What We Believe

WE BELIEVE IN THESE 5 CORE DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

These core doctrines are expanded below however, because we believe God values relationship over principle, we seek unity of the faith by extending liberty in all doctrines outside of these 5 essentials – Eph. 4:1-3.

I.     The Inspiration and Inerrancy of Scripture (Ps. 12:6-7; Ro. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pt. 1:20-21).
II.    The Virgin Birth and Deity of Jesus (Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:23; Lk. 1:27; Jn. 1:1, 14; 20:28; Heb. 1:8-9).
III.   The Bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead (Lk. 24:36-46; 1 Cor. 15:1-4, 15:14-15).
IV.   Christ’s Atoning, Substitutionary Death for the Sins of the World (Jn. 1:29; Ro. 5:8-9; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:12).
V.    Salvation by Grace through Faith Alone in Jesus (Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12, 10:43, 16:31; Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Tim. 2:5; Titus 3:5).

CHRIST JESUS: We believe that the eternal Son of God became fully man when He was born of the virgin Mary yet never ceased to be fully God; that He became man to fulfill prophecy, reveal God, and redeem the human race; that He was born in, remained in, and arrived at the cross in a state of impeccability having never sinned (Lk. 1:30-35; Jn. 1:1,2,14,18, 29; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15). We believe that His death on the cross was substitutionary and accomplished redemption for mankind; that He rose from the dead in the same body and that He is now at the right of of God the Father; that His resurrection and acceptance in the presence of the Father is the assurance of His redeeming work (Jn. 1:29; 20:24-29; Rom. 3:24-25; 4:24-25; 1 Pt. 1:18-22; Heb. 1:3). We believe that He is currently the Head of the church which is His mystical body and that He intercedes for those who are saved functioning as their High Priest and Advocate (Eph. 1:22-23; Heb. 7:25; 9:24-26). We believe that Jesus will return for his victorious bride clothed in the righteousness and splendor of her Savior (Acts 1:11; Titus 2:13).

TRINITY: We believe that God exists in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14). We believe that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God, coequal and coeternal, sharing the same exact attributes, power, glory, and are of the same essence (Deut. 6:4; Jn. 1:1-2, 14; Acts 5:3-4). We believe that God exercises sovereign rule over all creation as part of and consistent with the characteristics of deity and His divine attributes and that His sovereignty and man’s freewill coexist in human history (1 Chron. 29:11-12; Ps. 24:1; 103:19; Dan. 4:35; 2 Pet. 3:9).

HOLY SPIRIT: We believe that Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead who began an unprecedented ministry during this age upon His advent on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4, 17); that this special ministry encompasses convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; restraining lawlessness; placing all believers into the body of Christ – the universal church, permanently indwelling and sealing every believer (Jn. 16:8; 2 Thess. 2:7; 1 Cor. 12:12-13, 6:19; 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30). We believe Holy Spirit is the constant companion of the Christian who baptizes, fills, guides, illuminates, teaches, brings to remembrance, reveals, testifies, leads, empowers, and gifts those who have been born again to do what Jesus did and accomplish the greater things Jesus promised (Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 6:8; Jn. 14:12, 26, 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10; Rom. 8:14, 16, 26-27; Gal. 5:18; Eph. 5:18).

SCRIPTURES: We believe that the original manuscripts of the 66 canonized books of the Bible in their entirety are “God- breathed,” i.e. verbal-plenary inspiration, and acknowledge dependence upon Holy Spirit for their accurate interpretation and application. We believe that the Word of God is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness and supreme authority regarding matters of faith and conduct (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

THE CHURCH: We believe that the Church is the mystical Body of Christ of whom He is the Head; that this universal church is composed of all Christians regardless of gender, race, national origin, or denominational affiliation and we are placed in union with this body through the work of Holy Spirit the moment of salvation (1 Cor. 12:12-13, 27; Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18). We believe that all the biblical spiritual gifts and manifestations of Holy Spirit are present for the church to walk in the fullness of her calling today (Ro. 11:29; 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 27-28; 13:8-14:1; Eph. 3:14-19; 4:11-13; ).

SALVATION: We believe that salvation is a free gift of God where one is saved from the penalty of sin by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone; that there is no other means of salvation to include water baptism, church membership, good deeds, philanthropic activity, or religious behavior except believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is based solely on the completed redemptive work of Christ on the Cross (Jn. 3:16,18,36; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).

ORDINANCES: We believe that Jesus mandated water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as ordinances for the Church to observe until He returns (Matt. 28:19; Lk. 22:17-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-34).