THE SCRIPTURES
We believe in the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures. We believe that God gave each word to the writers in the original languages, so all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16; Luke 24:25-27; 2 Peter 1:20, 21
TRINITY
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons--the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit--and that these three are one God. Matthew 28:18-20; John 1:14; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 John 5:7; 1 Peter 1:2, 3
CREATION
We believe in the literal six-day account of creation and that the creation of man lies in the special, immediate, and formative acts of God and not from previously existing forms of life.
Genesis 1:26, 27; 2:7-9, 16, 17; 3:1-19
MAN FALLEN
We believe that man was originally created in the image of God, and that he fell through sin, losing his spiritual life, thus becoming dead in trespasses and sins and subject to the power of Satan. We believe that all mankind sinned in Adam and is therefore under the wrath of God. We believe that this spiritual death, or total depravity, has been transmitted to the entire human race. We believe that all men, except for Christ, are born in sin and are unable and unwilling to seek or please God without the work of the Holy Spirit and atoning work of Christ. In short, we believe that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10, 11; Ephesians 2:1-3; Ephesians 2:12
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 the Father and redeem sinful man. John 1:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:11-12; Isaiah 7:14
SALVATION ONLY THROUGH CHRIST
We believe that because all are dead in trespasses and sins, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born again. We believe that our redemption has been accomplished by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made accursed for us and that His blood alone can cleanse our hearts from all sin. Isaiah 53:5; John 1:12; John 1:29; Acts 4:12
THE EXTENT OF SALVATION
We believe that when a lost person receives Christ as personal Savior from sin he immediately passes from spiritual death to spiritual life. We believe that this person stands immediately just in the sight of God. We believe that salvation is available to anyone of any nation, the only requirement being faith in Jesus Christ’s atoning work on his behalf on the cross. Romans 10:9 "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:13; John 3:16; John 5:24; Revelation 3:20; Revelation 22:17
ETERNAL SECURITY
We believe that when a man is truly saved by faith in Christ he is saved for all eternity. The Word of God says a person who has the Son of God has life. This statement is in the present tense and means that eternal life begins immediately and not in the future. We believe that it is possible for a child of God to sin, thus grieving the Holy Spirit. In such a case we believe God will woo and chasten His children to bring them back to Himself. When a person has sinned, he should repent and come back under God’s authority. 1 John 2:1, 2; 1 John 5:13; John 5:24; John 10:28; Hebrews 12:5-14; Romans 8:38, 39; 1 John 1:9
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that since the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit has indwelt every Christian. He unites every believer to Christ in one body and is our Comforter. We believe that He continually convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. He is the source of real victory and power in the life of any Christian. John 14:16, 17; John 16:7-11; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 2:37-41
SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD
We believe that since all Christians are now new creatures in Christ they ought to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. We believe that Christians should forsake anything that God reveals through His Word that is displeasing to Him, whether it be habit, worldly amusements, dishonesty no matter how profitable, or gossip of any kind. We believe that a Christian, although living in the world, is not of this world and therefore should avoid every appearance of evil, should separate himself from that which is unclean and keep himself unspotted by the world. The Christian should not love the world nor the things in the world because the things of the world, i.e. the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life, are not of the Father but are of the world. Titus 2:14; Colossians 3:17; 2 Corinthians 6:17, 18; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20; James 1:26; Matthew 15:11, 18, 19; 1 John 2:15-17
THE DEVIL
We believe that the Devil or Satan is a fallen angel who fell because of sin. We believe he is the originator of all sin, and is very much alive and present today, seeking to deceive even the children of God. We believe his end shall be in the lake of fire and brimstone. Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:1-4; 6:24; 1 Timothy 3:7; Ezekiel 28:13-19; Revelation 20:10; 1 Peter 5:8
THE CHURCH - A BODY OF BELIEVERS
We believe that Christians everywhere who have truly received Christ as personal Savior constitute the church or body of Christ, His Bride. They are placed into the body by the Spirit who also equips and gifts each individual believer to function in the body as it pleases Him. All Christians always have the solemn duty to keep the unity of the Spirit by showing love toward one another. Ephesians 1:22, 23; Acts 2:41-47; I Corinthians 12:12-13, 18
THE ORDINANCES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
We believe that baptism and the Lord's Supper are the two practices established by Christ for His church and that they are a Scriptural testimony for the church in this age. Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19, 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28
BAPTISM
We believe that all believers should follow the Lord in baptism as soon as possible after conversion as an outward testimony to the world that they are a Christian. We believe that baptism means complete immersion in water as a beautiful picture of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that a person should follow the Lord in baptism before he becomes a member of the local church as an indication that he wants to follow the Lord in all things. Romans 6:1-4; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:36-39
LORD’S SUPPER
We believe the Scriptures teach that communion, or the Lord’s Supper, is an ordinance given to all believers by Jesus Christ to remember his sacrifice for us and to symbolize the new covenant. The elements of bread and juice are symbols of Christ’s broken body for us and his shed blood. Communion is not a means of salvation. Rather it is a declaration of the believer’s faith in the atoning work of the cross of Jesus Christ and a public acknowledgement and reminder of the death of Christ until He comes again. Our communion table is open to believers in Christ. Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
THE BLESSED HOPE - RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH
We believe that the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of the Lord in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming and all who have died in Jesus. We should be watching vigilantly for His coming as a bride watches for her bridegroom. John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Peter 3:15
THE TRIBULATION
We believe that after the rapture of the church there will follow a seven-year period upon this earth which Scripture calls the Great Tribulation. During this time, the Spirit of God will have been removed and terrible wrath will be upon the earth, after which our Lord shall return. Matthew 24:15-28; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12
THE MILLENNIUM
We believe that following the Tribulation, our Lord shall return and set up the Kingdom of Christ upon this earth. This shall be a time of wonderful peace and prosperity as Christ Himself shall be in charge. The curse that is now upon the earth shall be lifted. This period shall last for a thousand years. Isaiah 35; Revelation 20:1-6
ETERNITY FOR THE LOST
We believe in the eternal punishment of the wicked. We believe that those who die in their sins without receiving Christ as personal Savior pass immediately into conscious suffering in hell. At the judgment of the Great White Throne, the soul and body are reunited and sentenced to eternal punishment from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:11-15
ETERNITY FOR THE SAVED
We believe that at death the spirits and souls of those who trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence. They remain there in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body when Christ comes for His own and when soul and body reunited will be associated with Him forever in Glory. 1 Corinthians 5:8; John 14:1-6
THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, and is to be prayed for, honored and obeyed except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 13:1; Matthew 22:21
SOCIAL ISSUES
Marriage and Family – We believe that at Creation, God ordained marriage as the sacred union of one man and one woman. All sexual relations must therefore be reserved for that union, and any other form of sexual intimacy is both immoral and a perversion of God’s gift. Christian marriage is a representation of Christ’s relationship to His church. We also believe that children are a blessing from the Lord, and that all human life is sacred and worthy of protection from the moment of conception. Genesis 1:22-28; 2:24; Psalms 127 & 128; 139:13-16; Matthew 19:1-10; Romans 1: 26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 7:5; Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; Hebrews 13:4.
Moral Teaching – We believe the Scriptures teach that one of the duties of spiritual leaders is to protect Christian congregations by preaching and teaching what God says in the Scripture about sin (the violation of God’s moral law, doctrinal error, etc.), sinners (those who practice sin) and the consequences of sin (God’s judgment). Such teaching, though unpopular, is not meant to be and should not be considered as personal hatred, bigotry, intolerance, violence, cruelty or hate speech since it reflects sincerely held religious beliefs about God’s truths based upon the careful and faithful exposition of the Scriptures. Ephesians 5:11, 2 Timothy 2:24-26, 4:1-2.