Statement of Faith
(What We Believe)
The Word of God
We believe the Scriptures of the Old and
New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original
writings, complete as the revelation of God's will for salvation, and
the supreme and final authority in all matters to which they speak.
The Trinity
We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer
of all things, eternally divine existing in three persons: Father, Son
and Holy Spirit; we believe that these are equal in every distinct
perfection and they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the
work of creation, providence, and redemption.
God the Father
We believe in God the Father: an infinite,
personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We
believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of
humanity, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin
and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is God's eternal
Son, who has precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections as
God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe further that He is
not only true God, but true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born
of the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His
substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His
ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His
people, and His personal, visible, premillennial return from heaven.
Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality
and His work in regeneration, sanctification, and preservation. His
ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, to implement Christ's
work of redeeming the lost, and to empower the believer for godly
living and service.
Man
We believe God originally created persons, male and
female, in the image of God and free from sin. We further believe all
people are sinners by nature and choice and are spiritually dead. We
also believe that those who repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ as
Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
Salvation
We believe in salvation by grace through faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ. We further believe that this salvation is
based upon the sovereign grace of God, was purchased by Jesus Christ
on the cross, and is received by faith, apart from any human merit,
works, or ritual. We further believe salvation results in righteous
living, good works, and proper social concern.
The Church
We believe that the Church is the spiritual
body of which Christ is the head. We believe that the true Church is
composed of all persons who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
We believe that this body expresses itself in local assemblies whose
members have been immersed upon a credible confession of faith and
have associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for
evangelism, and for service. We believe the ordinances of the local
church are believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. We
also believe in the interdependence of local churches and the mutual
submission of believers to each other in love.
Separation of Church and State
We believe that each local
church is self-governing in function and must be free from
interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority. We further
believe that every human being is directly responsible to God in
matters of faith and life and that each one should be free to worship
God according to the dictates of conscience.
Christian Conduct
We believe that the supreme task of
believers is to glorify God in their life and that their conduct
should be blameless before the world. We further believe that they
should be faithful stewards of their possessions and that they should
seek to realize for themselves the full stature of maturity in Christ.
The Last Things
We believe in
the bodily resurrection of the saved and lost, the eternal existence
of all people either in heaven or hell, in divine judgment, rewards,
and punishments.
