What_we_believe

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 in those original manuscripts is, therefore, without error. We
believe that all Scripture centers around the Lord Jesus Christ in His person, work, and in His
first and second coming. Therefore, no portion of the Old Testament is properly read or
understood until it leads to Christ. 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, and 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 all-wise. 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 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Corinthians15: 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 and 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, Romans 8:34)

God 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 them permanently, 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 in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit so 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)

The church
THE CHURCH

We believe that a New Testament church is an assembly of baptized believers associated
together by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel, whose purpose is the proclamation
of the gospel, the instruction and edification of the saints, the observance of the ordinances;
and the faithful contending for the faith once delivered to the saints; and that each local church
has the absolute right of self government without any outside interference, whether individual or
ecclesiastical , and that the one and only Head of the church is Christ. We believe that a local
church is the body of Christ in that locality (I Cor. 12:27), but that all regenerated believers are
also one body in Christ (Eph. 2:16) and constitute the true church (Col. 1:24).

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 fallen angel, the author of sin, and the reason for the fall of man, and
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 all who believe on Him are redeemed by His shed blood. 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. (John 1:1-3, 14; 3:1-7; Hebrews 10:4-14; 1
John 2:2)
We believe that as through one man sin entered the world and death through sin, so death
passed upon all men for that all have sinned, and the wages of sin is death (Rom. 5:12, 6:23).

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 have a holy calling to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit, and so to
live in the power of the indwelling Spirit in order that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. The
flesh is never eradicated in this life. Individuals must choose to keep the flesh in subjection to
Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, or it will surely manifest its presence in life
and dishonor our Lord. (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; 1 John 1:4-7; 3:5-9)

Spiritual Gifts
We believe that the baptism in the Holy Ghost, according to Acts 2:4, is given to believers who
asks for it. We also hold that all the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit as expressed in the early
church are in operation today for the edification of the body.
Romans 12:6-8 Ephesians 4:11

The Great Commission

Until the return of Christ, it is the 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) We believe it to be the supreme responsibility of the disciples of our Lord
Jesus Christ to plant His church among all nations (Rom. 1:5, Rev. 5:9).

We believe in the pre-millenial second coming to earth of our Lord Jesus Christ in power and
great glory, that He will change our vile bodies and fashion them like unto His glorious body
(Phil. 3:21). We believe that He shall reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords upon this earth
for a thousand years (Rev. 20:5), and in Heaven forever.