WHAT WE BELIEVE

We believe that the Bible, as originally written, is wholly inspired of God and without error.  We believe it is the only truly inspired guide for human belief and conduct (2 Timothy 3:15–17; 2 Peter 1:19–21).

We believe that there is only one true and living God, infinite in every excellence, and that in the unity of the Godhead there are three divine persons—the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit—who are one in essence and equal in every divine attribute (Isaiah 48:16; Matthew 28:19–20). We believe in the absolute deity of the Son (John 1:1), and that as a man He was miraculously begotten of God the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26–38; John 1:1–18).

We believe in the distinct personality of the fallen angel, Satan. He is the enemy of God and His purposes. Along with his demons, the Devil is destined to the Lake of Fire for eternity (Is. 14:12-14; 2 Cor. 4:4; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10).

We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, by His direct act (Genesis 1–2; Colossians 1:16–17; John 1:3). We believe all humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27; Psalm 139:14; Psalms 8:5–8). We believe marriage is a covenantal relationship (Malachi 2:14) between a man and a woman who were physically created by God as male or female (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:13-16; Matthew 19:4). We believe God intended for humans to engage only in heterosexual and monogamous marriage (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4–6; Mark 10:5–6). Marriage exists for the propagation of the human race (Genesis 1:28) and the loving expression of healthy relational and sexual intimacy (Genesis 2:24–25; Matthew 19:5). We believe marriage pictures the covenant relationship Christ has with all believers (Ephesians 5:22–33).

We believe that Adam was created in innocence but sinned by choice thus condemning the whole race to death.  Since the fall of Adam and Eve all of mankind is born in sin (Psalm 51:5; 58:3; Ephesians 2:2–3; Romans 3:23), becoming willful sinners with the first expression of personal choice (Genesis 3; Romans 5:1–18).

We believe that the only redemption from sin is made possible through the suffering, death, and the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ; and that salvation is given by grace through faith alone to all who believe and confess the finished work of Christ on their behalf. We further believe that no works, however good, merit salvation or make that salvation more secure (Romans 6:23; 10:9–10; John 3:1–7, 16; John 14:6; 1 Corinthians 15:1–4; Hebrews 10:4, 14; Acts 4:12; 16:30–33; Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5–7). We believe the truly born-again Christian is eternally secure and cannot lose his salvation (John 6:44; 10:28–29; Romans 8:9–11, 28–39; I Peter 1:3–5; Hebrews 7:23–25; Ephesians 1:13–14; 4:30).

We believe that the church universal is a New Testament institution, established by Jesus Christ who is its sole head.  It was revealed through the apostles, and it is empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit.  It began on the day of Pentecost, and will be consummated at the Rapture (Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:1–13; Ephesians 1:22–23, 3:21, 5:23–33; 1 Thess. 4:13–18). We believe that the church universal is manifested through the local church.  This congregation observes the ordinances of believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper and has the absolute right of self-government.  It is answerable only to Christ, and is to be governed by His laws. Its officers are elders (i.e. shepherds) who have been approved by the local church. The Board of Elders is responsible to lead the church in all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, and benevolence (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1–5; Acts 20:17, 28; Acts 14:23; James 5:14; Matthew 18:15–17; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 6:4–5, 7:17; Titus 1:5–7; 1 Timothy 3:1–7). The elders are assisted in ministering to the flock by deacons and deaconesses (Acts 6:2–4; 1 Timothy 3:8–17).

We believe that there are two church ordinances: Believer’s Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. We believe baptism is the full immersion of a believer in water, and is a public expression of the burial of his old life and his new birth in Christ (Romans 6:3–11; Acts 2:37–41, 8:36; Matthew 28:19). The Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of our Lord’s death until He comes, and our regular participation in it should be preceded by self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:23–34).

We believe in the physical, personal, and imminent return of Christ for His true church. We believe that Christ will return for his church (in the Rapture) sometime before his millennial reign to take His church to Heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 1 Corinthians 15:50–54). We further believe that He will return to the Earth with His church at the close of the Tribulation period to inaugurate His millennial reign over the earth (Revelation 19:11–21, 20:4–5).

We believe in the resurrection of the bodies of the dead; that believers will be raised and transformed at the coming of Christ for His church, and that the unrighteous will be raised at the close of the millennial kingdom and stand in their bodies before the Great White Throne to be judged according to their works and consigned to the Lake of Fire, a literal place of eternal torment (John 5:21–30; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 20:11–15; Matthew 25:41–46). We believe in a literal place called Heaven, the abode of God and the eternal and blessed abode of all true believers (John 14:1–6; Philippians 3:20–21).