Statement of Faith

Scripture:

We believe that scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments are verbally inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings, and that they are the supreme and final authority in faith and life. 

II Timothy 3:16,17; II Peter 1:20,21 

God:

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three equal yet distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe that all things, visible and invisible, were created by God in six literal twenty-four (24) hour days. 

Matthew 28:19; Exodus 20:11; Genesis 1:31; 2:2 

Jesus Christ:

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood, and are saved by grace through faith wholly apart from human merit and works. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord from the dead, His ascension into Heaven and His present life there for us, as mediator, advocate, and intercessor. 

John 1:1,2,14,18; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 1:29; 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 9:22; Romans 5:8,9; Ephesians 2:8,9; 1 Corinthians 15:4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1; Hebrews 7:25

Holy Spirit:

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, and that He convicts, teaches, guides and empowers. We believe He gives gifts to Christians for the building up of the Church. We do not believe that speaking in tongues is the evidence of baptism by the Spirit nor do we believe that the gift of tongues is in operation today. 

John 16:8,13; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:7,13; 13:8; 14:21-24; Romans 10:19-21 

Humanity and Sin:

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 are totally depraved, and that they must be born again to be accepted by the Holy God. 

Romans 3:10,11,23; 5:12; John 3:3 

Salvation:

We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again, indwelt by the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God. We believe that they are also sealed by the Holy Spirit, thus being secured unto the day of redemption. 

Galatians 3:26; 1 Corinthians 6:19; John 1:12; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; John 5:24 

Spiritual Growth:

We believe that the scriptures clearly teach every believer to live, unto God, a life set apart from all worldly and sinful practices, to abide in Christ, and to walk in the Spirit.

Romans 12:1,2; 1 John 2:15-17; Colossians 3:1-5

The Church:

We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ was begun at Pentecost, is composed solely of believers, is the Body and Bride of our Lord; is distinct from Israel; and that its commission is the winning of lost souls to Christ. We believe that water baptism, by immersion, is an outward evidence of the believer's identification with Christ's death, burial and resurrection. We believe that Jesus Christ instituted the Lord's Supper to commemorate His death. Moreover, we believe that neither water baptism nor the Lord's Supper has any saving merit.

Acts 2:1-4; Matthew 16:18; 28:19; Ephesians 1:22,23; 5:23-32; Romans 11:7,11; Acts 2:41; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26