what We believe

The Bible

The Word of God, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is verbally inspired in all parts, and therefore wholly without error as originally given of God (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:21).

The One True God

Existing eternally as three persons–the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22; Matt 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14).

The Lord Jesus Christ

His preexistence and deity (John 1:1-3), incarnation by virgin birth (John 1:14; Matt 1:18-23), sinless life (Heb 4:15), substitutionary death (2 Cor 5:21), bodily resurrection (Luke 24:36-43), ascension into heaven and present ministry (Heb 4:14-16), and coming again (Acts 1:11).

The Holy Spirit

His personality (John 16:7-15) and deity (Acts 5:3-4); and His work in each believer: baptism and indwelling at the moment of regeneration (1 Cor 12:13; Rom 8:9), and filling (Eph 5:18) to empower for Christian life and service (Eph 3:16; Acts 1:8; Gal 5:22-23).

Man

His direct creation in the image of God (Gen 1:26-28), his subsequent fall into sin resulting in spiritual death (Gen 3:1-24; Rom 5:12), and the necessity of new birth for his salvation (John 3:3-5).

Salvation

A complete and eternal salvation by God’s grace alone, received as the gift of God through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work (Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; 1 Pet 1:18-19).

The Church

One true Church, the body and bride of Christ (Eph 1:22-23; 5:25-32), composed of all true believers of the present age (1 Cor 12:12-13); and the organization of its members in local churches for worship, for edification of believers, and for world-wide gospel witness, each local church being autonomous but cooperating in fellowship and work (Eph 4:11-16).

The Christian Life

A life of righteousness, good works, and separation unto God from the evil ways of the world (Rom 12:1-2), manifested by speaking the truth (Jas 5:12), maintaining the sanctity of the home (Eph 5:22-6:4), settling differences between Christians in accordance with the Word of God (1 Cor 6:1-8), not engaging in carnal strife but showing a Christ-like attitude toward all men (Rom 12:17-21), exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), and maintaining a life of prayer (Eph 6:18; Phil 4:6), including the privilege, when sick, of calling for the elders of the church to pray and to anoint with oil in the name of the Lord (Jas 5:13-18).

Ordinances

Christians should observe the ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ, which are (1) baptism of believers by immersion (Matt 28:19) and (2) communion of the bread and the cup (1 Cor 11:23-26).

Satan

His existence and personality as the great adversary of God and His people (Rev 12:1-10), his judgment (John 12:31), and final doom (Rev 20:10).

The Second Coming

The personal, visible, and imminent return of Christ to remove His church from the earth (1 Thess 4:16-17) before the tribulation (1 Thess 1:10; Rev 3:10), and afterward to descend with the Church to establish His millennial kingdom upon the earth (Rev 19:11-20:6).

Future Life

The conscious existence of the dead (Phil 1:21-23; Luke 16:19-31), the resurrection of the body (John 5:28-29), the judgment and reward of believers (Rom 14:10-12); 2 Cor 5:10), the judgment and condemnation of unbelievers (Rev 20:11-15), the eternal life of the saved (John 3:16), and the eternal punishment of the lost (Matt 25:46; Rev 20:15).