Statement of Faith

1. The Holy Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Scripture, both the Old and the New Testaments in their entirety, is revelation breathed out by God. All of its parts (plenarily), even to the very words of the original writings (verbally), are inspired and inerrant, whether they be passages dealing with doctrine, matters of history, geography, or science (John 10:35; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). A translation of the Holy Scriptures is authoritative only to the extent that it faithfully conveys the words and message of the original writing. We will, therefore, use for our public services only a literal translation based on the historical, grammatical interpretation of the original (Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic) language. We recommend the King James translation as one example of such a version for its accuracy as well as beauty of expression.




2. The Godhead

We believe there has been and forever will be only one living and true God. He is an infinite, eternal, immutable, omnipotent, omniscient, sovereign Spirit. He is the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is beyond description in His glorious holiness. He is worthy of all honor, confidence, and love. In the unity of the Godhead there are three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are equal in every divine perfection. They execute distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption and in everything they do (Deut 6:4; Ps 50:12; 86:15; 90:1-2; 115:3; Isa 6:3; 44:24-28; Dan 4:35; John 1:1, 18; 4:24; Acts 5:3-4; Rom 1:7; 9:8-21; 2 Cor 4:4; 13:14; Col 1:16-17; 1 Tim 6:16; Titus 1:2; James 1:17; 1 John 3:20).




3. The Person and Work of Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God. He was conceived by the virgin Mary, under the overshadowing ministry of the Holy Spirit. He came to reveal God and to redeem sinful man (John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for man. Our salvation is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Rom 3:24-25; Eph 1:7; 1 Pet 1:3-5; 2:24).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven; He is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9; Rom 8:34; Heb 9:24; 1 John 1:1-2).





4. The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine Person within the Trinity. He is active in the world and in the church. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He is gifting believers for spiritual service and empowering them to share the gospel. We believe true spirituality is the believer’s submissive relationship to the Holy Spirit.

We believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit to be the positioning of the believer with specific gifts in the body of Christ. The gifts are to be mutually shared for the edification of the body. “Sign gifts” ceased in the apostolic stages of the church’s beginning. With reference to the gift of tongues, the New Testament teaches that it was a “sign gift” for Israel. In the book of Acts, tongues were always translatable foreign languages and, when they are mentioned, Jews and apostles were always present. Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for the infiltration of ecstatic gibberish of the pagan mystery religion (John 16:8-13; Rom 6:6, 14; 8:4, 9; 1 Cor 12:12-13; 2 Cor 3:6; 7:1; Eph 1:13-14; 4:23-24; 5:18; Heb 12:14).





5. Man

We believe all men are sinful and lost, by both nature and by choice. Adam was the direct creation of God, made in His image and likeness. By his personal disobedience to the revealed will of God, he became the creatures and father of a fallen race, which is universally sinful in both nature and practice, and thus is alienated from the life and family of God. Man is under the righteous judgment and wrath of God and, therefore, has within himself no possible means of salvation. He can only obtain regeneration by the Holy Spirit through his personal faith in the death and resurrection of Christ (Gen 2:17; Rom 3:23; 5:12-21).




6. Satan

We believe in the existence of Satan. He originally was created a holy and perfect being, but through pride and wicked ambition he rebelled against God, becoming utterly depraved in character. He is the great adversary of God and His people, the leader of all other evil angels and spirits, and the deceiver and god of this present world. His powers are vast, but they are strictly limited by the permissive will of God who overrules all his wicked devices for good. He was defeated and judged at the cross, and therefore his final doom is certain. Christians are able to resist and overcome him only by putting on the whole armor of God, by the blood of the Lamb, and through the power of the Holy Spirit (Job 1:6-7; Matt 4:2-11; Rev 20:10).

We believe the New Age Movement in all of its facets must be exposed as a doctrine of Satan and opposed by Bible-believing Christians.





7. 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. Godly works, although not a means of salvation, are the evidence or fruit of salvation. As Christians, we should obey the word of our Lord and seek the things which are above (John 1:12; Eph 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet 1:18-19).




8. The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

We believe a Christian is eternally kept by God’s power and secure in Christ forever.

We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word. However, we believe that the Scriptures forbid the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (John 6:17-40; 10:27-30; Rom 8:1, 38-39; 13:13-14; 1 Cor 1:4-8; Gal 5:13; Titus 2:11-15; 1 Pet 1:5).





9. Sanctification of the Believer

We believe that the sanctification of the believer is the divine, three-fold action of setting apart a believer from sin and unto God.

Initial sanctification is an eternal act of God. At the moment of redemption through faith in Christ, the believer has the righteousness of Christ applied to him or her (he/she is “justified”), giving the believer a standing of absolute holiness.

Progressive sanctification is the continuing process in the believer as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to his or her life, conforming the believer to the likeness of Christ.

Final sanctification will take place at the Lord’s return, at which time the believer shall be glorified (John 17:17; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 3:18; Eph 5:25-27; 1 Thess 4:3, 4; 5:23, 24; Heb 3:1; 10:10-14; 1 John 3:2; Jude 24, 25; Rev 22:11).





10. Separation

We believe in the biblical command to separate ourselves entirely unto God from worldliness and ecclesiastical apostasy (2 Peter 2; 1 John 2:15; Jude).




11. Creation

We believe the Genesis creation account. That, in a direct act of God, the earth was created in six literal days. Man was created directly in God’s own image and after his own likeness. All life brings forth after its own kind, according to God’s command (Genesis 1).




12. Future Events

We believe in the personal, pre-millennial return of Jesus Christ to this earth. He will reign as the sovereign king of the world for a thousand years.

With reference to the time of the believer’s rapture and gathering together to Christ, we acknowledge that there are divergent views. Our Christian maturity allows us to tolerate our differences as together we patiently, eagerly await His soon return (Rev 20; 1 & 2 Thess).