STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Bible
We believe the Bible is the Word of God. We believe God verbally and plenarily inspired the sixty-six canonical books of the Old and New Testaments(Matthew 5:18, Psalm 119 vs. 86,160).
God, the Holy Spirit, moved in and through the human authors to select the words and produce the entire text, safeguarding the human authors against error in writing God’s Word while at the same time preserving each author's style (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21). We believe the Bible is God's completed revelation, the original manuscripts were inerrant, and God providentially preserved the Scriptures through the ages of human history.
The Bible is wholly authentic, accurate, and trustworthy. It is the supreme and final authority in all matters it speaks, whether ethical, moral, behavioral, doctrinal, historical, geographic, or scientific (Hebrews 4:12). We believe an accurate understanding of the Bible in its entirety is dependent, foremost, upon the Holy Spirit to open our minds to guide us to a correct understanding of Scripture. Secondly, understanding the text of Scripture is arrived at by seeking and understanding authorial intent; this is done through a standard, historical, grammatical, literal, and contextual interpretive process (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 2:1-13).
The Trinity
We believe in one God, creator and sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each is equal in every divine quality and executes separate but harmonious functions (Matthew 28:19; John 1:1, 14, 18; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:4-6).
God The Father
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. In His very essence (Genesis 1:1; John 4:24; 1st Chronicles 29:10-13), God is self-existent, eternal, and unchanging (Jeremiah 23:24; Psalm 90:2; Psalm 119:137). God is all-powerful and all-knowing, and His perfect knowledge extends to all things past, present, and future (Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 46:9,10; Hebrews 4:13). He is long-suffering and compassionate toward sinful people (Psalm 116:5; Ephesians 2:4-7). He concerns Himself in the affairs of men, He hears and answers prayer, and He saves from sin and Hell all who come to Him through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8-11; John 3:16).
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God's eternal Son.
God the Son has precisely the exact nature, attributes, and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe that He is the perfect God and man (John 3:16; John 10:30; 1 John 5:20). We believe Jesus Christ is one person with two inseparable, yet wholly distinct, complete natures—one human and one divine. Jesus, as a man, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus Christ experienced genuine temptation but did not sin (Luke 1:31, 35; Luke 2:6-7; Mark 1:13). We believe Jesus Christ rose from the dead in the same yet glorified body in which He had lived and died. Upon His ascension, He was received by His Father as the ultimate assurance that His redeeming work was accomplished (Matthew 28:6-7; Luke 24:37-39; Acts 1:9). He is presently seated at the right hand of God the Father, where He is engaged in intercession on behalf of His people (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1) and as the mediator of the New Covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit and His distinct personality. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. His ministry glorifies Jesus Christ and implements Christ's work of salvation (Acts 5:3,4; John 16:8-10). We believe the Holy Spirit regenerates (Titus 3:5), baptizes (1 Corinthians 12:13), seals (Ephesians 1:13), and indwells (1 Corinthians 6:19) all believers, securing them in Christ forever and empowering them for godly living and service. Spiritual gifts are sovereignly given to all believers for the common good of the church. No gift signifies His baptism or filling, nor does any gift provide authoritative revelation beyond what has already been revealed in the Holy Scriptures (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11). The Holy Spirit's ministry is demonstrated by the fruit of the Spirit and the building up of the body into Christlikeness (Titus 3:5; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Galatians 5:22-24; Ephesians 4:12-16). Life in the Spirit includes trials and does not guarantee physical health, material wealth, or confirming signs.
Sign gifts were given to authenticate the apostles as revealers of divine truth, establishing His church with authority, and were never intended to be characteristic of all believers (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 13:8-10; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12; Hebrews 2:1-4).
Humanity
We believe God created the first man and first woman, Adam and Eve (Matthew 19:4), free from sin in His image. God created human beings as immortal, rational, and morally responsible individuals. Humanity was created to glorify God, enjoy His fellowship, fellowship with one another, and accomplish His will on earth (Genesis 1:26-31; 2:7). We believe, however, that Adam sinned, and as a result, all people are sinners by nature and choice and, before redemption, are spiritually dead and at enmity with God. Because sin is rooted in the core of their being, they are incapable of being reconciled to God apart from divine grace (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12-21; 3:21-26; Ephesians 2:1-10). We believe all people need the Savior, who alone can address their spiritually dead condition. We believe those who repent and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and reconciled to God. We believe genuine saving faith should be evidenced by a life of worship expressed through obedience to the Word, righteous living, and good works (John 14:1-6; Acts 26:20; Romans 1:16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Titus 3:3-7; James 2:14-26).
We believe that righteous living includes adherence to the establishment of marriage by God (Genesis 2:24, 25; Matthew 19:4, 5); we define marriage as a lifelong covenantal human relationship between one biological male and one biological female (Romans 7:2). We believe marriage is the only proper context for sexual relations and is the foundation for the human family (1 Corinthians 7:1-9). Hence, sexual activities outside of marriage, including but not limited to adultery, premarital sex, and homosexuality, are inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible and this church. Further, lascivious conduct, transgender behavior, transsexual behavior, and pornography are incompatible with the biblical requirements for Christian conduct. We believe in the sanctity of human life (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13-15), which has great value in God's sight from conception until death (Psalm 51:5).
Salvation
We believe salvation is provided wholly by God's grace alone and received through faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ alone (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9). As an expression of His Mercy, Love, and grace, we believe God, the Father, gave His Son as the sinless, substitutionary sacrifice. In the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, full payment was made for sin, and God's perfect justice was satisfied, resulting in the salvation of those who believe (Isaiah 53:5-6; Romans 3:21-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 1:19-20; Hebrews 10:12-14; 1 John 2:1-2). We believe personal salvation is received through faith in the person and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ alone, apart from any human merit, deed, or ritual. God forgives, redeems, justifies, and gives eternal life upon biblical faith. God's faithfulness guarantees the eternal security of all true believers (John 6:47; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:35; Romans 11:6; 1 John 5:13; Titus 3:5). We believe a person's eternal destiny is forever sealed by their acceptance or rejection, in this lifetime, of Christ and His work on the cross. Believers will experience eternity in the presence of God in Heaven. Unbelievers will be in Hell, a place of suffering, loss, and eternal torment (Matthew 10:28; John 3:16-18, 36; John 14:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 1:9).
The Church
The church is God's Assembly; its beginning, history, and destiny all rest upon the initiative and power of divine grace. It is a people called forth by God, incorporated into Christ, and indwelt by God the Spirit. The church is founded upon the counsel and good pleasure of His will (Eph 1:5,11) and chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. We believe the church exists to glorify God (Eph 1:5-6, 12-14; 3:20-21; 2 Thess.1:12). By building its members up in the faith(Eph 4:12-16), teaching, expositing the Word of God entirely(2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16-17), regularly observing the ordinances (Luke 22:19; Acts 2:38-42), fostering fellowship among believers(Acts 2:42-47; 1 John 1:3), and boldly communicating the truth of the gospel to the lost(Matt. 28:19-20). We believe that Jesus is the Head of the church (Eph. 1:22, 4:15; 5:23; Col.1:18; 2:19; cf 1 Cor. 11:3), having had His sovereign Lordship bestowed upon Him by the Father(Matt. 11:27; John 3:35; 5:22; Acts 2:36; Phil. 2:9-11). He is the church's supreme authority. He is the source of salvation. "He is the founder and perfecter of our faith" (Heb 12:2), having purchased through His death "a people for his possession who are zealous for good works" (Titus 2:14). As the Lord Jesus is the great Shepherd (Heb 13:20-21; 1 Pet. 2:25), those whom He has given to the church as pastors/elders are His under-shepherds (1 Pet. 5:2). The leadership of the church is responsible and accountable first to Jesus Christ as the Chief Shepherd, then to the congregation as servants, overseeing in love and humility. We believe biblically qualified men serve in the position of elder/pastor (Romans 15:25-27, 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2, 3).
Relating to Redemptive History
We believe the church exists to display the wisdom and mercy of God in this age(Eph. 3:10; cf. Rom. 9:23-24; 11:33; 1 Cor. 1:20-31) by proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ through the world(Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Pet. 2:9). So that sinners from every background(Rev.5:9-10) might be rescued from the domain of darkness and ushered into the kingdom of God(Col.1:12-13) and so that unbelieving Israel might be provoked to jealousy and repentance(Rom 10:19; 11:11). Looking to the future, the New Testament also promises that the church will one day reign with Christ in glory (1 Cor 6:2; cf. 2 Tim 2:11-13, Rev. 20:4-6).
Christian Conduct
We believe that the supreme task of every believer is to glorify God in life. The Christians' conduct should be blameless (not sinless, only one man was in this life) before the world, be a faithful steward of possessions, and seek to realize the full stature of maturity in Christ (Acts 26:20; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 1:3-4; 4:13-16; 1 Peter 2:12; Titus 2:11-14).
Separation of Church and State
We believe that each local church is self-governing in function and must be free from interference by ecclesiastical or political authority.
We believe God, in His wisdom, has ordained human government as an instrument for demonstrating and promoting what is ethical and punishing what is unethical among those governed. The church is God's instrument for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. The church and state are best served when citizens are free to faithfully "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:15-22; Romans 13:1-7, Titus 3:1-2, 1 Peter 2:13-17).
The Future
We believe that as the church, we are commanded to teach the whole counsel of God. (Acts 20:26-27) The Bible plays out in redemptive history. There is a beginning, a middle, and an end or culmination. In the future, Christ will unleash divine wrath on the world in preparation for His personal and bodily return to earth (Rev.19:11-16). When He comes again, He will resurrect dead saints and reward His followers with a kingdom reign on earth for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4). After this successful reign, Satan and all evildoers will finally be judged and sentenced to the everlasting lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15). Then, a perfect eternal state in a new heaven and earth will commence. (Rev. 21: -22:5). God's redeemed and glorified saints will serve Him and reign forever (Rev. 22:5).