we believe...
- God -
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, who is infinitely good, right and perfect. He is the creator, sustainer, and sovereign ruler of all things and eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All parts of this trinity execute distinct but harmonious roles in creation, providence, redemption, and consummation. They are equal in nature, attributes, and perfections. The holy triune God is worthy of our worship, confidence, and obedience.
(Genesis 1:1-2; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 90:2; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Exodus 15:11; Psalm 18:30-31; Psalm 139:7-10; John 1:1; John 10:31-33)
- The Father -
We believe in God the Father: one in essence with the Son and the Spirit. He is an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in all His attributes. He is the creator, sustainer, and sovereign ruler of all things. We believe that He concerns Himself perfectly in the affairs of humanity. His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with the redeemed. Everything He does is good, right and perfect and in accordance with His perfect will, though His sovereignty does not eliminate or minimize human responsibility. The Father adopts us as His own, through Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1: 12-13; Matthew 6:9-15; John 10:30; John 14:9; John 14:23, 25-26; John 15:1, 9; Romans 8:14-16)
- The Son -
We believe in God the Son: one in essence with the Father and the Spirit. He is the one and only eternal Son of God, the preeminent revelation of God. At the right time He emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond servant. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary as Jesus, the Christ - fully God and fully man. We believe in His sinless life, His voluntary submission to His Father's will that culminated in His substitutionary death on the cross, His burial, and His bodily resurrection. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father. His death on the cross atoned for our sin and satisfied the righteous demands of the holy God. He is the Mediator between God and man. He is Prophet, Priest, and King; the Head and Savior of His Church; the Heir of all things; the Judge of all the world; and the exact representation of God the Father. We believe in the personal return of Christ for His Church and in the establishment of His Kingdom on earth.
(1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1:1-4, 14; Colossians 1:15-17; John 10:30; John 14:9; John 10:31-33; Titus 2:13-14; John 20:28; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Peter 2:22-25; Mark 10:45; Matthew 1:18-25; Romans 5:6-8; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; 1 John 5:11-13; Romans 3:23-25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Acts 1:8-11; Revelation 19:11-18)
- The Holy Spirit -
We believe in God the Holy Spirit: one in essence with the Father and Son. He was sent by God the Father and God the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ and implements Christ's work of redemption and baptism. He regenerates, baptizes, seals, gifts, and indwells all believers at conversion, progressively sanctifying, and securing them in Christ forever. The Spirit fills, leads, comforts, and intercedes for believers, empowering them for godly living and service. His presence is evident by the fruit of the Spirit and the building up of believers into the body of Christ, the Church.
(Acts 1:8; John 16:7-13; John 3:3-6; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9,14&16; John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 12:11-13; Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22-23)
- Humanity -
We believe that humanity, male and female, is sacred in God's eyes and was uniquely created by Him, in His image and for His glory, to exercise dominion over the earth and to enjoy a relationship with Him forever. Every human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life. God's will for humanity is that they love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love their neighbors as themselves. After sin entered the world, humans still possess the image of God, but are tainted by sin. We believe that sin is any action, inaction, or attitude that is contrary to the nature or Word of God, resulting in rejection of His authority and alienation from Him. Sin entered the world when Adam, representing humanity, disobeyed God. As a result of the one sin of Adam, his descendants - the whole human race - are separated from relationship with God, spiritually dead, and therefore in a fallen state. Being sinners by nature and choice and unable to remedy their lost condition, humanity is in need of salvation.
(Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:22; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; Romans 5:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 2:13-14; John 3:16)
- Family -
In God's design for humanity, life begins at fertilization. He established the institution of family through the union of one man and one woman in a marriage covenant for life. His design for the continuance of humanity is through the procreation and discipleship of children within the marriage union. Marriage is to be an example of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church.
(Romans 8:14-16; John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1: 12-13; Matthew 6:9-15; John 10:30; John 14:9; John 14:23, 25-26; John 15:1, 9; Romans 8:14-16)
- Salvation -
We believe that salvation is a gift of God, received by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Regeneration is effected through the work of the Holy Spirit. All who repent and believe in Jesus Christ are forgiven of all their sins, justified in God's sight by the merit of Christ's righteousness, adopted into His family, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and have equal access to God. As a result, the progressive sanctifying work of salvation leads to a newness of life that is evidenced by righteous living, good works, and biblical social concern, or by God's corrective discipline. The consummation of salvation is that those who have accepted God's gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ shall be resurrected and glorified. They shall receive their inheritance in the Kingdom of their Father, whom they shall see and enjoy throughout the ages.
(1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 5:6-8; Romans 3:24-25; Romans 8:34; Romans 6:3-4; Romans 10:9-10; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 11:6; Daniel 12:2; John 3:36; John 3:16; 1 John 5:11-13; Acts 17:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-55; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 2:13-14; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:11-13; John 14:1-6; Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Matthew 13:49-50; Luke 16:22-31; Revelation 20:11-15; 2 Peter 3:10; Acts 4:12; Romans 14:10; 2 Timothy 4:1)
- Church -
We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of Christ, of which He is the Head. We believe that this body expresses itself in local assemblies in which believers are in a covenant relationship. Biblically that relationship is expressed corporately through hearing the Word of God proclaimed, engaging in worship, practicing the two ordinances of believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, building up each other's faith, holding each other accountable through biblical love and discipline, and engaging in local and world evangelization.
(Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Romans 6:3-4; Acts 2:28-47, 8:12, 8:36, 9:18, 10:48, 15:23, 16:15, 16:33, 20:7; Luke 22:7-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:25-30)
- The Bible -
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the final authority for all Christian faith and life. It is God's written revelation complete in the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. It is the supreme authority in all matters to which it speaks and is sufficient for life, conduct, and practice - understandable by every believer.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 22:18; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Matthew 24:35; Mark 7:13; Hebrews 4:12)