Basic Beliefs...
Who you are and what you do is defined by what you believe.
The Bible
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without
error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and
conduct. II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20,21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31,32; John
20:31; Acts 20:32
THE TRINITY
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in
three persons; that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that
they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence
and redemption. Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:1,3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans
1:19,20; Ephesians 4:5,6
GOD THE FATHER
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness,
wisdom, power and love. We believe that He infallibly foreknows all that
shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of
men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death
all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. Luke 10:21,22; Matthew 23:9; John
3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; I Timothy 1:1,2; 2:5,6; I Peter 1:3; Revelation
1:6
JESUS CHRIST
We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy
Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings.
We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension
into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible
return to earth. Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans
9:5; 8:46; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew
20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews
9:28; I Timothy 3:16
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to
convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate,
sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the
Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding
helper, teacher and guide. John 14:16,17,26; 15:26,27; John 16:9-14; Romans
8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26
REGENERATION
We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he sinned
and thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation
from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful
nature and are sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. We believe
that those who repent and forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are
regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become new creatures, delivered from
condemnation and receive eternal life. Genesis. 1:26; 5:2; Genesis 3; Genesis
2:17; 3:19; Eccl. 2:11; John 3:14; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; Romans
9:22; II Thessalonians 1:9; Rev. 19:3,20; 20:10;14,15; 21:18; Psalm 51:7;
Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Proverbs 28:13; I John 1:9;
John 3:16; John 1:13; II Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1
THE CHURCH
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ
is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local
church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on
a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work, and fellowship.
We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary
task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. Ephesians 2:19-22;
Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25
CHRISTIAN CONDUCT
We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being
of his fellow men; that his conduct should be blameless before the world;
that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions; and that he should
seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.
I Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15,23-24; I
John 2:3-6; II Corinthians 9:6-9; I Corinthians 4:2; Col. 1:9-10
THE ORDINANCES
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the
local church, baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism
is the immersion of the believer in water into the name of the triune God.
We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration
of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and
administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:18-20;
Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:23-26
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and is
responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent
and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority.
I Timothy 2:5; Romans 14:7-9,12
THE LAST THINGS
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to
earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection
of the body, the final judgement, the eternal felicity of the righteous
and the endless suffering of the wicked. Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John
14:3; Acts 1:11; Phil. 3:20; I Thessalonians 4:15; II Timothy 4:1; Titus
2:13; I Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 15; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation
20:4-6,11-15