Our BELiefs

Here is simplified version of our doctrinal statement. If you don’t understand all this, that’s OK. Come and learn!

Scripture

We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit controlled men and therefore is truth without error. We believe that it is the true center of Christian union and the only infallible rule for all human conduct, creeds, and opinions. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Matthew. 5:18)

God

We believe that there is only one living and true God, infinite in every excellence; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three personal distinctions—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—yet one in substance and equal in every divine perfection (Exodus 20:2,3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Matthew 28:19-20).


We believe in the absolute Deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that He was divine as no other man can be, being very God of very God, existing from all eternity co-equal with the Father and the Spirit; that He never ceased to be God for one instant and that His humiliation did not consist in laying aside His deity; that as man He was miraculously begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary (John 1:1,2; 1 John 5:20; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26-38; Philippians 2:5-6).

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, equal with the Father and Son and of the same substance and nature; that He was active in creation, convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment, bears witness to the Truth, is the Agent of the New Birth and that He anoints, empowers, fills, seals, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies, and helps the believer, indwelling every true Child of God, and that He restrains the evil one (2 Corinthians 13:14; John 14:16, 17; Romans 8:9-16).

Creation

We believe that God created the heavens and the earth in six consecutive 24 hour days, including all life, “each after its own kind”, by direct act, and not by process of evolution. (Genesis 1, 2; Colossians 1:16, 17; John 1:3).

Satan and the Fall of Man

We believe in the distinct personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, author of all powers of darkness and sin, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 4:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 6:10-18; Revelation 20:10).

We believe that man, in the person of the first Adam, was created in innocence but by voluntary transgression fell into sin thus plunging the whole race into condemnation and death, so that now all mankind is born in sin and become willful sinners with the first expression of personal choice, and so are without excuse before God (Genesis 3; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 5:10-19; James 4:17).

Salvation by Grace

We believe that faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation from sin and this salvation is solely by His sovereign grace and mercy; that no works, however good, make that salvation more secure (Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 1:4-7).

We believe that all who receive Christ as their Savior are born from above and are eternally secure in Christ (John 10:28, 29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6).

The Church

We believe that the Church is a New Testament institution; unknown to Old Testament prophets; established by Jesus Christ, Who is its sole Head; revealed through the holy Apostles; empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit; His “body” for service and His “Bride” for glory. It began with the New Testament saints and will be consummated at the coming of Christ in the Rapture. (Matthew 16:18; Acts 1:8, 2:1-13, 41-47; I Corinthians 12:12-28; Ephesians 1:22,23, 5:21-33; I Thessalonians 4:13-18)


We believe that the Church is manifested through the local church which is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in it by His word; that its officers are pastors (also called bishops or elders) and deacons; that it has the absolute right of self-government directed by the Holy Spirit and it is answerable only to Christ, and that in all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline and benevolence the will of the local church is final (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 6:4,5, 7:17; 1 Timothy 3:1-15).

The Ordinances

We believe that there are two church ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of the believer in water and is properly called “Believer’s Baptism”. It sets forth in a beautiful and solemn way our faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with the effects of faith in our lives resulting in death to sin and resurrection to a new life. Baptism is a prerequisite to the privilege of church membership. The Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of our Lord’s death until He comes and our continual fellowship with Him. It should be preceded by baptism and always by careful self-examination (Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:1, 2, 23-32).

The Life of Faith

We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and should abstain from sinful pleasures by walking in obedience to the Scriptures (Romans 12:1-2, 14:13; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1, 10:4-5; Galatians 4-5:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12; 1 John 2: 15-17)

The Return of Christ

We believe in the bodily, personal, premillennial return of Jesus Christ, that He will come before the seven year tribulation period to catch away His church, coming only into the air, and that He will come with His church at the close of the tribulation to judge the living nations and to set up His kingdom on earth (John 14;3; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19:11-21; Matthew 25:31-46).

The Resurrection

We believe in the resurrection of the bodies of the dead; that believers who sleep in Jesus will be raised at the coming of Christ for His church and caught up with the transformed living saints to meet the Lord in the air, and that the wicked dead will be raised at the close of the Millennial Kingdom and stand in their bodies at the Great White Throne judgment to receive their final doom (John 5:21-30; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 20:11-15; Romans 14:9-12).