The Bible

We believe that every word in the original manuscripts of the Bible was inspired by God and was without error; therefore the Bible is our supreme and final authority for faith and practice.

We use a normal, literal approach to interpreting Scripture, which takes into account history, grammar, and internal harmony.

God

We believe that there is only one God existing eternally in three equal and distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Deuteronomy 6.4; Matthew 28.19; 2 Corinthians 13.14

Jesus Christ

We believe that God became flesh in Jesus Christ who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He is therefore, the true God and perfect man.

John 1.1, 14, 18; Matthew 1.18-25

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the God-head who convicts the world, regenerates, indwells, baptizes, seals all Christians at the moment of salvation, and fills those who yield to Him.

Matthew 28.19; Acts 5.3,4; John 3.8, 16.7-11; I Corinthians 6.19, 12.11;Ephesians 4.30, 5.18

Mankind

We believe that God created humanity in His own image. In Adam, mankin fell into sin, and as a result every human being is born a sinnner. Therefore mankind is by nature separated from God spiritually dead.

Genesis 1.27; Romans 3.23, 5.12; Ephesians 2.1-3

Salvation

We believe that God declares a person righteous in grace when he by faith, apart from works, believes in Jesus Christ.

Romans 8.1; Ephesians 2.8,9; Acts 16.31

We believe that Jesus Christ died for the sins of mankind as a penal substitute sacrifice and bodily rose from the dead, guaranteeing redemption for anyone who personally places his trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Romans 5.8,9; Mark 10.45

We believe that all who are born of the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ have assurance of salvation and are eternally secure in Him.

John 10.27-29; Romans 8.1, 38, 39; I John 5.13

Baptism

We believe that although baptism is not a precondition for salvation, individuals should be baptized, after they have accepted Christ, as an outward symbol of their identification with Christ and His Body, the Church.

Matthew 10.32, 28.16-20; Romans 6.3-7, 10,11; I Corinthians 15.1-4

The Lord's Supper

We believe the Lord's Supper is a commemoration of Jesus' death until He comes again; the elements used are emblems of His broken body and shed blood.

It should be observed in certain church services and may be observed wherever believers gather. The Lord's Supper is open to all self examined believers regardless of church affiliation.

1 Corinthians 11.23-34

Positional Sanctification

We believe that every Christian is set apart unto God in Jesus Christ at the moment of salvation.

l Corinthians 6.11; Hebrews 10.10

Progressive Sanctification

We believe that every Christian must continue to grow in this life to be more like Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.

John 17.17; I Thessalonians 4.3-4; 2 Corinthians 3.8

Ultimate Sanctification

We believe that every Christian will attain perfection when all believers will ultimately be set apart from sin and will be like Jesus Christ when we meet Him face to face.

Philippians 3.20-21; Ephesians 5.25-27; I John 3:2

The Church

We believe that the church is a spiritual organism, the Body and Bride of Jesus Christ, invisible in its universal form, made up of all believers of this age, and manifests local assemblies voluntarily joined together to exalt Jesus Christ, edify the Body of Christ, and evangelize to the lost.

Colossians 1.18; Acts 2.42-47

We believe that the Church is distinct from Israel. The Church began on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit began baptizing individuals into the Body of Christ.

Acts 1.5, 11.15,16; I Corinthians 12.13 Romans 9

We believe that the ordinances of the church are water baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Matthew 28.19 I Corinthians 11.24-26

Spiritual Gifts

We believe that the Holy Spirit sovereignty grants spiritual gifts to each Christian for the building up of the body for the common good, and that these gifts need to be recognized, developed, and utilized, all with the view of doing the work of Christ.

Romans 12.4-8; I Corinthians 12.1-31; Ephesians 4.11-16

The Family

We believe that the institutions of marriage and the family are ordained by God for procreation, instruction, discipleship, and humanity's enjoyment.

Genesis 2.18-25; Deuteronomy 6.4-9

We believe that a Christian marriage is intended to be a model of Christ's relationship to the church, that successful family leadership is a prerequisite for church leadership, and that a critical function of the church is to provide support, encouragement, and instruction to the family.

Genesis 1: 26-28; I Timothy 3: 1-16; Titus 1.6; 2.1-15

Angels

We believe that angels are spiritual beings created sin-less by God, but now existing in fallen and unfallen states.

Psalm 148.2,5; Hebrews 1.14; 2 Peter 2:4

We believe that Satan is a fallen angel, the originator of sin and an enemy of God and mankind, who leads the whole world astray, whom fallen angels serve, and who is doomed.

Isaiah 14.12-14; Genesis 3.1-19; 2 Corinthians 11.14; Matthew 25.41; I Peter 5.8; Revelation 12.9; Revelation 20.10

End Times

We believe in the imminent, personal return of Jesus Christ for His Church, the Tribulation, the second coming of Jesus Christ to set up a thousand-year reign on earth, the eternal punishment of the unsaved, and the eternal peace and joy of the saved.

I Thessalonians 4.13-18; Matthew 24.21, 29-30, 25.46; Revelation 20.1-6, 11-15