Statement of Faith
God
We believe that there is one true, holy God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – each of Whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality. In the beginning, God created out of nothing the world and all the things therein, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom and goodness. By His providence He is operating throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes. (Isaiah 45:18; Psalm 8; Matt. 28:19; I Pet 1:2).
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born of the virgin Mary, and is True God and True Man (Isaiah 7:14; John 1:1-14; Phil. 2:6-11). We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, in His ascension into heaven, where He is seated at the right hand of God, and in His ministry for us as High Priest and Advocate (Luke 24:50-52; I Cor. 15:3-4). He shall come again to earth, personally and visibly, to consummate history and the eternal plan of God (Titus 2:13; Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:13-18).
Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to impart to mankind the saving work of Christ. He convicts sinners, awakens in them recognition of their need of a Savior, and regenerates them. At the point of salvation, He permanently indwells every believer to become the source of assurance, strength, and wisdom, and He uniquely endows each believer with gifts for the building of the body. The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Scripture. His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christ-like character and to bear fruit for the glory of the Father (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:16-27; Gal. 5:16-26; I Cor. 12:7-11).
The Bible
We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as inspired of God and inerrant in the original writings. This means that all facts (e.g., theological, doctrinal, historical, numerical, chronological, and scientific) that Scripture intends to affirm are exempt from error in whole and in part. The Scriptures are the supreme and final Authority in faith and life. (II Tim. 3:16; II Pet. 1:21).
Salvation
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. (Gen. 1:27, 2:17, 3:6; Rom 5:12, 3:23, 18-19) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His death and resurrection (Rom. 4:24-25; I Cor. 15:3; I John 1:7; Acts 13:39; II Cor 5:21; I Pet. 2:24). We believe that all who receive Christ by faith are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become the children of God (John 1:12, 3:16, 3:5-7; Rom. 8:4, 10:9-10; Gal. 3:26). We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead to eternal life for those who have received Christ as Savior and Lord and to eternal separation from God for those who have not (I John 5:11-12; John 5:24-29).
The Church
We believe in the one true Church, universal, a living spiritual body, of which Christ is the Head, and of which all who have received Christ as Savior and Lord are members. We believe that a visible Church is a local body of believers in Jesus Christ, whose purpose is to gather together for exaltation, edification, evangelism, and extension (Eph. 4:11-16; Acts 2:42-47; Heb. 10:24-25). We believe that members of the Church should seek to discover and exercise their spiritual gifts in useful forms of ministry (Rom. 12:3-8). We believe that the Church is salt and light resulting in a Christ-like influence in the world (Matt. 5:13-14). Each believer has a distinct calling and role within the body. This ministry exists to enable, empower, and encourage believers to fulfill the Great Commission given by Christ in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8.
Faith and Practice
We believe that Scripture is the final Authority in all matters of faith and practice. We recognize that we cannot bind the conscience of individual believers in areas where Scripture is silent. Rather, each believer is to be led in those areas by the Lord, to Whom he or she alone is ultimately responsible. (Rom. 14).