What We Believe
We believe that the Holy Bible, composed of the sixty-six books from Genesis through The Revelation, is the very word of God. It is verbally inspired in every word and is our sufficient source for faith and teaching, correct regarding any subject which it addresses. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 1Cor 2:13; II Tim 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21 John 10:35; Matt 5:18; 24:35; John 17:17 Rev 22:18–19; Isa 8:20; 2 Tim 3:16–17; Deut 4:2 We believe there is but one Living and true God, an infinite, all-knowing Spirit, perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eternally existing in three Persons–the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–each equally deserving worship and obedience. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Deut 6:4; Isa 45:21–22; 1 Cor 8:6; Exo 3:14; Jer 10:10; John 1:1–2; Deut 32:4; Matt 28:19; John 10:30; II Peter 2:1; I John 1:1,2; Acts 5:3,4 We believe Jesus Christ is the virgin-born Son of God, the only begotten of the Father by a miracle of the Holy Spirit. He is God incarnate and perfect man in one person, wholly without sin. He came into the world to reveal the Father, redeem men, and rule over God's kingdom. Jesus Christ died for our sins, was resurrected bodily from the grave on the third day, ascended to Heaven and is at the right hand of the Father today. ____________________________________________________________________________________ John 1:1–2; Col 1:16–17; Phil 2:6–7; Matt 1:18-25; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; Isa 53:3-8; Rom 5:18; 1 Tim. 4:6; Mark 16; Acts 1:3; 1 John 2:1; Heb 9:15 We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the triune God, equal in eternity and power with God the Father and God the Son. He indwells Christians and empowers them for evangelism and ministry within the church, according to His will. The Holy Spirit convicts men of their sin and testifies of Jesus Christ. ____________________________________________________________________________________ John 16:7–8; Acts 5:3-5; John 16:8–11; John 15:26; 16:14–15; 1 Cor 12:13; John 3:3–5; Titus 3:5; Rom 8:10; 1 Cor 3:16; Eph 1:13–14; 4:30; Rom 6:13; 12:1–2; Gal 5:16; Gal 5:22, 23; Col 1:10; 1Cor. 2:13; John 16:13; John 14:26; 1 John 2:27 We believe in the creation of all things by the direct act of God, accepting the literal interpretation of Genesis as opposed to the evolutionary theory of origins, whether atheistic in concept. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Gen 1–3; Psa 33:6, 9; Col 1:15–17; Heb 11:3 We believe man was created by God with the intention that he should glorify God, enjoy His fellowship, and live forever in God's will. Man sinned against God by His own free choice, resulting in the fall of the human race and in the radical congenital depravity of all mankind and ending in physical, spiritual, and eternal death. Mankind is incapable of obedience to God apart from salvation and is in need of redemption. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Gen 1:27–31; Gen 3:1–6; Gen 2:16–17;Gen 3:7–19; 1 Cor 15:22; Rom 5:12; Matt 25:46; 2 Thess. 1:7; Rev 20:15 We believe the salvation of man is accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God when the repentant sinner, enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in faith. Salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works. All the redeemed are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. _________________________________________________________________________________ John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom 3:25; 5:8–10; Heb 9:14–15, 22; Isa 53:4-12; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom 4:16; Eph. 2:8; Rom 5:15–17; 6:23; Eph 2:9; Eph 2:9; Titus 3:5; John 16:8–11; Eph 5:26; Jas 1:18; 1 Pet 1:23; Acts 3:19;20:21; 26:20; Heb. 6:1; Acts 16:31; Rom. 4:5, 16; Eph. 2:8, 9; Rom. 8:28–30; 1 Cor 1:9, 24; 1 Tim 6:12; John 1:13; 5:25; Titus 3:5; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom 3:25; 5:8–10; Heb 9:14–15, 22; Isa 53:4-12; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom 4:16; Eph. 2:8; Rom 5:15–17; 6:23; Eph 2:9; Eph 2:9; Titus 3:5; John 16:8–11; Eph 5:26; Jas 1:18; 1 Pet 1:23; Acts 3:19;20:21; 26:20; Heb. 6:1; Acts 16:31; Rom. 4:5, 16; Eph. 2:8, 9; Rom. 8:28–30; 1 Cor 1:9, 24; 1 Tim 6:12; John 1:13; 5:25; Titus 3:5 We believe the Holy Spirit baptizes all believers into the Body of Christ at the moment of salvation and then indwells, sanctifies, instructs, and empowers believers as well as sealing them unto the day of redemption. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are sovereignly given to individual believers according to His will. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to all who are born again. Those to whom these gifts have been given are commanded to exercise them for the benefit of the body of Christ, to the glory of God. However, lacking a particular spiritual gift does not exempt the believer from his responsibilities in that particular area (e.g. giving, teaching, hospitality, etc.). “Sign” gifts were given in the early days of the church to apostles and some others for the specific purpose of authenticating their message as being from God. The need for and bestowal of “sign” gifts on the individual believers has passed away as man came to possess the New Testament Scriptures. God Himself, however, can and does continue to perform miracles and healing as He deems appropriate to glorify Himself. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Rom 12:5–8; 1 Cor 12; 12:28; Eph 4:11–16; Luke 5:18–26; Acts 3; 1 Cor 13:8–10; Jas 5:16; Jer 32:17; I Peter 4:10 We believe all who put their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual Body, the church, of which Christ is the head. The local church, representing this Body, is an autonomous congregation composed of individual believers associated for the propagation of the faith, the administration of the ordinances, equipping for ministry, mutual edification, and reproof and discipline of individual members. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Rom 10:13; 10: 9-11; John 6:37; Acts 8:37; I Cor 11:23-29; Col 1:18; Eph 1:22, 5:23 We believe the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the local church, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of repentant believers in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, by authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord's Supper, is a meal of remembrance where believers, gathered together as a church, proclaim the Lord's death and anticipate His return. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Acts 2:41; 1 Cor 11:23–29; Acts 8:38–39; Matt 28:19–20; Rom 6:3-13; Col 2:12; Matt 26:26–30; Mark 14:22–26; Luke 22:19–20;1 Cor 11:23–29 We believe in the reality of Satan as a distinct personality, who, though having been created in a state of perfection and enjoying a heavenly abode with God, was prompted by pride to rebel against God and fell from his original exalted state, leading a multitude of other angels in his revolt. Over whom he is king. Satan is the acknowledged god of this world and the archenemy of God and believers; his purpose and work are to thwart the divine counsels, accuse and oppose believers, incite persecution against believers, sow counterfeits among the believers, and tempt believers to sin. We believe in Satan’s final destruction by God and the destruction of his followers. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Job 1:6–12; 2:1–7; Matt 4:1–11; Ezek 28:12-15; Rev 12:3–4; Isa 14:12-15; Ezek 28:17; 1 Tim 3:6; Matt 12:24; 25:41; Rev 9:11; 12:3–7; John 12:31; 2 Cor 4:3, 4; Gen 3:4–5; 2 Cor 11:13-15; 1 Pet 5:8; Rev 12:10; Rev 2:10; Matt 13:39; 1 Cor. 7:5; Rev 20:10, 14; Rev 19:20 We believe in the literal return of Jesus Christ, the establishment of His Kingdom in its fullness and in the resurrection of the body for the judgment of believers and unbelievers. The righteous will enjoy eternal felicity in the presence of God while the wicked will suffer eternal punishment in the lake of fire. ___________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Thess 4:16; 2 Thess 2:1; 1 John 3:2; Rom 13:12; 1 Thess 5:6; Titus 2:13; Jas 5:8–9; 1 Thess 1:10; 5:9; Rev 3:10; John 14:1–3; 1 Cor 15:51–52; 1 Thess 4:16–17; Dan 7:9–14; Zech 14:1–4; Mal 3:1–2; Matt 24:29–30; Jer 31:31–34; 31:28; Micah 4:7–8; Zech 10:6; Gen 13:14–17; 15:18; Deut 30:1–11;2 Tim 2:12; Rev 3:21; 20:1–6; 92 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1–3 We believe the first day of the week is to be observed as the Lord’s Day. On Sunday we celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection and we believe that true believers should give due reverence to God on this day. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:1–2; Matt 28:1–9; John 20:1 We believe in the literal return of Jesus Christ that will take place in two stages. The first stage is the Rapture, or His personal, imminent, and pre-tribulational coming for all saints of the church age. The second stage is the Revelation of the Second Coming in Glory, which is His personal and public coming at the close of the Tribulation Period to establish the messianic, Millennial Kingdom on earth when Israel will be restored to covenant favor with God and to her land in faith. The church and saints who died in the Tribulation will reign with Christ for the thousand years. After the Millennium there will be a new heaven and earth wherein God will dwell eternally with His people. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 1Thess 4:16; 2 Thess 2:1; 1 John 3:2; Rom 13:12; 1 Thess 5:6; Titus 2:13; Jas 5:8–9; 1 Thess 1:10; 5:9; Rev 3:10; John 14:1–3; 1 Cor 15:51–52; 1 Thess 4:16–17; Dan 7:9–14; Zech 14:1–4; Mal 3:1–2; Matt 24:29–30; Jer 31:31–34; 31:28; Micah 4:7–8; Zech 10:6; Gen 13:14–17; 15:18; Deut 30:1–11; 2 Tim 2:12; Rev 3:21; 20:1–6; 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1–3 |