The Bible

We believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God given by divine inspiration and is inerrant in the original manuscripts, and therefore the unchanging, absolute authority in matters of Christian faith and practice, and it is true and reliable in regard to all matters which it addresses.

God

We believe that the one God is Spirit: omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, sovereign, and perfect in holiness, justice, and love. He is eternally existent in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and is the Creator, Sustainer, and providential Overseer of all things.

Jesus Christ

We believe the deity and humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ as the one and only Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. We believe in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.

Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Tri-une God. His work is to reprove or convict mankind of sin, to reveal God's righteousness and judgment, to regenerate those in order to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and to indwell, teach, guide, and help the believer.

Salvation

We believe since all humankind are sinners and guilty before God and are dead in trespasses and sin and therefore unable to save themselves; that God has out of His infinite love and grace given His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to become the Savior of all who will repent of their sins and believe on His Son. Salvation is never through any merit of man’s work but wholly of God, as demonstrated in the completed work of Jesus Christ’s shed blood on the cross.

The Church

We believe that the indivisible and universal church is an organism composed of all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who have been called out from the world, separated from sin, and vitally united by faith to Christ, its believing Head and Sovereign Lord. We also believe that the visible and local church is an organized body of believers in Christ who are voluntarily joined together, and who meet at regular times for teaching in the Word, fellowship of the saints, observances of the ordinances, administration of discipline, exercise in prayer, and participation in public worship and evangelism.

The Last Things

We believe that the second coming of Christ is the hope of the church and will be personal, bodily, visible and redemptive. It is the source of encouragement and consolation, the motive for purification and holiness, and the inspiration for activity and service. We believe the believer was judged as a sinner at the cross of Christ and is passed out of death into life. As a child in the family of God, he is being judged and chastened during his lifetime, and as a servant his works will be judged for rewards at the judgment seat of Christ. The impenitent wicked will appear before God for judgment at the Great White Throne, and they will suffer eternally in the lake of fire together with Satan and his angels. After the Great White Throne Judgment and after all the enemies of God are consigned to their eternal punishment, the present order of things will be dissolved and the new heaven and the new earth where indwell righteousness shall be created as the final state in which the righteous shall dwell forever.

Marriage

We believe that marriage is given by God and that the marriage of two believers illustrates the loving relationship between Christ and His church. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in scripture.

Christian Ordinances: Baptism & Communion

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper make up the two Christian ordinances.  These are outward observances ordered by Christ to be administered in each local church, not as a means of salvation, but as visible symbols of saving faith in Jesus Christ.  As such, it is very important that each Christian be baptized and regularly partake in communion in keeping with New Testament guidelines.

Baptism

 We believe that baptism by water is a symbol of one’s union by faith with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.  It also constitutes a public confession of these spiritual realities to all who observe it.  Baptism is therefore to be administered by immersion to those who have been born again by faith in Jesus Christ and who give evidence of the genuineness of their salvation.

The Lord’s Supper - Communion

 We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ Himself on the night of His betrayal.  It is a reminder of Christ’s death, a center of communion and fellowship, a testimony of saving faith, and a visible seal of Christ’s redemptive covenant.  It is to be observed only by children of God in good fellowship with Him and with one another.  It consists in partaking of the emblems of bread and the fruit of the vine and symbolizes our continual dependence upon Him for life and sustenance until He returns.  While the Lord’s Supper is open to all believers, regardless of denomination, each one is strongly urged to examine himself to avoid eating and drinking judgment upon himself.