We believe in the divine inspiration and the absolute, supreme authority of the sixty-six books of the Christian Bible, in its original autograph. Scripture is infallible (incapable of error), inerrant in its content, and altogether sufficient for faith (belief) and practice (behavior). Because it is the Word of God, it should be cherished, revered, believed, and loved (Psalm 119; John 10:35; 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
We believe in one, triune God: the Father; Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son; and the Holy Spirit—Who is eternal, all-knowing and immutable, the Creator of all that is; Who is the only absolute and omnipotent Ruler in the universe; Who is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption; Who continually sustains the universe; Who has complete, accurate, and infallible knowledge of all events, past, present, and future (Genesis 1-2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Chronicles 29:11; Isaiah 45:5-7; Matthew 28:18-19; Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 1:3; Revelation 4:11).
We believe that man was created by God in His own image, and that He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God’s creation and is reflected in the biological distinctions God has given to men and women. The differences between male and female reproductive structures are integral to God’s design for self-conception as male or female; and any physical anomalies or psychological conditions do not nullify the God-appointed link between biological sex and self-conception as male or female (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7, 18-22; Psalm 8).
We believe that man sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners by choice, being totally depraved in all aspects of their being, totally unable to earn their salvation, and therefore are under condemnation (Isaiah 59:1-2; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 8:6-8; Ephesians 2:1-3; James 3:9).
We believe that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man, born without sin of the virgin Mary; Who lived a sinless life, died by crucifixion, rose again to life on the third day, and later ascended to heaven where He sits at the right hand of God. He offered the atoning sacrifice in place of all who follow Him as their Lord and Savior, and who are thus granted eternal salvation in heaven (Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1, 14; Romans 3:21-26; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15; 2:9; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:15; 7:25-27; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18).
We believe that man sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners by choice, being totally depraved in all aspects of their being, totally unable to earn their salvation, and therefore are under condemnation (Isaiah 59:1-2; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 8:6-8; Ephesians 2:1-3; James 3:9).
We believe that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is the sole means by which we receive forgiveness of sins and the imputation of His righteousness; that those truly saved are secure forever; and that the Holy Spirit lives within every true believer, teaching and guiding them in holy living through His power and Word (John 6:37, 40; 10:27-30; 14:6; Romans 4:24-25; 8:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:29; 4:7; 5:1).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is by water immersion into the name of the triune God following a believer’s profession of faith. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for confessing believers to commemorate His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 11:17-33).
We believe that the church is a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ, made up of all believers and that all those who believe in Christ are incorporated into the body of Christ, His church. We believe that the Lord Jesus is the Head of the church; and that Christians are called to assemble in local congregations to carry out the tasks of edifying, encouraging, instructing, equipping, and sending forth its members to make disciples, all as an act of worship. Each local congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural leaders are its pastors/elders. There is no Scriptural distinction between elder, pastor, overseer, etc. – they are all the same office. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor/elder is limited to men as qualified by Scripture (Matthew 16:18; 28:19-20; Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Timothy 2:11-3; 3:1-7; Titus 1:5, 7; Hebrews 10:25; 1 Peter 2:9; 4:10-11; 5:1-3).
We believe that the mission of the Church is to bring glory to God through worship, godly living, and by making disciples everywhere (Isaiah 43:7; Matthew 28:19-20; Colossians 1:15-16; Titus 2:11-14; Revelation 4:11).
We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the just and the unjust—the unjust to judgment and eternal conscious punishment in hell, as our Lord himself taught, and the just to eternal blessedness in the presence of Him who sits on the throne and of the Lamb (Daniel 12:2-3; Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:25-29).
We believe that Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly, in power and glory, with his holy angels to the earth to consummate His kingdom (Acts 1:9-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Revelation 19:11).
We believe that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to Biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God’s image. The marriage relationship models the love between Christ and the church. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; Proverbs 5:15-19; 1 Corinthians 7:3-5; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:7).
We believe that children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children the gospel, spiritual and moral values, and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on Biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents (Genesis 1:26-27; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; 128; 139; Proverbs 2:1-5; Ephesians 6:1-4; Colossians 3:20).