We Believe
WE BELIEVE that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1,26; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-3; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 1:20; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:5-6)
WE BELIEVE that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, without error in the autographs. The Bible is our supreme and final authority in faith and life. (Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18 , 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary, and is fully God and fully man. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13)
WE BELIEVE that the Lord Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice; that He bodily rose victorious from the grave on the third day, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the basis of His shed blood. (Matthew 20:28, 28:6; John 3:16; Romans 3:24-26, 5:1, 10:9; I Corinthians 15:3-4,20; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7; I John 2:2)
WE BELIEVE that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from God, and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and become guilty sinners in thought, word and deed. (Genesis 1:26-27, 3:1-24; Romans 3:23, 5:12 -18; I John 1:8)
WE BELIEVE that God designed marriage as a covenant “one flesh” union between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:21-24; Malachi 2:14-16; Mark 10:2-12). The relationship between a husband and wife in marriage points beyond itself to the relationship between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:22-33). Because marriage between man and woman was part of God’s design for His creation of humankind, and because marriage pictures the union between Christ and His church, we do not recognize any other definitions of marriage outside of these biblical standards.
WE BELIEVE that all who come by grace through faith to accept the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God forever. (John 1:12-13, 3:3-5; Ephesians 2:8-9; James 1:18; I Peter 1:23)
WE BELIEVE that all Christians are baptized with the Holy Spirit and permanently indwelt by Him at the point of salvation. The filling of the Holy Spirit is meant to be a continuous experience for the believer through submission to His controlling authority and power. (John 14:16, 26; 15:5; Romans 6:3-5, 8:9-11; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 5:15-21)
WE BELIEVE that, while without faith it is impossible to please God, the possession of faith does not ensure health or prosperity.(Luke 9:22-27; 2 Corinthians 11:23-31, 12:7-10; Philippians 1:29-30; 2 Timothy 3:8-12; Hebrews 11:6,32-40)
WE BELIEVE that the body of Christ, the church is composed of interdependent members who are born again, each having received from the Holy Spirit gifts which are to be exercised for the building up of the whole body. No one gift is given to all believers nor indicates regeneration, filling, or baptism with the Holy Spirit. (Romans 12:4-8; I Corinthians 12:12-26; Ephesians 2:14-20, 4:4-16)
WE BELIEVE that Christ commanded His church to baptize believers as a proclamation of their faith and identification with Him and His church, and to celebrate communion as a living memorial of His redemptive death and a reminder of present fellowship with Christ and His body. Baptism and Communion are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:38-47, 8:36 -40, 10:47 -48, 18:8; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:23-29)
WE BELIEVE our Lord Jesus Christ will return soon in triumphant glory to bodily resurrect the just and unjust, for the everlasting joy of the saved with Him in the new heaven and new earth, and for the everlasting judgment of the lost. (Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; I Corinthians 15:12-57; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Revelation 19:11; 20:4-6, 11-15; 21:1-22; 22:1-5, 7, 20).