THE HOLY BIBLE
We believe that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”. We, therefore, believe that the very words of Scripture are the only complete and final revelation from God and are the supreme standard of all faith and practice. We further believe that Scripture “never had its origin in the will of man but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”. (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:21)
GOD
We believe in one God eternally co-equal in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; I Corinthians 8:6; 1 Peter 1:2)
LORD JESUS CHRIST
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God and that He became man when He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. We believe that Christ led a sinless life, died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures, and ascended into heaven. We further believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest and is the only sufficient Mediator between God and man. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:14; I Corinthians 15:3-4; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:15, 7:25)
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God, that He convicts of sin, regenerates the sinner, reveals truth, and enables and energizes believers in matters of prayer, godly living and service. (John 3: 5-6; John 14:16-17; John 14:26; John 16: 8-11; Romans 8:14, 16, 26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14)
SATAN
We believe that Satan is a person, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the leader of all the powers of darkness. We also believe that Satan tempted man into sin. We further believe that Satan will be judged and ultimately cast into the lake of fire. (Genesis 3:1-7; Matthew 4:1-3; II Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 20:1-3, 10)
CREATION AND FALL OF MAN
We believe that man is created in the image of God. Adam, the first man sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God. As a result of this original sin, all human beings are born with a sinful nature. That sinful nature is demonstrated through active rebellion and passive indifference to God. Man has absolutely no personal ability to merit God’s favor, change his nature or his spiritual condition. (Genesis 1:27; Romans 3:10-18, 5:12, 6:23; I Corinthians 15:22; Ephesians 2:8-9)
SALVATION
We believe that “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast”. We further believe that salvation involves repentance from sin and a turning in faith to Christ as personal Lord and Savior. (Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-9)
ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER
We believe that each child of God is sealed by the Holy Spirit and preserved for eternity. As a result we believe that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39)
CHURCH
We believe that the Church is defined as the body of Christ, with Jesus as its head, and is comprised of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, thus embracing all the redeemed called by God, born of the Spirit, and justified by faith. The Church is called to meet regularly for worship, edification, equipping, fellowship, and correction so that God is glorified, the Gospel is communicated, and believers come to maturity. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are prescribed practices for the Church that is for believers only. Baptism, by immersion following conversion, is a testimony portraying the believer’s union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper so that we will remember and proclaim His death until He comes again. We believe that it is appropriate and consistent with scripture for evangelical churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel. (Matthew 18:15-18, 28:19-20; John 3:5; Romans 3:26, 6:1-5; I Corinthians 10:31, 11:23-32; Ephesians 1:20-23, 2:19-22, 4:11-13; Colossians 1:18, 28, 3: 12-17; Hebrews 10:24-25)
LAST THINGS
We believe in the imminent, personal, bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 9:28; James 5:8) We believe that all will be judged by God, which will result in the eternal state of blessing for the believer and eternal punishment for the unbeliever. (Malachi 3:18; Matthew 25:31-46; John 3:36)