We Believe

The Scriptures

We believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, and the sole authority in doctrine and life (2 Tim. 3:16–17; 2 Pet. 1:21; John 17:17; Matt. 5:18).

The Godhead

We believe in one God eternally existing in three equal persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—who have the same nature and attributes but who are distinct in their roles (Matt. 28:19; John 15:26; 2 Cor. 13:14).

The Person and Work of God the Father

We believe God the Father is the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things. In His nature He is, among other things, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, holy, just and loving. God is transcendent and as such distinguished from creation, but He is also immanent, and therefore, is graciously involved in the life of His creation (Acts 17:29; Ps. 139:1–18; Isaiah 6:3; John 3:16; Eph. 1:3–6; Matt. 6:28–30).

The Person and Work of Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ preexisted as the eternal Son of God and was active in creation and other providential acts before His incarnation (John 1:1–3; 12:41; Col. 1:15–17).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ became man without ceasing to be God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful human beings. He accomplished our salvation through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice, and our redemption is guaranteed by His bodily resurrection from the dead (John 1:1, 14, 18; Luke 1:35; Romans 3:24–26, 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:1–7, 16–19).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, exalted at the right hand of God, where as High Priest, He intercedes as the only Mediator and Advocate before the Father for His people (Heb. 1:3, 3:1, 7:23–25; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:1–2).

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe that God, the Holy Spirit, is that person of the Trinity who restrains evil in the world and convicts men of sin. He also regenerates those who believe in Christ as Savior, baptizing them at the moment of salvation into the Church (the Body of Christ), indwells them permanently, seals them for the day of redemption, bestows on them spiritual gifts, and empowers those yielded to Him (John 3:8, 14:16–17; 16:7-11; 1 Cor. 12:4–11, 13).

It is the Spirit’s ministry to lead, instruct, and fill (or control) believers as they are yielded to Him and are steadfast in the study of Scripture and in prayer (Eph. 4:30, 5:18).

Angels and Satan

We believe that angels are spiritual beings who were created in a sinless state, and that they occupied different orders and ranks. They presently exist in both fallen and unfallen states; the former includes Satan and his angels; the latter are ministering spirits who serve the saints (Heb. 1:13–14; 2 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 7:12).

We believe that Satan, by his own choice the enemy of God and of the people of God, is the originator of sin. We believe he led our first parents into sin and now rules as the god of this world. Satan was judged at the cross, and ultimately he will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity (Gen. 3:1–19; Ezek. 28:12–19; Heb. 2:14; Rev. 20:10).

Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that he sinned, bringing both physical and spiritual death to himself and to his posterity. We believe that man has inherited a sinful nature, is a sinner by birth and practice, is alienated from God, and in need of salvation. However, he is incapable of redeeming himself (Gen. 1:27, 2:17, 3:19; Rom. 3:10–12, 5:12, 17–19; Eph. 2:1–9).

Salvation

We believe that every person is lost in sin apart from Christ and in need of a Savior. We believe that salvation is a gift of God and is received by man only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that man is justified by grace through faith alone, apart from works (Acts 13:38–39; Rom. 3:23–24, 6:23; Eph. 2:8–10).

We believe that all believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption and are, therefore, kept secure in Christ forever (Rom. 8:1; 38–39; Eph. 4:30; John 10:27–30).

Sanctification

We believe that sanctification, which is a setting apart of an individual unto God, is positional, progressive, and ultimate. It is positional because it is already complete, since the believer is in Christ and is set apart unto God as Christ is set apart unto God. It is progressive because the believer retains his sinful nature and, therefore, needs to continue to mature in grace by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is ultimate in that the child of God will be fully sanctified when he is taken to be with Christ and becomes like Him (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 5:25–27; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 10:10, 14; 1 John 3:2–3).

The Church

We believe that the universal church is a spiritual organism of which Christ is the head. It is composed of all persons who through faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that the church began at Pentecost, and that a believer is placed into the body of Christ by the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:22–23; 5:25–27; Acts 2:1–4; 1 Cor. 12:12–13).

We believe that the local church is a representation of the universal church and is to be composed of believers who voluntarily join together for the purpose of worship, study of the Word of God, observation of the ordinances, Christian fellowship, and prayer, thereby to be equipped for Christian service and evangelism (Acts 2:41–47; Eph. 4:11–13).

The Ordinances

We believe that Christ instituted the ordinances of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which are to be observed by believers until He returns (Matt. 28:19–20; 1 Cor. 11:23–26).

We believe that by water baptism a believer is publicly identified with his Savior in His death, burial and resurrection, and that immersion is the Scriptural mode (Acts 8:36–38).

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s death by which He established the New Covenant, and that the elements are symbols of His body and blood. Every Christian has a right to partake of the elements of the Lord’s Supper, but participation should be preceded by solemn self-examination (Luke 22:17–20; 1 Cor. 11:23–24).

Events of the End Times

We believe in the personal, imminent, pre-tribulational return of Jesus Christ who will come to take up His church to be with Him in heaven (John 14:1–3; 1 Cor. 15:51–52; 1 Thess. 4:13–18; Titus 2:11–14).

We believe that, following seven years of tribulation, the Lord will return to the earth to judge the world, save His elect, and establish His millennial kingdom upon the earth (Matt. 24:14–22; 2 Thess. 2:3–12; Rev. 6:1–19:21; 19:1–20:6).

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men. Believers are resurrected to enjoy eternal life with God. Unbelievers are resurrected to experience eternal suffering apart from God (Luke 16:19–26, 23:43; John 5:28–29; 2 Thess. 1:7–9; Rev. 20:11–15).