Doctrinal Statement
I. The Holy Scriptures - We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Verbal (the very word inspired), Plenary (the complete word), Infallible (the words of God wanted), Inerrant (without error), Unlimited Inspiration (no scientific limit to the word of God and His character), WORD of GOD.
(2Timothy 3:16-17 ; 2Peter 1:20-21)
II. The Godhead - We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit : co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory and having the same attributes and perfection.
(Deuteronomy 6:4 ; 2Corinthians 13:14 ; Matthew 28:19-20)
III. The Person and Work of Christ
A. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men.
(John 1:1-2, 14 ; Luke 1:34-35; Philippians 2:5-11)
B. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, (substitutionary) sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead.
(Romans 3: 24-25 ; 1Peter 2:24 ; Ephesians 1:7 ; 1Peter 1:3-5)
C. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God where as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate
(Acts 1:9-10 ; Hebrews 9:24 ; Romans 8:34 ; 1John 2:1-2 ; Acts 16:32-34)
IV. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
A. We believe that the Holy Spirit is primarily our comforter and is a person who convicts the world of the sin of unbelief, of righteousness, and of judgement; and that he is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption.
(John 16:8-11 ; 1Corinthians 12:12-14 ; Romans 8:9 ; Ephesians 1:13-14 ; 1John 5:10)
B. We believe that the only way we are saved and come to know Jesus Christ as Savior is by the Holy Spirit (God the Father draw us), and that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth; and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be fulfilled with the Spirit.
(John 16:13 ; Ephesians 5:18 ; John 6:37,44,45,65 ; 1John 2:20)
V. The Total Depravity of Man - We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God (eternal, intellectual, and volitional aspect of God), but that in Adam's sin, the race fell and inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and that man is totally depraved, and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition.
(Genesis 1:26-27 ; Isaiah 59:1-21 ; Romans 3:11 ; Romans 3:22-23; Ephesians 2:1-2,12)
VI. Salvation - We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ; John 1:12 ; 1Peter 1:18-19 ; Ephesians 1:7)
VII. Eternal Security - We believe that all redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 10:27-29 ; Romans 8:1,38-39) However, every believer should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior, Church, and Christian Testimony.
(Titus 2:11-15 ; Romans 13:13-14 ; Galatians 5:13)
VIII. The Two Natures of The Believers - We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the in dwelling Holy Spirit; and that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural.
(Romans 8:12-13 ; Galatians 5:16-25 ; Romans 6:13 ; Ephesians 4:22-24 ; Colossians 3:10 ; 1Peter 1:14-16)
IX. Statement on Marriage and Sexuality -
A. We believe that the term "marriage" has only one meaning, and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God had prohibited intimate sexual activity outside of marriage.
B. We believe any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography and attempting to change one's biological sex or otherwise acting upon any disagreement with one's biological sex, or advocacy of sexual immorality), is sinful and offensive to God.
C. We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of the church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a Biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, should abide by and agree to this Statement on Marriage and Sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly.
D. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
E. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of the church.
(Genesis 2:24 ; Matthew 19:4-6 ; Leviticus 18:1-30 ; Romans 1:26-27 ; 1Thessalonians 4:3)
X. The Ministry of Spiritual Gifts - We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts; the gifts of the evangelists, pastors, teachers, helps, exhortation, giving, leading, wisdom and knowledge are sufficient for the perfecting of saints today; and that speaking in or with tongues, and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established. (1Corinthians 12:4-11 ; Ephesians 4:7-8, 11-13 ; Romans 12:6-8 ; 1Corinthians 12:8-9)
XI. The Personality of Satan - We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the fall of man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire.
(Job 1:6-7 ; Isaiah 14:12-17 ; Revelation 10:10)
XII. The Second Advent of Christ - We believe in the "BLESSED HOPE", the personal, imminent, pre-tribulation and pre-millenial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and in His subsequent return (second coming) to earth, with His saints, to establish His Millennial Kingdom. We believe His first coming was to redeem our souls; and His meeting us in the air (rapture) is to redeem our bodies, and Hi second coming to establish His Millennial Kingdom.
(1Thessalonians 4:13-18 ; Zechariah 14:4-11 ; Revelations 19:11-16 ; 1Thessalonians 1:10)
XIII. The Eternal State
A. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men; the saved at the rapture to eternal life, (heaven bound) and the unsaved at the second coming to judgement and everlasting punishment (hell bound).
(Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; John 12:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13)
B. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord.
(Luke 23:43 ; Revelations 20:4 & 6 ; 2Corinthians 5:8 ; Philippians 1:23 ; 1Thessalonians 4:16-17 ; Phillippians 3:21)
C. We believe the souls of unbelievers remain after death in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgement, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting, conscious, punishment.
(Luke 16:19-26 ; Matthew 25:41-46 ; 2Thessalonians 1:7-9 ; Revelation 20:11-15)