Our Statement of Faith
THE BIBLE:
1 We believe the Bible is God’s absolute, objective truth for all people for all times.
2 It is breathed out in its entirety by God, divinely preserved and without error in the original writings.
3 We believe the Holy Spirit divinely superintended human authors so that through their individual personalities and literary styles they composed and recorded God’s Word.
4 It is God’s written revelation complete in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments.
5 The bible is our final authority for life and conduct. It is understandable by every believer and is applied under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
6 We interpret the Bible through the literal, historical, grammatical method of biblical interpretation. We believe that the words used in Scripture should be understood according to their normal usage in everyday language. We do not interpret Scripture allegorically unless the passage itself clearly indicates allegorical meaning.
GOD:
7 We believe in one God.
8 He is self-existent,
9 immutable,
10 and works all things according to the counsel of His will in order to bring glory to Himself.
11 We believe that God is one in essence, yet He eternally exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
12 They carry out distinct but harmonious roles in creation, providence, redemption and consummation.
13 They are equal in nature, attributes, and perfections.
THE FATHER:
14 We believe in God the Father: one in essence with the Son and the Spirit.
15 He is infinite, personal spirit, perfect in all His attributes.
16 He is the creator, sustainer, and sovereign ruler of all things through His son Jesus Christ.
17 We believe that He concerns Himself perfectly in the affairs of humanity.
18 His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with the redeemed.
19 Everything He does is in accordance with His perfect will, though His sovereignty does not eliminate or minimize human responsibility.
20 The Father adopts as His own, all those who have accepted God’s gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
THE SON:
21 We believe in God the Son: one in essence with the Father and the Spirit.
22 He is the one and only eternal Son of God, the preeminent revelation of God.
23 At the right time He took the form of a man to reveal God to mankind.
24 He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary as Jesus, the Christ-fully God and fully man.
25 We believe He lived a sinless life, submitting to His Father’s will that culminated in His death on the cross, His burial, and His bodily resurrection.
26 He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father.
27 His death on the cross atoned for our sin and made possible man’s fellowship with the holy God.
28 He is the Mediator between God and man.
29 He is Prophet, Priest, and King; the Head and Savior of His Church; the Heir of all things; the Judge of the entire world; and the exact representation of God the Father.
30 We believe in the personal return of Christ for His Church and in the establishment of His Kingdom on earth.
THE HOLY SPIRIT:
31 We believe in God the Holy Spirit: one in essence with the Father and Son.
32 He was sent by God the Father and God the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.
33 The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ and implements Christ’s work of redemption and baptism.
34 He regenerates, baptizes, seals, gifts, and indwells all believers at conversion.
35 The Spirit fills, teaches, guides, comforts, and intercedes for believers, empowering them for godly living and service.
36 His presence is evident by the fruit of the Spirit and the building up of believers into the body of Christ, the Church.
HUMANITY:
37 We believe that humanity, male and female, are sacred in God’s eyes and were intentionally created by Him, in His image and for His glory, to exercise dominion over the earth and to enjoy a relationship with Him forever.
38 Every human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life.
39 After sin entered the world, all humans still possess the image of God, though tainted by sin.
40 God’s will for humanity is that they know God, love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love their neighbors as themselves.
FAMILY:
41 Life begins at fertilization.
42 God established the institution of family through the union of one man and one woman in a marriage for life.
43 His design for the continuance of humanity is through the procreation and discipleship of children within the marriage union.
44 Marriage is to be an example of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church.
CHURCH:
55 We believe that the New Testament Church is composed of all persons who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit since the day of Pentecost following Christ’s resurrection.
56 We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of Christ, of which He is the Head.
57 We believe that this body expresses itself in local assemblies in which believers are in a covenant relationship.
58 Biblically that relationship is expressed corporately through hearing the Word of God proclaimed, engaging in worship, practicing the two ordinances of believer’s baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper, building up each other’s faith, holding each other accountable through biblical love and discipline, and engaging in local and world evangelization.
59 Biblically designated officers must meet the biblical qualifications for their office and submit to the headship of Christ, emulating His servant leadership.
60 We believe the function of eldering is reserved for biblically qualified males.
61 Each local church is to choose, support, and submit to those who function as elders.
SIN:
45 We believe that sin is any action, inaction, or attitude that is contrary to the Word of God. Sin constitutes rebellion against God’s authority, resulting in separation from Him.
46 Sin entered the world when Adam, representing humanity, disobeyed God.
47 As a result of Adam’s one sin, his descendants – the whole human race – are separated from God (spiritually dead). Being sinners by nature (descendant of Adam) and choice (our own actions), humanity is utterly unable to remedy their lost condition on their own and is in need of salvation.
SALVATION:
48 We believe that salvation is a gift of God, received by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
49 Salvation is motivated by the love of God demonstrated through His sovereign election in Christ, purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross, and received by faith apart from any human merit, works, or ritual.
50 Regeneration is effected through the work of God in His elect.
51 Any who repent and believe in Jesus Christ are forgiven of all their sins, justified in God’s sight by the merit of Christ’s righteousness, adopted into His family, sealed by the Holy Spirit, made secure in Christ forever, and have equal access to God.
52 The progressive sanctifying work of salvation leads to a newness of life which may include God’s corrective discipline.
53 The consummation of salvation is that those who have accepted God’s gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ shall be resurrected and glorified.
54 They shall receive their inheritance in the Kingdom of their Father, whom they shall see and enjoy throughout the ages.
ANGELS:
62 We believe God created angels as spirit-beings possessing power and intellect to worship and serve Him and to minister to believers.
63 Satan is a fallen angel who masquerades as an angel of light.
64 The scope of Satan’s power is subject to God’s will.
65 By subjecting Adam and Eve to temptation and sin, Satan has extended his rebellion against God; which he continues by deceit, seduction, and destruction.
66 While Satan and his demons are powerful, they are subject to Christ’s authority and judgment.
67 Satan and his demons have been defeated for eternity by Jesus Christ through His death on the cross and victorious resurrection.
68 At the time of final judgment, they will be consigned to eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire.
LAST THINGS:
69 We believe in the sudden return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet his Church in the air (Pre-tribulation Rapture.)
70 We believe in the visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ
71 and in the establishment of His Millennial Kingdom.
72 He will return with His saints from heaven with power and great glory on a day known only to God.
73 We believe that those who have accepted God’s gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ will enter into God’s eternal glory at the time of physical death or the rapture.
74 They shall be resurrected and transformed into a glorious body and they shall receive their inheritance of glory in the Kingdom of their Father.
75 They shall be fully blessed in the presence and service of God, whom they shall see and enjoy throughout eternity.
76 We believe that all unsaved persons, at the point of physical death, are committed to eternal separation from God.
77 When Christ returns, they will be resurrected, separated from the righteous, judged, and cast into an existence of eternal punishment where they will be tormented day and night.
78 We believe it is imperative for the Church to work and wait in sober watchfulness, that it may be found ready at His coming.