Statement of Faith

SCRIPTURE

The basis of our beliefs is the Bible, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. It was wholly inspired by the Holy Spirit and was written without error in the original manuscript. It is the supreme and final authority in faith, practice, and life in every age.

Matthew 24:35; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21

GOD

There is but one God, infinite in holiness, power, wisdom, justice, goodness, and love. The Creator of the universe, eternally existing in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–each of whom are fully divine and possess all the attributes of divinity.

Genesis 1:1-31; Deuteronomy 6:4; Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 48:14; Psalm 147:5; Psalm 119:68; Isaiah 30:18; Isaiah 40:28; Isaiah 45:5-6; Isaiah 61:8; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 19:36; Matthew 28:19; Mark 10:18; Romans 8:28; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 4:7-16

MAN

God created man in His own image, and man as he was originally created, was innocent before God. But man chose to sin by disobeying God and was therefore alienated from His Creator and came under divine condemnation. Thus all human beings are born with a sin nature and are totally incapable of pleasing God in and of themselves.  

Genesis 1:27; Genesis 1:31; Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 3:1-19; John 3:36; Romans 3:10; Romans 5:12; James 3:9

JESUS CHRIST

God the Father, by His own choice and out of love for sinful men and women, sent His son, Jesus Christ, into the world to reconcile sinners to Himself. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He is God in the flesh, with both fully divine and fully human natures wholly and in-confusedly united in one person. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and voluntarily suffered and died as our substitute to pay the penalty for our sins, thus satisfying God’s justice and accomplishing salvation for all those who trust in Him alone. He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. He bodily ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He, the only mediator between God and man, makes intercession for His own. He will return to earth personally, visibly, and bodily to judge all men and establish His kingdom.

Matthew 1:18-24; Matthew 24:1-51; Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 2:6-7; Luke 19:10; Luke 24:37-39; Luke 24:50-51; John 1:1-18; John 3:16-18; John 10:10-18; Romans 5:6-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13-15; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 1:1-4; Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 8:1; 1 Timothy 2:5; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 John 3:5; Revelation 22:13-14

SALVATION

Men and women are freed from the penalty for their sins not as a result of their own works, goodness, or religious ceremony, but by the undeserved favor of God alone. God declares righteous all who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation.  

John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7-8; Ephesians 2:8-9; Colossians 1:21-22

HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ, to convict men and women of their sins, and to impart new life to all who place their faith in Christ. He indwells believers from the moment of spiritual birth, seals them until the day of redemption, and empowers them to live a life pleasing to God.

John 3:5-8; John 16:7-11; John 16:13-15; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 3:18

ASSURANCE

All who are born again of the Spirit can be fully assured of their eternal life from the very moment they put their faith in Christ. This assurance is not based on any kind of human merit, but upon Christ’s complete payment for our sins, and upon the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, whom is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.

John 5:24; John 6:37-40; John 10:27-30; Romans 5:9-10; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:31-39; 1 Corinthians 1:8-9; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Peter 1:3-5

RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

At physical death, the believer enters immediately into eternal, conscious fellowship with the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his or her body to everlasting glory and blessing. At physical death, the unbeliever enters into eternal, conscious separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his or her body to everlasting suffering, judgment, and condemnation.

Luke 16:19-31; Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Romans 8:10-11; Romans 8:22-23; Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; Matthew 25:41-46; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 20:11-15

BAPTISM & THE LORD’S SUPPER

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances given by God and instituted by Christ that are to be practiced by the body of Christ (the church). They are visible signs symbolizing what Christ has done for us and what is true about us because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper play any role in the atonement for sin or the obtaining of eternal life. Both baptism and the Lord’s Supper are critical to the process of sanctification and foundational acts of obedience for the believer.

Baptism – Acts 2:38-41; Acts 8:36-39; Acts 16:14-15; Acts 18:8; Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:1-11; Colossians 2:11-12; Galatians 3:25-27; 1 Peter 3:18-21

The Lord’s Supper – 1 Corinthians 10:14-17; 1 Corinthians 11:28-32; Luke 22:19-21; Matthew 26:6-9

THE CHURCH

Jesus Christ is the head of His body called the Church. All true believers, undivided by ethnicity, sex, or social class make up the church worldwide and should assemble together in local churches for worship, prayer, fellowship, and teaching, in order to grow in their love for God, to be further conformed to the image of Christ, and to be better equipped to carry out the ‘Great Commission’ that Christ gave His followers.

1 Corinthians 11:18-20; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Acts 14:23; Acts 20:7-9; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 10:24-25; Ephesians 4:7-13; Ephesians 5:24-32; Colossians 1:18

MARRIAGE, GENDER, & SEXUALITY

God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God. The term “marriage” biblically has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. God’s intention for marriage is between one man and one woman, for life, and uniquely reflects Christ’s relationship with His Church. God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that outside of this any form of sexual activity is sinful and offensive to God. 

Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 2:15-25; Genesis 3:1-24; Exodus 20:14; Exodus 20:17; Proverbs 5:1-23; Malachi 2:13-14; Ephesians 5:21-33; Matthew 5:27-32; Matthew 19:3-6; Romans 1:26-27; Romans 1:32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20; 1 Corinthians 7:1-7; Hebrews 13:4

VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life.

Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 139:1-24

FINAL AUTHORITY FOR MATTER OF BELIEF & CONDUCT

The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of the Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our elders are our Church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s application.

Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Acts 15:1-41