Summary

In Essential Beliefs - We have Unity

"There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:4-6)

In Non-Essential Beliefs - We have Liberty

"As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions." (Romans 14:1)

"Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand." (Romans 14:4)

"So then each of us will give an account of himself to God." (Romans 14:12)

"The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves." (Romans 14:22)

In All Our Beliefs - We Show Charity

"And If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:2)


God

We believe that there is only one true God, the creator and ruler of the universe. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory (commonly known as the Trinity).

Genesis 1:1,26,27, 3:22; Exodus 34:6; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; John 14:26; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus, the eternal Son of God became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless human life. He was fully God and fully man. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead bodily after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory where He lives as our prophet, high priest, and king. He will return personally again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:22, 23; Luke 1:34-35; John 1:1-5; 14:10-30; Luke 1:35; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 1:3,4; 3:24; 8:34; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; 1 Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 4:14,15; 7:25-27; 9:24; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 2:24; 1 John 2:1-2; Revelation 19:11-16

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son. He is present in the world to make humanity aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He lives, as the Comforter, in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily.

John 14:16,17; 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:6,17; Ephesians 1:13; 5:18; Galatians 5:25


The Bible

We believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the human authors of Holy Scripture so that the Bible is without error in the original manuscripts. We receive the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments as our final, absolute authority, the only infallible rule of faith and practice, and declare His design and plan for mankind.

2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; 2 Timothy 1:13; 3:16,17; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12,13;Psalm 119:105,160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5


Humanity

We believe that God created mankind in His own image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. People are the supreme object of God's creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred from birth by an attitude of disobedience toward God called "sin". Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born in sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness.

Genesis 1:26,27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:22,23; 5:12-20; Ephesians 2:1-3,12; Isaiah 59:1, 2


Salvation

We believe that Christ's sacrificial and substitutionary death on the cross satisfied God's wrath against the sin of those who accept Christ, and provided a means for restored relationship with God. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty. Salvation is God's free gift to us but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. When we repent of our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are born again of the Holy Spirit. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

John 1:12-13; 3:16; 10:29; 14:6; Romans 5:1,8-9; 6:23; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10-14; 1 Peter 1:3-5,18-19


Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

We believe that the redeemed are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security. It is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word, which clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh.

John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38, 39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5; Romans 13:13, 14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15


Priesthood of Believers

We believe that sanctification begins at salvation and is not only a declaration that a believer is holy, but also a progressive lifelong process of separating from evil as believers continually draw closer to God and become more Christ-like.

In this life long process, God calls each of us to serve the Church according to our gifting, and it is our privilege and responsibility to do so. The Bible teaches that each of us must commit ourselves to reach others for Christ, to worship Him with other believers, and to build up or edify the body of believers - the Church. God is sovereign in the bestowing of spiritual gifts. It is, however, the believer's responsibility to attempt to develop their God-given spiritual gift(s). The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at conversion and is the placing of the believer into the Body of Christ. We also believe that particular spiritual gift(s) are neither essential (proving the presence of the Holy Spirit), nor an indication of a deep spiritual experience. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accordance with His own will, for the sick and afflicted.

John 15:71 Corinthians 12:7, 11, 13; 13; Ephesians 4:7-8; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 John 5: 14, 15


Ordinances

We believe and practice two ordinances - (1) Water Baptism by Immersion after repenting of one's sins and receiving Christ's gift of salvation, and (2) Holy Communion (the Lord's Supper) as a symbolic remembrance of Christ's suffering and death for our salvation. Both are available to all believers.

Matthew 3:13-17; 28:19


Mission

We believe the Church has a Mission to follow Jesus command to make disciples of all nations. We believe 'the Church' is the Body of Christ and consists of the people who, throughout time, have accepted God's offer of redemption (regardless of religious denomination) through the sacrificial death of His son Jesus Christ.

The church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament scriptures. We believe in the autonomy of the local churches, that they are to be free of any external authority and control.

Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 2:41, 42; 13:1-4; 14:27; 15:19-31; 18:8, 22; 20:17, 28; Romans 16:1,4; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 11:23-26; 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22,23; 5:25-27; 1 Timothy 3:1-3; Titus 1:5-11; 1 Peter 5:1-4


Eternity

We believe and look forward to the perfect New Heavens and a New Earth that Christ is preparing for all people, of all time, who have accepted Him. We will live and dwell with Him there forever.

We believe that God's kingdom is everlasting. From His throne, through His Son, His eternal Word, God created, upholds and governs all that exists: the heavenly places, the angelic hosts, the universe, the earth, every living thing and mankind. God created all things very good.

We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the unsaved. People were created to exist forever in one of two conditions. The "unsaved" will exist eternally separated from God, experiencing conscious punishment in Hell. The "saved" will exist eternally with God in Heaven, enjoying everlasting blessedness. The Scriptures teach that Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.

John 3:16; 5:28-29; 14:17; Romans 6:23; 8:17-18; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9; Revelation 20:15


Satan / Hell

Satan, originally a great, good angel, rebelled against God, taking a host of angels with him. He was cast out of God's presence and, as a usurper of God's rule, established a counter-kingdom of darkness and evil on the earth. We believe a final judgment will take place for those who have rejected Christ. They will be judged for their sin and consigned to eternal punishment being separated from God for all eternity.

Genesis 3:22-24; Ezekiel 28:12-19; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 6:11-12; Revelation 12:7-9; 20:10