THE BIBLE

We believe the Bible is the written Word of God. It is inspired by God, written by men, and free of all error. It consists of the 39 books in the Old Testament and the 27 books in the New Testament. It contains the only infallible, inerrant, and sufficient revelation of God and his plan for redemption. It is the highest standard of truth and everything we need to know to be saved and live for God’s glory is found within its pages. [Psalm 119:160; Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:25-27; John 10:35; John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21]

THE TRINITY

We believe in one God revealed in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, without beginning or end. Each is truly and fully God. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. They are three in one: distinguishable, but not divided. This belief is one of the foundational and historical beliefs of the Christian faith. [Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:18-19; John 1:1-2; Acts 2:32-33; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Ephesians 4:4-6; Titus 3:4-7]

GOD THE FATHER

We believe in God the Father: maker of heaven and earth, who created all things by his Word through which he also sustains them. He is all knowing, all present, and all powerful, perfect in his character, his attributes, and all his actions. He has always existed and from eternity past has declared all that should happen, not based on his foreknowledge of the future, but upon his perfect will. He is the sovereign ruler of all things. [Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 32:4; Job 34:10-15; Psalm 90:2; Psalm 135:6; Lamentations 3:37-38; Matthew 19:26: Acts 2:22-24; Hebrews 4:13; Hebrews 11:3]

JESUS CHRIST

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s One and Only Son. He is the perfect representation of the Father. He is God and has always existed as God. All things were created through him and for him. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and by living a sinless life he perfectly fulfilled the righteous requirements of God’s law. He suffered a violent death on the cross as a substitute for God’s people by bearing God’s holy wrath against sin, and three days later rose from the dead. He then ascended into heaven where he stands on behalf of all those who place their trust in his sacrifice for sins and his resurrection. He alone is Lord. [Luke 1:30-35; John 3:16-18; Romans 3:25-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-22; Hebrews 1; Hebrews 4:15]

THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. He is not a force or power from God, but is fully God, the Lord and giver of life. He brings to life chosen sinners who are spiritually dead in sin that they might understand the gospel message and turn from their sins to trust in Christ. All believers are baptized in him and incorporated into the body Christ. He reveals spiritual truth and gives understanding of the Scriptures. [John 6:63-65; John 14:25; Romans 8:30; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Titus 3:5-7; 1 John 2:27]

The Holy Spirit also empowers believers for service to their Lord and distributes gifts to each believer as God wills. The purpose of these gifts is the “common good” of believers; building us up together toward maturity and the fullness of Christ. [1 Corinthians 12:7, 11; 1 Corinthians 14:12; Ephesians 4:7, 11-16]

We believe that the gifts mentioned in the New Testament continue to be given to the church today. However, we do recognize that the Spirit of God has worked in special ways in different periods of redemptive history. The ministry of Jesus and the Apostles are an example of this. No particular gift of the Spirit is any indication of spiritual superiority and believers are to daily depend on the Holy Spirit to empower and influence them as opposed to seeking a one-time special experience. [Romans 12:3-6; 1 Corinthians 12:29-31]

MAN

We believe that the human race is the pinnacle of God’s creation. God created man, both male and female, in his image to bring glory to himself. Man was created without sin, having the ability to do spiritual good or evil. When tempted by Satan, man rebelled against his Creator, resulting in spiritual death. No longer was man able to do any spiritual good, but only evil, having been enslaved in his will and nature to sin. The effects of sin were so pervasive that all humanity is born into this state of spiritual death, separated from fellowship with their Creator. Because of God’s righteousness and the radical sinfulness of man, all people are under the wrath of a just God, desperately in need of a Savior. [Genesis 1:27-31; Genesis 3; John 3:36; Romans 3:23, 9-12; Romans 5:12-15; Romans 8:18-19; Ephesians 2:1-3]

Because the Bible teaches that God made both Adam and Eve in his image, we believe that men and women are equal before God as persons; both bear God’s image. Though they are equal before God, they are created as distinctly masculine and feminine, each with a unique and complementary role. These roles are to be displayed in the home, the church, and in society. [Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:18; 1 Corinthians 14:33-36; Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Timothy 2:11-14; 1 Peter 3:1-7]

SALVATION

We believe that salvation is God’s gift to those he has chosen by his own good pleasure, not because of any foreseen merit or anything good in them. Through the declaration of the gospel the Holy Spirit brings to life spiritually dead sinners. These sinners are given the gifts of repentance (turning away from sin) and faith (confident trust) in Christ’s death on the cross in their place. The Father then credits to these sinners the righteousness of Christ. Not that they in themselves are made righteous, but that Christ’s righteousness is imputed or applied to their account. Because of this they are justified before God, adopted as his children, and will be preserved by God until he brings them into his glorious presence. It is by grace (God’s unmerited favor) alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. [John 1:12-13; Romans 1:16; Romans 9:10-24; Romans 10:14-17; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:16, 21; Ephesians 1:3-14; Ephesians 2:4-10; Philippians 3:8-9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Peter 1:3-5]

SANCTIFICATION

We believe that upon faith in Christ, believers are set free from the powerful rule of sin and are no longer its slaves. The Holy Spirit gives them a new heart and works in them to change their desires and actions, to bear spiritual fruit and to make them more like Christ. Sin’s presence still dwells in the life of the believer though, causing a continual struggle between the desires of the flesh and of the Spirit. Our cooperation with the Holy Spirit’s work is accomplished through involvement in the life of the local church and through spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible study. Although perfect Christ-likeness or the complete absence of sin will not be seen in this lifetime, this process of sanctification is to be carried on throughout the life of the believer. [Romans 6:6-11, 22; Romans 7:14-25; Romans 8:12-13; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Galatians 5:16-17, 22-25; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Philippians 3:12-14; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:8-10]

THE CHURCH

We believe the church is the body and bride of Christ. It is not a religious institution or denomination, but is the spiritual body of all true believers in Christ, those called out by God, in heaven and on earth, from the beginning till the end of time. [Matthew 18:15-20; Romans 12:4-5; Ephesians 4:4-6; Colossians 1:18, 24]

While the church is an invisible body, we believe that God has also commanded that believers devote themselves to teaching, fellowship, and prayer in a community or local assembly also called a church. These local churches are composed of men and women who have turned from their sins and placed their faith in Christ as Lord and Savior, and upon trusting in him, they have also been baptized by being immersed in water as a symbol of their unity with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection, and their new life through him. [Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Ephesians 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Hebrews 10:24-25]

Because Christ loved the church and gave himself for her, he has given special instructions for her care. Membership is reserved only for those who have shown evidence of saving grace and who have made a public profession of their faith through baptism. Members are to be discipline, both formatively and correctively. This discipline not only strengthens the body, but also protects the corporate witness of the church in the

community around it.

The church is to be served by leaders called pastors or elders and by deacons. Elders lead the church by looking after the spiritual health of the body and equipping believers for ministry. Deacons serve the church by assisting the elders in their work and looking after the practical needs of the church. [Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13; 2 Corinthians 2:5-8; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; Hebrews 13:17]

Elders are to be men of exemplary character, having healthy marriages and strong families, displaying spiritual maturity, possessing an ability to teach the truths of the faith, and holding a good reputation with those outside the church. [1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4] 

Deacons are to be men or women of excellent character, also having healthy marriages and strong families. They are to be self-controlled, worthy of respect, and are to be faithful in serving and meeting the practical needs of the church.

Our local church is completely independent of outside rule, but makes its own decisions as directed by God’s Word.

WORSHIP

We believe that God, as the only-wise, infinite, all-powerful creator and ruler of all things, is worthy of worship and honor from all created things, seen and unseen. Because “worship” is assigning greatest worth and honor to God, it is for that reason about him and not us. Our worship is to be pleasing to God and the only way we can confidently please him through our worship is by worshipping him in the ways prescribed in Scripture. We do not have the liberty to worship God in ways that simply seem convenient or enjoyable to us, but must derive our actions in worship from the pattern of Scripture. [Exodus 20:1-6; Matthew 22:36-38; Romans 1:21-23; Romans 11:33-36; Colossians 3:16-17; 1 Timothy 4:13; Hebrews 13:15]

Believers should worship God, individually, every day and everywhere. As a united body though, or a local church, believers are to gather regularly for worship. Historically, Sunday is referred to as the Lord’s Day, and has been the day of worship for Christians since the days of the Apostles, because it was on Sunday that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead. It was also on Sunday that the first Christians were gathered together and were baptized with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. For this reason, Christians over the centuries have placed special emphasis on Sunday as a day of personal and corporate worship. However, there is no biblical mandate that the local church must gather on Sunday. [John 20:1-10, 19; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Revelation 1:9-10]

BAPTISM

We believe that all those who have turned from sin to trust in Christ, according to the teachings of Christ himself, are to be immersed in water or "baptized" in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. This act of obedience does not "save" anyone or wash away their sins, nor is it through this act that believers are indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Rather, it symbolizes the union of believers with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. It is an outward sign of an inward change, the first step of obedience for the follower of Christ. [Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12, 35-38; Romans 6:4-5; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12]

THE LORD’S SUPPER

We believe that the Lord Jesus left, as an ongoing remembrance of his sacrifice, the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. The elements of bread and wine represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ, which was broken and shed for the sins of his people. At no time do the elements of the Lord’s Supper become anything more than bread and wine. Although believers are to approach the Lord’s Supper with an attitude of faith and self-examination, it is not through their participation that they are saved. It is through the once-for-all shedding of the blood of Christ that the sins of Christians are forgiven and through the resurrection of Christ that Christians are justified before God. As believers participate in the Lord’s Supper, they commemorate the Lord’s death, renew their communion with him, and demonstrate their fellowship with believers. [Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 10:15-17; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; Hebrews 9:26-28; Hebrews 10:1-18]

THE LORD’S RETURN AND END OF ALL THINGS

We believe that some day, Jesus Christ will return. No one but the Father knows the appointed day, but it is fixed and approaching. Although there are many views among Christians about the return of Christ and the fulfillment of his kingdom, on several points we can all agree and be sure. The physical bodies of all the dead will be raised to life, and Jesus Christ will judge all people according to their deeds. The righteous will be rewarded eternal life in the presence of their Father while the wicked will be condemned to the eternal suffering of God’s wrath in hell, along with Satan and the fallen angels. There will be a new heaven and a new earth and the dwelling place of God will be with his people. Those who are counted righteous will not be considered righteous by comparison of their efforts to those of the wicked, but on account of the righteousness of Christ which is credited to sinners who turn from their sins and trust in Christ as their Lord and Savior. [Matthew 24:36-44; Matthew 25:31-46; Acts 1:6-7; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Timothy 4:1; 2 Peter 3:1-13; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:1-7]