation 20.10, Revelation 21.1-5)

Christian Responsibility We believe that the highest priorities for every believer are the Great Commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” These commands are fulfilled by glorifying God, enjoying Him and fulfilling His Great Commission to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” These pursuits require personal commitments to live by the truth of God’s Word and to depend on the power of the His Spirit. Practically, both the Word and the Spirit call us to a life of Christ-like character, wholehearted worship, generous giving, unselfish service, and compassionate outreach to the lost. (Matthew 20.26-28, Matthew 22.37-40, Matthew 25.31-24, Matthew 28.19-20, Luke 6.38, John 4.23-24, Ephesians 4.12-13, Ephesians 5.18-21, 2 Timothy 3.16-17)