What We Believe

breathed out by God through the supernatural power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit upon its writers. The Bible is true, perfect, sure, right, and pure and it teaches convicts, corrects, and trains in righteousness. Through the Bible, God reveals himself, His plan of salvation through and only through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, and our part as His creation in His plan. The Bible is the standard of truth by which we test all things. (Psalm 19:7-9; Psalm 119; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 4:12; John 17:17; Matthew 7:28-29; 28:18-20; 1 John 4:1; 2 Peter 1:21)

existing simultaneously in eternal unity as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4)

according to his divine purpose and will, and that everything that exists is under his ultimate, sovereign control. (Genesis 1; Exodus 3:14; Philippians 3:21)

and as such is unique among all living creatures. (Genesis 1:26-27)

in a covenant relationship that God intends to last until death parts them. (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6)

and that all humanity born since then has been born with a sin-nature, except for the perfect man, the Incarnate Son, Jesus Christ. (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12)

He is the image of the invisible God who is fully divine yet took upon Himself the full human nature through the incarnation. He was sent by God the Father, lived a perfect and sinless life and died as a substitutionary sacrifice atoning for the sins of the world so that whoever repents, believing in Him for salvation, shall not perish, but have eternal life; so that we may become the righteousness of God. He rose on the third day in the body in which he was crucified, ascended into heaven, and now sits at the right hand of God the Father interceding for those that belong to Him as their High Priest. He will one day return to establish His kingdom, judging all mankind and separating the sheep from the goats for all eternity. (Colossians 1:15; John 1:14; John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:14-16; Matthew 25:31-46

The Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment and is the source of repentance and faith. The Holy Spirit dwells within all believers and He both reminds us of and leads us into all truth. He empowers us to live lives of faith, teaches us the things of God, sanctifies us to mirror the image and likeness of God, and distributes to believers the gifts of God for the purposes of edifying and building up the church and glorifying God. (John 16:8-11; 1 Corinthians 6:19; John 14; 1 Corinthians 12:11-14:12)

and that this comes only through regeneration by power of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:3-8)

that this perseverance distinguishes them from those who claim to be believers but ultimately are not; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. (Matthew 10:22; 2 Timothy 1:12)

The local expression of the church is visible as a congregation of baptized believers, who have associated themselves together by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel for the purpose of observing the ordinances of Christ, obeying his commands, and exercising the gifts, rights, responsibilities and privileges invested in them by His Word. (1 Corinthians 1:2; 5:11-13; 12:28; 14:26; Ephesians 3:10)

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to show symbolically our faith in and identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and to show its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life in Christ. We also believe that baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership, and to participation in the Lord’s Supper. (Acts 2:41, 47; Romans 6:4; 1 Peter 3:21)

We believe that participation in the Lord’s Supper is a solemn act and should be preceded by a time of self-examination. We believe that participation in the Lord’s Supper is for professing, baptized believers. (1 Corinthians 11:23-28)

a day in which we gather as believers to worship God through singing, prayer, and the preaching of His Word. (Acts 20:7; Colossians 3:16)

that at the last day Christ will descend from heaven, and raise the dead from the grave to face the final judgment; that the wicked will be sentenced to endless punishment in hell, and the righteous will be rewarded with endless joy in heaven; and that this judgment fixes forever the final state of each person. (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:12)

Satan is the head of all demons and is the originator of sin who opposes and works to destroy the work and purposes of God. Satan is the very real adversary of God and the people of God; yet is limited in control and power with any authority coming directly from God’s permission. Satan aims to steal and kill and destroy. Ultimately, through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, Satan and his purposes have been defeated and he will eventually be thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur with all who belong to him and will be eternally tormented. (Genesis 1:1; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 20:10; Isaiah 14:12-15; Job 1:12, 2:6; 1 Peter 5:8; John 10:10)