THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Bible (the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments) is inspired by God, and that inspiration extends to every portion of the Bible. Therefore, the Bible is completely infallible as the final authority for all human conduct, creeds and opinions.

THE TRIUNE GOD

We believe that there is one and only one living God, who is absolutely and eternally one God in three distinct persons–the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who are coequal, coexistent, and coeternal. Each Person of the triune God possesses all the attributes and perfections of God in their fullness.

The Father

We believe that the Father is the first person of the triune God, and invisible to human beings in this life. He is uniquely the Father of Jesus Christ, and has a personal relationship with each believer as Father. As the Creator, He is the Father of all humanity, but He also has a special relationship as the Father to the chosen nation of Israel.

The Son

We believe that the Son is the second person of the triune God, and that He is the Lord Jesus Christ. At an appointed time, He took upon Himself the very form of man in the incarnation, yet without sin. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. Therefore, Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man.

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the triune God. He reveals the Father and the Son, and convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. At the moment of faith in Christ, He gives the believer eternal life, permanently indwells and guarantees salvation for him/her, and baptizes him/her into the universal church. The Holy Spirit controls in every area of living those believers who are properly yielded to Him.

We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and healing, were only given during the infancy of the church, and that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism by or filling of the Holy Spirit.

ANGELS

We believe that God created holy, spiritual beings called angels to worship and serve Him. Some of the angels have remained holy, worshipping God in His presence, and doing His bidding as messengers and servants. Others, led by Satan and known as demons, are now working against God’s plan and program.

SATAN

We believe that Satan (the devil) is an angel created by God. In his original state, he was perfect in all his ways. Because of his beauty, he became prideful and sinned against God, along with a host of other angels who followed him. Therefore, he lost his special position at the throne of God. Satan is the tempter of man, the accuser of believers, and the ruler of our sinful world. He is destined for the lake of fire.

THE CREATION

We believe in the historicity of the entire narrative in Genesis, including the direction creation by God of the universe and man in six literal days apart from any evolutionary process, a literal Adam and Eve as the parents of all mankind, a literal fall of man, and a catastrophic, worldwide flood.

THE FALL OF MAN

We believe that man was created in the image of God in a state of untested holiness, but that through his own disobedience man fell and became a sinner. As a result of the fall, all of mankind are sinners by choice, are under condemnation, and are without excuse before God. The corruption of man’s nature extends to every aspect of his/her being, and he/she can do nothing to change his/her basic inclination toward sin.

SALVATION

We believe that the only escape from the condemnation of sin is through Jesus Christ, who voluntarily took upon Himself the form of man, yet without sin, and was crucified as a sacrifice for the sin of all mankind. This sacrifice was a substitutionary death in the place of the sinner, in which He suffered the penalty for sin, thereby paying the ransom to release the believing sinner from the bondage of sin for both time and eternity.

We believe that salvation is a free gift of God, imparted only to those individuals who, in conscious recognition of their own sinfulness and utter depravity before God, turn by faith to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Salvation is provided by God’s grace solely through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the sin-bearer for the world, and not through any works on the part of the individual. The one who is saved is given eternal life, has forgiveness of sins, is declared righteous, and is no longer under condemnation. Once given, salvation is never taken away.

SANCTIFICATION

We believe that preparatory sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit in setting apart and preparing the sinner to trust Christ unto salvation. Positional sanctification is the act of God whereby the believer, at the moment of salvation, is eternally set apart for God’s purpose as an adopted son. Progressive sanctification is the continuous operation of the Holy Spirit, by which He delivers the believer from the pollution of sin, and renews him/her in the image of Christ, so that the believer is able to perform good works. Perfect sanctification will occur at the return of Christ, at which time the believer will be made like Christ, completely free from sin in every way.

THE CHURCH

We believe that the universal church is not an organization, but an invisible, spiritual organism, consisting of all believers from the day of Pentecost until the Rapture. In the universal church, God has brought Jews and Gentiles together in one body, and united them with each other and with Christ through Spirit baptism.

We believe that the local church is distinguished from other Christian organizations by the fact that it is a congregation of professing believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges vested in it by the New Testament. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government.

OFFICERS OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

We believe that the New Testament identifies two officers of the local church: those who occupy the office of pastor/elder/bishop; and those who occupy the office of deacon. The Pastor/Elder/Bishop(s) shepherd the church as a flock, provide mature leadership, and oversee the affairs of the church. They must be faithful teachers of the Word of God, equipping believers for works of service. Deacons are servants who help care for the physical needs of the congregation, and assist the Pastor/Elder/Bishop(s).

ORDINANCES OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

We believe the New Testament describes two ordinances for the local church, believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Believer’s baptism is that act of obedience on the part of the believer by which he/she is fully immersed in water as a symbol of his/her union with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and his/her union with the church. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial to the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a symbol of the union of true believers within the body of Christ.

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

We believe that the church is separate from the institution of human government, and is sovereign in and of itself. Therefore, the state does not have authority over the church in spiritual matters. However, this does not absolve the church from obeying the civil laws and rulers, since God has ordained all human government.

THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked. Only those who have been justified by faith are truly righteous before God. All others are in His sight wicked and under condemnation. This distinction among people continues after death, in the everlasting conscious blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.

LAST THINGS

We believe that this present church age will end at the Rapture, when Jesus Christ will gather up all church-age believers, dead and living, to Himself in the clouds. After the Rapture will come seven years of tribulation, during which time God’s wrath against sin will be poured out toward all mankind, and many will be saved, both Jews and Gentiles. The Tribulation will come to an end with the Second Coming of Christ literally, physically and bodily to the earth to judge the nations and establish His Millennial Kingdom in fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel. Following the Millennium, Christ will judge the unrighteous dead, and usher in the eternal state. In the eternal state, believers of all ages will enjoy the blessings and presence of the Lord forever in the new heaven and new earth, while unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity.