The Scriptures: We believe that the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God and were without error in the words of the original manuscripts. We believe that God's inspiration extended to the words of the text and to all parts equally and fully. We believe that the Bible is God's complete message to us and the final authority for our faith (II Tim. 3:16, Acts 17:11, II Peter 1:20-21, Rom. 15:4, Heb. 2:1-4).
The Godhead: We believe in the One Triune God, eternally existing, in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-equal in power and glory and having the same attributes and perfections but distinct in person and role (Gen. 1:26; 3:22, Matt. 3:16; 22:43; 28:19, I Peter 1:2).
God the Father: We believe in God the Father (Matt. 6:9, Eph. 3:14), Creator (Gen. 1:1), an infinite personal Spirit (John 4:24, Rev. 4:8), perfect in holiness (Isa. 6:3), wisdom (Romans 11:33-36), justice (Deut. 32:4), power (Job 42:2, Isa. 44:24, Mark 14:36, Rev. 19:6), patience and love (I Chron. 16:34, Jonah 4:2, Eph. 2:4). We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men (Isa. 55:7, Micah 7:18, Eph. 2:4); that He hears and answers prayer (Heb. 4:16); and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:21-23, Eph. 2:4-8).
God the Son: We believe that Jesus Christ has always eternally existed with the Father (John 1:1, 14) and was born into the world as a man (John 1:30; 8:40), being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Matt. 1:21-23). We believe that Christ is perfectly sinless (Isa. 53:9, Heb. 4:14-15, II Cor. 5:21) being fully God and fully man (Phil. 2:5-11). We believe that He died a substitutionary death on the cross bearing the sin of all mankind by His shed blood (Heb. 9:22; 10:12). We believe that Christ rose bodily from the dead (I Cor. 15:3-8) and ascended to the right hand of the Father where He continues to live eternally (Acts 1:9, Heb. 1:3, 13; 8:1; 12:2)
God the Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person (Rom. 15:30, Eph. 4:30, II Cor. 12:11) who convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-11); and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration (John 3:5-6), baptizing all believers into the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:13, Eph. 4:5, Titus 3:5); indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13-14). We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth (Gal. 5:18, 25, Acts 16:6); and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit by which we are able to walk in obedience (Eph. 5:18). We believe that the final evidence for the baptizing and indwelling work of the Spirit is the promise of God's Word and that no external or supernatural sign is necessary (Eph. 1:13-14). We believe that sign and revelatory gifts of the Spirit such as tongues and prophecy were for the most part limited to the Apostolic age and are not to be considered a normative part of church life today (I Cor. 13:8-10, Heb. 2:1-4). We believe that, at conversion, the Holy Spirit sovereignly gifts each believer for serving the Body of Christ (ICor. 12:11).
Man: We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26) and as such demands our respect for all human life. We believe all human life to be sacred including, but not limited to the unborn, newborn, handicapped and elderly (Psalm 139:1-18, Gen 9:6). We believe that in Adam's sin the human race fell into sin through disobedience (Rom. 5:12), inherited a sinful nature (Rom. 5:12), and became alienated from God (Isa. 59:2). We believe that man is totally depraved, spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1, Rom. 3:9-18) and as a natural result of his condition, destined for condemnation (Eph. 2:3). We believe that he is utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Eph. 2:4-9).
Salvation: We believe that the saving work of Christ on the cross is appropriated only by faith (Eph. 1:13; 2:8, John 3:16), as one believes in the Lord and His substitutionary atonement. We believe that such faith necessitates a comprehension of personal guilt and sin and a turning from any confidence in good works, sacraments, religious deeds, or any other human effort as ground for salvation (Rom. 3:28, Phil. 3:4-9, I Thess. 1:9). We believe that all who possess such faith are born from above (John 3:3) and are at once rendered justified (Rom. 3:26, 28), redeemed (I Peter 1:18-19), reconciled (II Cor. 5:18), and adopted (Gal. 4:4-6) by God. We believe that all who are born of the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ can have assurance of salvation and are eternally secure in Him (Eph. 1:13-14).
The Church: We believe that the true Church is composed only of those persons who have experienced saving faith in Christ Jesus (Matt. 16:18, Col 1:18). We believe that Christians are commanded to assemble together for the purpose of worship, prayer, fellowship, and instruction (Heb. 10:24-25, Acts 2:42). We believe the Church is called to be ambassadors of Christ to a world of unbelievers through godly conduct and an active verbal witness (II Cor. 5:18-20).
The Ordinances: We believe that Christ commanded every believer to be baptized by immersion after conversion (Matt. 28:19) as a testimony of faith and discipleship. We believe that Christ commanded His followers to regularly remember Him by observing the Lord's Supper (I Cor. 11:23-26). Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Communion), however, are not to be regarded as a means of grace or salvation (Rom. 3:28, Eph. 2:8).
The Second Coming: We believe in the literal, physical return of our Lord Jesus (John 14:6) in which believers are raptured (caught up) to be with Him forever (I Thess. 4:17, Rev. 22:20). We believe that His coming will begin a period of judgment for unbelievers (II Thess. 1:3-10, II Peter 3:10-13).
The Millennial Kingdom: We believe that Christ will personally reign over the earth with His glorified saints for 1000 years following His return to earth (Rev. 20:4-5). We believe that during Christ's reign Satan will be bound and the earth restored to a state of blessedness (Rev. 20:1-3, Isa. 65:17-25). We believe that the kingdom will conclude with the crushing of one final Satanic rebellion (Rev. 20:7-10).
The Final Judgment: We believe that Satan and the fallen angels will be judged before God's throne and eternally banished to the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:10). We believe that the unsaved of all times will be raised to be judged according to their works (Rev. 20:11-12). We believe that all those so raised and judged will be confined and condemned to eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:13-15). We believe that the saved of all times will escape this judgment and remain in the presence of God forever (Rom. 8:1, Rev. 22:1-5).
