Our Statement of Faith

This is a synopsis of our doctrinal statement. A more comprehensive Statement of Faith is available.

God

We believe that there is one and only one living and true God, the Creator and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. God is inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love. 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. (Exodus 20:2–3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11).

We believe that God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity, orders and accomplishes all things according to His own purpose and grace (Psalm 145:8–9; 1 Corinthians 8:6).

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ who is the eternal Word, becoming man by the miracle of the Virgin Birth, living without sin, as the perfect Lamb of God. He gave Himself in death upon the cross, suffering the full penalty of divine wrath in our stead, then arose bodily from the grave and later ascended to heaven appearing before God as our Advocate and Intercessor.

We believe the Holy Spirit who is the third Person of the Trinity, convicting the world concerning sin as well as guiding, teaching, and helping believers who surrender to Him.

The Scriptures

We believe the Holy Scriptures that are the Old and New Testaments which is the very Word of God, verbally inspired in all parts and therefore wholly without error. The Bible is the center of true Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human life and conduct will be evaluated and judged (2 Timothy 3:15–17; 2 Peter 1:19–21).

Angels

There is the existence of Satan who originally was created a holy and perfect being, but through pride and wicked ambition rebelled against God, thus becoming utterly depraved in character and the great adversary of God and His people.

Mankind

All men are by nature and choice sinful. Man was the direct creation of God, made in His image and likeness; by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God, man became a sinful creature, and has within himself no possible means of salvation.

Salvation

There is salvation by grace through faith, which is a free gift of God, neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any virtue, work, or religion of man, but received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Church

We believe that the Church as set forth in the New Testament has both a universal and a local aspect. The church as the Body of Christ, of which Christ is the Head, is an organism composed of genuine believers in Jesus Christ, the total number of Spirit baptized believers of this age regardless of location or circumstances (Acts 2:41–42; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 12:12–13; Ephesians 3:1–6).

We believe in the unity of all true believers in the universal Church, which is the body of Christ and was formed on the Day of Pentecost. All believers, from Pentecost to the Rapture, both Jews and Gentiles, are added to this Church when they believe the Gospel and are spiritually immersed into Christ’s body (Acts 2:41–42; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 12:12–13; Ephesians 3:1–6). The universal Church is revealed through local congregations of redeemed, baptized believers who commit to one another in their covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel. The Church observes the ordinances of Christ, is governed by His laws, and exercises the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word. The biblically designated offices are elders (also called bishops, pastors, and pastor-teachers) and deacons, whose qualifications and duties are revealed in the scriptural accounts of the early Church. The true mission of the Church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all as we have opportunity. The local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations. The one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit. It is scriptural for biblical churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel. Each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation. On all matters of membership, polity, government, discipline, and benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Acts 15:13–18; 20:17–28; 1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9; Ephesians 1:22, 23; 4:11; 5:23–24; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 5:1–5)

We believe that the Church as set forth in the New Testament has both a universal and a local aspect. The church as the Body of Christ, of which Christ is the Head,1 is an organism composed of genuine believers in Jesus Christ, the total number of Spirit baptized believers of this age regardless of location or circumstances.2 We believe that a local church is the visible expression of the body of Christ in a particular time and place,3 being an organized body of immersed believers,4 sharing a common faith or body of truth,5 observing the ordinances of baptism6 and communion,7 meeting at regular and stated times8 for worship, preaching and teaching, fellowship, and prayer,9 carrying out the Great Commission,10 and whose biblical offices are pastor11 and deacon.12 We believe that the local church is an autonomous body solely responsible to preserve its internal unity,13 maintain pure doctrine and practice,14 elect its own officers, leaders, and messengers,15 settle its own internal affairs,16 and determine the extent of its cooperation with other churches.17 We believe that the institution of the local church is God’s ordained instrument for His work and witness in this age.

Last Things

There is Christ’s return from Heaven, which will be personal, visible and glorious, a blessed Hope for which we should constantly watch and pray, the time being unrevealed but always imminent.

There is eternal judgment meaning that the spirits of true believers at death go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven, that their works shall be brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ for the determination of rewards, and that the spirits of the unsaved at death descend immediately into Hell until the final day of judgment and everlasting punishment.