Who We Are
Statement of Doctrine
The Holy Scriptures
We believe every word of both Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original texts, infallible and God-breathed. (Isa. 40:8, Matt. 5:18, Mark 13:31, John 16:12-13)
We believe in a literal understanding of the author's intended message, correctly interpreted by historical, grammatical and contextual principles of sound interpretation. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter :20-21)
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three distinct Persons--Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-etemal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Gen 1:1, Deut. 6:4, Matt. 28:19, 2 Cor. 13:14, Peter 1:2)
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order to reveal God and redeem mankind. (Luke 1:35, John 1:1-2, 14)
We further believe that the Lord Jesus Christ provided redemption through His death on the cross, as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of the whole world; and that our salvation is assured by His literal and physical resurrection from the dead. (Rom. 3:24-25, Eph. 1:7, Peter 1:3-5, 2:24, 1 John 2:2, Rom 4:25)
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the person of God who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and of judgment, and that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, the Church, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 14:16, 16:8-11 , 1 Cor. 12:12-14, Rom. 8:9, Eph. 1:13-14)
We further believe that He intercedes for all the saints, and is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truth, and that it is the duty and privilege of every believer to be filled (controlled) by the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 8:26, John 16:13, John 2:20, 27, Eph. 5:18)
The Spiritual Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's disobedience, the entire race fell, incurring spiritual death (separation from God), inheriting a sinful nature and becoming alienated from God. Man therefore is spiritually dead from his birth and of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:26-27, Rom. 3:22-23, 5:12, Eph. 2:1-21, 1 Cor. 2:14-15)
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the free and gracious gift of God, brought to mankind in loving grace, and that this gift of eternal life is received by personal trust in Christ as one's savior and sin-bearer, whose precious blood was shed at Calvary for the forgiveness and remission of our sins. (Eph. 2:8-9, John 1:12, Eph. 1:7, 1 Peter 1:18-19)
We further believe that the Scriptures emphasize that the evidence of genuine faith in Christ is a fruitful life and the outward manifestation of good works. (2 Cor. 5:17, Eph. 2:10, James 2:14-26, Rom. 6:4; 1 John 2:6)
The Security and Assurance of Believers
We believe that all of the redeemed, once genuinely saved by the transformation of the new birth, are kept by God's grace and power, and thus are secure in Christ forever.
We further believe that such assurance and grace does not give license to careless sinful behavior and the abuse of Christian liberty but rather, provides spiritual motivation unto purity and godly living. (John 6:37-40, 10:27-30, Rom. 8:1, 38-39, 1 Cor. 1:4-8, 1 Pet. 1:5, Phil. 1:6, Rom. 13:13-14, Gal. 5:13, Titus 2:11-15, 1 John 2:1-2)
The Believer's Two Natures
We believe that every saved person possesses two separate and distinct natures, referred to as the flesh and the spirit, with provision made for spiritual victory over the fleshly nature by means of the indwelling power of God, the Spirit.
We further believe that any claim to the eradication of this sinful nature (flesh) in this life is spurious and unscriptural. (Rom. 6:13, 8:12-13, Gal. 5:16-25, Eph. 4:22-24, Col. 3:10, 1 Pet. 1:14-16, 1 John 3:5-9)
The Believer and Separation
We believe that every Christian is accountable not only to God, but also to those around us and therefore we should live in such a manner as to not bring reproach upon our Savior. We further believe that separation from religious apostasy and alliances as well as sinful practices is commanded of all believers. Such separation is not to be misconstrued as isolation from non-believing persons. (2 Tim. 3:1-5, Rom. 12:1-2, 1 John 2:15-17, 2 John 9-11, 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1)
The Believer and Missions
We believe that it is the obligation of every Christian to witness both by life and word to the message of salvation and other scriptural truths, seeking the salvation of mankind both at home and abroad. (Mark 16:15, Matt. 28:19, Acts 1:8, 2 Cor. 5:19-20)
The Church
We believe that the Church is the body of Christ, His espoused Bride, and is therefore a spiritual organism consisting of all born again believers of this present age of grace.
We further believe that the Church is visibly manifested in local congregations (churches) clearly defined and identified in the Scriptures as having pastors and elders for spiritual instruction and oversight as well as Deacons for the temporal ministries and needs of the assembly.
We also believe in the autonomy and independence of all local churches, free of any and all external control or ecclesiastical authority. (Matt. 16:18, Eph. 1:22-23, 5:25-27, 1 Cor. 12:12-14, 2 Cor 11:2, Acts 14:27, 15:19-31, 20:17, 1 Tim. 3:1-13, Titus 1:5, Rom. 16:1-4, 1 Cor. 3:9, 1 Pet. 5:1-4)
Ordinances of The Church
We believe the ordinances of believer's baptism (water) and the Lord's Supper are to be observed by the church. Regarding the Lord's Supper, we believe that participation is open to all believers who are walking in fellowship and obedience to Christ, and that self-examination should always precede one's observance, which is to commemorate Christ's death. (1 Cor. 11:23-26, 1 John 1:7)
We further believe that water baptism for believers is a scriptural testimony of the believer's inseparable union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection to life. We also believe that baptism is separate from, and subsequent to one's experience of salvation, and is therefore enjoined upon all who are saved as an act of obedience and public confession of the believer's faith in Christ and desire to live in newness of life.
We further believe that the true meaning of baptism is best portrayed by immersion and is therefore the mode practiced in the church. (John 3:23, Acts 8:26-38, 16:33-34, Rom. 6:3-10, Col. 2:12)
Spiritual Gifts and The Ministry
We believe that the biblical pattern and definition of the ministry of the church is clearly outlined in Ephesians 4:7-12, declaring that God is sovereign in the bestowal of all His gifts.
We further believe that the miraculous "sign" gifts, promised only to unbelieving Israel, and performed by the Apostles as confirmation of the Messiah and the Word, subsequently ceased with the national rejection of the Messiah by Israel. Thus with the completion of the Word, God's full and complete revelation, the temporary need for and function of "sign" gifts no longer existed.
We believe that the gifted offices of evangelists and pastor-teachers are specifically given for the equipping of the saints and that every believer is, at salvation, endowed with such spiritual gifts as will provide edification throughout the body. Spiritual gifts are therefore never for self-edification.
We further believe that the cessation of miraculous "sign" gifts in no way limits or diminishes the power of God to perform miracles and/or healing in answer to the prayer of faith and in accord with God's sovereign will. (Eph. 4:7-16, 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 13:8-10, 14:20-23, Isa. 28:11-13, 1 Cor. 1:22, Heb. 2:3-4, 2 Cor. 12:12, James 5:14-16)
The Personality Of Satan
We believe that Satan is a created being and person, angelic in nature, the author of sin and the cause of the Fall of the human race. He is the open and declared enemy of God, and thus the avowed enemy of believers.
We also believe that Christ Jesus triumphed over Satan and his purpose by means of His death and bodily resurrection, thus making provision for, the believer's spiritual triumph over temptation and the power of sin.
We further believe that when God's purpose with Satan is accomplished, he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7, Isa. 14:12-17, Matt. 4:2-11, Ezek. 28:11-12, Rev. 20:10, 2 Cor. 4:4, 11:14-15, 1 Peter 5:8-9)
The Return Of Christ
We believe in that "blessed hope", the personal, imminent pre-tribulation return of Christ for the taking out (rapture) of His true body of saints making complete our redemption.
We believe that this event of the disappearance of all true believers and the subsequent appearance of the "Man of Sin" (antichrist) will signal the start of a seven year period of "Great Tribulation" on the earth.
This unparalleled time of judgment, especially upon Israel, shall conclude with the glorious return of Jesus Christ with His saints, to establish His long-awaited Kingdom on earth and millennial reign over the nations fro the Throne of David in Jerusalem. (1 Thes. 4:13-18, Titus 2:13, 2 Thes. 2:1-2, Acts 1:11, John 14:1-3, Zech. 14:4-11, Rev. 3:10, 19:11-16, 20:1-6, 1 Thes. 1:10, 5:9)
The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all mankind, the saved to eternal life, the unsaved to judgment before God followed by everlasting punishment, forever separated from light, life and God.
We further believe that the souls of unbelievers, following death, remain in conscious misery until the second resurrection which shall unite soul and body for appointed judgment before God at the Great White Throne Following a judgment "according to their works", the unsaved shall be consigned to the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer eternal punishment and separation from the presence of God. (Luke 16:19-26, Matt. 25:41-46, 2 Thes. 1:7-9, Matt. 25:41-46, John 5:28-29, 11:26, Jude 6-7, Mark 9:43-45, Rev. 20:5-6, 11-15)
We further believe that at death, the souls of the redeemed are "absent from the body and present with the Lord" where in conscious bliss, they await the First Resurrection, when the soul, spirit and transformed body are gloriously reunited to be forever in the presence of God. (Luke 23:36-43, Rev. 20:4-6, 2 Cor. 5:8, Phil. 1:23, 3:21, 1 Thes. 4:16-17)
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