Statement of Faith
1. The Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired Word of God; the final authority for faith and life; inerrant in the original writing; infallible and God-breathed. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:3, 20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 16:12-13)
2. The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit; co-eternal in being; co-identical in nature; co-equal in power and glory; and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; Mark 12:29; John 1:1-2; 10:30; 14:7-11; I Corinthians 8:4,6; II Corinthians 3:17; 13:14; Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 1:2)
3. The Person and Work of Christ
A. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (John 1:1-2; 14; Luke 1:35).
B. We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification was made sure by His literal and physical resurrection from the dead. (Romans 3:24-25; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5; 2:24)
C. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Romans 8:34; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; I John 2:1)
4. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
A. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, and that He is the supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ. (John 16:7-15; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 3:6)
B. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth; and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (John 16:13; Ephesians 5:18; I John 2:20, 27)
5. The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Genesis 1:26-27; 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10, 22-23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12)
6. Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to many by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. (John 1:12; 3:16-17; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-9; Romans 5:8; 10:9-10, 13; I Corinthians 1:17; I Peter 1:18-19; I John 5:11-13)
7. Assurance of Believers
We believe that 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. We also believe all who are truly saved are kept saved forever. (John 5:24; 6:37; 10:27-29; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; I Peter 1:3-5; Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15 Hebrews 6:1-6)
8. The Two Natures of the Believer
We believe that every saved person possesses two natures with provisions made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of God's Word and the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit and that all claims of the eradication of the old nature in this life are not scriptural. (Romans 6:13; 8:12-13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10; I Peter 1;14-16; I John 3:5-9)
9. Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. We believe God commands separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations. (Romans 12:1-2; 14:13; I Corinthians 6:19-20; 10:31 II Corinthians 6:14; 7:1; Ephesians 5:11; I Thessalonians 5:22; II Timothy 3:1-5; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11)
10. Missions
We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by word to the truths of the Holy Scriptures and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Romans 1:16; II Corinthians 5:19-20; Ephesians 6:19-20; Colossians 4:3-5)
11. The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts
a. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts and that the gifts of evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints. (I Corinthians 12:4-11; 13:8 II Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12).
b. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith in accord with His own will for the sick and afflicted. (James 5:13-16; John 15:7; I John 5:14-15)
12. The Church
a. We believe that the Church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born again persons of this present age. (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12, 14; II Corinthians 11:2)
b. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20:17; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
13. Ordinances
a. Baptism:
We believe immersion to be the only New Testament form of baptism to be administered upon the personal acceptance and public confession of Christ as Savior. Baptism shall be administered by immersion only and in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
We believe that Christ Himself established and commanded the ordinance to symbolize the believer's death to the old life of sin and his spiritual resurrection to the new life in Christ. We also believe that baptism by immersion is a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:41; 8:12; 9:18; 10:47-48; Romans 6:3-6)
b. The Lord's Supper:
We believe that the Lord's Supper is an ordinance instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ to be observed by the redeemed in remembrance of His death of the Cross until He comes again. It is not to be considered as having any sacramental merit nor are the elements to be considered in any way to be the literal body and blood of Christ. (Matthew 26: 26-30; Luke 22:19-20; I Corinthians 11:23-32)
14. Dispensationalism
We believe in the dispensational view of Bible Interpretation but reject the extreme teaching known as "Hyper Dispensationalism" which opposes both the Lord's Supper and Water Baptism as a Scriptural means of testimony for the Church in this age. (Matthew28:18-20: Acts 2:41-42; 18:8; I Corinthians 11:23-26)
15. Satan
We believe that Satan is a person; that he is the author of sin and the cause of the fall of man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:1-11; 25:41; Ephesians 2:1-3; Revelation 20:10)
16. The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in the "Blessed Hope"; in the personal, imminent, pretribulational and premillennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed children; and in His subsequent return to the earth with His saints to establish His Millennial Kingdom. (Zechariah 14:4-11; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Thessalonians 1:5-10; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6)
17. Man's Eternal State
a. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all mankind, the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13)
b. We believe that the souls of the redeemed at death are absent from the body and present with the Lord where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection when the spirit, soul and body are reunited with Christ to be glorified forever with Him. (Luke 23:43; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17)
c. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection when the soul and body are reunited and shall appear at the Great White Throne judgment, and shall be cast into the lake of fire; not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment. (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15)
18. The Priesthood of Believers
We believe in the priesthood of all believers; that Christ is our Great High Priest and through Him every born-again believer has direct access into God's presence without the need of a human priest; that the believer has the right and responsibility to personally study and interpret the Scriptures guided by the Holy Spirit. (John 14:6 I Timothy 2:5; II Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 4:14-16; I Peter 2:5, 9)
19. Church Membership
a. Requirements
Any person who has accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior and gives evidence of a born again experience, may upon baptism by immersion and majority vote of the members present be received into membership. Those persons who have been baptized scripturally and in consequence of circumstances have no regular letter of admission, by the majority vote of members present, may be received into membership after giving satisfactory evidence of a born again experience and Scriptural faith according to the articles of faith of this church.
b. Means of Receiving Members
Eligible persons may be received into membership by (1) baptism (2) Statement of faith and baptism or (3) Transfer of membership and upon the majority vote of the members present.
c. Responsibilities
All members should deem it their responsibility to regularly attend as many public services as possible. They should be willing to engage in some part of the work of the church, and in preparation for such work should be engaged in daily Bible reading and prayer as individuals and as families. They should be giving personal and public testimony for Christ by word and deed in an effort to win the lost to Christ. They should be regularly supporting the church by systematic and proportionate giving, as taught in the Scriptures. (Malachi 3:10-11; I Corinthians 16:2; II Corinthians 9:6-7)
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