Our Statement of Doctrine

The Bible

We believe that the words of the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired by God and without error in the original manuscripts. We believe the Bible is to be interpreted in a normal and literal way and that it is understood as the believer is guided by the Holy Spirit of God. (Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:14-16)

God

  1. We believe in one God eternally existing in three equal persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.(Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:18-19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
  2. We believe that God the Son became flesh in Jesus Christ. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, and is both God and man. (Matthew 1:1; 8-25; 26:38-41; John 1:14; 11:33; Hebrews 4:14-15)
  3. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person possessing all the distinctively divine attributes. He is God. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates, seals, and sets apart the believer to a holy life. At regeneration He baptizes the believer into the body of Christ and comes to indwell him permanently. (Psalm 139:7; John 3:5-7; 14:16-17; 16:8; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; 12:11, 13; Ephesians 1:13; Titus 3:5)

Man

  1. We believe that the first man and woman were created in the image of God and thus have great value in God’s sight. But man sinned and consequently experienced not only physical death, but also spiritual death (separation from God). The consequences of this sin affect the entire human race. All human beings are born with a sinful nature and, in the case of those who reach the age of moral responsibility, commit willful acts of sin. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:6; Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:20-23; Romans 3:23; 5:12-19; 6:23)
  2. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men. Believers will be resurrected to be judged for their service with a view to rewards and to enjoy eternal life with God. Unbelievers will be resurrected to experience judgment for their sin with certain condemnation and then eternal suffering apart from God. (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 15:52; 2 Corinthians 5:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 20:4-6; 12-15; 21:1-8)

The Past, Present And Future Work Of Christ

  1. We believe that Jesus Christ died for the sins of all humanity as a substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe in Him are declared righteous on the basis of His shed blood. (Mark 10:45; Romans 3:24-26; 5:8-9; 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 3:18; 1 John 2:1-2)
  2. We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, and in His ascension into heaven. Jesus now serves as high priest, intercessor, and advocate on our behalf with the Father. (Mark 16:19; John 20:25-27; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 7:25-27; 1 John 2:1)
  3. We believe in the personal, bodily return of Jesus Christ, in the glory of His Father, to set up on earth a kingdom in which He shall reign in righteousness and peace. (Isaiah 9:6,17; 11:2-5; Matthew 24:30; Acts 1:11; Revelation 20:4-6)

Salvation

  1. We believe that all who come to God must come through repentance whereupon the individual turns to God through confessing his or her sin to Him. (Luke 18:13-14; 24:46-47; Romans 3:23; 2 Peter 3:9)
  2. We believe that whoever through faith receives Jesus Christ as God and personal Savior is born again and becomes a child of God. This salvation is not the result of any human effort or merit, because the full price of redemption was paid by Jesus’ blood, which was shed for us. (John 1:12-13; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 7:26-27; 9:11-12,28)
  3. We believe that all who are born of God are possessors of the Divine nature which is a new creation according to holiness and righteousness. This new life that abides in a believer will oppose fleshly desires and bear fruit which is of the Spirit of God. (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20; 5:17, 22-25)

Life as a Christian

  1. We believe that the power of God through the new birth, the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit, and the intercession of Christ keep all true believers eternally secure. (John 10:28-30; 14:16-17; Romans 8:38-39; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 5:13)
  2. We believe that sin continues to plague all believers in this life, but that God has made full provision for believers to resist temptation and to live by faith as sons of God through abiding in Christ, a knowledge of the Bible which, renews one’s mind, and walking in the power of the indwelling Holy spirit. (Romans 6:6,11-12; 8:14-15; 12:2; Galatians 5:24-26)
  3. We believe that all believers are to make progressive steps of growth toward spiritual maturity. True spiritual growth requires the believer to die to self, forsaking sin as a way of life, putting to death the deeds of the flesh, and to allow Christ to live in him for the purpose of being one with Christ and with His body, the church. This growth is fostered by regular, frequent study of God’s Word, prayer, fellowship with believers, the exercise of faith and obedience in daily living, and the loving discipline of the Holy Spirit. (Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 55:7; Galatians 2:20; 5:25-26; Ephesians 2:10; 6:18; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Peter 2:1-2; 1 John 3:8-9)
  4. We believe that in order for the church to fulfill its God ordained mission of edification and evangelism, the believers have been given spiritual gifts. God sovereignly bestows these gifts so that each believer employs his or her spiritual gifts for the church to accomplish its mission. (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Ephesians 4:11-16)

The Church, The Body of Christ

  1. We believe that the church in its invisible form is universal, the true body of Christ. All believers from the day of Pentecost until the church is caught up into heaven are members of the universal church, regardless of organizational affiliation. We believe that Christ ordained the observance of believer’s water baptism and the Lord’s Supper until He returns. (Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:24-26; 12:13; Ephesians 4:4-6; Colossians 1:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17)
  2. We believe that the purpose of the church, in addition to building up every member of the body, is to make Christ known to the whole world. Every member of the body shares in this purpose. In relation to the world, believers are sent by Christ to communicate to unsaved people that God reconciles the world to Himself in Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:12 -15; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Ephesians 4:11-16)
  3. We believe in the imminent return of Christ for the church. All members of the body of Christ, living or dead, will at that time be caught up to be with the Lord forever. (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
  4. We believe that the local church is to be shepherded by elders having equal authority. The elders are assisted by deacons to carry out the ministry. Elders and deacons are selected according to standards expressed by the New Testament. (Acts 14:23; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9)
  5. We believe that members of the church who disgrace the name of Christ through conduct grossly unbecoming of a child of God should be confronted according to biblical procedures with the goal being their repentance and return to a Godly lifestyle. (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 2 Corinthians 2:6-8)