Doctrinal Statement

THE BIBLE — We believe that God inspired all the words of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16), the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, in order to give every person His authoritative revelation wholly and without error of any kind in the original writings (Proverbs 30:5).

GOD — We believe in one God (1 Timothy 2:5) eternally existing (Psalm 90:2) in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19), each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality.

JESUS CHRIST — We believe that Jesus Christ, who is God (John 1:1), became flesh (John 1:14) through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth (Matthew 1:18). He is, therefore, perfect deity and perfect humanity, these two being united without mixture in one person forever. We believe that He lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4:15) and voluntarily atoned (John 10:18) for the sins of all people by dying on the cross as their substitute (1 John 2:2). We believe in the resurrection of His crucified body (Mark 16:6), in His ascension into heaven (Acts 1:9) and His present ministry as High Priest (Hebrews 6:20).

THE HOLY SPIRIT — We believe that the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4) and that He has come to reveal and glorify Christ (John 16:14), to convict and draw sinners to Christ (John 16:8), to regenerate (Titus 3:5), baptize (Mark 1:8), indwell (1 Corinthians 6:19), and seal believers (Ephesians 1:13) into the body of Christ, to impart gifts to believers (1 Corinthians 12:4-11) and enable them to live holy lives (Galatians 5:16).

CREATION — We believe that the Genesis account of creation (Genesis 1:1-2:1) is to be understood historically and literally and not allegorically or figuratively.

HUMANITY — We believe that men and women were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and that the first man sinned, bringing spiritual death to all people (Romans 5:18-19). We believe that as a result of Adam’s sin, all people stand condemned and are in need of Christ’s salvation (Romans 6:23).

SALVATION — We believe that God saves those who put their faith in Jesus Christ alone (John 3:14-15), imputing His righteousness to them (2 Corinthians 5:21) and keeping them eternally secure (John 10:28).

THE CHRISTIAN WALK — We believe that, although a believer might sin (Galatians 1:6), all believers are called to live holy lives (1 Thessalonians 4:7) through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16).

THE CHURCH — We believe that The Church, the body of Christ (Colossians 1:18), is composed of all those who have put their faith in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). We believe that baptism by water is not necessary for salvation (Acts 10:47-48), but rather is a response to salvation as a symbol of identification with the burial and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:3-5). We believe that all believers should assemble regularly in local churches for worship (Hebrews 12:28), for observing the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:41; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24), for mutual encouragement (Hebrews 10:25) and discipline (Matthew 18:15-17) and for carrying out God’s purpose in this world (Matthew 28:160-20; Ephesians 3:10-11).

THE FUTURE — We believe in the everlasting, conscious blessedness of the saved and the everlasting, conscious punishment of the unsaved (1 Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 20:12-15). We believe in the imminent, personal, visible return of Christ (Acts 1:11) to inaugurate the kingdom in which He will reign (Luke 1:32-33).