STATEMENT OF FAITH
WE BELIEVE in one God who is never-ending. He is all-present, all-knowing, all-powerful. He is perfect in holiness, truth, and love.
WE BELIEVE in unity in the Godhead. Three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who are co-existent, co-equal, and co-eternal. The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not the Father, yet each one is truly Deity, one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
WE BELIEVE God the Father, together with the Son and the Holy Spirit is over all things, sovereign; therefore, no part of reality is outside of His ultimate control. His plans and purposes cannot be stopped. God the Father is faithful to every promise and works all things together for the good of those who love Him. He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, for mankind’s rescue and He intends for man, to live in fellowship with Him.
WE BELIEVE Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, fully God and fully man. He is the only Savior for the sins of the world. Jesus shed His blood and died a gruesome death on the cross so that by His death in our place, Jesus revealed divine love and divine justice. Through Jesus our guilt is removed and we are reconciled with God. Jesus rose from the grave on the third day, victorious over death as well as the powers of darkness, providing convincing evidence of His resurrection. Jesus ascended into heaven where, at God’s right hand, He intercedes for His people and is awaiting His return. Jesus is the Head of His body, the Church, and should be worshiped, loved, served, and obeyed by all.
WE BELIEVE the Holy Spirit, the Giver of life, convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Through the announcement of the gospel, He persuades men to repent of their sins and confess Jesus as Lord. The Holy Spirit unites believers to Jesus Christ in faith, brings about the new birth, and dwells within the person as an agent of change. The Holy Spirit glorifies the Son who, in turn, glorifies the Father. The Holy Spirit leads the Church into a right understanding as well as a rich application of the truth of God’s Word. He is to be respected, honored and worshiped as God, the Third Person of the Trinity.
WE BELIEVE God made humans - male and female - in His own image, as the crown of creation so that they might glorify Him by enjoying fellowship with Him. Tempted by Satan, mankind rebelled against God and became separated from his Maker. Humanity became corrupt and under judgment absolutely incapable of returning to God. Corruption took over the mind, will and emotions of mankind subjecting man to the dominion of sin and Satan. People, regardless of their character or accomplishments, are lost and without hope apart from salvation in Christ alone.
WE BELIEVE the gospel is the good news of God’s grace invading the darkness of this world. Christ’s crucifixion is the heart of the gospel. His resurrection is the power of the gospel. His ascension is the glory of the gospel. There is no other name by which men can be saved. Salvation, the free gift of God, is provided by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone, for the glory of God alone.
WE BELIEVE the proper response to the gospel is faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, a faith that is accompanied by repentance from sin. Biblical repentance is characterized by a changed life, and saving faith is evidenced by kingdom service. If a person wants to become a disciple he must be willing to deny himself, pick up his cross and follow Christ.
WE BELIEVE the Holy Spirit is the active agent of change, seeking to produce His fruit in us. Our minds are renewed and we are conformed to the image of Christ through the Holy Spirit. He leads us to grow in the knowledge of the Lord and helps us to persevere in the faith. The Holy Spirit is freely available to all who believe in Jesus Christ, enabling them to exercise His gifts for the edification of the body and empowering them for the work of ministry in the world. All the gifts of the Holy Spirit are to be earnestly desired and practiced in an orderly manner.
WE BELIEVE the Bible, (39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament) is the written Word of God. The Bible is an essential and flawless record of God revealing Himself to mankind. It leads us to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Each book is to be interpreted according to its context and purpose and in reverent obedience to the Lord who speaks through it in living power. All believers are encouraged to study the Bible and carefully apply it to their lives. The Scriptures is the authoritative guide of all Christian life, practice, and doctrine. It is totally sufficient and must not be added to or changed by extra-biblical revelation or worldly wisdom.
WE BELIEVE God is gracious, but also holy. God wonderfully and unchangingly creates every person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. The term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as defined in Scripture. God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are biblically married to each other; therefore, any form of sexual activity outside of this established parameter including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography is sinful and offensive to God. References: Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 2:18-25, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Corinthians 7:2-5, Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and Hebrews 13:4.
WE BELIEVE all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of immeasurable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death; therefore, we are called to defend, protect, and value all human life. References: Psalm 139:1-24, Romans 13:9, and Proverbs 24:11-12.
WE BELIEVE God, by His Word and Spirit, creates the Church, calling sinful men out of the human race into the fellowship of Christ’s body. The Church is not a religious institution or denomination; rather, the Church is made up of those who have become genuine followers of Jesus Christ and have personally appropriated the gospel. The Church exists to worship and glorify God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It also exists to serve Him by faithfully doing His will on earth. This service involves a commitment to see the gospel preached and churches planted in the entire world. The ultimate mission of the Church is to bring glory to God by making disciples. Christ has given ministries to the Church, including prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, for the equipping of Christ’s body so that it might mature and grow.
WE BELIEVE water baptism is only for the individual who has received the saving benefits of Christ’s atoning work and become His disciple. In obedience to Christ’s command and as a testimony to God, the Church, oneself, and the world, a believer should be immersed in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Water baptism is a visual and symbolic demonstration of a person’s union with Christ in the likeness of His death and resurrection. It signifies that a former way of life has been put to death and vividly depicts a person’s release from being mastered by sin.
WE BELIEVE the Lord’s Supper is to be observed only by those who have become genuine followers of Christ. It symbolizes the breaking of Christ’s body and the shedding of His blood on our behalf and it is to be observed repeatedly throughout the Christian life as a sign of continued participation in the atoning benefits of Christ’s death. As we come to the table with an attitude of faith and self-examination, we remember and proclaim the death of Christ, receive spiritual nourishment for our souls, and signify our unity with other members of Christ’s body.
WE BELIEVE the end of all things includes the future, physical, visible, personal, and glorious return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead and the translation (rapture) of those alive in Christ, the judgment of the just and the unjust, and the fulfillment of Christ’s kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth. Satan, the demons, and all those outside Christ, are separated from the presence of God, enduring eternal punishment, but the righteous, in glorious bodies, will live and reign with Him forever, serving Him and giving Him unending praise and glory.
*****As the need arises to make a statement on a controversial issue, a study is done and the research provided.