What We Believe

The Bible

We believe all Scripture is the authoritative, truthful, pure, infallible, and inerrant Word of God. All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Sufficiency

Scripture states that it is able to equip us for every good work.  Therefore, we believe that the Bible alone, as believers apply it to their lives, is a sufficient resource to prepare them to handle all the challenges of life and ministry.

2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalms 119:160

Triune God

We believe there is only one God, eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit; who are co-equal in their essential nature, attributes, and perfection.

Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Mark 12:29; 1 Timothy 2:5; Deuteronomy 6:4; John 5:23; John 14:8-11; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-2

  • God The Father: We believe the first person of the Trinity is the absolute ruler of the universe.
    1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; 1 John 4:14; Isaiah 64:8; Romans 1:20; Jeremiah 10:12-13; Psalm 147:4-5
  • Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity. He is therefore equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  As a divine being, He shares with the other members of the Trinity all of the attributes of divinity. We believe that Jesus Christ, in His human form, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is truly the Son of Man and the Son of God. We believe Jesus led a perfect, sinless existence on Earth, was God incarnate, and therefore represents humanity and Deity.  Jesus died on the cross willingly as a substitute for sinful man. We believe Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross, paid for all sin, completely satisfied the righteous wrath of God against sin, and provided redemption and forgiveness for all who believe.  After His death, Jesus Christ literally, physically, and bodily arose from the dead, was seen by many during a period of forty days, and then ascended into Heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God as our Advocate and High Priest, from which place He will someday return to establish His Kingdom on Earth.
    Colossians 1:15-20; Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-3, 14, 18, 29; Isaiah 53:5-6; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5; Isaiah 9:6-7; John 8:58; John 10:30
  • Holy Spirit: We believe the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Triune Godhead who convicts individuals of sin. He indwells, seals, sanctifies, guides, equips, teaches, and fills the believer; thereby enabling the believer to walk in obedience to God and His Word.
    John 3:5; John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 4:30; John 15:26; John 16:13-15; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9; Galatians 5:22-25; Titus 3:5

Satan

We believe Satan was originally created as a beautiful angel, but through pride rebelled against God and was thrown out of heaven. We believe that Satan now exists as an evil being, the originator of sin and death, the arch-enemy of God and man.

Isaiah 14:12-14; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:9; Ezekiel 28:13-18; Ephesians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 11:3

Creation and Fall of Mankind

We believe mankind was created by God, in God’s own image.  Adam & Eve entered into sin through personal disobedience to the revealed will of God. As a result, all mankind is sinful in nature and practice. Due to sin, mankind is desperately lost and faces eternal separation from a Holy God in hell.  Additionally, mankind is hopelessly unable to rescue himself or secure his own salvation by personal effort or merit.  Mankind can only be saved by God’s loving and gracious gift of salvation.

Genesis 1:1; Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 19:1; Jeremiah 32:17; Genesis 3; Mark 7:21-23; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 3:9-12; Ephesians 2:1-3

Sin Resulted in Death

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit they were forbidden to eat, their perfect relationship with God was broken and they were spiritually separated from Him.

Romans 5:12-14, 17; Romans 6:23; James 1:15

Salvation

We believe God’s authentic love for the whole world means that He is not willing that any should perish and be eternally lost.  God’s love was manifest in that He gave His only Son, Jesus, as the perfect offering for the sin of all mankind.  Jesus willingly went to the cross to die in the place of sinful man, bearing the complete penalty of mankind’s sin, paying the full price to atone for all of man’s sins. Jesus’ substitutionary death in the place of sinful man is the only means by which we can and must be saved.

We believe that Saving Faith is personally trusting in what Jesus did on the cross for you. It is resting in that finished work alone as the only way of salvation.

We believe that the heart of the Gospel and the Christian Faith is the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:6-11; John 3:16-17; Isaiah 53:6; Isaiah 45:21-22; John 10:27-29; Romans 5:20-21; 1 John 2:2; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5

Christian Walk

We believe that the believer’s lifestyle should be characterized by the fruit of the Spirit, loving God above all else, loving one’s neighbors, and obedience in all things to the Word of God.

1 John 2:6; Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:24-32; Ephesians 5:2,8-10

Ordinances 

We believe there are two ordinances for the Church in the New Testament: Baptism and Communion.

  • Baptism: Which is the full immersion in water of a professing believer in Christ.
  • Communion:  This is the memorial wherein the believer partakes of the two elements, bread and wine (or juice), which symbolize the Lord’s body and shed blood, proclaiming His death until He comes.

Acts 10:48; Matthew 28:18-19; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians 2:12; Acts 8:36-38; Acts 2:41

The Great Commission

We believe that until the return of Christ it is the Christian’s privilege and duty to evangelize the world, making disciples of all nations. We are to baptize new believers as an outward display of them having new life in Christ, and teach them to follow everything Jesus (and the entire Bible) teaches.

Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Acts 1:8

The Church

We believe that Scripture teaches us that believers are part of the Universal Church and should belong to a Local Church body.

  • The Universal Church: Of which Christ is the Head, consists of all those throughout the whole world who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • The Local Church: The visible expression of the universal Church, is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together to worship God.

Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-28; Hebrews 10:24-25; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 4:15-16

Civil Government

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of society and that government leaders are to be prayed for, honored, and obeyed.

Romans 13:1-7; Acts 5:29; Mark 12:17; John 19:10-11; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-15

Conversely, if the laws of man contradict the Word of God and force us to disobey God, then God’s decrees and standards, and not human law, must take precedence and be obeyed.

Acts 5:29; Daniel 3:10-18

Death and the Hereafter

At death, the soul of the redeemed passes immediately into the presence of Christ, and there remains in joyful fellowship awaiting their bodily resurrection.

The unsaved at death descend immediately into Hell.

2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:11-15; Luke 16:19-25

Future Events – The Tribulation, Christ’s Return and Reign, Final Judgement, Lake of Fire, and Eternal Glory

We believe during the last years of the End Times, the world will experience a time of unprecedented hardship and tribulation due to man’s rebellion against God. We believe in the personal and bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge both the living and resurrected dead. Jesus Christ will return to this earth personally, visibly, physically, and suddenly in power and great glory.

We believe Satan will be thrown into the Lake of Fire for all eternity.  Believers will enter the eternal state of glory with God. God will create a new Heaven and new Earth where there is only righteousness.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:1-4; John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:35-55; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Philippians 3:20-21