What We Believe

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, that He was conceived and born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and sacrificed Himself to be punished in substitution for sinners. By the blood of His cross and His resurrection from the dead, He obtained for us eternal redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting. He was raised bodily and ascended to the right hand of the Father. He will return to the earth personally and visibly to consummate His kingdom. Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-18; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:10-14; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11;Hebrews 7:25; 9:13-15; 10:19; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 1 John 2:1-2.

We believe that the Holy Spirit regenerates (to be born again), which is the work of God that gives new life to the one who believes and forever indwells all Christians. Either subsequently or at the same moment, Jesus Christ baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit to empower believers for ministry and witness. God is Sovereign in giving spiritual gifts to all believers (I Corinthians 12:8-10; 28-30; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:8-11). It is the Holy Spirit who bestows these gifts and enables the believer for service. The purpose of each gift is to edify (I Corinthians 14:5). Each and every believer has his own divinely appointed gift. Some gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and miraculous healing, were temporary (I Corinthians 13:8-10). These were given for the first generation church only (Hebrews 2:3, 4) and their purpose was to authenticate the Apostle’s message in absence of the complete Word of God (II Corinthians 12:12). Speaking in tongues have never been necessary as a sign of the filling of the Holy Spirit. The Charismatic Movement is unscriptural in its belief that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a second work of God’s grace. These gifts are subject to judging and are to confirm, and never supersede, what has been revealed in the Bible. Joel 2:28; Matthew 3:11; John 1:12-13; Acts 1:8; Acts 8:14-16; John 7:37-39; Romans 8:9; 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 14:29; Eph 1:13-14; 5:18.

We believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No ritual, work, or any other activity is required in order to be saved. This saving grace of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, also sanctifies us by enabling us to do what is pleasing in God’s sight in order that we might be progressively conformed to the image of Christ. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. John 1:12-13; 6:37-44; 10:25-30; Acts 16:30-31; Romans 3-4; 8:1-17,31-39; 10:8-10; 1 Corinthians 1:4–8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Titus 3:3-7; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 John 1:7-9.

Salvation (Latin salvatio; Greek sōtēria; Hebrew yeshu'ah) is being saved or protected from harm or being saved or delivered from some dire situation. In Christianity, salvation is stated as the saving of the soul from sin and its eternal consequence.

We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are to be observed until the time of Christ’s return. They are not a means of salvation. Baptism in water is by immersion and a direct commandment of our Lord for believers only. Water baptism is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in death, burial and resurrection. Matthew 26:26-29; 28:19; Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21.

We believe that the church is God’s primary instrument through which He is fulfilling His redemptive purposes in the earth. The church by Biblical definition is the body of Christ. All the gifts of the Spirit were given for the promotion and building of that body. Jesus Christ instituted the church in Mark 3:13 and it was born in Acts 2. Ephesians 4:11-12 is God's promise that His Spirit will equip the church with the necessary gifts to do God's work God's way.

The church is a diverse group of people who have been adopted into a singular unit by virtue of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The purpose of the church is to bring as many people as possible into the proximity of the Gospel that they might hear it and be saved. Then to edify, teach, and train those who have been saved to grow and mature in Christ that they might be properly equipped to enter a life of discipleship for Christ. The great mission of the church is the great commission to preach the gospel to every creature and teach them to observe all the things whatsoever we have been commanded.

We also affirm the priesthood of all believers and the importance of every Christian being joined with and actively involved in a local community of the saints (the local church). God has called the church to preach the gospel to all nations, and especially to remember the poor and to minister to their needs through sacrificial giving and practical service. Matthew 16:17-19; Acts 2:37-42; Ephesians 3:14-21; 4:11-16; Hebrews 10:23-25; 1 Peter 2:4-5,9-10.