Statement of Faith
These core doctrinal beliefs come directly from the Word of God and are what drive us to faithfully honor and live for the Lord and His Kingdom.
The Authority of The Word of God
We believe the complete sixty-six books of the Bible, including the Old and New Testaments, are the authoritative and full record of God’s self-disclosure to mankind. Different men, while writing according to their own styles and personalities, were supernaturally moved along by the Holy Spirit to record God’s supreme and inerrant Word. Therefore, those applying themselves to study its literal, historical-grammatical context can accurately understand God’s Word. Scripture is fully trustworthy as our final and only sufficient authority for all of life. (Psalm 19:7-11; Psalm 119; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18; John 5:46-47; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15-16; 1 Peter 1:23-25, 2 Peter 1:20-21).
Trinity of The One Triune God
We believe in the one living and true God, eternally (John 17:3) existing in perfect unity as three equally and fully divine Persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20). Each member of the Godhead, while executing distinct but complementary roles in redemptive history, has precisely the same nature, attributes, and being, and is equally worthy of the same glory and honor and obedience. (Genesis 1:1, Psalm 24:1-2; Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:19-20; John 1:1-3; John 17:24; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6, Ephesians 4:4-6; Hebrews 1:2).
God The Father
We believe God the Father created all things for His glory according to His own will (Revelation 4:11), through His Son, Jesus Christ. He upholds all things by the Word of His power and grace, exercising sovereign headship over all creation, providence, and redemption. (Matthew 23:9; Luke 10:21-22; John 3:16; John 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; Ephesians 1:3-12; 1 Timothy 1:1-2; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 4:11)
God The Son
We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, moved by love in accordance with the will of the Father, took on human flesh (John 1:1,14,18). Conceived through the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the virgin Mary. He, being fully God and fully man (John 14:8-9), lived a sinless life and sacrificially shed His blood and died on the cross in our place accomplishing redemption for all who place their faith in Him. He arose visibly and bodily from the dead three days later and ascended into heaven, where, at the Father’s right hand, He is now Head of His Body the Church, the only Savior and Mediator between God and man, and will return to earth in power and glory to consummate His redemptive mission. (John 1:1-3,14,18; John 14:8-9; Colossians 1:15-18; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:3)
God The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ during this age. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He works in the hearts of people for repentance and faith, and at salvation He imparts new spiritual life to the believer, bringing that person into union with Christ and the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit sanctifies, seals, fills, guides, instructs, comforts, equips, empowers, and permanently indwells the believer at salvation, and bestows spiritual gifts to the believer for Christ-like living and service. (John 16:8; 13:15; Ephesians 1:22; 4:11–12; Romans 8:9-17; 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 12:4-5, 11–13, 19; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Galatians 5:25; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 2:1–4)
Humanity Made In The Image of God
We believe that in the beginning God created humanity – male and female – in His own image and likeness - free of sin to glorify God and enjoy His fellowship. We believe that God directly created Adam from the dust of the ground and Eve from his side. We believe that Adam and Eve are the historical parents of the entire human race and they were appointed with differing and complementary roles in marriage which serves as a beautiful demonstration of Christ and the Church.
We believe in the God-given sanctity and worth of all human life, from conception to natural death.
We believe that marriage is created by God to be shared between one biological man and one biological woman, in a lifelong holy covenant, for the purpose of companionship, intimacy, and procreation. Our created gender, sexuality and fulfillment are gifts from God embraced with gratitude.
(Genesis 1:27-28; Genesis 2:7; Genesis 2:18; Genesis 2:24; Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:4-5; Luke 1:41; Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5:22-33).
We believe that Adam and Eve, while living in the fellowship and sovereignty of God, were tempted by Satan and freely chose to disobey God, bringing sin, death and condemnation to all mankind. All human beings, therefore, are totally depraved by nature and by choice. Alienated from God without defense or excuse, and subject to God’s righteous wrath, all of mankind is in desperate need of the Savior.
(Genesis 3:1–6; Romans 1:18; Romans 3:10–19; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23)
Salvation
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as the substitutionary atonement in our place, and that salvation is found in none other than Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was the sole and complete payment for sins, fully satisfying God’s righteous wrath, for each person that turns from sin in repentance and places their faith in Christ alone by grace alone. At salvation, each person is made a new creation by the Holy Spirit, declared righteous before God, and this genuine faith continues in obedience and love for Jesus Christ with a life eager to glorify God. (Romans 8:37–39; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:3-14)
The Church
We believe that upon placing one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, the believer is made part of the Body of Christ, the one universal Church, of which Jesus Christ is the Head. Scripture commands believers to gather locally in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, fellowship, the ordinances of Baptism and Communion, service to the local body through the development and use of talents and spiritual gifts, and outreach to the world to make disciples.
We believe that the Spirit of God has given all believers spiritual gifts for the building up of the body of Christ. We believe that the Great Commission that has been given to the Church by the Lord Jesus to make disciples of all nations, locally and globally, is binding His Church to the end of the age. Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the Church under the watchful care of Elders as the local church should recognize and affirm the divine calling of spiritually qualified men to give godly leadership to the church.
(Matthew 16:18; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:42-46; Acts 20:28; Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Peter 5:1).
Baptism
We believe Christian baptism is an ordinance instituted by Christ to display who is part of His Church, reserved for those who have been saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus. Baptism is an obedient and public declaration of the believer’s salvation in Christ; it is not a means of salvation. Baptism is a picture of the believer’s union to Christ, and expresses the believer has been buried with Him, raised with Him to new life, and has been cleansed from sin. Full immersion into water best depicts this all-consuming, transformative work of God. The Lord graciously bestows this ordinance to His children to tangibly illustrate the work he has accomplished by His grace. Finally, baptism marks the believer for a life of faithful service in the Church and in the world. (Ezekiel 36:24-27, Luke 3:21-22; Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:26-40; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:3-4; Ephesians 2:8-9; Colossians 2:11-12, 1 Peter 3:18-22)
Communion
We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the united commemoration by believers of Christ’s death until He comes and should be preceded by a careful self-examination (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34).
Discipleship
We believe it is the aim, duty, and privilege of every believer and local church fellowship to glorify God by responding as active participants in the Great Commission call of Jesus Christ to go and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20).
