Statement of Faith
The Scriptures
We believe the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments to be verbally inspired, inerrant, and the only infallible, authoratative Word of God. We believe God gave the words of Holy Scripture by inspiration and without error. God promised that He would preserve His Word; Jesus said, "But my words shall not pass away"--Matthew 24:35. We believe that God has kept that promise by preserving His infallible Word to every generation. We teach, preach, study, memorize and meditate on God's Word. We use the Authorized Version (KJB) as our translation of the Word of God and believe it to be the Word of God for the English speaking people. We use it with confidence, believing that it accurately shows forth the inspired and infallible words of God that were given in the Hebrew and Greek languages. We belive the Bible is the sole and final authority for faith and life. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Matthew 5:18; 24:35, Psalm 12: 6-7)
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, as revealed in the Bible, eternally existing in three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are identical in nature (one in essence), but distinct in person and function. They have the same attributes and perfections. (Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14, Genesis 1:26, Isaiah 6:8; 48:16-17, Matthew 3:16-17, John 14:16-17)
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; 7:14; Philippians 2:5-8; Galatians 4:4-5).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His finished work on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 9:24, 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2).
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; II Corinthians 3:6; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13-14).
We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all saved to be filled with the Spirit. (1 Cor 2:9-16; Eph 1:17-18, 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27)
We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking spontaneously in other languages to preach the gospel(tongues) and the gift of healing, were temporary. These sign gifts ceased when the New Testament was completed (1 Cor 13). They were foundational in nature, temporary in time, and were given to authenticate the message and men of God during the introduction of the New Covenant to the Jewish people. (I Corinthians 1:22, 13:8; 14:21-22).
Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, that he sinned and therby incurred not only physical death but the spiritual death which is separation from God, and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are now sinners by choice, and therfore, under just condemnation to eternal ruin without defense or excuse. (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 1:20; 3:22-23, 5:12-21; 1 COr 2:14: Ephesians 2:1-3, 12).
The Way of Salvation
We believe that salvation is a gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in Jesus Christ, not earned by the works of men, but paid in full by the finished work of Jesus whose precious blood was shed on Calvary's cross and whose resurrection seals for all who will receive the forgiveness of their sins. (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; I Peter 1:18-19)
We believe that eternal life is a present possession for all those who claim the promises of Christ. We believe that all the redeemed are kept by God's power and are secure in Christ forever. We believe it is a privilege of the believer to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word, which forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5; Jude 1, 2).
The Church
We believe that the local Church is a group of baptized believers in Jesus Christ; that have voluntarily joined themselves together for the purposes of worship, work, fellowship, observance of the ordinances, and the spread of the Gospel to all the world; and having two offices: pastor and deacon. (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8, 2:41-42, 10:47-48; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 2:12, 3:1-13; Heb 10:25)
We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. ( Acts 14:27, 20:17, 28-32; Titus 1:5-11)
We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority or control.(Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31, 20:28; Romans 16:1, 4; I Corinthians 3:9, 16, 5:4-7, 13; I Peter 5:1-4).
The Ordinances of the Church
We believe in water baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper as the two Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church. (Matthew. 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 10: 47-48; Acts 2:41-42; I Corinthians 11:23-26).
Biblical Separation
We believe that all those that belong to Christ should live a life of holiness. As we come close to Him, He sanctifies us and gives us the desire to live a consecrated life in the abundant joy that His presence supplies. We believe that walking in the Light means living in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. We believe Biblical separation to also include separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations. (II Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1, 2, 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1).
The Return of Christ
We believe the "Blessed Hope"; the personal, bodily, pretribulational, premillennial and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; Followed by His return to earth with His saints to establish His Millennial Kingdom. ( Matthew 24:44; John 14:1-3; I Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-13;; Revelation 3:10; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-6; Psalm 89:3-4)
Our Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28, 29, 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-13).
We believe that the souls of believers in Christ do at death, immediately pass into His presence. And there remain until the first resurrection of the body at the rapture, when soul and body reunited shall stand before Christ to be judged of their Christian works for the giving of rewards; and they shall then be with Him forever in glory (Luke 23:43; Revelation 20:4-6; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23, 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17).
We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious agony in hell until the final resurrection at the end of the millennium for judgment; the result of this judgement will be that all will be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting separation from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power forever. (Luke 16:19-26; Matthew 25:41-46; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:11-15).
Spiritual Beings
We believe that God created an innumerable company of sinless spirit beings. They minister in heaven and on earth. One of these though created holy by God, sinned through pride, thereby becoming Satan, the Devil, the enemy of his Creator, leading a host of angels in rebellion against God. He became the god of this age and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgement of an eternal punishment in the lake of fire. (Neh 9:6; Matt 4:11, 2541; Acts 12:7-9, 27:22-24;2 Cor 4:3-4; Eph 2:22; Col 1:16, Heb 12:22; Rev 12:7-9; 20:10)
Creation
We believe in the direct creation by God of the physical universe, all spirit beings, man, and lower forms of life, without the process of evolution. We believe all of God's Word, including the early chapters of Genesis as they are literally written and accurate accounts of history. (Gen 1 and 2; Col 1:15-17; John 1:3)
Mission
We believe that God has given us a mission in the Great Commission. We are to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. We do this in obedience to Jesus' clear command and so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ, we must use all Biblical methods to go to all nations. (Matt 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor 5:20)