WE BELIEVE…
The Bible
The Bible was written by men verbally inspired by God, and is complete in the 66 books it contains. God has protected and preserved the Bible for us, so that we have truth without any error. The Bible is sufficient and is our only source of authority for belief and behavior. (Psalm 19:7-10; Psalm 119:97-104; Psalm 119:160; Matthew 5:18; John 5:46-47; John 10:35; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Jude 1:3)
God
There is only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being. He has revealed Himself to us in Scripture and creation. He is the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is holy. God is all powerful, everywhere at all times, and all knowing. The eternal God shows Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three have separate personal characteristics. There is no difference in their nature, essence, or being. (Deuteronomy 6:5; John 17:3; Isaiah 45:5, 21; Romans 1:19-20; John 1:18; Acts 17:23-24; Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37; Psalm 147:4-5; Psalm 139:8)
God the Father
God the Father is the first person of the Trinity in authority. He sovereignly reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the course of human history according to His purposes and for His glory. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all people. (Isaiah 64:8; Matthew 6:9-11; John 1:12; Romans 8:15-16)
God the Son
Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, was born of a virgin, is wholly God and wholly man, lived a sinless life, died as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind, was buried, arose from the grave, defeating the power of sin and death. He ascended to Heaven and will literally, bodily return to the earth to reign as King of Kings. (Matthew 1:22; John 1:1-5; John 14:10-30; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 1:3-4; I Corinthians 15:3-4; I Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 4:14-15)
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily. (2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 1:13, 5:18)
Salvation
Salvation is needed by all people. It is a free gift of God provided through Jesus Christ, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for those who believe. Salvation is granted to those who respond in repentance and faith to the conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit. When a person is saved he/she is born again (regenerated) by the Holy Spirit, and is a new creation. There is always evidence of this change in the life of the believer (fruit). (Romans 3; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 6:23; Acts 4:12; Hebrews 7:25; John 14:6; Matthew 4:17; Mark 6:12; Romans 10:9-10; John 15:5; 1 John 3:4-6; Hebrews 10:26)
Man
God created man, both male and female, in His own image as the crowning work of His creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was given freedom of choice by God. Tempted by Satan, man rebelled against God and fell from his sinless state, bringing sin into the human race. Consequently, all mankind is sinful by inheritance and by choice. Therefore, mankind is under just condemnation without defense or excuse, depraved and in need of a Savior. (Genesis 1:26–27; Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 1:21; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Romans 6:6, 12, 17; Galatians 5:24; Ephesians 2:1-4; John 3:17-18)
The Church
The local church is an autonomous congregation of baptized believers under the headship of Jesus Christ, associated by covenant, observing the two ordinances of Christ (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper), exercising gifts for the strengthening of the body, with the purpose of glorifying God and making disciples. The Church is the people of God, under the headship of God, led by the Word of God, empowered by the Spirit of God, to accomplish the purposes of God, for the glory of God. (Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18; Acts 2:41; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 12:5-13; Ephesians 2:18-22; Matthew 26:26-29; Romans 12:1-8)
Eternity
In the “blessed hope,” the personal, literal return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every person will be judged by the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost. The saved are raised to eternal life in heaven. The lost are raised to eternal torment in hell in conscious separation from God. (Hebrews 9:27; Titus 2:11-13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:31-34; John 14:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:1-5; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 13:49-50; Luke 12:54; Revelation 21:8)
