Our Statement of Faith

These are the central tenants of our faith. It's not everything we believe, but these are the essential truths that we affirm as a church body.​

 

The Bible

We believe the Bible—both Old and New Testaments—is the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings. It is the complete revelation of God's will for the salvation of men and women and the final authority for all Christian faith and life.​

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The Trinity

We believe in one God, the Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

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The Father

We believe in God the Father, an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe He will actively and mercifully intervene in the affairs of humanity, hears and answers prayer, and saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Exodus 34:6–7; John 3:16; John 4:23–24; Ephesians 1:3)

 

​Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, rose bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven. He now serves as our High Priest and Advocate at the right hand of the Father.
(John 1:1–18; Romans 4:25; Ephesians 1:15–23; Colossians 1:15–23; Hebrews 7:23–25)

 

The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is fully God, equal with the Father and the Son. His primary ministry is to glorify Jesus by convicting non-Christians of their need for Christ, giving new birth to believing sinners, and indwelling, sanctifying, leading, teaching, and empowering believers for godly living and service.

We believe all Christians are to be filled with the Holy Spirit subsequent to conversion. We also believe that all of the spiritual gifts listed in the Bible (Romans 12:6–8; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:8–10, 28–30) continue to be distributed by the Spirit today. These gifts are divine provisions essential to spiritual growth and effective ministry and are to be eagerly desired, faithfully developed, and lovingly exercised according to biblical guidelines. (John 3:3–8; 14:15–27; 16:5–15; Romans 8:9–17; 1 Corinthians 12–14; Galatians 5:16–26; Ephesians 5:18–21)

 

Humanity

We believe God created humanity in His image. We further believe men and women are sinners by nature and action and are therefore spiritually dead. We also believe that those who repent of sin and place their trust in Jesus Christ are spiritually born again to new life by the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:27; Acts 2:38–39; Ephesians 2:1–9; Romans 3:9–26; 5:12–21)

 

Salvation

We believe that salvation is a free gift of God and is received by individuals through faith in Jesus Christ, apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We believe the shed blood of Jesus and His resurrection provide the only grounds for the forgiveness of sins for all who believe, and that only those who receive Jesus Christ are born of the Spirit, become children of God, and are given eternal life. 

(John 3:16–17; 8:23–24; 14:6; Acts 16:29–34; Romans 3:21–31; 10:9–10; Ephesians 2:4–9; 1 Timothy 2:3–6; Titus 3:5–7)

 

The Church

We believe the Church is composed of all people who, through saving faith in Jesus Christ, are united together in the Body of Christ, of which He is the head.
(Ephesians 1:22; 2:14–22; 4:1–5)

We believe the ordinances of the local church are believers' baptism and the Lord's Supper.

• Believers' baptism is a testimony of death to sin and resurrection to new life in Christ.

• The Lord's Supper is a memorial service, setting forth in sacred and symbolic manner the death of Jesus and our salvation through faith in Him.

All believers—and only believers—should participate in these ordinances. (Matthew 26:26–29; 28:19–20; Acts 2:38–39; Romans 6:3–4; 1 Corinthians 11:17–32; Colossians 2:11–12)

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Christ's Return

We believe that the personal and imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ is our future hope and has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer. (Matthew 24; John 14:1–4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18; Titus 2:11–14; Revelation 19–20)

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Resurrection

We believe in the bodily resurrection from the dead:

• of the believer to everlasting joy with the Lord

• of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting separation from God.                                                                1 Corinthians 15:35–58; 2 Corinthians 5:1–10; 2 Thessalonians 1:5–10; Revelation 20–21)

 

Kingdom of God

We believe the Kingdom of God has come in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, continues in the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Church, and will be consummated in the glorious, visible, and triumphant return of Christ to the earth as King. After His return, Christ will bring about the ultimate defeat of Satan, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the eternal blessing of the righteous. At that time, the Kingdom of God will be completely fulfilled in the new heavens and the new earth. (Matthew 4:23; 12:28; Mark 13:26; Acts 1:1–8; 2:14–39; Romans 14:17–18; 1 Thessalonians 4:15–17; Revelation 19:11–16; 20:10; 21:1–5)

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​Christian Responsibility

We believe that the highest priorities for every believer are the Great Commandments:

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength," and "Love your neighbor as yourself."

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These commands are fulfilled by glorifying God, enjoying Him, and obeying His Great Commission:

"Go and make disciples of all nations."

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These pursuits require personal commitment to live by the truth of God's Word and to depend on the power of His Spirit. Practically, both the Word and the Spirit call us to a life of Christ-like character, wholehearted worship, generous giving, unselfish service, and compassionate outreach to the lost.
(Matthew 20:26–28; 22:37–40; 25:31–46; 28:19–20; Luke 6:38; John 4:23–24; Ephesians 4:12–13; 5:18–21; 2 Timothy 3:16–17)

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