Tenants of Faith
We believe in the Biblical and historically affirmed doctrines of Christianity. In particular, we believe that all people are sinners and are in need of a Savior; that Jesus was born to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins; and that He was crucified, died, and was buried. We believe that on the third day He rose from the dead; and that faith in Him is the only means of salvation. We believe the Bible is God’s inspired, perfect message for mankind. We believe the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, as originally written, were verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit and written by Spirit-controlled men. It is infallible and inerrant in all matters of which it speaks and is our authority in all matters. We believe the Bible to be the standard by which all human conduct, creed, and opinions shall be tried. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Creator and supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love. (Exodus 20:2-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11)
We believe that God exists eternally in three persons – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Galatians 1:1; John 8:58, 20:28; Acts 5:3-4)
We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for our sins, rose bodily from the dead, and will return to earth to rule His kingdom. (I Corinthians 15:3-8; Revelation 22:1-5)
We believe that Jesus was born via the Holy Spirit, through Mary, a virgin, in a miraculous manner as no other person was ever born or can be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God and God, the Son. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14)
We believe that Jesus rose bodily from the Grave and ascended into Heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father as our high priest interceding for us. (Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6, 39, 51; John 20:27; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17; 5:9-10, 7:25, 8:6, 12:2; 1 John 2:1; Revelation 3:21)
We believe the Holy Spirit is our teacher and guide, and He gives gifts to the church through each believer. We believe that all gifts are for today, but we do not exalt any one gift as conferring special holiness upon the recipient. We seek to walk in love – the most excellent way. (Galatians 5:22-23)
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. (Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35, 24:49; John 1:33, 3:5-6, 14:16-17, 26, 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32, 11:16; Romans 8:14, 16, 26-27; 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, 28-30; 13:1-10; 14:1-40; Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 2:2-4, 9:14)
We believe that there is a real and literal evil one; Satan, the Devil, and that he was created by God as an angel but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator; that he became the unholy god of this age and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire. (Matthew 4:1-11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10)
We believe the Biblical account of the creation of the physical universe, angels, and humanity; that this account is neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct and immediate creative acts of God. (Genesis 1:1 – 2:25; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16, 17)
We believe, in light of God’s creative design, that the Bible teaches that marriage is the joining of one man and one woman and that sexual intimacy is to be expressed only within the bounds of a Biblically defined marriage. (Genesis 2:18, 24-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:24-29, 7:2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 7:1-5; Ephesians 5:22–33; Hebrews 13:4)
We believe that because all people are sinners, they are separated from God. Salvation is the gift of God to all who personally put their faith in Jesus as their Savior. As such, we do not need to strive to be “better,” but can approach God just as we are. (Romans 5:8; II Corinthians 6:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-9)
We believe mankind was created in innocence (in the image and likeness of God), but by voluntary transgression Adam fell from his sinless and happy state, and all human beings sinned in him, in consequence of which all human beings are totally depraved, are partakers of Adam’s fallen nature, and are sinners by nature and by conduct, and therefore are under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 1:18, 32, 3:10-19, 5:12, 19)
We believe that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and wholly of grace from Jesus, who voluntarily took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, and honored the divine law by His personal obedience, thus qualifying Himself to be our Savior; that by the shedding of His blood in His death He fully satisfied the just demands of a holy and righteous God regarding sin; that His sacrifice was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, Jesus bearing our sins in His own body on the Cross; He is in every way qualified to be a suitable and an all-sufficient Savior.
We believe that faith in Jesus is the only condition of salvation. Repentance is a change of mind and purpose toward God prompted by the Holy Spirit and is an integral part of saving faith. (Isaiah 53:4-7; Jonah 2:9; Luke 19:10; John 3:16; Acts 15:11; Romans 1:16, 3:24-25, 6:23, 10:9-10,13; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 2:7-8; Hebrews 2:14-17; 1 Peter 2:24)
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in sin is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about by our sovereign God in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life. (John 3:3; Acts 16:20-33; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1, 4-5; Colossians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 5:1)
We believe that justification is an act of God whereby He declares the believer righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of Jesus; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any work of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s shed blood. (Romans 3:24, 4:5, 5:1, 9; Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9; Titus 3:5-7)
We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God accomplished in a threefold manner: first, an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in Jesus, establishing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior; second, a continuing process in the believer as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life; third, the final accomplishment of this process, which will occur at the Lord’s return. (John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 5:23-24; Hebrews 3:1, 10:10-14; 1 John 3:2; Jude 24, 25; Revelation 22:11)
We believe all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus. (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6; Jude 1)
We believe that the local church is an organized congregation of believers and followers of Jesus, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Jesus; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privilege invested in them by His Word; that its officers are elders and deacons, godly men whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Bible. We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of the Gospel to all people as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute light of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only Superintendent is Jesus through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; that on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is Final. (Acts 2:41-42, 20:17-28; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 1 Timothy 2:12; 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9)
Christianity is not a set of rules but a relationship with Jesus, the One who has called us to Himself. Our focus as a church is to respond to Jesus’ calling on our lives. Having been connected to Him through faith, we now serve our Risen Savior with gladness. Our church seeks to nurture spiritual life through both worship and Small Groups. Worship is the assembled church praising God in adoration and receiving instruction from His Word. Small Groups are when our church is assembled in small groups for ministry to Him, to one another, and to our world. The foundations of our church are Spirit-led worship, relevant teaching, authentic relationships, unceasing prayer, and compassionate provision for the needy. We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, through Whom we died to sin and rose to a new life; that baptism is to be performed under the authority of the local church; and that it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership.
We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of Jesus’ death until He returns, and should always be preceded by solemn self-examination. We believe that the Biblical order of the ordinances is baptism first and then the Lord’s Supper, and that partakers in the Lord’s Supper should be believers. (Matthew 3:16, 28:18-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42, 8:36, 38-39; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians 2:12)
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that leaders are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed except in those things opposed to the will of Jesus. (Exodus 18:21-22; 2 Samuel 23:3; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19-20, 5:29, 23:5; Romans 13:1-7)
We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Creator and supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love. (Exodus 20:2-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11)
We believe that God exists eternally in three persons – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Galatians 1:1; John 8:58, 20:28; Acts 5:3-4)
We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for our sins, rose bodily from the dead, and will return to earth to rule His kingdom. (I Corinthians 15:3-8; Revelation 22:1-5)
We believe that Jesus was born via the Holy Spirit, through Mary, a virgin, in a miraculous manner as no other person was ever born or can be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God and God, the Son. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14)
We believe that Jesus rose bodily from the Grave and ascended into Heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father as our high priest interceding for us. (Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6, 39, 51; John 20:27; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17; 5:9-10, 7:25, 8:6, 12:2; 1 John 2:1; Revelation 3:21)
We believe the Holy Spirit is our teacher and guide, and He gives gifts to the church through each believer. We believe that all gifts are for today, but we do not exalt any one gift as conferring special holiness upon the recipient. We seek to walk in love – the most excellent way. (Galatians 5:22-23)
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. (Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35, 24:49; John 1:33, 3:5-6, 14:16-17, 26, 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32, 11:16; Romans 8:14, 16, 26-27; 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, 28-30; 13:1-10; 14:1-40; Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 2:2-4, 9:14)
We believe that there is a real and literal evil one; Satan, the Devil, and that he was created by God as an angel but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator; that he became the unholy god of this age and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire. (Matthew 4:1-11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10)
We believe the Biblical account of the creation of the physical universe, angels, and humanity; that this account is neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct and immediate creative acts of God. (Genesis 1:1 – 2:25; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16, 17)
We believe, in light of God’s creative design, that the Bible teaches that marriage is the joining of one man and one woman and that sexual intimacy is to be expressed only within the bounds of a Biblically defined marriage. (Genesis 2:18, 24-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:24-29, 7:2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 7:1-5; Ephesians 5:22–33; Hebrews 13:4)
We believe that because all people are sinners, they are separated from God. Salvation is the gift of God to all who personally put their faith in Jesus as their Savior. As such, we do not need to strive to be “better,” but can approach God just as we are. (Romans 5:8; II Corinthians 6:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-9)
We believe mankind was created in innocence (in the image and likeness of God), but by voluntary transgression Adam fell from his sinless and happy state, and all human beings sinned in him, in consequence of which all human beings are totally depraved, are partakers of Adam’s fallen nature, and are sinners by nature and by conduct, and therefore are under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 1:18, 32, 3:10-19, 5:12, 19)
We believe that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and wholly of grace from Jesus, who voluntarily took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, and honored the divine law by His personal obedience, thus qualifying Himself to be our Savior; that by the shedding of His blood in His death He fully satisfied the just demands of a holy and righteous God regarding sin; that His sacrifice was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, Jesus bearing our sins in His own body on the Cross; He is in every way qualified to be a suitable and an all-sufficient Savior.
We believe that faith in Jesus is the only condition of salvation. Repentance is a change of mind and purpose toward God prompted by the Holy Spirit and is an integral part of saving faith. (Isaiah 53:4-7; Jonah 2:9; Luke 19:10; John 3:16; Acts 15:11; Romans 1:16, 3:24-25, 6:23, 10:9-10,13; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 2:7-8; Hebrews 2:14-17; 1 Peter 2:24)
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in sin is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about by our sovereign God in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life. (John 3:3; Acts 16:20-33; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1, 4-5; Colossians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 5:1)
We believe that justification is an act of God whereby He declares the believer righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of Jesus; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any work of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s shed blood. (Romans 3:24, 4:5, 5:1, 9; Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9; Titus 3:5-7)
We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God accomplished in a threefold manner: first, an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in Jesus, establishing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior; second, a continuing process in the believer as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life; third, the final accomplishment of this process, which will occur at the Lord’s return. (John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 5:23-24; Hebrews 3:1, 10:10-14; 1 John 3:2; Jude 24, 25; Revelation 22:11)
We believe all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus. (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6; Jude 1)
We believe that the local church is an organized congregation of believers and followers of Jesus, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Jesus; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privilege invested in them by His Word; that its officers are elders and deacons, godly men whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Bible. We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of the Gospel to all people as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute light of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only Superintendent is Jesus through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; that on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is Final. (Acts 2:41-42, 20:17-28; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 1 Timothy 2:12; 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9)
Christianity is not a set of rules but a relationship with Jesus, the One who has called us to Himself. Our focus as a church is to respond to Jesus’ calling on our lives. Having been connected to Him through faith, we now serve our Risen Savior with gladness. Our church seeks to nurture spiritual life through both worship and Small Groups. Worship is the assembled church praising God in adoration and receiving instruction from His Word. Small Groups are when our church is assembled in small groups for ministry to Him, to one another, and to our world. The foundations of our church are Spirit-led worship, relevant teaching, authentic relationships, unceasing prayer, and compassionate provision for the needy. We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, through Whom we died to sin and rose to a new life; that baptism is to be performed under the authority of the local church; and that it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership.
We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of Jesus’ death until He returns, and should always be preceded by solemn self-examination. We believe that the Biblical order of the ordinances is baptism first and then the Lord’s Supper, and that partakers in the Lord’s Supper should be believers. (Matthew 3:16, 28:18-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42, 8:36, 38-39; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians 2:12)
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that leaders are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed except in those things opposed to the will of Jesus. (Exodus 18:21-22; 2 Samuel 23:3; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19-20, 5:29, 23:5; Romans 13:1-7)