What We Believe

We believe in the only true God (John 17:3), the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20).  He created all things (Revelation 4:11) and upholds all things by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3).  In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).  He is a God of truth and without iniquity.  He is just and right (Deuteronomy 32:4), and He shall judge the world (Psalm 9:8). 

We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  These three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections, and are worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience (Mark 12:29; John 1:1-4; Matthew 28:19-20;Acts 4:3-4).

We believe in the total deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We believe He is the manifestation of God in the flesh.  We believe He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.  We believe Him to be true God and true man (John 1:1, 1:14, 1:18; John 14:8-9; 1 Timothy 3:16).

We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:14).  The Holy Spirit regenerates the sinner upon belief in Christ, baptizing the believer into one body, of which Christ is the head.  The Holy Spirit indwells, guides, instructs, fills, comforts, and empowers the believer for godly living (Mark 13:11; John 14:26; John 16:13; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16). 

The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of God’s righteousness and of coming judgment (John 16:8-11). While we believe that the Scriptures do not teach that certain gifts have ceased, they indicate that use of the gifts vary according to the need that each gift meets.  And, gifts must be used in a way that is edifying and loving toward other believers (John 16:8; 13:15; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:22; 4:11-12; Romans 8:9-17; 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 12:4-5, 12:11-13, 12:19; Galatians 5:25; Hebrews 4:1-4; 2 Corinthians 12:12).

We believe the Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament are verbally inspired by God and inerrant in their original writings.  We believe the books of the Old Testament and the New Testament are God’s complete and sufficient revelation and therefore carry God’s authority for the total well-being of mankind (Psalm 119:97-104; Psalm 119:160; Matthew 5:18; John 5:46-47; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15-16).

We believe man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntarily transgressing, fell from his sinless and happy state.  Consequently, all mankind is sinful.  All people are sinners not only by inheritance, but also by their own choice and therefore are under just condemnation without defense or excuse.  We believe that without exception every man and every woman is totally depraved and needs a Savior (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 3:10-19; Romans 1:18, Romans 1:32).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice. We believe that each person who by repentance and faith receives Him as personal Savior is justified on the basis of Jesus Christ’s shed blood on the cross.  Each person who receives Christ as personal Savior is born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby becomes eternally secure as a child of God.  We believe the Holy Spirit baptizes each believing person into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation and that there is no second baptism of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ, His ascension into heaven and His present life for us as High Priest and Advocate (Acts 1:3; Acts 1:9; Hebrews 7:25-26).

We believe in the blessed hope: the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  His return has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost.  The saved are raised to eternal life in heaven (Matthew 25:34; John 14:2; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Revelation 2:7).  The lost are raised to eternal torment in hell in conscious separation from God (Matthew 8:12; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 13:49-50; Mark 9:47-48; Luke 12:5; Revelation 21:8).

Upon accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, a believer becomes part of His body, which is the church.  There is one church universal, composed of all those throughout the world who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  The Scriptures command believers to gather in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, observance of the ordinances (baptism and communion), fellowship, service to the body through the development and use of talents and gifts, and outreach to the world in fulfillment of the command of Christ to disciple all believers (Ephesians 5:23; Romans 12:1; Acts 2:42-46; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Matthew 28:18-20). 

Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the church under the oversight of elders and other supportive leadership.  The church’s members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ (Ephesians 4:16).

We believe in the importance of serving the body of Christ by offering clear paths for people to start and develop healthy and growing relationships with others in the church body.   We place a high value on an intentional plan to help every interested person enjoy godly relationships in the church.   Church membership should be a result of people who are growing in Christ and who grasp the importance of serving the Lord by using their gifts to serve others in the local church.

Baptism and communion are the two ordinances required in the church.  We believe that Christian baptism by immersion in water is a public identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.   Although baptism is not required for salvation, it is commanded of all believers and is for believers only (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 41; Acts 18:8).  Scripture shows that a person was baptized after personally receiving forgiveness of sin through accepting Jesus Christ.  Water baptism is a symbol of our death, burial, and resurrection to newness of life that happens when we become new creations in Christ (Colossians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:1-4). 

Communion is the commemoration by believers of Christ’s death, and a reminder—through the bread and the juice—of the Savior’s broken body and shed blood.  Communion is to be a time of remembrance, celebration, confession of our sin, and should be preceded by careful self-examination according to Acts 4:13; Romans 6:3-6; 1 Corinthians 11:20-29.

The Lord changes lives and accomplishes His purposes directly through reading and applying the Scriptures, meditating on the truths of the Scriptures, and prayer.  The Lord also uses those who minister His Word as they encourage, exhort, admonish, edify, implore, reprove, rebuke, and console others toward godliness.  God needs no new or unique insight into the human condition in order to change lives, regardless of whether that insight is gained through psychology or some other tool of human origin.  Problems that are approached by integrating the Scriptures with psychological theories tend to deceive individuals into diminishing the God of the Scriptures and into believing that He has not provided and cannot provide sufficient truth, insight, and wisdom that will change their lives (Colossians 2:8-10).

When psychology and other social sciences step beyond observing human behavior and seek to explain the causes of human behavior, they enter spiritual territory.  Only the God of the Scriptures can explain causes and offer solutions that lead to godliness and a fruitful, joyful life.  God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).  He changes us as we discipline ourselves through obedience to the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Timothy 4:7; 2 Peter 1:5-11).

Each Christian’s passion should be to become more like Christ and fulfill the Great Commandment to love the Lord with the entire heart, soul, mind, and strength (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2, Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30; Matthew 22:37-38). 

The Christian who learns and applies the Word becomes mature and, in turn, can help others mature (2 Timothy 2:2).

It is God’s divine decision to save a person and it is God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience that lead that person to repentance (Romans 2:4).  All glory for the salvation and security of every believer belongs to God alone (Romans 3:21-31; Ephesians 1:7-9; Ephesians 2:8-9, Jude 1:24-25).  We believe that everyone who is born again by the Spirit through Jesus Christ is eternally assured of salvation from the moment of conversion.  This assurance relies on God’s decisive grace rather than on the works of the Christian. Obedience, good works, and fruit-bearing do not earn or retain the believer’s salvation but indicate the reality of the person’s love of Christ and profession of faith (Luke 6:46; John 14:21; James 2:17-18).

Eternal security in salvation relies on the Lord’s guarantee of each believer’s adoption as His son or daughter (Galatians 4:4-7), His seal of the believer by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14), and the conviction that God gives the Holy Spirit to each believer as a down payment toward future life in heaven (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).  A person who professes genuine faith in Christ immediately becomes His possession (Luke 23:42-43; Acts 2:40-41; Acts 16: 30-34), and nothing can snatch that person out of His hands (John 10:27-29).  Having been bought with the price of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion as complete payment for sin, Christians are not their own.  They are Christ’s possession (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  This assurance is absolutely certain, reserved in heaven, protected by God’s unlimited power (1 Peter 1:4-5).

Mature disciples worship Christ, grow in His likeness, and use their gifts in His service.  A person committed to a relationship with Christ focuses on a personal walk with Him, worshipping Him, and serving Him. That person will experience significant growth in personal sanctification and, therefore, will experience a closer personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and will become “complete in Christ” (Colossians 1:28).  We am committed to multiplying the godly characteristics of leaders’ lives into others (2 Timothy 2:2).  This multiplication of ministry is key to the healthy growth of the church.  We believe the disciples of Jesus Christ should minister to one another in the local church, rather than one or a small number of professional pastors bearing total responsibility to care for the entire congregation.  God has given spiritual gifts to all of His people to provide mutual ministry in the context of the healthy and strong local church (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Satan and his demonic servants viciously oppose the work God performs in and through His people (1 Peter 5:8; Genesis 3:1-7; Ephesians 6:12).  God, who by His nature is infinitely more powerful than Satan, in due time will have complete and total victory over Satan (1 John 4:4; Revelation 20:1-10).  Although it is appropriate to pray in Jesus’ name for protection against demonic activity, the Scriptures do not instruct the Christian to “bind Satan in Jesus’ name.”  Rather, the Scriptures instruct the Christian to combat Satan by:

•  Humbly drawing near to God, knowing that He will give grace, mercy, and strength (2 Corinthians 12:7-9; Hebrews 4:15-16; James 4:8; 1 Peter 5:6-10).

•  Resisting Satan’s temptations (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9).

•  Rightly applying the truth of the Scriptures (Matthew 4:1-11; John 8:44; Ephesians 4:24-27).

•  Forgiving offenses (2 Corinthians 2:10-11).

•  Putting on the armor of God’s truth, righteousness, readiness to share the Gospel, faith, salvation, and prayer (Ephesians 6:11-20).

•  Demonstrating faithfulness to the Lord by enduring trials (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 2:13;Revelation 3:9-10).

We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures and that they contain all the words of God that we need in order to completely trust and obey Him.  The Scriptures are inerrant in their original writings (Psalm 119:97-104; Psalm 119:160; Matthew 5:18; John 5:46-47; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15-16), and are infallible in their instruction (Proverbs 6:32; 2 Peter 1:19), eternal in duration (Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:23-25); the final authority and the standard for faith and practice (Matthew 4:4; Psalm 119); and sufficient for counsel in every issue of life (Psalm 19:7-14; 2 Timothy 3:16).  We believe that the very words of Scripture in the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic are inspired by God.  Therefore, I believe that the Bible versions which translate God’s Word most literally into modern English should be preferred.

We recognize and affirm the God-ordained and significant role that women should play in establishing and leading the local church.  Every leadership opportunity is open to women except those that are excluded by Scripture.  The Scriptures clearly state that men are to serve in the office of Elder and that women are not to serve in church positions in which they exercise authority over men or in which they teach doctrine to men (1 Timothy 2:12; 1 Timothy 3:1-2; Titus 1:6-9).  We do not see this as an issue of equality, for men and women are equal under God.  The Bible is clear that men and women do not have the same roles.  Qualified women should serve in any leadership position that is not forbidden in the Scriptures.

The chief purpose of mankind is to glorify God by loving Him with the entire heart, soul, mind, and might (Deuteronomy 6:5; Isaiah 43:7; Matthew 22:37).  All believing men, women, and children are to glorify God and thus fulfill the purpose of their existence.  Worship glorifies God through adoration (Psalm 95:6), praise (Psalm 99:5), prayer (Daniel 6:10-11), thanksgiving (Nehemiah 12:46), and a complete yielding to Him (Romans 12:1).  Worship declares His worth, pays Him homage, and celebrates Him in a life of devotion. God’s people should seek to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth (Exodus 15:1-21; 2 Samuel 6:14-16; Psalm 5:7; John 4:23-24; Revelation 4:11; 5:12).

Several principles should guide our worship:

• Lift high the name of Jesus Christ (John 4:22-26; John 12:32; John 14:6).

• Lead God’s people to lift their hearts and voices to Him, giving Him praise and thanks in music and lyrics (Nehemiah 12:45-46; Psalm 66:1-4; Psalm 95:1-2).

• Prepare hearts to hear the Lord speak through the proclamation of Scripture (Psalm 95:6-9;Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42).

• Emphasize fresh and contemporary expressions while retaining traditional elements that recognize the richness of our heritage in the faith (Deuteronomy 32:7; Psalm 33:3; Isaiah 46:8-9;Matthew 13:32, Ephesians 5:19; Revelation 5:9).

• Pursue excellence in worship, knowing that God is worthy of our best (Exodus 12; Deuteronomy 17:1; Psalm 33:3; 1 Timothy 4:14-15; Hebrews 11:4).

We believe God created the universe in six 24-hour days and that, before He created the universe, nothing except God existed (Genesis 1; Exodus 31:17; Psalm 33:6-9; Acts 17:24; Hebrews 11:3; Colossians 1:16). 

God chose to create the universe and all that is in it to reveal His glory, divine nature, eternal power, infinite wisdom and supreme authority.  (Isaiah 43:7; Psalm 19:1-2; Jeremiah 10:12; Romans 1:20; Revelation 4:11). We deny the theory of evolution, which states that nonliving substances gave rise to the first living material, which then reproduced and diversified to produce all living creatures.

We believe that all people are descendants of Adam and Eve, whom God created personally and individually and as complete human beings (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:7; Genesis 2:21-22; 1 Corinthians 11:8-9).  The fall of Adam and Eve infected all people with sin and death, but the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ gives the opportunity to receive God’s gift of eternal life. (Romans 5:18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22).

God rules over His creation and cares about and is involved in the lives of individual people (Job 12:10; Acts 17:25; Acts 25:28; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:13; Ephesians 4:6).

God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society.  It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption.

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 way God relates to His people.  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 in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.

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 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 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 51:5; 78:1-8; 127; 128; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7. 

Realizing that the cause of Christ extends beyond any one local church, we commit ourselves to an ongoing ministry of extending the call of Christ to make disciples around the world (Matthew 28:19-20).  We seek to do this primarily (but not exclusively) through church planting or revitalization.