Statement of Faith

The Scriptures

The Church accepts the Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, as the infallible, inspired Word of God, and its authority as ultimate, final, and eternal. It cannot be added to, subtracted from, or superseded in any regard. The Bible is the source of all doctrine, instruction, correction, and reproof for the Body of Christ. It contains all that is needed for guidance in godliness and practical Christian conduct (2 Tim. 3:16, 1 Thess. 2:13, 2 Peter 1:21).

The Godhead

It is the testimony of both the Old and New Testaments, and of the Christian Church, that God is both one and triune. He is one yet manifested in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

God the Father – God the Father is the creator and sustainer of all things, and He created the universe in love. He created man in His own image for fellowship and called man back to Himself through Christ after the rebellion and fall of man.

The Son – Jesus Christ is eternally God. He was together with the Father and the Holy Spirit from the beginning, and through Him all things were made for man’s redemption. He existed with the Father from the beginning and is the Word that became flesh. He left heaven and became incarnate by the Holy Spirit through the Virgin Mary. Henceforth, He is forever one Christ with two natures – God and man – in one person.

The Holy Spirit – was active in the Old Testament and given to the Body of Christ in fullness at Pentecost. He proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son and is eternal. He empowers the saints for service and witness, cleanses man from the old nature, and conforms us to the image of Christ. The baptism in the Holy Spirit, subsequent to conversion, releases the fullness of the Spirit and is evidenced by the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The Atonement

Man is a created being, made in the likeness and image of God. Through Adam’s transgression, sin came into the world. Jesus Christ was manifested, shed his blood, and died to redeem and restore man back to God. Christ’s vicarious death on the cross paid the penalty for the sins of the whole world, but its benefits are only applicable to those who receive Jesus as their personal Savior. Healing – body, soul and spirit – and all of God’s provisions for His saints are provided for in the atonement, but these must be appropriated by faith.

Salvation

On the cross, Jesus Christ became sin and provided salvation for all mankind. The Word of God clearly declares that salvation is a free gift of God, based on the merits of the death of His Son, and appropriated by faith. Salvation is affected by personal repentance, belief in the Lord Jesus (justification), and personal acceptance of Him into one’s life as Lord and Savior (regeneration). The new life in Christ includes the privileges of adoption and inheritance in the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. Salvation is an act of free will in response to God’s personal love for mankind. Salvation is evident inwardly through a direct witness of the Spirit. The outward evidence should produce an active lifestyle of loving obedience and service to Jesus Christ our Savior.

The Christian Life

The Church affirms that the Scriptures portray the life of the saint in this world to be one of balance between what is imputed to us as Christians and what is imparted to us according to our faith and maturity. Therefore, God’s provision for His children is total, and His promises are final and forever. The shortcomings of the individual and of the Church are because of the still progressing sanctification of the saints. The Christian life is filled with trials, tests, and warfare against a spiritual enemy. To remain faithful through all circumstances of life requires dependence upon the Holy Spirit and a willingness to die to personal desires and passions.

The Church

The goal of the Church is to make disciples of all nations and to present the saints complete in Christ. The five-fold ministries listed in Ephesians 4 govern the Church, along with the service of other leadership roles mentioned in Scripture. The Church wishes to balance the authority between the congregation and Church leadership. It is essential to the life of the Church that scriptural patterns of discipline are practiced and that oversight for Church discipline, individual and corporate, is exercised by the leadership of the Church.

Sanctification

The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. The Church believes in the doctrine of sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of the age at Christ’s return.

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

The Word of God places on the Church two perpetual ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ. The first, baptism, is the outward sign of what God has already done in the individual’s life and is a testimony by the believer as to the identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism in water, as by immersion, is a direct commandment of the Lord and is for believers only. It is affected according to the commandment given by Jesus in Matthew 28 in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration to the death of the Lord and is done in remembrance of Him until He comes again. It is a sign of our loving participation in Him. As with water baptism, participation in the Lord’s Supper is for believers.

Eschatology

The Church affirms the bodily, personal, second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the saints, the millennium, and the final judgment. The final judgment will determine the eternal status of both the saints and the unbelievers, determined by their relationship to Jesus Christ. We affirm with the Bible the final state of the new heaven and the new earth.

Marriage

The Church affirms that, according to Genesis 2:18-24, God created the sanctity of marriage to be a lifelong relationship between a man and a woman. Therefore, in obedience to the Word of God, the Church establishes the doctrine of marriage as being only between a man and a woman. (Matthew 19:4-6 & Ephesians 5:21-33)

Family

The Church believes that God is the originator of the family. Both male and female reflect the image of God and are necessary for procreation and the ideal family structure for parenting children. We believe that children are a blessing from God, and parents are accountable to Him for raising, shaping and preparing their children for life. Marriage allows children to benefit from the unique and complementary qualities of both male and female who are joined in a spiritually, emotionally and physically committed lifelong union.