What We Believe

God

We believe in one God, the Creator and Preserver of all things, who is infinite in being and absolute in perfection. He exists eternally in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – who are of one essence and equal in power and glory.

Deuteronomy 6:4; John 6:27; Hebrews 1:8; Acts 5:3,4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Matthew 28:19

Jesus

We believe that God the Son became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. He is fully God and fully man, the eternal and only begotten Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, sinless in His life, making atonement for the sins of the world by His death. He was bodily resurrected, ascended into heaven and now serves as high priest, intercessor and advocate on behalf of all believers.

John 1:1-2, 14; 8:56-59; 10:30-33; Matthew 1:18-25; Hebrews 4:15, 9:12; 1 John 2:1-2; Romans 1:4; John 20:25-27; Hebrews 7:25; Acts 1:9-11

Holy Spirit

We believe that God the Holy Spirit is a person. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and draws men to personal faith in Christ. At salvation, He imparts to the believer new life, baptizes him into the body of Christ, and comes to indwell him permanently. The Holy Spirit guides, teaches, and strengthens the believer and empowers him to manifest the character of Christ. He gives spiritual gifts to believers for mutual edification.

1 Corinthians 2:10,11; Psalm 139:7; John 16:8-11, 14:16, 3:5-7; Titus 3:5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 1:13; John 14:26, 16:13; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

Bible

We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts. It is the final authority in all matters about which it speaks, and is sufficient as our only infallible rule of faith and practice.

2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:20,21; John 10:35; Matthew 5:17-18

Angels & Demons

We believe that angels are powerful spirit beings who are distinct from human beings and from God. Some angels carry out the purposes of God while others (who sinned and fell from heaven) serve Satan, who is himself an angel. We believe in the reality and personality of Satan and that, when given the opportunity, he attempts to defeat Christians. However, Christians can overcome Satan's schemes by applying Scriptural truth.

Hebrews 1:14; 2 Peter 2:11; 2 Corinthians 11:14-15; Isaiah 14:12-14; Luke 10:18; Matthew 25:41; Ephesians 6:10-19; John 8:44; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9

Sin & Salvation

We believe that the first man and woman were created in the image of God, free as to choice and responsible to their Creator. But man, tempted by Satan, willfully sinned and consequently experienced separation from God. The consequences of this sin affect the entire human race. Since that time, all human beings have been born with a sinful nature, commit acts of sin, and are lost apart from the atoning work of Christ. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men. Believers are resurrected to enjoy eternal life with God. Unbelievers are resurrected to experience judgment and eternal suffering apart from God.

Genesis 1:26,27, 2:16-17, 3:1-24; Romans 5:12-19; Ephesians 2:1-3, 4:17-19; Romans 3:23; Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 20:4-6,12-15; John 5:28-29; Daniel 12:2; Revelation 21:1-8

We believe that Jesus Christ is the only Savior from sin. He died as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin and all who believe in Him are declared righteous on the basis of His shed blood and resurrection.

2 Corinthians 5:14; Mark 10:45; Romans 3:24-26; 1 Peter 3:18; Romans 4:8-9

We believe that whoever trusts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord becomes a child of God. This salvation is not achieved by any human effort or merit, but rather is received as a free gift from God by grace through faith. In becoming a Christian a person acknowledges his total inability to meet the righteous demands of a holy God and places his complete trust for salvation in Jesus Christ who died in his place, paying the penalty for his sin.

John 1:12, 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:28

We believe that all true believers are kept eternally secure by the power of God through the new birth, the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit, and the intercession of Christ.

John 10:28-30, 14:16-17; 1 Peter 1:23; Ephesians 4:30; 1 John 2:1; Romans 8:38-39

We believe that all Christians still encounter personal sin (from within) and spiritual warfare (from without) in this life, but that from the moment of salvation God has made provision for believers to overcome these through understanding their new identity in Christ, knowing and applying the Word of God, fellowshipping with other Christians, and living by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:17-21; Ephesians 6:10-19; 2 Peter 1:3-4; Romans 6-8; Philippians 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Galatians 6:1-2, 5:16, 22-24

Church

We believe that all who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit belong to the one true church, the body of Christ. This church is seen in the world through local assemblies of believers who are joined together for the purpose of glorifying God, edifying one another, and evangelizing the world. The church is a theocratic organization served by elders and deacons. The two church ordinances are baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is a public testimony of conversion to Christ and the Lord's Supper is a memorial symbolizing His body given for us and His blood shed for the remission of sins.

Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 4:14-16; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Romans 16:5; Ephesians 1:3-14; Romans 15:5-6; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:14-16; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Isaiah 45:22, 49:6; John 17:18-20; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; Acts 2:38; Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:24-26

Christ's Return

We believe in the personal, imminent return of Christ to earth in sovereign power and glory to establish His righteous rule, and look for a “new heaven and a new earth” in which righteousness dwells.

Matthew 24; Luke 21; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 1 Corinthians 15:22-28; 2 Peter 3:3-13; Revelation 20:1-6, 21-22