The Scriptures
We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God." (2 Timothy
3:16) We understand this to mean that the whole Bible is inspired in that
holy men of God "were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21) to write
the very words of Scripture. We believe that this divine inspiration extends
equally and fully to all parts of Scripture as it appeared in the original
manuscripts. We believe that the whole Bible is, therefore, without error.
We believe that all the Scriptures center about the Lord Jesus Christ in His
person and work, in His first and second coming, and hence that no
portion, even of the Old Testament, is properly read, or understood, until it
leads to Him. We also believe that all Scripture was designed for our
practical instruction (Luke 24:27,44; John 5:39; Romans 15:4; 1
Corinthians 10:11; 2 Timothy 3:16).
The Triune Godhead
We believe in the one true and living God, the Creator, Redeemer,
Sustainer and Ruler of all things. He is infinite, eternal, unchangeable, and
is revealed to us as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
» God the Father: God, as Father, reigns over all of His universe with
providential care. He is all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing, and allwise.
He is fatherly in attitude toward all men but is Father, indeed, to
those who have become children of God through Jesus Christ, Who will
deliver them into the Father’s hands. (Genesis 1:1; 1 Chronicles 29:10;
Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 6:9; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:15; 1 Corinthians
8:6; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 4:6)
» God the Son: We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of
God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of
the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, in order that He might reveal God
and redeem sinful man. He accomplished this redemption by
voluntarily giving Himself as a sinless, substitutionary sacrifice on the
cross, thereby satisfying God’s righteous judgment against sin. After
substantiating the accomplishment of that redemption/justification by
His bodily resurrection from the grave, He ascended to the right hand of
His Father where he intercedes on behalf of those who trust Him. (Luke
1:34,35; John 1:1,2,14,18; Romans 3:24-26, 8:34)
» God and the Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine
Person Who convicts the world of sin (righteousness and judgment),
that He alone brings new life to those who are spiritually dead; that He
baptizes (or places) all believers into the one true Church, which is the
Body of Christ; that He indwells and seals them unto the day of final
redemption, bestows spiritual gifts upon them, and fills (controls) those
who are yielding to Him. Every believer is called to live so in the power
of the indwelling Spirit that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but
will bear fruit to the glory of God. (John 3:3-8; 14:16,17; 16:7-11; 1
Corinthians 12:7-11,13; Ephesians 4:30; 5:18)
Creation
We believe that man was created directly by and in the image of God. We
believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, by
direct act. (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16,17)
Man
Although man was created in the image of God, he fell into sin and is lost;
this is true of all men, and except a man be born again by the Holy Spirit,
he cannot see the kingdom of God. (Genesis 1:26,27; John 3:3; Romans
3:10,23)
The Devil – Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the reason for the
fall of man, and he is destined to the judgment of an eternal punishment in
the lake of fire. (Matthew 4:1-3; Acts 5:3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation
20:10)
Atonement for Sin
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures as a substitutionary sacrifice, and that His shed blood redeems
all who believe on Him. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified
body of our Lord Jesus Christ and in His ascension into heaven; He is our
High Priest and Advocate before God the Father. (John 1:1-3,14; 3:1-7,16;
Hebrews 10:4-14; 1 John 2:2)
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God’s grace. It cannot be gained or
made more secure by meritorious works, but is freely bestowed upon all
who put their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ at Calvary. All who
so trust the Savior are forgiven of their sins and born into the family of God
by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. (John 1:12; Acts 16:30-33;
Romans 10:9,10; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8,9)
The Christian Walk
We believe that we are called with a holy calling, to walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit, and so to live in the power of the indwelling
Spirit that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Romans 6:11-13;
8:2,4,12,13; Galatians 5:16-23; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 2;1-10; 1
Peter 1:14-16; I John 1:4-7; 3:5-9)
The Great Commission
Until the return of Christ, it is every Christian’s duty and privilege to seek
the fulfillment of Christ’s Great Commission and to minister in His name
to a needy world. We are to be instruments of Jesus Christ as the Holy
Spirit ministers redemption and reconciliation in the world. (Matthew
25:31-46; 28:18-20)
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of
the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of
the age.”-Matthew 28:18-20