The Bible
We believe that the Bible (the Old & New Testaments) is God's Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the inspired, inerrant and infallible living Word of God. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without error. It is the supreme source for Christian beliefs about living. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21; Psalm 119:105, 160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)
God
We believe there is One and only One living and true God, the Creator of all and Ruler of the universe, Preserver, and Eternal Judge. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and are one God. (Genesis 1:1, 26-27; 3:22; Exodus 20:2, 3; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; I Corinthians 8:6; II Corinthians 13:14; I Peter 1:2; Revelation 4:11)
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He is coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus robed Himself with human flesh by being supernaturally born of a virgin named Mary. He came into this world as foretold in the Scriptures to be the Redeemer of mankind. He lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 53:1; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:22-23; Luke 1:30-35; 24:34-39; John 1:1-5; 14:10-30; 20:20; Acts 1:9-11; 2:22-6; Romans 1:3-4; 3:25-26; I Corinthians 15:3-4; Philippians 2:1-10, I Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:3; 2:17; 4:14-15; 7:25; 10:1-14)
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer spiritual gifts when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily. (John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 3:17; I Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 1:13, 5:18)
Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin, and the cause of the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; Revelation 20:10)
Creation
We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject Evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. God’s creation was perfect, but became marred by man’s sin. (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11; Romans 5:12)
Sin
We believe that sin is any kind of disobedience to God’s standard of righteousness. Sin entered into this world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. Since that time, every person is born with a sin nature. We are guilty sinners before a Holy God from the moment we reach the age of accountability and choose to sin. Sin hurts, destroys lives, and will ultimately lead to not only physical death but also spiritual death. We all face God’s judgment for our sins. Good works, baptism, church membership or any other efforts on man’s part can not save us from His judgment. (Genesis 3; Romans 3:10, 23; 5:8, 12; 6:23a; Hebrews 9:27)
Salvation
We believe that because every person faces the judgment of God for his sin, then every person is in need of salvation. God desires that everyone be saved, the Gospel invites everyone to be saved, and the Holy Spirit strives with everyone to receive salvation. Salvation is God's free gift to us, but we must accept it. Salvation can only be obtained by repentance and by placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the ONLY way to be made right with God. At that moment a person trusts Christ, he or she is declared righteous before God, our sins are forgiven, and eternal life begins. (John 1:2, 14:6; Romans 5:1; 6:23; 10:9-10; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)
Evidence of Salvation
We believe salvation is instantaneous and not a process. When a person receives Christ as Savior, he becomes a “new creation.” If a person is truly saved there will be an evident change of life from unrighteousness to righteousness, seen in how he thinks, acts, lives, decision making, and in his interaction and treatment of others. Sanctification continues during the Christian life as the believer grows in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ; and that it is completed when the believer stands in the presence of Christ, either at death or at the return of Christ. (John 3:3; 3:6, 7; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 6:23; II Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1, 5; II Peter 1:4; I John 5:1)
Security of the Believer
We believe that the Word of God teaches the security of the believer, that God will keep securely in His hand (John 10:25-30) those who are trusting in Jesus, but offers absolutely no hope for that person who is not trusting in Christ (I Peter 1:5). The link that unites God and man is faith (John 3:16). The security of the believer is based upon continuous faith in Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:21-23; John 3:16; Hebrews 3:12-13). We believe that the Scriptures present the possibility of an authentic believer ceasing to believe (I John 2:24; Hebrews 3:12-13) but not in the probability (Hebrews 6:9). We believe that apostasy is committed by willful unbelief and is without remedy (Hebrews 6:4-6).
Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God (Romans 12:1-2; 14:13; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; II Timothy 3:1-5; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11).
Baptism
We believe baptism is symbolic of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Once we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, baptism is a way for us to publicly declare our new life in Christ. It is also a step of obedience based on God’s commands and allows us to follow the example of Jesus, Who was baptized to "fulfill all righteousness." We believe in water baptism by submersion (Matthew 3:16-17; 28:18-20; Acts 2:41, 8:12, 35-39; Romans 6:4).
The Lord’s Supper
We believe in the commemoration of the Lord’s Supper as a type of the broken body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is to be practice by those who have received Christ as their Savior in order to show the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection and to look forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-22; I Corinthians 11:23-26).
Washing of the Saints’ Feet
We believe in practicing the washing of the saints’ feet as taught in John 13:1-17. The washing of the saints’ feet teaches humility and reminds the believer of a daily cleansing from all sin.
The Church
We believe in the unity of all true believers in the church, which is the body of Christ, and that all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, are added to this church by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:41, 42; I Corinthians 11:2, 12:12, 13; Ephesians 3:1-6) We believe that this church is manifested through the local church which is a congregation and called out assembly of baptized believers associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; governed by God’s laws, exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; and that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scripture. We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all as we have opportunity and the discipling of the believer in the faith after becoming a Christ follower. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for biblical churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel. Each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; and that on all matters of membership, polity, government, discipline, benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Acts 15:13-18; 20:17-28; I Timothy 3:1-7; Ephesians 1:22, 23, 4:11, 5:23, 24; Colossians 1:18)
Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that leaders are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. (Exodus 18:21, 22; II Samuel 23:3; Acts 23:5; Romans 13:17)
The Lord’s Day
Since Sunday is the first day of the week and the day our Lord resurrected from the grave (Mark 16:9), we should celebrate the risen Savior on this day as did the disciples in Acts 20:7. We believe this day should be set apart and observed as the “Christian’s” day for rest and worship and should be kept Holy (Genesis 2:2; Exodus 34:21; 1 Corinthians 6:12).
Tithing
God commanded tithes (ten percent) and offerings (above the tithe) in the Old Testament; Jesus Christ endorsed it in the Gospel; and the Apostle Paul said," upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him." We believe that in the New Testament grace-giving is taught, that a man gives cheerfully and wonderfully above His tithe to the work of the ministry and needs of the believers. (Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:21; Deuteronomy 14:23, 28; Malachi 3:8-10; Matthew 23:23; I Corinthians 16:2)
Marriage and Sexuality
We believe that GOD has ordained the home and marriage (Genesis 1:26-28, 2:18-25; Ephesians 5:21-33) to be between one man and one woman. We believe that GOD has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; I Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23) We believe that any form of sexual perversion (e.g., homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest) or any form of sexual practices clearly stated as sinful in the Scriptures (e.g., fornication, adultery, and pornography) are sinful perversions of GOD’s gift of sex and intimacy. We believe that GOD created the gender of each baby and that each child should be raised in the “grace and admonition” of the LORD to the identity that they have in Christ as a human being, as well as a believer. Attempts to alter one’s gender by appearance or surgery are not in agreement with GOD’s Creation and are sinful. (Genesis 2:24, 19:5, 13, 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)
Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon (Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 19:3-12; Romans 7:1-3; I Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6).
Abortion
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable (Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).
The Rapture and Future Events
We believe in the imminent, pre-tribulational, pre-millennial return of Christ for His church; and that at that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies, and the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without experiencing death; and all shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the tribulation, the seventieth week of Daniel. (Daniel 9:25-27; Matthew 24:29-31; Revelation 20:1-4, 6)
Eternity
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28, 29; 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13). The souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 2:23; 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6). The souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when the soul and body are reunited, and they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15).
Missions
We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language in order that many will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We must not only send and support missionaries to go where God has called them to go, but we must also be willing to be an enthusiastic witness to those in our own personal mission field. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:20).