Statement of Faith
The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to Man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by the church (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21).
Preservation - We believe that we have the preserved Word of God. Error is inconsistent with God’s character. Romans 3:4 states that no matter what man does, God is true. In John 5:20 God promised that His word shall not return to Him void. Isaiah 55:11. Christ states in the gospel of Matthew 5:18, “For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” And in Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33)
Inerrancy - By divine ability the Holy Spirit was able to allow for personality and variety among the writers, yet completely keeping them from error.
(II Peter 1:19-21)
Infallibility - The Scripture has absolute and eternal authority from God, (Isaiah 40:8; II Timothy 3:16)
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons --- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (John 14; Isaiah 44:1-31; 45:5;
1 John 5:7).
Nature of God
God is Spirit because He is both invisible and omnipresent. (John 4:24; Colossians 1:15; I Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:27)
God is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6; John 17:3; I Corinthians 8:4; I Timothy 1:17)
God is triune and He displays Himself in three personalities — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All three are eternal in being and equal in essence and attributes.
The Father is God. (John 6:27; Romans 1:7; I Peter 1:2)
The Son is God. (John 1:1,14; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8)
The Holy Spirit is God. (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 139:7; John 3:8; Acts 5:3,4)
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, the Second part of the Trinity, 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 (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35;
John 1:1-2, 14; II Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24-25; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 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; 1 John 2:1-2).
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third part of the Trinity and is the one who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that he is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, indwelling and sealing believers unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9;
Romans 8:16-17; Ephesians 1:13-14).
We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures. (Ephesians 1:17-18; 5:18;
1 John 2:20, 27; John 16:13; John 14:26)
We believe that God the Holy Spirit is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God the Holy Spirit uniquely equips believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12)
We believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary signs to Israel to fulfill Old Testament prophecy. Therefore we believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. Although all physical healing is from God. (1 Corinthians 1:19-24; 13:8; 14:21-28;
Exodus 33:19).
The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-9; 4:17-19).
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:16-21).
The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
We believe that all the believers, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30;
Romans 8:1, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; 1Peter 1:3-5).
We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Believer’s liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Romans 6:1-2; Romans12:1-3; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)..
The Church
We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again believers (Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27).
We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 1Timothy 3:1-13; Titus1:5-11).
We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4; 15:1-31; 20:28; Romans 16:1,4; 1 Corinthians 3:9-16; 5:4-7, 13; Colossians 1:22; Ephesians 1:15-23; 1Peter 5:1-4; Matthew 18:16-20).
We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age. We believe valid baptism is conducted solely under the authority of a Local New Testament Church, and the Lord’s Supper is closed to all but membership of a Local New Testament Church (Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
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Separation
We believe that all born again believers should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God (Romans 12:1-2; 14:13; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; II Timothy 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; II John 9-11).
The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in that “blessed hope,” the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture every born again believer prior to the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return, with his saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the Nation of Israel (Psalms 89:3-4; Daniel 2:31-45; Zechariah 14:4-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6).
The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Revelation 20).
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord. (Luke 23:29-49; Psalms 116:1-5; II Corinthians 5:1-9).
We believe that the souls of the unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment
(Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-31; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15).
Satan
We believe that Satan is a created being, a cherub, the author of sin and the cause of the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and,that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
Creation
We believe that God created the heavens and the earth in six days. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11; Colossians 1:12-20; John 1:1-14; Revelation 4:8-11; Hebrews 1:1-4).
Civil Government (The State)
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the Home; 2) the Church; and 3) the State. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The Home, the Church, and the State are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God (Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:4; I Peter 2:13-14).
Human Sexuality
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, incest, fornication, adultery, bestiality, voyeurisms, open marriages, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex (Genesis 2:24;
Genesis 19:5,13; 26:8-9; Leviticus 18; 19; 20; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4).
Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that God hates divorce and intends for a man and a woman to be married until the death of a spouse. Because of sin God made a provision for but does not condone divorce. Divorce and remarriage by the choice of a person is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication or desertion; In accordance with Matthew 5:31-35. Although divorced and remarried persons may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon they may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God. (Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 5:31-35; Matthew 19:3-12 ; Mark 10:2-12; Romans 7:1-3; 1Timothy 3:2,12; Titus 1:6;
1 Corinthians 7:15).
Abortion
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well being of the mother are acceptable (Psalms 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24; 49:1,5; Jeremiah 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44; Exodus 20:13).
Missions
We believe that God has given the Local New Testament Church a Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations, tribes, ethnic groups, and language groups, so they may believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8;
II Corinthians 5:20).
Lawsuits Between Believers
We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the Church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the Church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. (1 Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32).
Giving
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made (Genesis 14:20;
Proverbs 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; II Corinthians 9:6-7).
