Core Beliefs
We affirm the Holy Bible as the inspired Word of God and as the only basis of like beliefs.
Doctrinal statement:
1. The Holy Scriptures –
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible, and God-breathed (II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20-21, Matthew 5:18. John 16:12-13).
2. The Godhead –
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory and having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4, II Corinthians 13:14).
3. The Person and Work of Christ
a. 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 God and redeem sinful man (John 1:1-2, 14, Luke 1:35, Philippians 2:5-11).
b. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24-25, I Peter 2:24, Ephesians 1:7, I Peter 1:3-5).
c. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now seated, exulted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10, Hebrews 9:24, Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34, I John 2: 1-2).
4. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
a. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11, II Corinthians 3:6, I Corinthians 12:1-3, Romans 8:9, Ephesians 5:18).
b. We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth and that it is the privilege and the duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (John 16:13, I John 2:20, I John 2:27, Ephesians 5:18).
5. The Total Depravity of Man –
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God, and that man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27, Romans 3:22-23, Romans 5:12, Ephesians 2:1-3, Ephesians 2:12).
6. Salvation -
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 2:8-10, John 1:12, Ephesians 1:7, I Peter 1:18-19).
7. The Eternal Salvation and Assurance of Believers
a. We believe that all who have a personal and saving relationship with God are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ (John 5:37-40, John 10:27-30, Romans 8:1, Romans 8:38-39, I Corinthians 1:4-8, I Peter 1:5).
b. We believe that a professed believer may choose to abandon the faith and wander after falsehoods (I Timothy:1, I Timothy 6:20-21, Galatians 5:4, Romans 11:19-23, Acts 20:28-30, Luke 8:13, Hebrews 6:4-6, II Peter 2:20).
8. The two Natures of the Believer –
We believe that every saved person possesses two natures with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural (Romans 6:13, Romans 8:12-13, Galatians 5:16-25, Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 3:10, I Peter 1:14-16, I John 3:5-9).
9. Separation –
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as to not bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord and that separation from all religious apostasy and all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded by God (II Timothy 3:1-4, Romans 12:1-2, Romans 14:13, I John 2: 15-17, II John 9-11, II Corinthians 6:14, II Corinthians 7:1).
10. Missions –
We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8, II Corinthians 5:19-20).
11. The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts
a. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts and that the gifts of evangelists, pastors and teachers are for the perfecting of saints (I Corinthians 12:4-11, II Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 4:7-12).
b. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith in accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7, I John 5:14-15).
12. The Church
a. We believe that the church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age (Ephesians1:22-23, Ephesians 5:25-27, I Corinthians 12:12-14, II Corinthians 11:2).
b. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27, Acts 20:17, Acts 20:28-32, I Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-11).
c. We believe in the autonomy of the local churches free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4, Acts 15:19-31, Acts 20:28, Romans 16:1, Romans 16:4, I Corinthians 3:9-16, I Corinthians 5: 4-7, I Corinthians 5:13, I Peter 5:1-4).
d. We recognize the ordinances of water baptism by immersion and the Lord’s supper as scriptural means of testimony for the church. (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 2:41-42, Acts 18:8, I Corinthians 11:23-26).
13. The Personality of Satan –
We believe that Satan is the author of sin and the cause of the fall of man (Job 1:4, Job 1:7, Isaiah 14:12-17, Matthew 4:2-11, Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10).
14. The Coming of Christ –
We believe in that “Blessed Hope” and the returning of Christ for His church (I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Zachariah 14:4-11, Revelation 19:11-16, Revelation 20:1-6, I Thessalonians 1:10, I Thessalonians 5:9, Revelation 3:10).
15. The Eternal State
a. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men: the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46, John 5:28-29, John 11:25-26, Revelation 20:5-6, Revelation 20:12-13, Luke 23:43, Revelation 20:4-6, II Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23, Philippians 3:21, I Thessalonians 4:16-17, Luke 16:19-26, Matthew 25:41-46, II Thessalonians 1:7-9, Jude 6-7, Mark 9:43-48, Revelation 20:11-15).
Doctrinal statement:
1. The Holy Scriptures –
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible, and God-breathed (II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20-21, Matthew 5:18. John 16:12-13).
2. The Godhead –
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory and having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4, II Corinthians 13:14).
3. The Person and Work of Christ
a. 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 God and redeem sinful man (John 1:1-2, 14, Luke 1:35, Philippians 2:5-11).
b. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24-25, I Peter 2:24, Ephesians 1:7, I Peter 1:3-5).
c. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now seated, exulted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10, Hebrews 9:24, Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34, I John 2: 1-2).
4. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
a. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11, II Corinthians 3:6, I Corinthians 12:1-3, Romans 8:9, Ephesians 5:18).
b. We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth and that it is the privilege and the duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (John 16:13, I John 2:20, I John 2:27, Ephesians 5:18).
5. The Total Depravity of Man –
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God, and that man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27, Romans 3:22-23, Romans 5:12, Ephesians 2:1-3, Ephesians 2:12).
6. Salvation -
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 2:8-10, John 1:12, Ephesians 1:7, I Peter 1:18-19).
7. The Eternal Salvation and Assurance of Believers
a. We believe that all who have a personal and saving relationship with God are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ (John 5:37-40, John 10:27-30, Romans 8:1, Romans 8:38-39, I Corinthians 1:4-8, I Peter 1:5).
b. We believe that a professed believer may choose to abandon the faith and wander after falsehoods (I Timothy:1, I Timothy 6:20-21, Galatians 5:4, Romans 11:19-23, Acts 20:28-30, Luke 8:13, Hebrews 6:4-6, II Peter 2:20).
8. The two Natures of the Believer –
We believe that every saved person possesses two natures with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural (Romans 6:13, Romans 8:12-13, Galatians 5:16-25, Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 3:10, I Peter 1:14-16, I John 3:5-9).
9. Separation –
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as to not bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord and that separation from all religious apostasy and all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded by God (II Timothy 3:1-4, Romans 12:1-2, Romans 14:13, I John 2: 15-17, II John 9-11, II Corinthians 6:14, II Corinthians 7:1).
10. Missions –
We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8, II Corinthians 5:19-20).
11. The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts
a. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts and that the gifts of evangelists, pastors and teachers are for the perfecting of saints (I Corinthians 12:4-11, II Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 4:7-12).
b. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith in accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7, I John 5:14-15).
12. The Church
a. We believe that the church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age (Ephesians1:22-23, Ephesians 5:25-27, I Corinthians 12:12-14, II Corinthians 11:2).
b. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27, Acts 20:17, Acts 20:28-32, I Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-11).
c. We believe in the autonomy of the local churches free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4, Acts 15:19-31, Acts 20:28, Romans 16:1, Romans 16:4, I Corinthians 3:9-16, I Corinthians 5: 4-7, I Corinthians 5:13, I Peter 5:1-4).
d. We recognize the ordinances of water baptism by immersion and the Lord’s supper as scriptural means of testimony for the church. (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 2:41-42, Acts 18:8, I Corinthians 11:23-26).
13. The Personality of Satan –
We believe that Satan is the author of sin and the cause of the fall of man (Job 1:4, Job 1:7, Isaiah 14:12-17, Matthew 4:2-11, Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10).
14. The Coming of Christ –
We believe in that “Blessed Hope” and the returning of Christ for His church (I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Zachariah 14:4-11, Revelation 19:11-16, Revelation 20:1-6, I Thessalonians 1:10, I Thessalonians 5:9, Revelation 3:10).
15. The Eternal State
a. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men: the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46, John 5:28-29, John 11:25-26, Revelation 20:5-6, Revelation 20:12-13, Luke 23:43, Revelation 20:4-6, II Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23, Philippians 3:21, I Thessalonians 4:16-17, Luke 16:19-26, Matthew 25:41-46, II Thessalonians 1:7-9, Jude 6-7, Mark 9:43-48, Revelation 20:11-15).