What We Believe

We believe in the Eternal Godhead, who has revealed Himself as one God existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; distinguishable but indivisible. (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13-14).

We believe in the plenary-verbal inspiration of the full canon of scripture as originally given and that all 66 books of the Holy Bible are the inspired and infallible, authoritative Word of God. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 Cor. 2:13)

We believe in the literal, special and unique creation of the existing space-time universe and all of its basic systems as indicated in the book of Genesis. (Genesis 1; Nehemiah 9:6; Isaiah 42:5; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17).

We believe that God created both man and woman uniquely in His image, special and distinctive from all other forms of life, according to the Scriptures. We believe in the test and fall of mankind as recorded in the book of Genesis; in his depravity; and his inability to attain to Divine righteousness. (Rom. 5:12, 18; Gen. 1 and 2; Ex. 20:11; Eph. 2:1-3).

We believe in the reality of sin, which is the failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude or nature. We believe that sin is a transgression of God’s perfect will and standards, and that sin keeps mankind separated from God. We believe that the pervasiveness of sin has infected mankind’s motivation, affection, volition, thought patterns, and actions, and that mankind is born with a sinful nature that presents the most extraordinary problem, the ultimate effects of which include separation from God and death. (Romans 3:10,23; 6:23; 14:23; James 4:17; I John 5:17).

We believe in the resurrection of all people, and that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will be resurrected to eternal life, while unbelievers will be resurrected to eternal punishment.
We believe that the souls of the redeemed, at death, are absent from the body and present with the Lord, until in resurrection the spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with Christ. (1 Thess.4:16-17; 2 Thess. 1:9, Rev. 20:11-15).

We believe that there is one body of Christ, the Church, which is comprised of many members from diverse ethnicities, races and nations, all having been baptized into the one body of Christ, by one spirit, the Spirit of God. We believe that the Church, which is the bride of Christ, is made up of born-again persons (1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor.11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4; 5:25-27).
We believe that within the larger, eternal body of Christ that spans borders and time, there are many localized congregations (churches) spread throughout communities and across the world, and that each of these is an important individual and localized expression of the body of Christ.
We believe that it is God’s will that followers of Christ be connected with one another and regularly meet together for worship, mutual encouragement, edification in the Word, and fellowship. We believe that individuals are set into the body of Christ as it pleases God, and that every follower of Christ has gifts and functionality to be expressed within the body. (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:13, 17-18, Rev. 1-3)
We believe that God gives apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to the Church, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God. (Eph. 4:7-16; 1 Cor. 12:28).
We believe that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and that local churches are to establish Godly leadership in accordance with the principles evidenced in the Holy Scriptures and the divinely-inspired leading of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the local church is to be governed by a plurality of elders with a Lead Pastor, called and ordained of God, all of whom qualify on the basis of 1 Timothy 3 in spiritual life, character, domestic life and leadership ability. (Col. 1:18; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-4; 1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:7, 17; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-10).
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, 28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:4).
We believe water baptism and the Lord’s Supper to be the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the Church in this age (Matt. 28:19-20: Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

We believe in promoting the unity of the Spirit within our local church and among the other members of the body of Christ. (Eph. 4:1-13; Psalms 133:1-3, 1 Cor. 1:10; Phil 1:27).

We believe that the development of Christ-like character in each Christian’s life, as a work of grace, is a fundamental principle of the Kingdom of God and that it is the Biblical foundation for all gifts, ministries, and activities of the church (Matt. 5:1-10; 1 Cor. 13).

We believe that the Bible clearly defines marriage as the covenant relationship between a man and a woman, in an exclusive union. The importance of this union to society requires that we support and protect marriage as the Word of God does. (Genesis 2:18-25; Romans 1:27; Ephesians 5:22,25; 1 Peter 3:1-7).

We believe that God intends for sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman, who are married to each other as a means of celebrating and expressing their exclusive covenant. We believe that God has commanded that no sexual activity be engaged in outside of this union, as it is sinful and harmful. (Gen 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4).

We believe that the essence of worship is a voluntary response toward God, whereby we lovingly acknowledge His supreme worth as the one and only Eternal God. It is an attitude of being surrendered and submitted to God, consumed by Him and His purposes. We believe in living a lifestyle of worship, whereby we choose to honor God in our daily lives, with our thoughts and our actions. We also believe in the value and unique significance of worship in song. Our participation in this form of worship welcomes the presence of the
Holy Spirit, and opens our hearts to be more sensitive and responsive to God in every area of our lives. (Psalm 96:1-9: Psalm 150; John 4:23-24; Acts 24:14; Phil. 3:3).

We believe in the regular participation of communion by all believers as was modeled by the Lord Jesus Christ, who led his disciples in communion on the night that he was betrayed. We believe that we are instructed to regularly participate in communion, proclaiming the Lord’s death (his work and the benefits of his sacrifice) until he returns. Communion is practiced in remembrance of Jesus, the Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world by his own personal bodily sacrifice and shed blood. (1 Cor. 11:23-24; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; John 1:29; John 6:53-58).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived in the flesh, revealing God to mankind. We believe that Jesus Christ was crucified, laid in a tomb, and then resurrected by the power of God on the third day, according to the Holy Scriptures. He willingly died at the hands of men, to take the penalty for our sin. He thereby accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice. Our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Isa. 7:14, 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of representative, intercessor, and advocate for the Saints. (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24, 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ dwells in each person who has accepted Him as their Lord and Savior (John 3:16; Col. 1:27; Rom. 8:10).

We believe in the need of each person for salvation from sin and death, and that salvation comes only by way of repentance and confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to remove all sin from the person and restore them to right fellowship with God. We believe that salvation is a free gift, affected wholly by God’s grace and a demonstration of the love of God for His special and unique creation, mankind. We believe it is God’s desired will that no one would perish (die in their sin), but that everyone would repent and be restored to right fellowship with Him. (Eph. 2:8-9; John 6:44, 65; Rom. 5:9-11; Heb. 9:12, 22; 1 John 1:9; Titus 3:5; 2 Peter 3:9).

We believe that Jesus Christ gave Himself for all mankind as a sacrifice, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people (the Church), who are the followers of Jesus, and are set apart for good works. We believe that the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing in answer to believing prayer. (Isa. 53:4-5; 1 Pet. 2:24; Matt. 8:16-17; James 5:14-16, Titus 2:14).

We believe in water baptism by immersion in the name of the Eternal Godhead, as an act of obedience to Christ, by every believer. (Matt. 3:13-17; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3-4; Matt. 28:19).

We believe in the Holy Spirit as a member of the three-person Eternal Godhead. We believe that the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth and is our Counselor. We believe in a baptism (greater filling) of the Holy Spirit as a distinct aspect of the Christian experience subsequent to salvation and confession of faith in Jesus Christ.
We believe in the full operation of the gifts and administrations of the Holy Spirit in the local church, as was present in the early church. We believe that the Holy Spirit distributes gifts and administrations to every individual and local body of Christ as He wills. (Acts 2:1-4; 8:14-17; 10:4-46; Gal. 3:14-15; 1 Cor. 12:7).

We believe in living the Spirit-filled life, a life of freedom from the bondage and sin of the world and the perfecting of holiness in the fear of God as an expression of the Christian faith. We believe that as individual members of the body of Christ, we should seek the fulness of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and the expression of His power in our lives. We believe that we should desire to see His manifest operation more fully within the body of Christ. (Ephes. 5:18; James 1:17; 2 Cor. 6:14; 7:1).
We believe that the development of Christ-like character in each Christian’s life is a fundamental principle of the Kingdom of God and that it is the Biblical foundation for all gifts, ministries, and activities of the church (Matt. 5:1-10; 1 Cor. 13).

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, who is the open and declared enemy of God and of mankind. We believe that Satan was defeated by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and that he and his angels will ultimately be punished in eternal judgment. (Luke 10:19; Ephes. 1:19-21; 1 Peter 5:8; Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10-15).

We believe that all things belong to the Lord, material and immaterial. We believe that every Christian, as a steward of the portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him or her, should support their local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spreading of the Gospel. (Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts, 4:34-37; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17).

We believe that God has given the Church the great commission, to proclaim the Gospel to all nations, so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ, we believe that we are commissioned to use all available means to reach and disciple our communities, our nation and the world. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).

We believe that God gives apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to the Church, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God (Eph. 4:7-16; 1 Cor. 12:28).

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, and that these two, distinct complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God. (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:1).

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. (Job 3:16; Psalm 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; Isa. 49:1,5; Jer. 1:5; Luke 1:44).

We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) The Home, 2) The Church, and 3) Civil Government. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. However, the Church is called by God to Biblically influence the home and civil government. (Acts 4:19; Rom 13:1-7; Eph. 5:22-24; 1 Peter 2:13-14).

We believe in the laying on of hands for blessing, for healing, for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, for prophecy, and for special commission to service or ordination. (Mark 10:16; 16:18; Acts 8:17; 19:16; 1 Tim. 4:14, Acts 13:2-3, 1 Tim. 1:18, 2 Tim. 1:6).