What We Believe

SECTION A – Scripture: We believe that the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, and are without error in the original writings.

SECTION B – God: We believe in one true God, eternally existing in three persons – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person eternally shares the same being, nature, power, and glory, and each has the same attributes and perfections but performs distinct roles.

SECTION C – Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is the perfect, eternal Son of God. He became man without ceasing to be God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He came to reveal God to us and to accomplish our redemption through his sinless life, his death on the cross in our place, his burial in the tomb, and the resurrection of his body from the dead on the third day. He then ascended to the right hand of the Father where He reigns as King and serves as our High Priest. He is our Representative before the Father, and he intercedes on our behalf.

SECTION D – The Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He is the Supernatural Agent of the new birth. He baptizes all believers into the body of Christ. He indwells and seals all believers for the day of redemption. He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth. It is the duty of all believers to be filled with the Spirit. We believe that God the Holy Spirit is sovereign in the bestowment of all spiritual gifts, and that the gifts of evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the Saints today. The sign gifts of speaking in tongues and working miracles served their purpose in the early Church and then ceased as the New Testament scriptures were completed and their authority became recognized.

SECTION E –Mankind: We believe that mankind was created as male and female in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin all humanity fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Mankind is now totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition.

SECTION F – Salvation, Eternal Security, and Assurance: We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace It is received by personally trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death and resurrection. We believe that all believers, once justified, are being sanctified and are kept by God's power, and are thus secure in Christ forever. It is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the outward evidence of their faith, the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit, and the testimony of God's Word.

SECTION G – The Church: We believe that the Church is the body and bride of Christ. It is a spiritual body made up of all believers worldwide. The local church is free of any external authority or control. It is the obligation of the Church (all believers) to witness by life and word to the truth of God’s Word and to seek to proclaim the gospel to all.

SECTION H – Angels and Demons: We believe that angels are spiritual beings created to be God’s servants and do His bidding. We believe that Satan is the personal angelic being responsible for sin and the Fall. Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man. He shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire. Satan’s followers known as demons or fallen angels do indeed possess and influence unbelievers and follow Satan in rebellion against God.

SECTION I – Last Things: We believe that the souls of believers who have died are absent from the body and present with the Lord in conscious bliss. We believe that the souls of unbelievers who have died remain in conscious misery until the final judgment. We believe in the “blessed hope,” the personal, bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ for his redeemed ones; the establishment of his kingdom; the bodily resurrection of all people; the eternal joy of all believers in the presence of the Lord, and the everlasting punishment of all unbelievers.

*This statement of beliefs does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and proper human conduct, and it is the final source of all that we believe.

Supporting Scripture passages:

SECTION A – Scripture: 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Matt. 5:18; John 16:12-13

SECTION B – God: Deut. 6:4; 2 Cor. 13:14

SECTION C – Jesus Christ: John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; 2:24; Eph. 1:7; Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:35; 1 John 2:1-2

SECTION D – The Holy Spirit: John 16:8-11, 13; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; 12:12; 13:4-11; Eph. 1:13-14; 1 John 2:10, 17; Eph. 4:7-12; 5:18.

SECTION E –Mankind: Gen.1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3, 12

SECTION F – Salvation, Eternal Security, and Assurance: Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; John 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:5, 18-19; John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 16, 18-19; 13:13-14; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 John 2:3; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15

SECTION G – The Church: Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 12:12-14; Acts 1:8; 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-11; Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Pet. 5:1-4; Mark 16:15; 2 Cor. 5:19-20; 11:2

SECTION H – Angels and Demons: Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10; Mark 5:1-20; Acts 16:16-18; Rom. 8:9-11; Eph. 1:13-14; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 2 Cor. 5:17; John 8:36; 1 John 4:4

SECTION I – Last Things: Luke 16:19-26; 23:42; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; Matt. 25:41-46; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Mark 9:43-48; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; 1 Thess. 1:10, 5:9; 4:13-18; Zech. 14:4-11; Rev. 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6, 11-15