WHAT WE BELIEVE

GOD

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe.
He has eternally existed in three personalities:
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
These three are co-equal and are one God.

Genesis 1:1-27 + 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19;
I Peter 1:2; II Corinthians 13:14

JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father.
Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself
as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on the cross.
He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate
His power over sin and death. He ascended into Heaven‘s glory
and will return again to the earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5 & 14:10-130;
Hebrews 4:14-15; I Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4;
Acts 1:9-11; I Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13

THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God.
He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ.
He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation.
He provides the Christian with power for living,
understanding of spiritual truth, and
guidance in doing what is right.
The Christian seeks to live under His control daily.

II Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13 & 14:16-17;
Acts 1:8 I Corinthians 2:12 & 3:16; Ephesians 1:13;
Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18

SALVATION

Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sins penalty.  Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9;
John 14:6 & 1:12; Titus 3:5;
Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1

MANKIND

Man is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. He is the supreme object of God’s creation. Although man has tremendous potential for good, he is marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.” This attitude separates man from God.

Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6;
Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23;
Isaiah 59:1-2

 

ETERNAL SECURITY

Because God gives man life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security.

John 10:29; II Timothy 1:12;
Hebrews 7:25 & 10:10-14;
I Peter 1:3-5

ETERNITY

Man was created to exist forever. He will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God, through forgiveness and salvation.  To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be in eternal union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence.

John 3:16; Romans 6:23;
I John 2:25 + 5:11-13;
Revelation 20:15

THE BIBLE

The Bible is God’s Word to all men. It was written by human authors
under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit.
It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living.
Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without error.

II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; II Timothy 1:13;
Psalm 119:105, 160 & 12:6; Proverbs 30:5

SATAN

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, The Devil.
He was created by God as an angel, but
through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator.
He became the unholy god of this age
and the ruler of all the powers of darkness,
and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire.

Matt. 4:1-11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Rev 20:10

THE CHURCH

We believe that a local church is an organized congregation of immersed believers associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinance of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity.  We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation, that on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

1 Cor. 12:12-13; Col. 1:18;
Eph. 1:22-23, 3:1-6, 4:11-16 + 5:23;
Acts 15:13-18

BAPTISM

We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water to show a beautiful emblem of our identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior through Whom we died to sin and rose to a new life. Baptism is to be performed under the authority of the local church and it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership.

THE LORD'S SUPPER

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination.  We believe that the Biblical order of the ordinances is baptism first, then the Lord’s Supper. The participants in the Lord’s Supper should be immersed believers.

Acts 8:36-39; John 3:23;
Rom. 6:3-5; Matt. 3:16; Col. 2:12;
I Cor. 11:23-28; Matt. 28:18-20;
Acts 2:41-42