What We Believe
The Word of God
– We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the
inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, complete as
the revelation of God's will for salvation, and the supreme and final
authority in all matters to which they speak.
The Trinity – We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all
things, eternally divine existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy
Spirit; we believe that these are equal in every distinct perfection and
they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation,
providence, and redemption.
God the Father – We believe in God the Father: an infinite, personal
Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He
concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of humanity, that He hears
and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to
Him through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ – We believe that Jesus Christ is God's eternal Son,
who has precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections as God
the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe further that He is not
only true God, but true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of
the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His
substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His
ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His
people, and His personal, visible, premillennial return from heaven.
Holy Spirit – We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality and His
work in regeneration, sanctification, and preservation. His ministry is
to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, to implement Christ's work of
redeeming the lost, and to empower the believer for godly living and
service.
Man – We
believe God originally created persons, male and female, in the image of
God and free from sin. We further believe all people are sinners by
nature and choice and are spiritually dead. We also believe that those
who repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by
the Holy Spirit.
Salvation –
We believe in salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We further believe that this salvation is based upon the sovereign grace
of God, was purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross, and is received by
faith, apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We further believe
salvation results in righteous living, good works, and proper social
concern.
The Church
– We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is
the head. We believe that the true Church is composed of all persons who
have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that this body
expresses itself in local assemblies whose members have been immersed
upon a credible confession of faith and have associated themselves for
worship, for instruction, for evangelism, and for service. We believe
the ordinances of the local church are believer's baptism by immersion
and the Lord's Supper. We also believe in the interdependence of local
churches and the mutual submission of believers to each other in love.
Separation of
Church and State – We believe that each local church is
self-governing in function and must be free from interference by any
ecclesiastical or political authority. We further believe that every
human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life
and that each one should be free to worship God according to the
dictates of conscience and as directed by God.
Christian
Conduct – We believe that the supreme task of believers is to
glorify God in their life and that their conduct should be blameless
before the world. We further believe that they should be faithful
stewards of their possessions and that they should seek to realize for
themselves the full stature of maturity in Christ.
The Last Things
– We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and lost, the
eternal existence of all people either in heaven or hell, in divine
judgment, rewards, and punishments.
