A Summary of Our Beliefs

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the verbally inspired Word of God, written by men in God’s control, inerrant and infallible in the original manuscripts and the final authority in faith and life. (II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:20-21; Psalms 19:7-9)

THE GODHEAD. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, these three being identical in essence, equal in power and glory, and possessing precisely the same attributes and perfections. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14)

The CONDITION OF MAN. We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God in innocence and without sin, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, became spiritually dead and alienated from God, and now man of himself is incapable of redeeming his lost and depraved condition. (Genesis 1:26; 3:1-24; Romans 3:10-18; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3)

THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, in order that he might reveal God and redeem sinful man. This redemption HE accomplished by voluntarily giving Himself as a sinless substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, thereby satisfying God’s righteous judgment against sin. After substantiating the accomplishment of that redemption by His bodily resurrection from the grave, He ascended to the right hand of His Father where He intercedes on behalf of those who trust Him. (John 1:1, 2, 14, 18; Luke 1:34-35; Romans 3:24-26; 8:34)

THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Person who convicts the world of sin, that He alone brings new life to those who are spiritually dead, that He baptizes (or places) all believers into the one true church, which is the Body of Christ, that He indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of redemption, bestows spiritual gifts upon them, and fills those who are yielded to Him (John 16:7-11; 3:5-8; I Corinthians 12:13; John 14:16-17; Ephesians 4:30; I Corinthians 12:7-11; Ephesians 5:18)

SALVATION. We believe that salvation is the gift of God’s grace, freely bestowed upon all who from a repentant heart, put their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ at Calvary, apart from human meritorious work. All who so trust the Savior are forgiven of their sins and born into the family of God by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1:7; John 1:12)

SECURITY, ASSURANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY. We believe that all the saved, those in whom God has accomplished His transforming work of grace, are kept by His power and are thus secure in Christ forever. It is their privilege to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation. This assurance must not be the occasion for sin, however, God in holiness cannot tolerate persistent sin in His children, and in infinite love He corrects them. True faith in Christ must be expressed in a fruitful, God-pleasing life. (John 10:27-30; Romans 8:29-39; I John 5:13; Hebrews 12:6; Matthew 7:20; James 2:20).

THE CHURCH. We believe that the true Church, called in scripture the Body of Christ, is a spiritual organism into which every person who has trusted Jesus Christ for salvation in this present age has been baptized by the Holy Spirit. The scripture also teaches the establishment and continuance of local churches, groups of redeemed individuals joined together for worship, instruction, fellowship, and service. (Ephesians 1:22-23; I Corinthians 12:13; Acts 2:42; 13:1-2)

THE ORDINANCES. We believe there are two ordinances instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ which should be observed by all believers until His return: Baptism and The Lord’s Supper.

1. Baptism is the outward testimony of the spiritual transformation in the life of one who has placed his trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. We believe immersion to be the mode most adequately portraying that which believer’s baptism symbolizes, our death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:36-38; Romans 6:1-5). Candidates for membership must be immersed before being received as members. Believer’s baptism by immersion previously done at another church will be accepted.

2. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of His death to be observed regularly by self-examined believers. The elements are used as emblems of the Lord’s body and blood. (Matthew 28:26-29; I Corinthians 11:23-30)

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. We believe in the personal, imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His Church, and His subsequent premillennial return to earth to establish His kingdom. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6)

ETERNAL STATE. We believe that at death the souls of those who have trusted Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body at His coming for the Church, when soul and body reunited shall be associated with Him forever in glory. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain after death in conscious misery until the final judgment of the great white throne at the close of the millennium, when soul and body reunited shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to be separated from God forever in conscious punishment. (Luke 16:19-26; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:11-15)

BIBLICAL SEPARATION AND UNITY. We believe the saved should be separated unto the Lord Jesus Christ, necessitating holy living in all personal and ecclesiastical associations and relationships. (Romans 12:1,2; 14:13; I Corinthians 6:19,20; Titus 2:14; James 4:4,5; I Peter 2:9, I John 2:15-17). We seek to cooperate, wherever possible, with other churches, organizations, and missions whose doctrine and policy are homogeneous with ours. It is the believer’s responsibility to endeavor to maintain the unity of the faith while separating from apostasy and those who have deviated from biblical doctrine and behavior. Every proposed alliance must be considered in the light of our commitment to biblical separation.

THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT. We believe that the charismatic movement is an interfaith movement emphasizing religious experiences such as the baptism in the Holy Spirit, accompanied by speaking in tongues and miraculous sign gifts at the expense of biblical authority and sound biblical interpretation. The movement encourages ecumenism. We do not support or agree with this movement.

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