Statement of Faith

God

We believe that there is only one living and true God, infinite in every excellence; and that in the unity of the Godhead there are three personal distinctions-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit-one in substance and equal in every divine perfection. (Exodus 20:2,3; I Corinthians 8:6, I John 5:7)

We believe in the absolute Deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was divine as no other man can be, being very God of very God, existing from all eternity, co-equal with the Father and the Spirit. He never ceased to be God for one instant and His humiliation did not consist in laying aside His deity. As a man He was miraculously begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. (John 1:1,2; I John 5:20; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26-28)

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with the Father and the Son, and of the same substance and nature. He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment; bears witness to the truth; and is the Agent of the New Birth. He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies, and helps the believer by indwelling every true Child of God. (II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:16,17; Romans 8:14-27)

satan

We believe in the distinct personality of Satan; that he is the god of this age, author of all the powers of darkness and sin, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Matthew 4:1-3; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10)

The Fall of Man

We believe that man in the person of the first Adam, was created in innocence, but by voluntary transgression fell into sin, thus plunging the whole race into condemnation and death. Now all mankind are born in sin and shaped in iniquity and have become practical sinners with the first expression of personal choice, not by constraint, but by choice, and so are without excuses before God. (Genesis 3; Romans 5:10-19)

Atonement for Sin

We believe that the only escape from the condemnation of sin is through the atonement wrought by Jesus Christ, when he voluntarily took upon Himself a human body and nature, yet without sin. By His suffering, death and resurrection, He made full satisfaction to the justice of God for the sin of man. The blessings of this salvation are given on the grounds of grace to all who believe and confess; it is the immediate duty of all to accept these offers of mercy. (John 1:1-13, 3:1-7; Hebrews 10:4-14; Acts 16:30-33)

The Church

We believe that the Church universal is a New Testament institution, unknown to the Old Testament prophets. It was established by Jesus Christ, who is its sole head and revealed through the holy Apostles. It is empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit. The Church is composed of believers in Jesus Christ as Savior, both Jew and Gentile, called out from the world and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. It is His “body” for service and His “bride” for glory. It began with the New Testament saints and will be consummated at the coming of Christ in the Rapture. (Matthew 16:18; Acts 1:8, 2:13; 15:14; Romans 16:26; I Corinthians 12:12-28; Ephesians 1:22,23; 3:21; 5:23-33; I Thessalonians 4:13-18)

We believe that the Church universal is manifest through the local Church which is a congregation of believers baptized by immersion and associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel. This local congregation observes the ordinance of Christ and is governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in it by His Word. Its officers are bishops or pastors or elders and deacons. It has the absolute right of self-government directed by the Holy Spirit and is answerable only to Christ. The will of the local church is final in all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, and benevolence. (Matthew 18:15-17; I Corinthians 1:2, 6:4-5; 7-17, 11:16 I Timothy 3:1-15)

The Ordinances

We believe that there are two church ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water and is properly “Believer’s Baptism.” It sets forth in a beautiful and solemn way our faith in a crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effects in our lives of death to sin and resurrection to a new life. Baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges of church relation. The Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of our Lord’s death until He comes and our continual fellowship with Him. It should be preceded by baptism and always by careful self-examination. (Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:23-32)

The Return of Christ

We believe in the bodily, personal, premillennial return of Jesus Christ. He will come before the seven-year tribulation period to catch away His church, coming only into the air. He will come with His Church at the close of the tribulation to judge the living nations and to set up His kingdom. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 19:11-21)

The Resurrection

We believe in the resurrection of the bodies of the dead. Be-lievers who sleep in Jesus will be raised at the coming of Christ for His church and caught up with the transformed living saints to meet the Lord in the air. The wicked dead will be raised at the close of the Millennial Kingdom and stand in their bodies at the Great White Throne of judgment to receive their final doom. (John 5:21-30; I Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 7:9-17; 20:11-15)