DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
God
We believe there is one living and true God, who is the Creator, Preserver, Redeemer and Ruler of the universe. He is infinitely perfect in every way and eternally exists as three persons: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. This relationship is known as the Trinity and these three persons are one God, and each possesses fully the same nature, attributes and perfections of deity. We are to give him our praise and worship because of who He is and what He has done. (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 90:2; 95; 100; Isaiah 6:1-3; 40:12-28; 45:5-7; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 28:19-20; John 17:3; Acts 17:24-25; Romans 11:33-36; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 3:20)
Jesus
We believe Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, is the eternal Son of God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. We believe He is the manifestation of God in the flesh. He is fully God and fully man. We believe He lived a sinless life of perfect obedience to the law of God and through His death on the cross made provision for the salvation of sinful people. We believe He was raised from the dead with a glorified body, ascended into heaven where He rules over the universe and intercedes for His people, and will one day return visibly to the earth. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 24:13-43; John 1:1-4, 14-18; 10:30; 14:8-11; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Acts 1:3; 9-11; Colossians1:15-22; 2:9-10; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-6; 7:20-26; 1 Peter 2:21-24)
The Bible
We believe that the Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament are God’s revelation of Himself to mankind. We believe the 66 books of the Bible were written by different men, writing according to their own styles and personalities, but supernaturally moved along by the Holy Spirit to record God’s very words, inerrant in the original writings. Therefore, those applying themselves to study its literal, historical-grammatical context can accurately understand God’s Word. Scripture is trustworthy, complete and sufficient as the supreme and final authority for all of life. (Psalm 119:9-24, 89-105, 160-176; Matthew 5:17-18; John 5:46-47; John 10:35; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:14-16; Titus 1:1-3; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Jude 3)
Mankind
We believe that God created mankind—male and female—in His own image and for His own glory as the crowning work of His creation. However, man sinned against God and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death which is separation from God. This spiritual death has been transmitted to the entire human race (except for Jesus Christ) with the result that every person is born with a sinful nature that rebels against God and is under condemnation. (Genesis 1:26-28; 3; Psalm 8:3-8; 14:1-3; 51:3-6; Isaiah 59:1-3, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:23; 5:12, 19; 6:23; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1-3)
Salvation
We believe in the good news of the gospel that those who turn from their sin in repentance and place their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are justified and declared “not guilty” of their sin receiving the gift of eternal life. This salvation is acquired through faith alone apart from any good or religious works and is based entirely on the death of Jesus Christ on the cross as their substitute. We believe that Christ’s resurrection demonstrated God’s full acceptance of His death as payment for their sin, and foreshadows the final resurrection of all those who believe. (Isaiah 53:2-6; John 3:16-19; 36; 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:24-25; 5:1-2, 6-11; 6:23; 8:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21: Galatians 3:24-28; Ephesians 2:8-9; Colossians 1:13-14: Titus 3:5-8)
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, comes to live in those who turn to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith and as they live in obedience to God the He empowers them to gradually overcome the power of sin and become like Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit guides, instructs, fills, and comforts those who have turned to Jesus Christ as they have become children of God. We believe the Holy Spirit bestows spiritual gifts on each individual to edify and build up the body of Christ. (Mark 13:11; John 14:15-17, 26; 15:26-27; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 12:4-5, 11-13; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 1:1-13-14; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19)
The Church
We believe in the one, universal Church made up of all who have trusted in Christ, who is the Head of the Church, which is His body. We also believe in the local church, which is an autonomous, local congregation of baptized believers who gather for worship, teaching, spiritual growth, service, fellowship and observance of the ordinances of baptism and communion. The local church operates under the Lordship of Christ and is governed by elders who are assisted by deacons. It grows as each member serves the body using the spiritual gifts given to them by the Holy Spirit, resulting in maturity, unity, and glory to God. Christ has commissioned the church and its individual members to spread the Gospel throughout the world. (Matthew 16:16-19; Acts 2:41-47; 20:28; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:20-21; 4:11-16; 5:23; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Timothy 3)
Baptism & Communion
We believe that the Lord Jesus has given the local church two ordinances: baptism and communion. All who have received Christ as Savior should be baptized by immersion as a symbolic testimony of their participation in the death and resurrection of Christ. Likewise, believers should regularly partake in communion as a symbolic remembrance of Christ’s death and as a testimony of our fellowship and our unity as the body of Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32)
Things to Come
We believe that at God’s appointed time, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly to the earth and establish His kingdom. We believe in the bodily resurrection of believers and unbelievers. At final judgment, unbelievers will be separated forever from God in a place of everlasting punishment because of their rejection of Jesus Christ. Believers, in their resurrected bodies, will live in God’s glorious presence as they worship and serve Him forever. (Matthew 8:11-12; 10:28; 13:49-50; 25:31-46; Mark 9:47-48; Luke 12:5; John 14:3; Acts1:6-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26; Philippians 3:20-21: 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 5:23-24; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Hebrews 9:27-28; 2 Peter 3:7-13; Revelation 19:11-21; 20-22)