STATEMENT OF FAITH
THE WORD OF GOD
We believe and teach that the Bible consists of 66 books, written by men from various walks of life who were governed by God through the Holy Spirit so that the result of this work is the inspired,(literally God breathed)Word of God. (2 Peter 1:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:15-17) The Bible is without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible perfectly reveals the will of God pertaining to life and salvation, and is therefore the basis for Christian unity and the standard by which all conduct, creeds and opinions shall be judged. We believe the bible is for all manner of life, past, present and future. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; Psalm 19:7-14).
THE TRINITY
We believe there is but One living and true God (Deuteronomy 6:4) who is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. He is absolutely separate from and above the world as its Creator, yet everywhere present in the world as the one upholder of all things. We further believe that God is one in essence, but eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections. Each is worthy of worship, confidence and obedience (Genesis 1:26;; Isaiah 45:5-7; Matthew 28:19; Mark 10:18; John 4:24; 10:30; Acts 17:24-29; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:3-14; 4:6).
GOD THE FATHER
We believe and teach that God the Father disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace. He is sovereign over creation, providence and redemption. He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men. He hears and answers prayer and saves from sin and death to all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (1Chronicles 29:11; Psalm 103:19; 145:8-9; John 1:18; Romans 11:33; Matthew 5:45; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 1:3-6; Hebrews 4:13; 1 Peter 1:17).
JESUS CHRIST
We believe and teach that Jesus Christ is God’s eternal Son and has the exact nature, attributes and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. He is not only fully God, but also fully man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement (propitiation), His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His personal, visible return from heaven. (John 1:1-29; 8:46; 10:36; Acts 2:30-33; Romans 1:4; 4:25; 6:5-10; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3; 7:25; 10:5-10; 1 Peter 3:22; 1 John 2:1-2; Revelation 20:11-15).
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe and teach that God the Holy Spirit has the exact same nature, attributes and perfections as God the Father and God the Son. We believe His work in gathering the lost through conviction of sin, regeneration, sanctification and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and implement Christ’s work of redeeming the lost and empowering the believer for godly living and service. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every true believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. We believe the Holy Spirit administers spiritual gifts to His elect, included but not limited to, prophecy, teaching, service, encouragement, leadership, mercy and hospitality. We believe that the gift of tongues (literally other languages as described in Acts 2:1-11) may still exist, but is primarily given to evangelize to the lost. (John 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:7-15; Acts 1:5; 2:4; 1 Corinthians 12:4-13; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 14:22 ).
MAN
We believe and teach that God created mankind, male and female, in His own image, with moral responsibility to God. Man was created good in the sight of God, though capable of sinning (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7, 15-25; James 3:9). God created man with the sole intention of glorifying Him. (Colossians 1:16; Romans 11:36; Revelation 4:11).
THE FALL OF MAN
By voluntary disobedience, Adam, the first man, fell from an innocent state. As a result, Adam’s sin has been transmitted to all mankind; therefore all men are now sinners by nature. From birth all are utterly void of the righteousness required by God and are positively inclined to evil. Therefore, all are under God’s righteous condemnation to eternal ruin and without any excuse or hope apart from the love and grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ (Genesis 1-3; Romans 5:12-19; Romans 3:9-19; Ephesians 2:1-10).
SALVATION
We believe and teach that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He is the mediator between God and man. In obedience to the Father, He freely took upon Himself our human nature (yet without sin). He honored God’s Law by His personal and complete obedience. By His death He atoned (satisfied the justice and wrath of God) for the sins of His people. Having risen from the dead, He is now at the Father’s right hand where He intercedes for us. As both God and man, He is in every way qualified to be an all-sufficient Savior (Ephesians 2:8-10; Hebrews 7:25; Galatians 3:13; Romans 8:3; Romans 5:19; 1 Timothy 2:4-6; Hebrews 2:9-18; Romans 4:25; Romans 3:25, 26).Repentance and Faith
We believe and teach that repentance and faith are sacred duties, evidences of salvation, and inseparable graces, brought about in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God. In repentance and faith we turn to God with sincere contrition, confession and supplication for mercy, being deeply convinced of our guilt and helplessness and the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. At the same time, we heartily receive the Lord Jesus Christ in His mediatorial offices as our Prophet, Priest and King and rely on Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior (I John 3:23; Acts 2:37-38; Ephesians 2:8; Acts 11:18; Acts 17:30; Romans 10:9-13).
REGENERATION
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or “born again” by the work of the Holy Spirit. (John 3:1-13; Titus 3:4-6; John 1:12,13). Regeneration consists in the impartation of Divine Life to the soul, where the mind and heart are inclined toward God. It is effected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit, in connection with the Word of the Gospel (John 5:24; 1 Peter 1:22-25; James 1:18 Romans 10:17), so as to secure our voluntary obedience to God’s commandments and faith leading to holiness and new life. (Ephesians 2:10; 4:17-24; 1 John 2:3-6) The evidence of regeneration consists in the holy fruit of repentance and faith. (Galatians 5:22,23)
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 consecrated 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; Matthew 28:18,19)
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; Colossians 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 Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper 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; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other. (I Timothy 2:5; Romans 14:7-9, 12)
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 judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wrath of God upon the wicked. (Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Philippians 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.