WHAT WE BELIEVE
 

STATEMENT OF FAITH

We Believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings, embracing all matters which the biblical authors address, and we believe that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life. - II Timothy 3:16-17 : II Peter I:19-20

We Believe in one God - eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, existing as three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one in nature, attributes, power, and glory. Genesis 1:1,26; Proverbs 30:4; Mark 12:29; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; John 1:1-4,14,18; Acts 5:3,4.

We Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and that He is both true God and True man. Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35; Philipians 2:6-11; Isaiah 7:14; John 1:14;

We Believe that man was created in the image of God and in fellowship with God, but because of sin all mankind has incurred condemnation resulting in separation from God and death. Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 1:18,32; Romans 3:10-19; Romans 5:12-19.

We Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice and rose again for our justification; and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood and are saved by grace through faith wholly apart from human merit and works. Acts 13:39; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:21-28; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:3-8;

We Believe that all who receive Jesus Christ by faith as their Savior and Lord are born again by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God and thereby become the children of God forever and are eternally secure. We believe that repentance from sin is an inherent part of true saving faith and a blessing from God to the believer. John 1:12,13; John 3:3-16; John 5:24; John 10:28,29; I Peter 1:23; II Peter 1:4-11. Luke 5:31-32; 24:46-47; Acts 20:20-21; Acts 3:26.

We Believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with the Father and the Son; that He was active in creation, that He convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment; that He is the Agent in the new birth; that He baptizes all believers into the body of Christ at conversion; that He indwells, seals, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. The Holy Spirit is the source of the spiritual gifts in the church given for the edification of believers and empowerment for service. Psalm 139:7-12; John 14:16,17; John 16:13,14; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 6:19; I Corithians 12:1-11

We Believe in the literal, bodily resurrection of the crucified Lord, His ascension into heaven, His present life there as our High Priest and Advocate, and His personal, bodily, visible return to the earth to establish His millennial kingdom on earth, and to reign as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Luke 24:36-43; John 20:24-29; Acts 1:9-11; I Corinthians 15:25; Revelation 1:5-7; Revelation 19:11-16; Revelation 20:6

We Believe in the bodily resurrection of all the dead: the saved to a life of eternal glory in heaven with God; the unsaved to eternal judgment of conscious suffering in a place called Hell. John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:6,11-15; Revelation 21:1-8; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 18:9-9; Matthew 25:41,46; Mark 9:43-49; II Thesselonians 1:6-9

We Believe that the local church is an organized congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant, observing the ordinances of Christ, having the offices of pastor and deacon, exercising the gifts, rights, privileges, and responsibilities given them by His Word, and that it has the absolute right of self-government. We believe that the church which is His body includes all New Testament believers. Matthew 18:15-17; I Corinthians 1-2; I Corinthians 7:17; I Corinthians 11:16; I Timothy 3:1-15; I Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 1:22,23; Ephesians 2:14,15; Ephesians 5:23-32.

We Believe that the scriptural ordinances of the local church are baptism and the Lord's supper; that baptism, by immersion, should be administered to believers only as an identifying symbol of their belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and our death to sin and resurrection to a new walk in life. Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 8:36-39; Acts 18-8; Romans 6:3-5; Colosians 2:12; I Corinthians 11:23-32.