WHAT WE BELIEVE

Our Statement of Faith is a document that offers a concise and clear declaration of what we believe as a church based on God’s revelation to us in scriptures. The subsequent information is not an exhaustive explanation of our beliefs, but it highlights and summarizes issues we deem as essential to membership of this local body and faithfulness to our Lord.

The Bible Inspired.

We believe that the Bible, the accepted Canon of the Sacred Scriptures, is a supreme revelation verbally inspired of God to man, superior to conscience and reason, though not contrary to reason, and is therefore our infallible, authoritative rule of faith and practice (John 17:17; Rom. 12:1,2;2 Tim. 3:15-17; 1Thes. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:19-21).

The One True God.

We believe that the one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent I AM, the Creator of heaven and earth, and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit or the tri-unity of the Godhead (Deut. 6:4; Is. 43:10, 11; Mt. 28:19; Luke 3:22).

The Deity and Lordship of Jesus Christ.

We believe that Jesus Christ came into the world to reveal the Father and was the brightness of His Glory and the express image of His Person; that Jesus Christ was the Creator of all things, for by Him the worlds were made: We further believe that in Christ dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and that it is impossible to know the Father without knowing the Son (John 1:1- 14; John 14; Colossians 1:15-19; 2; Hebrews 1).  The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God: The Scriptures declare: His virgin birth (Isaiah 9:6, 7; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:30-35); His sinless life (Hebrews 7:26; l Peter 2:22); His miracles (Acts 2:22; 10:38); His substitutionary work on the cross (1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21); His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:4); and His exaltation to the right hand of God (Acts 1:9, 11; 2:33, Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:3).

Wherefore, we acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ over all things in heaven, and in the earth, and under the earth (Mt. 28:18; Acts 2:36; Romans 10:1-13; 1 Cor. 12:3; Phil. 2:9, 10).

The Human Condition and Salvation.

We believe that man, by voluntary transgression, fell from a state of righteousness and holiness in which he was first created, into a state of death in trespasses and sins, and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual depravity and death or separation from God in which he is held as a slave of sin and an enemy of God until he is delivered by the power of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Gen. 1:26, 27; 2:17; 3:6; Rom. 5:21; Rom. 6:23; John 8:32-36).

We believe that repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ produces the work of justification in the believer. Through faith in the shed blood of Christ, the believer is brought onto the grounds of the new Covenant and made a partaker of the death of Christ. This is the initial step of salvation, and is not to be considered synonymous with the complete work of the “new birth” (Luke 22:20; Rom. 5:1, 9; Heb. 13:20).

We believe that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is an important and necessary experience-in the life of every believer, which is not dependent upon a believer’s worthiness, but is a free gift of God. We further believe that the receiving of the Holy Spirit is the seal of the New Covenant, and that repentance, water baptism, and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit constitute the full experience of regeneration or the new birth (John 3:3-7; Acts 2:38;.Eph. 1:13).

The Local Church.

We believe in the autonomy of the local Church expression and adherence to the Scriptural revelation of its life, ministry, and worship (Mt. 18:20; Heb. 10:25; Eph. 4-6; Heb. 13:17; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Tim; 3; Heb. 13:15; Phil. 3:3; Eph. 5:18-20; Col. 3:16).

We believe in the ministry gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers given to the Church at the ascension of Jesus Christ, and that they continue to be needed and should be expected today. These ministry gifts of men and women that have been recognized and ordained to the Office of Elder, are assisted by ordained Deacons and other ministries who serve this Church Body (Eph. 4:7-12; 1 Cor. 12:28; 1 Tim. 3:2-12; Rom. 16:1; Titus 1 :5-9; Rom. 12).

The Personal Return of Our Lord.

We believe in the personal return of our Lord and the restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all the prophets since the world began (Matthew 23:39; 25:31; 24:42-44; Mark 14:62; Acts 1:11; 3:19-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18).