What We Believe

 

THE SCRIPTURES

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally inspired word

of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God–

breathed (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; Matt. 5:18; John 16:12,13).

 

THE GODHEAD

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons––Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;

co–eternal in being, co–eternal in nature, co–equal in power and glory, having the same attributes

and perfections (Deut. 6:4; 2 Cor. 13:14).

 

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 that He

might reveal God and redeem sinful man (John 1:1, 2, 14; Luke 1:35). We believe that the Lord

Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative,

vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical

resurrection from the dead (Rom. 3:24; 1 Peter 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3–5). We believe that

the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where,

as our High Priest, he fulfills the ministry as Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9,

10; Heb. 7:25, 9:24; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1–2).

 

THE PERSON & WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and

of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into

the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8–11; 2

Cor. 3:6; 1 Cor.12:12–14; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 5:18)

 

THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam’s sin

the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; man is totally depraved,

and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Gen. 1:26, 27; Rom. 3:22, 23, 5:12;

Eph. 2:1–3, 12).

 

SALVATION

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal

faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of

our sins (Eph. 1:7, 2:8–10; John 1:12; 1 Peter 1:18–19).

 

ETERNAL SECURITY AND ASSURANCE OF BELIEVERS

We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in

Christ forever (John 6:37–40, 10:27–30; Rom. 8:1, 38, 39; 1 Cor. 1:4–8; 1 Peter 1:5). We believe

that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the

testimony of God’s Word which clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the

flesh (Rom. 13:13, 14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11–15).

 

THE MINISTRY AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS

We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowing of spiritual gifts. It is, however, the believer’s

responsibility to attempt to develop their sovereignly given spiritual gift(s). The baptism of the

Holy Spirit occurs at conversion and is the placing of the believer into the Body of Christ. We

also believe that particular spiritual gift(s) are neither essential, nor do they prove the presence of

the Holy Spirit, nor are an indication of deep spiritual experience (1 Cor. 12:7, 11, 13; Eph. 4:7–

8). We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accordance with His own

will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; 1 John 5:14, 15). We believe that it is the privilege and

responsibility of every believer to minister according to the gift(s) and grace of God that is given

to him (Rom 12:1–8; 1 Cor. 13; 1 Peter 4:10–11).

 

THE CHURCH

We believe that the church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual

organism made up of all born–again persons (Eph. 1:22, 23; 5:25–27; 1 Cor. 12:12–14; 2 Cor.

11:2). We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and

defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27, 18:22, 20:17; 1 Tim. 3:1–3; Titus 1:5–11).

We believe in the autonomy of the local churches, free of any external authority and control

(Acts 13:1–4, 15:19–31, 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5: 4–7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1–4). We

recognize believer’s baptism and the Lord’s supper as scriptural means of testimony for the

church (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 2:41, 42; 18:8; 1 Cor. 11:23–26).