What
We Believe:
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Scripture
We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally
inspired of God, and inerrant in the original writings, and that they
are of supreme and final authority in faith and life (2 Peter 1:21; 2
Timothy 3:16-17).
The Godhead
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons, Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19).
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, was born
of the virgin Mary, and is true God and true man (Matthew 1: 18-25;
John 10:30; Colossians 2:9).
The Resurrection of
Jesus
We believe in the physical resurrection of the body of our Lord, His
bodily ascension into heaven and His bodily presence there for us as
High Priest and Advocate (I Corinthians 15:14, 15:20-22; Acts 1:9-11;
Hebrews 7:25).
Satan
We believe that Satan is literal and personal, the agent of the fall,
the prince and power of this world, and that he shall be judged and
eternally punished (Revelation 20: 1 -10).
Mankind
We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and
thereby incurred not only physical death but also the spiritual death
which is separation from God, and that all human beings are born with a
sinful nature and are now sinners by birth and by choice, positively
inclined to evil, and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin
without defense or excuse (Romans 3:10, 23; 5:12).
Salvation
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice (Mark
10:45), that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His
shed blood (Romans 3:21-26; 5:6-11), and that
salvation is by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). That "ye
must be born again" (John 3:16-18). We believe in the universality of
the Gospel (I Timothy 2:4-6).
The Holy Spirit
We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born
again of the Holy Spirit , indwelled by the Spirit (Ephesians
1:13-14), and are thereby children of God and are eternally
saved (1 Peter
1:3-5; John 5:24).
End Times
We believe in the "blessed hope," the personal, bodily,
pre-tribulational rapture of the church, and the pre-millennial,
imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians
4:13-18; Revelation 19:11-16).
Future Resurrection
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead; both of the just and
the unjust. We believe in a literal heaven and a literal hell; that the
spirits of the unsaved at death descend immediately into Hades where
they are kept under punishment until the final day of judgment, at
which time their bodies shall be raised from the grave, they shall be
judged according to their works, and cast into the place of final and
everlasting punishment (Mark 9:43-48; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18;
Revelation 20:11-15).
The Local Church
We believe that a New Testament Church is a body of baptized believers,
assembled for worship, service, and the spread of the Gospel in all the
world (Acts 1:8; 2:38-47).
Church Leadership
We believe that the Bible teaches that there are two offices of the
church which should be held by men only: Pastor and Deacon (I
Timothy 2:12; 3; Titus 1).
Church Ordinances
a. BAPTISM: We believe
that immersion is the only form of baptism revealed and commanded in
the Scriptures, that is has NO saving power, but is only for those who
are already saved; and that the new birth, which comes through
repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, is the scriptural
prerequisite to baptism; therefore, only those who are old enough to
believe for themselves should be baptized (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-5). So
as not to distort the symbolism, the mode of immersion is traditionally
laying back once.
b. COMMUNION/LORD'S
SUPPER: We believe that the Lord's Supper is a memorial of the death of
Christ and that only those who have been saved through faith in His
atoning blood and are walking in obedient fellowship with Him ought to
partake of it. We do not believe in closed communion, but do recognize
the need for every individual to be in close communion with God (I
Corinthians 11:23-32).
a. MORAL: We are
commanded to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The believer is never
to live as an evil doer, but is to be clean in body and mind and to
adopt biblical and God-honoring standards in moral and ethical conduct.
The Bible defines right and wrong for godly behavior as exemplified in
the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20).
b. PERSONAL: We are
commanded to be representative of our faith in our lifestyle. The
believer, under the teachings of Christian liberty and conscience
(Romans 14:5), is to be faithfully responsible to develop godly
standards in preference and behavior that acknowledges the higher
convictions of the Christian faith and recognition of the error of
worldliness (I John 2:15-17; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
c. ECCLESIASTICAL: While
recognizing the unity of all true believers in Christ and in truth
(John 17:11, 17), we believe that unbelief, doctrinal error and
doctrinal differences must limit fellowship and corporate ministerial
cooperation (Ephesians 5:11; 2 Corinthians 6:14; and 2 Peter 2). We
stand in opposition to ecumenicalism and any corporate ministry outside
those of like precious faith. Separation is a key element in protecting
the testimony and reputation of the local assembly.
