God

We believe in one God, the Creator of all things.  God created the universe and all things in it in six literal days (the earth is young, being not more than twelve thousand years old).  God is holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: whom we know as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.

The Bible

We believe that God is speaking in the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors.  As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, is the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and is the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged.  The Bible contains all truth that is necessary for victory over sin and for fullness of life and godliness.  Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.

The Human Condition

We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan.  In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath.  We believe that human beings are dead in sin, being incapable of coming to God in faith apart from God’s effective call to salvation.  Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.  Salvation by faith does not ultimately come from an independent act of our fallen will, but both salvation and faith are a gift from God to those whom He has chosen to belong to Him.

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures.  Jesus—Israel’s promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.  He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.

We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins.  His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.  He convicts the world of its guilt.  He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at the moment of salvation, making us a part of the body of Christ, and is distinguished from the filling of the Holy Spirit which is an on-going process in the life of the believer.  He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.

Personal Salvation

Salvation is God’s work from start to finish.  God’s sovereignty in salvation does not violate the freedom of human choice, for when God gives us a new heart, we freely use our renewed will, responding in faith.

We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and trusting in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

The Church

We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone.  They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head.  The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed solely of believers.

We believe the Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel.  Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.  We believe that only those who have personally placed their faith in Christ Jesus are to be baptized, preferably by immersion.  Water baptism is a conversion ordinance and should be performed after salvation.

We believe that Christ entrusts the shepherding of His Church to Biblically qualified men who are called elders.  Elders are responsible for the spiritual teaching, direction, and oversight of His flock.  It is the responsibility of those in the church to submit to the decisions and guidance of those who are appointed as elders.

Christian Living

We believe that God’s justifying grace always comes in combination with His sanctifying power.  God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially – to live out our faith with care for one another and good works towards all people.  In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.

Spiritual Warfare

We believe that angels and demons are real, invisible, spiritual beings created by God.  Demons are fallen angels.  We believe in the reality and personality of Satan.   Believers cannot be indwelt or controlled by demons, but can be tempted and influenced.  With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil.

Spiritual Gifts

We believe that certain spiritual gifts were a part of the church’s ministry only during the initial founding of the church, being connected to the apostles’ ministry.  The office and gifts of apostle and prophet are no longer given to present Christians, as well as the gift of speaking in tongues, healing or miracles.  God still heals and works miracles, but he has not distributed the gifts to perform such to members of the Church today.

Prayer and God’s Will

We believe we can and should pray for everything that God promises and reveals as His will with the confidence of faith.  We do not believe that God has promised the believer good health or monetary success.  Prayers for healing or provision can be properly made with the appropriate attitude of submission to the unrevealed will of God.

Manhood and Womanhood

We believe that God has created man and woman to complement one another in their nature and character and in their roles in relation to both family and church.  God has designed and instructed men to take the leadership role in their household, being ultimately responsible before God for the decisions and direction of the family.  This leadership is to be exercised in love, seeking God’s highest glory and the highest good of everyone within the family.   Women are instructed by God to submit to the leadership of their own husband in all things.  In contrast to our society, we uphold the value of motherhood and raising children as a full-time calling.

The Intermediate State

We believe that the spirits of believers who die physically immediately go to be with Christ in His heavenly dwelling, awaiting the first resurrection at the second coming of Jesus Christ.  The spirits of those who die apart from faith in Christ immediately go to a place of conscious torment, awaiting the final judgment following the second resurrection, at which time all who died without faith in Christ will be assigned to the lake of fire.

God’s Plan for the Future

We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world through a personal, bodily and pre-millennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living.

Following Christ’ return, Jesus will rule on this present Earth over all nations for a thousand years.

We believe that Israel always will be the nation which God has chosen for Himself.  While Israel is currently under the judgment of God for her rejection of Him, there will be a future national salvation for Israel.  We do not believe that the Church has permanently replaced Israel as the chosen people of God, the recipients of all of the covenants of promise, but rather that the Church shares in those promises through Christ.  During the millenial reign of Christ, Israel will experience the fulfillment of all of  the promises of the prophets as Jesus Christ rules as the son of David on the throne in Jerusalem.

At the end of the Millenium, Jesus will assign all unbelievers to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the New Heaven and the New Earth, to the praise of His glorious grace.