Statement of Faith

1. The Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired and the product of men controlled by the Holy Spirit, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter. It is the only sufficient, certain, and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience (II Timothy 3:16).

2. The Trinity

We believe God is revealed to us as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes but without division of nature, essence, or being (Luke 3:22; John 1:1; Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4).

3. God

We believe there is but one true, living God, the maker, preserver, and ruler of all things, having in and of Himself all perfections and being infinite in them all. To Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience (Exodus 3:14-15; I Corinthians 12:4-6).

4. The Lord Jesus Christ

We believe that Christ, the Son of God, has always existed and is God (John 1:1-3). Humbling Himself, He was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-25), lived a sinless life (Hebrews 4:15), died a substitutionary death (II Corinthians 5:21), bodily rose from the grave (Luke 24:36-43), ascended into heaven, and presently ministers on believers’ behalf at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 4:14-16). He is Head of the Church (Colossians 1:18) and is coming again (Acts 1:11).

5. Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person (John 16:7-15) and is God (Acts 5:3-4) Who works with man, bringing him to repentance, Who baptizes and indwells a believer at the moment of his regeneration (I Corinthians 12:13), Who fills man to empower him for Christian life and service (Ephesians 3:16; Romans 8:9) and Who unifies the body, the church (Ephesians 4:4-6; I Corinthians 14:33).

6. Satan

We believe that Satan was created by God but fell from his original estate because of his pride and ambition (Isaiah 14:12-15); he presently exists as the great adversary of God and of God’s people (I Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:10-12); he will be judged (John 12:31) and cast from God’s presence forever (Revelation 20:10).

7. Creation

We accept the Genesis account, along with other biblical accounts, of creation and believe that man came by the direct creation of God and not by evolution (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 102:25; Isaiah 40:26-28; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 4:11).

8. Man

We believe that God originally created man in His own image and free from sin (Genesis 1:27-28). Through the temptation of Satan, man transgressed the command of God and fell from his original sinless state (Genesis 3:14-15; Romans 5:12). The result is that all his descendants have inherited a corrupt nature (Psalm 51:5; I John 1:8-10) which is wholly opposed to God and to His law (Psalm 14:3). Man is under condemnation; and as soon as he is capable of moral action, he becomes an actual transgressor (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:18-20; Romans 3:9-19, 23). There must be a new birth for his salvation (John 3:3-5; Romans 5:19).

9. Salvation

We believe in a complete and eternal salvation by God’s grace alone, received as the gift of God through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work (Ephesians 2:8-10; I Peter 1:18-19). We also believe in the eternal security of the believer (John 10:29; Romans 8:35-39).

10. Election

We believe that election is God’s eternal choice of some people unto everlasting life through their own free will. It is not because of foreseen merit in them, but of His mercy in Christ. Because of their choice of Christ, they are called, justified, and glorified (I Thessalonians 1:4; Ephesians 1:4-5; I Peter 1:2).

11. Providence

We believe God, from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass and perpetually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and all events. Yet He is in no wise the author or approver of sin nor does He destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures (Psalm 145:14-15; Acts 17:28).

12. Repentance

We believe repentance is an evangelical grace whereby the Holy Spirit makes a person aware of the evil of his sin. There is a change of feeling, manifesting itself in sorrow for sin committed against a holy and just God (Psalm 51:2,10,14). The result is an inward turning away from sin with the disposition to seek pardon and cleansing (Psalm 51:5,7,10), and the endeavoring to walk before God so as to please Him in all things (Colossians 1:10; I Thessalonians 2:12).

13. Faith

We hold to saving faith as the belief, on God’s authority, of everything revealed in His word concerning Christ. It is accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness (Romans 1:17; Hebrews 11:1-3, 6).

14. Justification

We believe justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal from all sin for sinners who believe in Christ. Receiving His righteousness by faith, it is not because of anything that they have done but as the result of Christ’s obedient death on the cross (Romans 3:23-26; 5:1; Acts 13:39).

15. Sanctification

We believe that those who have been born again are also set aside to a holy life by God’s Word and His Spirit dwelling in them. This is progressive as one yields to God, desiring to live a life of obedience to all of God’s commands (Romans 6:4-10, 22; I Corinthians 1:30; I Peter 1:2).

16. Church

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the church, His body, which is composed of all who have trusted Him for salvation (Ephesians 1:22-23; I Corinthians 12:12-13). With His leading, each local assembly is responsible for organizing its members for worship, for edification of believers, and for world-wide gospel witness. Each local church is autonomous but cooperates in fellowship and work (Ephesians 4:11-16) and sets policy to avoid confusion and disunity (I Corinthians 14:40).

17. Ordinances

We believe that every Christian should observe the ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ which are (1) Baptism of believers by immersion (Matthew 28:19) and (2) Participation in the observance of the Lord’s Table (I Corinthians 11:23-26).

18. The Lord’s Day

We believe that the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week, is a time for regular observance of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, and for resting from employment, with the exception of works of necessity and mercy (Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:2; Hebrews 10:25).

19. Civil Government

We believe the Scriptures teach that civil government is the divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society; and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience and the Prince of the kings of the earth (I Timothy 2:1-2; Acts 5:29; Romans 13:1-4).

20. Second Coming

We believe in the personal, visible, and imminent return of Christ to remove His church from the earth (I Thessalonians 4:16-17) before the tribulation (I Thessalonians 1:10), and afterward to descend with the church to establish His millennial kingdom upon the earth (Revelation 19:11-20:6; II Thessalonians 1:7-10).

21. Future Life

We believe in the conscious existence of the dead (Philippians 1:21-23; Luke 16:19-31), the resurrection of the body (John 5:28-29), the judgment and reward of the believers (Romans 14:10-12; II Corinthians 5:10), the judgment and condemnation of the unsaved (Revelation 20:12), and the eternal punishment of the lost (Revelation 20:15; Matthew 25:46).