beliefs

Statement of Faith

We believe that the Scriptures, as originally written, were divinely inspired and are the product of Spirit-controlled  men, and therefore are truth without any impurity or error. We believe the Bible to be the standard by which all  human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried.   

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
 

• We believe the Bible is God’s inerrant revelation, complete in the 66 books of the Old and New  Testaments, written by divinely inspired men as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16; 2  Peter 1:21). Those men wrote not in the words of human wisdom, but in words taught by the Holy Spirit  (1 Corinthians 2:13).
 
• The Scriptures provide the standard for the believer’s faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16, 17), reveal the  principles by which God will judge all (Hebrews 4:12; John 12:48), and express the true basis of  Christian fellowship (Galatians 1:8, 9: 2 John 9-11).
 

GOD
 

• We believe that there is but one living and true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; 1 Corinthians 8:4),  an infinite, all-knowing Spirit (John 4:24), perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eternally existing in  perfect unity in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:13).
 
• God the Father – We believe that God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all  things according to His own purpose and grace (Psalm 145:8-9; 1 Corinthians 8:6). He is the Creator of  all things (Genesis 1:1-31; Ephesians 3:9). As the only absolute and omnipotent Ruler in the universe, He  is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption (Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:36). His fatherhood  involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind.
 
• God the Son – We believe Jesus Christ, our Lord, is God in the flesh. He is the Son of God, conceived by  the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, fully God, fully man, sinless. He died on the cross in our place for our sins,  was buried, resurrected from the dead, ascended into heaven, and now sits at the right hand of God the  Father, as our Advocate, and will return to judge the living and the dead. (Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:31-33; John 1:1-18; Acts 1:9-11; Acts 2:22-24; 1 Corinthians 15; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 5:9-14)
 
• God the Holy Spirit – We believe the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity, exalting Christ and  convicting us of our sin and need for Jesus Christ. He fully and permanently lives in (or “indwells”) every  believer from the moment of salvation. He comforts, teaches, and empowers us to live in righteousness. He equips every believer with spiritual gifts for service in the Body of Christ. (Matthew 1:18; John 14:16-17; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Peter 4:10) 

MANKIND
 

• We believe man was directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness (Genesis 2:7; Genesis 1:26-27). 
• Both male and female equally bear the image of God -- sharing the same essence of being, there are  nevertheless functional distinctions and subordinations (cf. a similar phenomenon within the Trinity).  These differences, biblically-based upon creation and not cultural biases, are significant for both our  families and our flock (1 Corinthians 11:1-16; Ephesians 5:22-33; Titus 2:3-5; 1 Peter 3:1-6).
 
• Persons of all kinds of abilities are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), are fearfully and  wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14), and are invited and encouraged to share in their giftings and  participate in ministry. God can and does use disability to bring glory to his name (John 9:1-3).

SIN
 

• Sin separates man from God and man is eternally doomed unless he receives salvation in Jesus Christ. (Genesis 1:26; Psalm 8:3-6; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 3:10-18, 23)
 
• Although man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26, 2:17), he fell through sin and that image  was marred (Romans 5:12, James 3:9). The sin nature has been transmitted to every member of the  human race, the man Jesus Christ alone being excepted (Romans 3:23, 1 Peter 2:22). Because of the  sin nature, man lacks any power to save himself (Ephesians 2:1-3; John 1:13); possesses no divine life;  and is essentially and unchangeably depraved apart from divine grace (Romans 3:10-19; Jeremiah 17:9).
 

SALVATION
 

• Since all persons are separated from God by sin and are in need of forgiveness, God offers the free gift of  salvation. Each person must individually accept this gift, repent of sin, and place faith in Jesus Christ as  Savior and Lord. (Exodus 6:2-8; Matthew 16:21-26; John 3:15-16; John 17:3; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:1; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9)
 
• All believers are eternally secure in Jesus Christ (John 10:24-30; Romans 8:35-39). They are born  again (John 3:3-5; 1 John 5:1; 1 Peter 1:23); made new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Peter 1:4); indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 10:13); kept by the power of God  (Philippians 1:6; 2:12, 13; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Hebrews 13:5); and no man or circumstance can snatch us out  of the powerful hand of God because Jesus Christ has made an everlasting covenant with us.
 

FAMILY
 

• The family, composed of persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption, is ordained by God as the  foundational institution of human society. Marriage is a lifetime covenant commitment of one biological  man and one biological woman reflecting the union of Christ and His Church. The framework of  marriage provides for the intimate expression of companionship and sexual relationship, including  procreation, according to Biblical standards. 
• Children, from the moment of conception, are to be protected, preserved, and valued as a gift of life from  God Almighty. 
• Parents are to love, teach, discipline, and model Biblical truth before their children; children are to honor  and obey their parents. (Genesis 2:18-22; Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 20:13; Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Psalm 127:3-5; Psalm 139:13-16; Proverbs 22:6; Mark 10:6-9; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33)
 

THE CHURCH
 

• Jesus Christ is the Head of His Body, the Church. The Body of Christ is composed of believers. The  purpose of the Church is to carry out His mission in the world and is best lived out in local, autonomous  churches. (Matthew 16:15-19; Acts 2:41-42, 47; Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:10-16; Revelation 2 & 3)
 
• Priesthood of Believers - Every believer is a minister and has direct access to God through the high  priest, Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 3:7; Ephesians 4:11-16; Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 10:19-22) 
• The Local Church - A New Testament church is a local congregation (Acts 16:5; 1 Corinthians 4:7) of  baptized believers in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:41) who are united by covenant in belief of what God has revealed and in obedience to what He has commanded (Act 2:31, 42).
 
• Church Leadership – God calls individuals, whose lives best exemplify the Biblical qualifications of the  position of pastor, overseer/elder, ministerial staff, and deacon, to lead the local body. They are selected  and affirmed by the local body after prayerful consideration. Leaders are called by God to uphold church  doctrine and to live lives worthy of respect. The local church is called to submit to their authority. (Acts 6:1-8; Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 5:17-22; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 13:7,17)
 
• Baptism - Baptism by immersion follows Christ’s example, symbolizing death, burial, and resurrection to  new life in Christ. It serves as a testimony of faith after accepting Christ as personal Savior and Lord. (Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12)
 
• The Lord’s Supper - The Lord’s Supper is an act of obedience and a testimony of faith. It symbolically  memorializes the death of Jesus Christ. Self-examination and confession of sins should precede  participation in the Lord’s Supper. (Matthew 26:26-30; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
 
• Church Discipline – We believe that the Bible teaches church discipline. God disciplines those He loves. He uses the leadership of the church to prayerfully administer His discipline according to scripture. Discipline is administered in hope of restoring the one who has fallen into sin back to a right relationship  with God and the church. (Matthew 18:15-18; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Galatians 6:1; Hebrews 12)
 

This Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible  Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the  sole and final source of all that we believe.