Statement of Faith

The Bible

We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, the complete and final revelation of God’s will to man, the supreme standard of all faith and life. Isaiah 40:8-11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; John 10:35; Matthew 5:17-18; 2 Peter 1:19-21.

God

We believe in one God, eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, manifesting Himself in three Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit - One in nature, attributes, power and glory. Genesis 1:1, 26; Mark 12:29; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 1:1-4, 14, 18.

Jesus Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and that He is true God and true man. We believe the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through the shedding of His blood and 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. Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1-4, 1:14, 5:17-27; Romans 3:24, 5:6; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19, 2:24; Philippians 2:6-11.

Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person who convicts men of sin and guidesbelievers to righteous living. God the Holy Spirit leads believers to pray, to worship, and to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer as Comforter and Helper and will baptize believers unto the day of redemption. John 7:38-39, 14:16-17, 16:7-8, 13-15; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30.

Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin, the race fell, inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God. We believe man to be totally depraved, and of himself, unable to redeem his lost condition. Genesis 1:26; Romans 3:10-23, 5:12, 8:7-8; Ephesians 2:1-3.

Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God, brought to man by grace, and received by personal faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that salvation becomes a reality in one’s life when the individual repents of his sins, and places his faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ as his complete and only hope of salvation. Luke 5:32; Acts 5:30-31, 16:31; Ephesians 1:7, 2:3-10.

Baptism

Immersion is the only mode of baptism recognized as being scriptural. Matthew 3:13; Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21; Colossians 2:12; Galatians 3:27; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 10:48, 22:16, 2:38; Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3; 1 Peter 3:21.

Security and Assurance

We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:5.

We believe that as believers we have the assurance of salvation through the testimony of God’s Word. We also believe that this assurance forbids a reason to purposefully and continually sin. Romans 6:1, 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13.

The Two Natures of the Believer

We believe when a person receives Christ as their Savior, they receive a new nature. There is an inward battle between the old and new natures as Satan attempts to keep us from following Christ. We also believe that if we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit that lives within us, we can have the victory over the old nature which will result in a life pleasing to Christ. Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16

Satan

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, the Devil; and that he was created by God as an angel but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator. We also believe 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, 11:13-15; Revelation 20:10.

Rapture of the Church

We believe that at any moment the Rapture of the saved may occur when “The Lord shall descend from Heaven” to catch up His people to meet Him “in the air”; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58.

Return of Christ

We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, His ascension into Heaven, His present ministry there for us as our High Priest and Advocate, and His personal, bodily, visible, premillennial return to establish His kingdom on earth and to reign as the only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Matthew 24:26-43; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-25; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Revelation 1:7, 19:11-16, 20:6.