Core Beliefs
GOD
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, perfect in every way and eternally existing in a unit of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Being all-knowing, sovereign and loving, God purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to lavish upon them the riches of His grace.
(Deu. 6:4; Matt. 28:19-20; Eph. 1:3-4)
THE BIBLE
We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally-inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of God’s will for salvation and the ultimate authority for how we should conduct our lives today.
(2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet.1:20-21)
THE HUMAN CONDITION
We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image in a perfect environment, but Adam and Eve sinned when tempted by Satan. Because we are descended from Adam, all human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.
(Gen.1:26; 3:1-7; Rom. 5:17-19)
CHRIST'S RETURN
We believe in the personal and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and Godly living as we eagerly wait our blessed hope. (Acts 1:11; Rev. 19:11-16) Eternal Destiny We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and will judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to eternal condemnation and the believer to eternal joy with the Lord in the new heaven and new earth.
(Rev. 20:1-15; 21:1-27; 22:1-5)
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, perfect in every way and eternally existing in a unit of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Being all-knowing, sovereign and loving, God purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to lavish upon them the riches of His grace.
(Deu. 6:4; Matt. 28:19-20; Eph. 1:3-4)
THE BIBLE
We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally-inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of God’s will for salvation and the ultimate authority for how we should conduct our lives today.
(2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet.1:20-21)
THE HUMAN CONDITION
We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image in a perfect environment, but Adam and Eve sinned when tempted by Satan. Because we are descended from Adam, all human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.
(Gen.1:26; 3:1-7; Rom. 5:17-19)
CHRIST'S RETURN
We believe in the personal and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and Godly living as we eagerly wait our blessed hope. (Acts 1:11; Rev. 19:11-16) Eternal Destiny We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and will judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to eternal condemnation and the believer to eternal joy with the Lord in the new heaven and new earth.
(Rev. 20:1-15; 21:1-27; 22:1-5)
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit’s central ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in all He does. The other ministries of the Holy Spirit include: convicting the world of its need for Christ, regenerating sinners, indwelling believers and baptizing them into union with Christ and adopting them as heirs of God’s kingdom. The Holy Spirit also illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
(John 16:8-11; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 5:18-21)
THE CHURCH
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, which is His body here on earth and is composed of all people who have put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. The universal church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be comprised only of believers. The Lord Jesus Christ mandated two ordinances for the church--baptism and the Lord’s Supper--which visibly and tangibly express the Gospel.
(Eph. 1:18-23; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Rom. 6:1-11)
CHRISTIAN LIVING
We believe that God’s purpose is to complete the work of salvation that He began in those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. To that end, spiritual growth is a process that should progress over the course of a lifetime that involves loving God, loving others, and serving and reaching out to those who don’t yet know Jesus. It also involves compassion for the poor and justice for the oppressed. The Christian life is not lived in our own strength but through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.
(Gal. 5:16; Col. 1:28; 1 John 3:13-18)
MARRIAGE
We believe God created marriage for the preservation and enjoyment of humanity. We believe marriage should be between one man and one woman. We believe it is God’s intention that a husband and wife should love each other for as long as they both shall live. Divorce is allowed by God, but only as a last resort. Every step should be taken to preserve what God has joined together.
(Gen. 2:18-24; Matt. 19:3-12; Eph. 5:22-33)
JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, who was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our Shepherd, High Priest and Advocate.
(Matt. 1:18-23; 1 Cor. 15:1-5; 1 John 2:1-2)
THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitutes the only ground for salvation.
(Rom. 5:6-9; 1 Cor. 15:20-28; 2 Cor. 5:20-21)
SALVATION
We believe that salvation is by grace, through faith, and not a matter of human effort or merit. God gives His righteousness to those who repent and rely on Christ alone for their salvation, and makes them a part of His eternal family.
(Acts 4:12; Eph. 2:8-9; 1 John 5:11-12)
We believe that the Holy Spirit’s central ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in all He does. The other ministries of the Holy Spirit include: convicting the world of its need for Christ, regenerating sinners, indwelling believers and baptizing them into union with Christ and adopting them as heirs of God’s kingdom. The Holy Spirit also illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
(John 16:8-11; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 5:18-21)
THE CHURCH
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, which is His body here on earth and is composed of all people who have put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. The universal church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be comprised only of believers. The Lord Jesus Christ mandated two ordinances for the church--baptism and the Lord’s Supper--which visibly and tangibly express the Gospel.
(Eph. 1:18-23; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Rom. 6:1-11)
CHRISTIAN LIVING
We believe that God’s purpose is to complete the work of salvation that He began in those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. To that end, spiritual growth is a process that should progress over the course of a lifetime that involves loving God, loving others, and serving and reaching out to those who don’t yet know Jesus. It also involves compassion for the poor and justice for the oppressed. The Christian life is not lived in our own strength but through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.
(Gal. 5:16; Col. 1:28; 1 John 3:13-18)
MARRIAGE
We believe God created marriage for the preservation and enjoyment of humanity. We believe marriage should be between one man and one woman. We believe it is God’s intention that a husband and wife should love each other for as long as they both shall live. Divorce is allowed by God, but only as a last resort. Every step should be taken to preserve what God has joined together.
(Gen. 2:18-24; Matt. 19:3-12; Eph. 5:22-33)
JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, who was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our Shepherd, High Priest and Advocate.
(Matt. 1:18-23; 1 Cor. 15:1-5; 1 John 2:1-2)
THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitutes the only ground for salvation.
(Rom. 5:6-9; 1 Cor. 15:20-28; 2 Cor. 5:20-21)
SALVATION
We believe that salvation is by grace, through faith, and not a matter of human effort or merit. God gives His righteousness to those who repent and rely on Christ alone for their salvation, and makes them a part of His eternal family.
(Acts 4:12; Eph. 2:8-9; 1 John 5:11-12)