Section 1. The Bible
We believe the sixty-six books of the Bible is the Word of God; fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts; written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
Section 2. The Godhead (Trinity)
We believe there is one living and true God that eternally exists in three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit); each person equal in every divine perfection; and that they execute distinct, but harmonious, offices in the world of creation, providence and redemption.
Section 3. God the Father
We believe in God the Father, the first person of the Triune God; an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and that He saves all people from sin and spiritual death who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Section 4. God the Son (Jesus Christ)
We believe in Jesus Christ, the second person of the Triune God, is God the Father’s only begotten Son. We believe Jesus came to earth in order to reveal God to mankind and to become the Savior of the world. In doing so, Jesus became completely human without ceasing to be completely God. As such, Jesus forever continues to be both completely God and completely human inseparably united in one Person. We believe in His virgin birth; His sinless life; His miracles and His teachings. We believe in His atoning death; bodily resurrection; ascension into heaven; perpetual intercession for His people; and His visible return to earth in the future.
Section 5. God the Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Triune God, who came forth from the Father and the Son to convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment; and to regenerate, baptize, seal, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ; and He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide.
Section 6. Satan
We believe Satan was a holy and perfect angel created by God, but through pride rebelled against God thus becoming utterly depraved in character; the great adversary of God and His people; the leader of all fallen angels; and the god of this present world. We believe that Satan’s powers are vast but are strictly limited by God. We believe that Satan was defeated and judged at the cross and, therefore, his final doom into the lake of fire is certain. We believe that people who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior are able to resist and overcome Satan only with the armor of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Section 7. Man
We believe man was originally created in the image of God by a direct act of God so that man could glorify, worship, and serve Him, as well as have fellowship with Him. We believe that man fell into sin by willfully disobeying God, therefore incurring spiritual and physical death, which alienated him from God. We believe all people since Adam, except Jesus Christ, are sinners by nature; willfully sin; and, therefore, are under condemnation without defense or excuse. We believe those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
Section 8. Salvation
We believe salvation is possible for all mankind because of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, which is a vicarious, complete, eternal and perfect offering for the sins of all mankind throughout all time; and because of His resurrection. We believe that a person’s salvation is solely by God’s grace through personal faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ and that no amount of human merit or good works lead to, or are involved in, salvation. We believe those who receive Jesus Christ by faith are born again, become children of God, are a new creation in Christ, and become indwelt with the Holy Spirit forever.
Section 9. Eternal Security
We believe in the doctrine of eternal security; that is, everyone who has put personal faith in Jesus Christ is eternally secure in the salvation given by Jesus Christ and kept by the power of God’s grace unto that day through the sealing of the Holy Spirit. We believe it is the privilege of every born again believer to rejoice in the assurance of his salvation through the testimony of God’s Word.
Section 10. Christian Living
We believe every person saved through faith in Jesus Christ should live a holy life for God and not fulfill the lusts of one’s own sinful nature. We believe that each believer should become spiritually mature in obedience to the Word of God, and thus become more like Jesus Christ. Each believer, as part of becoming spiritually mature, should: exercise his spiritual gift(s) to edify other members of a local Church; pray without ceasing; be a witness for Christ; make disciples; and perform good works to the glory of God
Section 11. The Church
We believe in the universal Church, which is a living, spiritual body that includes all persons whom have trusted in Jesus as their Savior in this present age, of which Christ is the head. We also believe in the local Church, a tangible expression of the body of Christ in a particular location consisting of believers in Jesus Christ gathered together in the unity of the Holy Spirit to glorify God by loving Him and others through worship, discipleship, fellowship and evangelism. We believe that God entrusts the Elders, with the assistance of the Deacons, to shepherd and oversee His children.
Section 12. Ordinances
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ identified two ordinances that are pertinent to the local Church – namely water baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion). We believe that water baptism is the immersion and immediate removal of a believer in water in the name of the triune God as an outward expression of a believer’s faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Lord, as well as a believer’s testimony that he or she intends to turn away from one’s old sinful life and live a new spiritual life through the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration and proclamation of His death. We believe that a believer should partake in the ordinance of water baptism once during one’s lifetime, and should partake in the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Section 13. Marriage
We believe the institution of marriage has been ordained by God and is limited to a monogamous relationship between one natural-born man and one natural-born woman. God’s divine ideal is for the marital union to be for life; therefore, the desire of every married believer should be that one’s marriage will last for one’s life. Although not God’s divine ideal, divorce and remarriage is permitted under certain conditions and extenuating circumstances.
Section 14. The Last Things (End Times)
We believe that when believers physically die, their spirit and soul pass instantly into the presence of Jesus Christ and will remain there until Jesus Christ comes in the air to gather (i.e., rapture) His universal Church, which includes all believers alive on earth at the time, as well as reuniting the physical bodies of all believers who have died with their spirits and souls. We believe that after Jesus Christ brings His universal Church from earth to heaven, then God’s righteous judgment will be poured out on an unbelieving world for seven years, the last three and one-half years of which is called the Great Tribulation. We believe that the climax of Great Tribulation will be the physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth in glory to introduce the Millennial Kingdom. At this time, the nation of Israel will be restored to her land; Jesus will reign as King; Satan will be bound in the abyss; and the curse on physical creation will be lifted. At the end of the millennium, Satan will be released for a short time and then cast into the lake of fire forever. The Great White Throne judgment will subsequently occur, at which time, the bodies and souls of all unbelievers will be judged by Jesus Christ and ultimately cast into the lake of fire forever. Lastly, God will create a new heaven, new earth, and New Jerusalem where all believers will live forever with God.