Statement of Faith

We believe the Word of God is divinely inspired by the Father through the Holy Spirit and written by human hands; God’s Word proclaims the message of salvation, inerrant truth, and reveals the principles by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian unity, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tested.

Luke 24:27, 44; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; James 1:22-25

We believe there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent being , whose name is I AM that I AM, the Lord of heaven and earth, and creator of all that is created; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

Genesis 1; Isaiah 46:10-11; John 1:1-14; John 14; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Timothy 1:14

We believe God the son, Jesus Christ, is the second member of the Trinitarian Godhead and equally God along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the full manifestation of God. He took on flesh and became a man in fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. Jesus lived a sinless life and died on a cross as the substitutionary atoning sacrifice for humanity’s sin and rebellion against God. He was buried, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and now serves as our mediating high priest. He will come again to judge the living and the dead and will reign eternally as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 24; John 1; Colossians 1:15-21; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 4:14-16

We believe God the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinitarian Godhead and equally God along with the Father and Son. He convicts the world of sin. He regenerates the dead hearts of sinful people, baptizing them into Christ and the church. He gifts every believer within the body of Christ to the glory of God for the building up of the church. The Holy Spirit indwells and seals believers, serving also as their teacher and comforter.

John 3, 14:16-17, 16:7-15; Acts 2, 5:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 12:14

We believe that Man was created in holiness, under the law of his Creator ; but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy state; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but choice; being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil; and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse.

Genesis 1:27; Genesis 3; Romans 3:23; Romans 5; Romans 6:23

We believe salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.

Ephesians 1:3-14; Romans 8:29-30; Romans 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 10

Regeneration (or the new birth), is a work of God’s grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.

Romans 3:24; 8:30; Romans 4:5–8; Ephesians 1:7. 3; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 31; Romans 5:17–19; Philippians 3:8, 9; Ephesians 2:8–10; John 1:12; Romans 5:17

Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. In justification, God imputes his righteousness onto the believer, who of themself can not attain the perfect righteousness of God. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God.

Romans 3:24; 8:30; Romans 4:5–8; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 31; Romans 5:17–19; Philippians 3:8, 9; Ephesians 2:8–10; John 1:12; Romans 5:17; Romans 3:28; Galatians 5:6; James 2:17, 22, 26; Hebrews 10:14; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Isaiah 53:5, 6; Romans 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:26; Ephesians 1:6,7; 2:7.

Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God’s purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person’s life.

1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17; 2 Corinthians 6:14:18; James 2:1:26; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 3:1:10

Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.

Romans 8:30; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:4; 1 John 3:2; Philippians 3:30-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:23

We believe that Repentance and Faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and relying on Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior.

Zechariah 12:10; Acts 11:18; Ezekiel 36:31; 2 Corinthians 7:11; Psalms 119:6, 12; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Luke 22:31-32; Titus 3:2–5

We believe that Election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners; that being perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, it comprehends all the means in connection with the end; that it is a most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy and unchangeable; that it utterly excludes boasting, and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of his free mercy; that it encourages the use of means in the highest degree; that it may be ascertained by its effects in all who truly believe the Gospel; that it is the foundation of Christian assurance; and that to ascertain it with regard to ourselves demands and deserves the utmost diligence.

Job 8:13, 14; Matthew 7:22-23; 1 John 2:3; 3:14, 18-19, 21, 24; 5:13; Romans 5:2, 5; Hebrews 6:11, 17-19; 2 Peter 1:4-5, 10-11; Romans 8:15-16; 1 John 3:1–3.

We believe all who are truly redeemed  will be sustained by God’s power, and that they will, by His grace, persevere in active trust and obedience to Christ until they see Him face to face. Believers may at times fall into sin by succumbing to temptation, thereby grieving the Holy Spirit, impairing their fellowship with Christ, bringing reproach on His name, and incurring God’s loving discipline. Discipline is a means of God’s grace which is meant to bring about daily repentance and restoration, and growth unto holiness. They will be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. This enduring faith of believers distinguishes them from those who renounce Christ and prove not to be His. A persevering faith is evidence of God’s election and love which gives sure hope of eternal life with Christ.

Matthew 5:13, 24:13; John 6:38-40, 8:31, 10:27-29, 15:6; Romans 8:30, 11:22; 1 Corinthians 9:27, 10:12, 15:1; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 1:22-23; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 1:14, 3:12-14, 4:11, 6:12, 9:15; 1 Peter 1:4-5; 2 Peter 1:10; 1 John 2:19; 2 John 1:9; Jude 20; Revelation 2-3, 14:12, 21:7.

We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of society. Families are composed of people related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. 

Marriage. God Himself has established marriage as the uniting of one man and one woman in an exclusive covenant commitment for a lifetime. Husband and wife are both made in God’s image and have equal value before God; while at the same time possessing distinct but complementary roles in the marriage. The husband is to gently lead and sacrificially love his wife as Christ loved the church, and the wife is to respect and graciously submit herself to her husband as the church willingly submits to Christ. God structured marriage in this way so that it would reflect the Gospel and bring glory to Himself by revealing the joyful, permanent union between Jesus and His bride, the church.

Sexuality. We believe that God has established marriage as His intended channel for human sexual expression and procreation, and that God calls all unmarried people to celibacy and to devotion to Himself. The Bible teaches that departures from God’s design for human sexuality, including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, and other forms of sexual immorality as defined by Scripture, are sinful. God offers forgiveness and restoration for sin through His Son Jesus Christ, and Christians should always act in the spirit of love toward all people, without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth.

Children. We believe that children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and inheritance from the Lord. Parents are to patiently lead their children in the ways of Christ by intentional instruction, gracious discipline, and consistent example based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents for the glory of God and their ultimate good. All people have a weighty responsibility not to cause children to sin.

Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15-25, 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 18:21-22; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalm 51:5, 78:1-8, 127-128, 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8, 5:15-20, 6:20-22, 12:4, 13:24, 14:1, 17:6, 18:22, 22:6, 22:15, 23:13-14, 24:3, 29:15, 29:17, 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-6, 19:3-9; Mark 9:42, 10:6-12; Luke 17:1-2; John 8:2-11; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 7:1-40; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:21-33, 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8, 5:14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7; Revelation 19:6-9, 21:9-11.

We believe a visible church of Christ is a local assembly of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel; designated by the preaching and teaching of God’s Word and observing the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; governed by God’s laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by God’s word. The church is governed by the word of God, which teaches that Christ is the head of the church; that its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by the Epistles to Timothy and Titus.

Acts 2:42:47; Ephesians 1:3-6; Matthew 5:7; 28:19-20; Luke 22:14-23; Eph. 4:11; 1 Tim. 3:2, 5:17; Titus 1:9; Heb. 13:17

Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit; to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect, in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; as such, iit is an ordinance of Christ that is to occur after a genuine profession of faith, and should precede the privileges of a church membership.

The Lord’s Supper is another ordinance of Christ in which believers, by the sacred use of designated elements (typically bread and juice which represent the body and blood of Christ), are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ and our union with Him. This is always to be preceded by a solemn self-examination of sin.

Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12.

We believe the Church is the bride of Christ, which is being made ready for the marriage supper, clothed in the righteous deeds of the saints. When Christ returns at the end of the age, he will be reunited with his church in the new heavens and earth. (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelations 19:6-9; Revelations 21:2)

We believe that the end of the world is approaching; that at the last day Christ will descend from heaven, and raise the dead from the grave to final judgement; that a solemn separation will then take place; that the wicked will be adjudged to endless punishment, and those clothed in the righteousness of Christ to endless joy; and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, on principles of God’s righteousness. 

We believe the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord. Believers in Christ will dwell forever in the bliss of their resurrected bodies, in the presence of the Lord in the new heavens and new earth. The souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when they will appear at the final judgment and be cast into the lake of fire. They will not be annihilated, but instead suffer everlasting, conscious punishment apart from the presence of God.

Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26, 23:43; John 5:28-29, 11:25-26; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23, 3:21; 1  Thess. 4:16-17; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6:7; Rev. 20:4-6, 12:13; Rev. 20:11-15.