The Scriptures
We believe the Bible consists of both Old and New Testaments, comprised of sixty-six books written by men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God authored each (verbal) and every (plenary) word, which means the original autographs were completely without error. The Holy Spirit superintended the accuracy of God’s revelation without error while allowing for each human author to use their own individual personalities and styles. Because the Bible is God’s Word, the Scriptures are inherently authoritative and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, and equipped for every good work. Our congregation uses both the Authorized Version and other Bible translations based upon the Critical Text.
God
We believe there is only one true and living God, eternally existing in three Persons, being the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, yet each without division of nature, essence or being. God is the Creator, Preserver, and Supreme Ruler over all things, and that He alone is worthy of all worship, honor, and glory.
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, being God incarnate. He is the exact representation of God’s nature, being the image of the invisible God. He was uniquely conceived in the womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, born without sin, willingly submitting to the Father’s will in the limitations of humanity, and the independent use of diving attributes, yet without sin. Being truly man and truly God, He died on the cross as the substitutionary atoning sacrifice for all sin, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. He has ascended into heaven in His glorified body where He intercedes on our behalf as the Great High Priest. In the future, the Church will meet Him in the air as His Bride. At the conclusion of the Great Tribulation, He will physically return to the earth to rescue Israel and establish His millennial kingdom prior to the eternal state.
Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son. He illuminates God’s revelation to both the saved and unsaved. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and He regenerates, seals, indwells, and sets apart the believer to a holy life, baptizing them into the Body of Christ, and giving them spiritual gifts for service. We believe the “sign gifts” or “miraculous gifts” during the infancy of the Church were temporary, because of their specific purpose – rather than saying they have “ceased,” we would say they are no longer “normative.” While not every spiritual gift is given to a believer, all believers are to seek the filling of the Holy Spirit in dedication and obedience to God.
Angels
We believe angels are created spiritual beings that are distinct from man. Satan was highest of all angels, but he rebelled against God and persuaded an uncertain number of angels (demons) to follow him. Angels loyal to God minister on His behalf, while Satan and his demons are also present upon the earth working against God’s plans. Satan and the demons will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire.
Creation
We believe the biblical account, where God created all things visible and invisible, and that nothing that has been created, including man, came about through a process of evolution, but rather through the direct Word of God.
Man
We believe man was created in the image of God. When Adam sinned, death passed through him to all men, so that all people are born as sinners by nature. The character of our sin nature opposes God, leaving man in a depraved state, which without God’s intervention, would ever choose to be rescued.
Salvation
We believe that from the very beginning, because of God’s grace and mercy, redemption has always been available by approaching God in humility and trusting in Him and in Him alone. Salvation has been made possible through the finished work of Christ on the cross, where He atoned for our sin, was raised from the dead, and now sits at the right hand of the Father. Good works and obedience to the Word of God characterize one who is saved. While man can do nothing to either achieve or maintain his rescued state, the character of saving faith has inherent qualities, such as the desire to repent from sin, to testify of God’s grace, to follow in believer’s baptism, to grow spiritually, and to seek a life of obedience. Believers are eternally secure, because salvation is unconditionally given to all who will believe, and because it is God, not man, who remains faithful in keeping His promises.
The Church
We believe the Universal Church consists of both Jew and Gentile, who upon placing their faith in Christ, are baptized into His body by the Holy Spirit. All of those God will redeem throughout human history are a part of God’s family, but within that family, there are distinctions. The Universal Church began on the Day of Pentecost after Christ’s ascension and concludes with the rapture of the Church when Christ returns in the air to claim His Bride.
We believe the Local Church is a group of professing believers who are organized within the biblical framework of the New Testament for the purpose of doing God’s will. Members of the body of Christ observe two ordinances: Believer’s Baptism, which is a profession of faith that pictures personal salvation, and the Lord’s Supper, which is a memorial of Christ’s atoning sacrifice. There are two church offices: Pastor (Elder/Bishop) and Deacons. Believers who serve in those positions possess the required qualifications, which are recognized by the church body. Believers seek to be filled by the Holy Spirit while they exercise their spiritual gifts for the building up of the body of Christ, and in doing so, the purpose of the church is fulfilled, being holy living, loving all people, sharing Christ, and glorifying God.
Ordinances
We believe Jesus Christ gave two ordinances to the local church, being believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These ordinances are pictures that give witness to the death and resurrection of Christ and of our identification with Him by faith.
Sexual Relationships
We believe the Bible teaches that all sexual relationships are to be between one biological man and one biological woman, and that God instituted the marriage relationship to be between one biological man and one biological woman. This creates the model for the biblical family. We further believe that it is God’s design for the sexual relationship to exist exclusively within the context of marriage. We, therefore, hold that is it totally against the command and teaching of the Scriptures to change or pervert this order in any way. We conclude that homosexuality, lesbianism, transgender relationships, and all other sexual relationships that are contrary to the Word of God are not acceptable as “alternative” lifestyles.
The Sanctity of Life
We believe the Bible teaches that all human life is sacred from conception to death. Human life begins at conception and God is fashioning that life throughout the stages of pregnancy. Any form of abortion, and any form of euthanasia violates the sanctity of life and the standard of God.
Things to Come
We believe the imminent Rapture of the Church prior to the seven-year Tribulation Period is the next prophetic event to occur. At the conclusion of the Great Tribulation, Jesus will physically Return to earth and establish His kingdom, and reign from Jerusalem in fulfillment of the covenant promises made with the nation of Israel. Although the First Resurrection (all of the redeemed) occurs at different points in the eschatological timeline, the millennial reign of Christ concludes with a second resurrection, that is, the Second Death, when the unsaved are judged, followed by the Eternal State.