Statement of Faith

(What We Believe and Why We Believe It)

WE BELIEVE 
...in the plenary-verbal inspiration of the accepted canon of Scriptures as originally given. The Scriptures are infallible, inerrant, and the sole and final authority for all matters of faith and conduct.
(2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...in the Eternal Godhead who has revealed Himself as One God existing in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, distinguishable but indivisible. (Matthew 23:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

WE BELIEVE 
...in the creation, test and fall of man as recorded in genesis; his total spiritual depravity and inability to attain to Divine righteousness. (Romans 5:12, 18)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, very God and very Man. (Luke 1:26-35; John 1:14-18; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6)

WE BELIEVE 
...Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, and personally appeared unto His disciples.
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 4:25)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, His exaltation, and personal, literal and bodily coming again the second time for His Church. (John 14:2, 3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

WE BELIEVE 
...in the salvation of sinners by grace, through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work of the cross of Calvary by which we obtain remission of sins. (Ephesians 2:8,9; Hebrews 9:12,22; Romans 5:11)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...in the necessity of water baptism by immersion in the Name of the Eternal Godhead in order to fulfill the command of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:34-36; 19:1-6)

WE BELIEVE 
...in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a real experience at or subsequent to salvation, with the Scriptural evidence, namely, speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.
(Acts 2:1-4; 8:14-17; 10:44-46; Galatians 3:14-15)

WE BELIEVE 
...in the operation of the Gifts of the Spirit as enumerated in 1 Corinthians 12-14, as manifested in the Early Church.
 
WE BELIEVE 
...in the Spirit-filled life, a life of separation from the world and perfecting of holiness in the fear of God as expressing the true Christian faith. (Ephesians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1)

WE BELIEVE 
...in the healing of the body by Divine power, or Divine healing in its varied aspects as practiced in the Early Church.
(Acts 4:30; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 12:9, James 5:14)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...in the table of the Lord, commonly called the Communion or the Lord’s Supper, for believers.
(1 Corinthians 11:28-32; Matthew 26:26-28)

WE BELIEVE 
...in the reality and personality of the Devil and eternal judgment in the Lake of Fire for the Devil and his angels.
(Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:14,15)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...in eternal life for believers (John 5:24; 3:16), and eternal punishment for the unbelievers.
(Mark 9:43-48; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:10-15)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...that there is one true universal Church, made up of genuine believers, but this one universal Church is also composed of many local Churches in given localities. These Churches are under the sovereign Headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, exercising autonomous government under Him, administering all its local affairs and ministry, as well as the propagation of the Gospel.
(Acts 15:22; with Matthew 16:18; 18:15-20)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home, 2) the Church, and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the Church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God.
(Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13-14)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.  (Genesis 2:24; Genesis 19:5, 13; Genesis 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1: 26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman.
(Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22- 23)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local Church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made.
(Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17)


IN ADDITION TO THESE BASIC FUNDAMENTALS... 


WE BELIEVE 
...that the Biblical form of church government is a plural eldership with a governing (“senior”) minister who is qualified on the basis of Scripture in spiritual life, character, domestic life, ruler ship ability, and pastoral grace.
(1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 2 Timothy 4:1-2; 1 Peter 5:1-2)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...that the church of Jesus Christ is the last instrument that God is using to extend His kingdom prior to the second coming of Christ.
(Ephesians 3:8-11; Matthew 6:18; Ephesians 1:20-22)
 
WE BELIEVE 
...that the local church is completely autonomous – that is, it is self- governing, self-supporting and self-propagating in its mature state. (Acts 13:1-3)

WE BELIEVE 
...that every believer in Christ must be subject to God’s authority in a specific church for spiritual protection and long-term fruitfulness. (Hebrews 13:17)