Beliefs

The Bible
We believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is God’s sole, complete, and infallible word; that it was written by men who were divinely and uniquely inspired; that it is our supreme authority in all matters of faith and practice. We affirm the verbal (word for word), plenary (equally inspired in all parts) inspiration of the Scripture in their original writings (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).

God
We believe in one God, eternally and co-equally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God, as the Father, created man after His likeness, then continued His relationship with man based on His divined attributes, character, love, faithfulness, and desire for holy fellowship (Mathew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; Genesis 1:26-27; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is divine and equal with God the Father in every sense; that He was begotten in the womb of the virgin Mary by the holy Spirit; that He was also truly human, yet without sin, in order to satisfy the payment of our sins and bring about reconciliation with God (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-14; Philippians 2:6-11; John 16:13-14).

Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is divine and equal with God the Father in every sense, that He is sent from God to “convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment”; that He regenerates the sinner; that He indwells, sanctifies, comforts, and seals believers forever (John 3; 6:27; 16:8-11; Romans 8:16-27; Ephesians 1:13-14).

Creation
We believe that all that exists comes from the direct acts of God; that man is a distinct work of God according to the literal account of Genesis 1 and 2; and that all humans are descended from Adam and Eve, the first parents of the entire human race (Genesis 1-2; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3).

Man
We believe that mankind is created in the moral, mental, spiritual, and intellectual image of God; that he is eternal in being upon his creation; that he sinned and thereby incurs physical and spiritual death; that he is separated from God because of his sinfulness in thought, word, and deed (Genesis 1:27; 2:17; 3:6; Romans 5:12; 3:23; 5:18-19; Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Salvation
We believe Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior from the penalty of sin; that He died for our sins as God’s substitutionary sacrifice; that all who believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God, will have eternal life; (Romans 4:24-25; 5:18; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Acts 13:39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 1:12; 3:5-7,16; 6:47; 20:31; Galatians 3:26; Titus 3:5).

Position of the Believer
We believe in the individual priesthood of every believer; their direct access to God without the necessity of a human intercessor; and their personal responsibility to God in all matters of faith and practice. The believer in Christ is positionally and eternally secure and therefore cannot lose His salvation (1 Peter 2:5, 9; John 10:27-30; Ephesians 1:13).

Resurrection and Ascension
We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ; in His bodily ascension into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God; and in His ministry of intercession for us as High Priest and Advocate (Luke 24:50-52; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

The Church
We believe that believers in Jesus Christ in various localities are to comprise a local body based upon saving faith in Jesus Christ; that they are to regularly gather for the purposes of worship, equipping the saints, edification, ministry, and fellowship. They are to practice the biblical ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Table until Christ returns (Ephesians 4:11-13; 5:20-32; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29).

Baptism
We believe that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, thereby portraying the crucified, buried, and risen Savior. This act symbolizes our death to sin and resurrection to a new life, and holds no saving merit in and of itself (Mathew 28:19; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12).

The Lord’s Table
We believe the Lord’s Table (a.k.a. The Lord’s Supper) commemorates the death of Christ and is to be celebrated as a reminder to believers that His substitutionary sacrifice provides full and sufficient payment for sin. This commemoration holds no saving merit in and of itself and is to be observed by those who have been born again (1 Corinthians 11:16).

Spiritual Gifts
We believe each believer possesses spiritual gifts to be used for the benefit of the Body of Christ. Certain gifts were used by God to authenticate the Apostolic message, to provide ministry enablement, and to equip believers to edify one another (Romans 12:5-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31; 1 Peter 4:10-11; Hebrews 2:3-4; 1 Corinthians 13:8-12; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:11-16).

Return of Christ
We believe in the blessed hope (eternal life after this earthly existence, which will be brought about by the resurrection of the redeemed dead, and the return of Christ in the air to take living saints unto Himself. After the seven year tribulation, He will bodily return with those saints who have overcome and rule over and earthly kingdom for 1000 years, after which he will live and rule over His perfect, eternal kingdom. (1Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Acts 1:11; Revelation 3:21).

Heaven and Hell
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust; that believers will receive eternal life in Heaven with God; that unbelievers will be eternally condemned to the Lake of Fire along with Satan and his hosts. This will be an eternal state without change forever and ever (John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:10-15).