1. We believe that the God revealed in Scripture is the only God. We believe this God to be one in nature, yet existing in three persons -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe Scripture teaches clearly that God is eternal, unchanging, all powerful, all knowing, and everywhere present.
2. We believe the biblical God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) created the heavens and the earth, and all things visible and invisible. Everything that exists owes its existence to God, including those who rebel against the will of God. God is both the Creator and Sustainer of all reality.
4. Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, the Word who became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. We believe He lived His life without sinning, and freely and willingly went to the cross to atone for the sins of the world, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him. While Jesus has many names and titles in Scripture, He is preeminently Lord and Savior.
5. We believe Jesus rose bodily from the grave, ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father where He possesses all authority in heaven and on earth. We believe Him to be the only mediator between God and man, and that apart from Him there is no salvation. We believe in the literal return of Jesus to the earth at the end of this age. He will come to bring salvation to His own people, and judgment to His enemies.
10. We believe that the Holy Spirit works in the minds and hearts of persons when the Gospel is proclaimed and when biblical truth is taught. He draws unbelievers to faith in Jesus Christ, imparts new life to those who believe, and indwells every believer. The Holy Spirit brings fruit into the lives of believers which enable us to live with Christ-like character.
6. We believe human beings were created in the image of God, and are to enjoy fellowship with Him. All people however, have sinned. This has resulted in each person being separated from God. Humanity's fall into sin is taught in the book of Genesis and elsewhere in Scripture where we learn that sin has alienated us from God, placing us under divine condemnation. All humans need to trust in the sacrifice of Jesus for salvation, receiving also the regenerating and renewing work of the Holy Spirit. We believe the initial positive response to the gospel includes faith, repentance, a decision to follow after Jesus, and baptism in water.
7. We believe salvation to be wholly a work of God's grace. Salvation cannot be earned, merited or deserved, in whole or in part, through human good deeds or through religious ceremony. God credits His own righteousness to those who trust in Christ alone for salvation.
8. We believe that the redeemed will live a new life of faithfulness and obedience to God, not to merit God's favor but because they have already received God's favor. True faith in Christ always leads to a new birth, and the mark of new birth is a new desire and ability to live according to the commands of Jesus. The redeemed love the Lord Jesus Christ and keep His commandments.
9. We believe Jesus Christ established His church on earth consisting of all persons who are joined to Him through saving faith. We believe God's people are encouraged in the scriptures to assemble together regularly for worship, edification from the Scriptures and for mutual support and encouragement.
12. We believe it is a primary role of both individual Christians and local churches to do everything they can to evangelize the lost. This is done by presenting the unwavering truth of the gospel of Jesus, that He came, "to seek and to save that which was lost". Luke 19:10
15. We believe that those who die in faith enter into God's presence, experiencing everlasting fellowship with our Lord and all the redeemed. Those who die in unbelief are forever separated from the Lord.
13. We believe that the Bible teaches us the picture of God's plan of future events. We believe in the Pre-Tibulation Rapture of the Church. This means we believe in the imminent return of Jesus in the clouds to catch away all true Believers to be with Him. This event will be immediately followed by the 'Great Tribulation', which will be a time of testing and trial upon everyone on earth such as the world has never seen. After the Great Tribulation, which the Bible teaches is a time of God's wrath being poured out, Jesus will return to earth in glory and great power. After these everts, the 1,000 year 'Millenial' reign of Jesus will take place upon the earth. Following this time will be the final judgement of the world before God, and all righteous in Christ Jesus will be with Him forever, and all unrighteous unbelievers will have their fate sealed in everlasting separation from God in the lake which burns 'with fire and brimstone'.
14. We believe that the scriptures, which teach us of the imminent return of Jesus to capture away all Christians at the rapture, admonish us to continually encourage people everywhere to have their hearts in proper place with God and ready for Jesus to come at any moment.
We Believe...
11. We believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the midst of the Church. We believe that it is God's desire for Christians to be "filled with the Spirit". This is also spoken of in the scriptures as the "Baptism in the Holy Spirit". Believers are not automatically filled with the Spirit simply because they are Christian, but must seek His fullness and yeild to His ministry and empowering in their lives. We believe that the Holy Spirit will pour out His power upon individuals, enabling Christians to bear witness of Jesus to a world that hates Him. We also believe that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will include His various gifts being revealed among the Church. The Church can and should expect for the Holy Spirit's outpouring of gifts to be evident whenever it gathers together.
3. We believe the Word of God, comprised of the 39 Old Testament books and the 27 New Testament books are the inspired, inerrant Word of God, which we call the Bible. The Bible is the rule for faith and practice for the Church. The Holy Spirit enables Christians to understand the scriptures as He guides them into the truth. All teachings, revelations, prophecies, and words must yield to the Bible, and if they are in contradiction to it, they must be cast aside as errant.
