Our Beliefs
The Holy Scripture
We believe in THE HOLY SCRIPTURE: accepting fully the writings of the Old and New Testaments as the very Word of God, verbally inspired in all parts and therefore wholly without error as originally given of God altogether sufficient in themselves as our only infallible and authoritative rule of faith and practice. Psalm 119:160, Proverbs 30:5a, II Timothy 3:16,17, II Peter 1:19-21.
The Trinity
We believe in THE ONE TRUE GOD: who is an intelligent, sovereign, spiritual and personal Being; perfect, infinite, and eternal in His being, holiness and love, wisdom and power; absolutely separate from and above the world as its Creator, yet everywhere present in the world as the Upholder of all things. He is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three distinct persons but without division of nature, essence or being, and each having a distinct ministry in God’s relation to His creation and people. Genesis 1:1, Exodus 15:11, Psalm 83:18, Psalm 139:7-9, Matthew 28:19, John 10:30, 15:26.
We believe in THE LORD JESUS CHRIST: who is the second Person of the Triune God, the eternal Word and Only Begotten Son; that without any change in His divine Person, He became man by miracle of the Virgin Birth thus to continue forever as both true God and true Man, one Person with two natures; that as Man He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin; that as the perfect Lamb of God He gave Himself in death upon the cross, bearing there the sin of the world, and suffering its full penalty of divine wrath in our stead; that He arose from the grave in a glorified body; that as our great High Priest He ascended into Heaven, there to appear before the face of God as our Advocate and Intercessor. John 1:1,14; 3:16, Matthew 1:18-25, Galatians 4:4,5, Philippians 2:6-10, I Corinthians 15:3-7, Hebrews 4:14-16, I John 2:1,2.
We believe in THE HOLY SPIRIT: who is the Third Person of the Trinity, and the divine Agent in nature, revelation and redemption; that He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment; that He regenerates, indwells, baptizes, seals and anoints all who become children of God through Christ; that He further empowers, guides, teaches, sanctifies and fills believers who daily surrender to Him. John 3:5; 14:16; 17:26; 15:7-14, Romans 8:9, I Corinthians 12:13, II Corinthians 3:18, Ephesians 1:13; 5:18.
Salvation
We believe ALL MEN ARE BY NATURE AND CHOICE SINFUL AND LOST: that man was the direct creation of God, made in His image and likeness; that by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God, man became a sinful creature, the father of a fallen race which is universally sinful in both nature and practice, thus alienated from the life and family of God, under the righteous judgment and wrath of God, and has within himself no possible means of salvation. Genesis 1:27; 3:6, Psalms 51:5, Romans 3:23; 5:12,19, Galatians 3:11.
We believe in SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH: that salvation is the free gift of God, neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any virtue or work of man, but received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom all true believers have as a present possession the gift of eternal life, a perfect righteousness, sonship in the family of God, deliverance and security from all condemnation, every spiritual resource needed for life and godliness, and the divine guarantee that they shall never perish; that this salvation affects the whole man; that apart from Christ there is no possible salvation. Ephesians 2:8,9, Titus 3:5, John 1:12; 3:14: 10:28,29, Romans 8:1, Philippians 1:6.
God is absolutely sovereign and in His sovereignty gave man free will to accept or reject the salvation that He has provided. It is God’s will that all would be saved and that none should perish. God foreknows, but does not predetermine any man to be condemned. God permits man’s destiny to depend upon man’s choice. I Timothy 2:4, II Thessalonians 2:13, I Peter 1:2, II Peter 3:9, John 6:64,65, Acts 10:34, I Corinthians 1:21, Ephesians 1:5-14, Romans 8:29-30; 9:30-32
Godly Living
We believe in RIGHTEOUS LIVING AND GODLY WORKS: not as a means of salvation in any sense, but as its proper evidence and fruit; and therefore as Christians we should obey the Word of our Lord, seek the things which are above, walk as He walked, accept as our solemn responsibility the duty and privileges of bearing the gospel to a lost world; remembering that a victorious and fruitful Christian life is possible only for those who in gratitude for the infinite and undeserved mercies of God have presented themselves wholly to Christ. Ephesians 2:10, Romans 12:1,2, Philippians 2:16.
Satan
We believe in 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, the great adversary of God and His people, leader of all other evil angels and wicked spirits, the deceiver and god of this present world: that his powers are vast, but strictly limited by the permissive will of God who overrules all his wicked devices for good; that he was defeated and judged at the cross and therefore his final doom is certain; that we are able to resist and overcome him only in the armor of God, by the blood of the Lamb, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 14:12-15, Ephesians 6:12, I Peter 5:8, I John 3:8, Revelation 12:9-11; 20:10.
Things to Come
We believe in THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST: that His coming in the air to rapture His Church, which is our blessed Hope, is always imminent; that when He has first by resurrection of the dead and translation of the living removed from the earth His waiting Church, He will then pour out the righteous judgments of God upon the unbelieving world and afterwards descend with His Church and establish His glorious and literal Kingdom over all the nations for a thousand years. I Thessalonians 4:13-18, James 4:8, Hebrews 10:37, Jude 14:15, Revelation 19:11-16; 20:4-7.
We believe in FUTURE LIFE, BODILY RESURRECTION AND ETERNAL JUDGEMENT: that the spirits of the saved 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 which will take place at the time when Christ comes for His own; that the spirits of the unsaved at death descend immediately into Hades where they are kept under punishment until the final day of judgment, at which time their bodies shall be raised from the grave, that they shall be judged and cast into Hell, the place of final and everlasting punishment. I Corinthians 15, II Corinthians 5:8-10, Luke 16:19-23, Revelation 20:11-15.
The Church
We believe in THE HEADSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST: that He alone is Head of the Body of Christ, into which all true believers are immediately baptized by the Holy Spirit: that all members of this one spiritual body should assemble and identify themselves in local churches. I Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 1:22,23; 4:11-15, Galatians 1:22.
We believe in THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH: that a New Testament church is a local assembly of born-again baptized believers united in organization to practice New Testament ordinances, to meet together for worship, prayer, fellowship, and to actively engage in carrying out the Great Commission. Acts 2:41,42, I Corinthians 11:2, Matthew 28:19,20.
We believe in THE INDEPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH, that each New Testament church is free to govern itself without ecclesiastical interference, and should cooperate with other New Testament churches as the Holy Spirit leads; that it is responsible to follow the pattern of the New Testament church and is directly accountable to God. Matthew 18:17, Acts 6:1-5; 13:1-3; 15:22,23.
We believe THE ORDINANCES GIVEN TO THE LOCAL CHURCH ARE TWO, BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER: that Baptism is by immersion of believers, thus portraying the death, burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ: that the Lord’s Supper is the partaking of the bread and cup by the believer as a continuing memorial of the broken body and shed blood of Christ. Matthew 28:19,20, Acts 2:41; 8:38,39, Matthew 26:26-30, I Corinthians 11:23,24.
The Gift of Tongues
The gift of tongues (languages) was a manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power solely for the demonstration of God’s wisdom, purpose, and power in the establishment of the early Church and was always in a language that was in use. The term UNKNOWN tongue is never found in the original Greek. Mark 16:17, Acts 2:4,6,11; 10:46, I Corinthians 14:21,22.
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Psalm 19:7-11