Articles of Faith

I. The Scriptures

We believe that the original manuscripts of the Old and New Testaments (66 Books) comprise the full, word-for-word, truthful, inspired, inerrant Word of God which is the supreme and final authority in doctrine and practice (Is. 40:8; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

II. The Trinity

We believe in the one God eternally existing in three equal persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who have the same nature and attributes, but who are distinct in office and activity (Dt. 6:4; Is. 48:16; Jer. 10:10; Mt. 28:19; Jn. 10:30; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:8).

III. The Father

We believe that as the eternal Father, He is the Father of all men in the non-salvation, Creator-creature sense, the Father of the Nation of Israel, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the spiritual Father of all who believe in Christ. He is the author of the Decree of God, the author of election, the One who sent the Son, and the disciplinarian of His children (Ex. 4:22; Ps. 2:7-9; Jn. 5:37; Acts 17:29; Gal. 3:26; Eph. 1:3-6; Heb 12:9; 1 Pet. 1:3).

IV. The Person and Work of Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. We believe that He accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice. We believe that our redemption and salvation are guaranteed by His literal physical resurrection from the dead (Jn.1:1, 14, 18; Lk. 1:35; Rom. 3:24-26, 4:25; 1 Pet. 1:3-5).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, exalted to the right hand of God, where as High Priest He fulfills the ministry of intercession and advocacy for His people. He is also the Head of the Body (His Church) for which He will personally and imminently return (Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Heb. 1:3, 7:23-25;I Jn. 2:1-2).

V. The Holy Spirit

We believe that the eternal Holy Spirit restrains sin, and convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He glorifies Christ. At the moment of salvation He permanently regenerates, indwells, baptizes, and seals the believer. Experientially, He fills, gives gifts diversely to, teaches, leads, assures, and prays for believers (Jn. 14:26, 16:7-15; cf. Acts 1:5, 2:1-4, 11:1-18; Rom. 8:14-16, 26-27; 1 Cor. 6:19, 12:7-11, 13; Eph.1:13-14, 5:18; 2 Thess. 2:1-10; Titus 3:5).

VI. Angels and Satan

We believe that angels are spiritual beings who were created as sinless personalities. They presently exist in both fallen and unfallen states, the former including Satan and his demons (Lk. 20:36; Heb. 1:13-14, 2:5-8; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6).

We believe that Satan, a personal being, by his own choice the enemy of God and the people of God, is the originator of sin, and that he led our first parents into sin and now rules as the god of this world. We believe that he was judged at the cross and that ultimately he will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Gen. 3:1-19; Is. 14:12-14; Jn. 12:31; Heb. 2:14; Rev. 20:10).

VII. Creation and Man

We believe that all things in heaven and earth were created by God and exist by His power (Gen. 1:1; Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17).

We believe that the first man, Adam, was created of dust, innocent and in the image and likeness of God, but that he sinned by acting independently of God, thereby disobeying Him, bringing both physical and spiritual death upon himself and his posterity. We believe that man has inherited a sinful nature, is alienated from God, and is in need of salvation (Gen. 1:27, 2:17; 3:17-19; Jn.8: 44; Rom. 5:12-21; Eph. 2:1-3).

VIII. Value of Human Life

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image.  Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death.  We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life.  (Ps. 139)

IX. Salvation

We believe that all who receive Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior are born again of the Holy Spirit. This believing in Christ imputes Christ’s righteousness to the believer. This new birth of the believer comes through faith in Christ alone trusting that the atoning work of Christ was sufficient to redeem anyone who believes.  Nothing can add to the atoning work of Christ such as the practice of sacraments, confession, baptism, prayer, or faithful service.  Without personal merit, man is saved on the basis of Christ’s death and shed blood (Jn. 1:12, 3:5, 16; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7).

We believe that anyone who has received Jesus Christ and thereby has been born again is eternally secure, has everlasting life, will not come into condemnation, has passed out of death into life, and shall never perish.

We believe that there is a bodily resurrection of the believers (to everlasting blessedness) and of the unbelievers to (everlasting punishment) (Dan. 12:1-2; Mt. 25:31-46; Jn. 3:16, 36, 5:24, 10:28-29, 11:25-26; Rom. 8:28-39; Rev. 20:12-15).

X. The Christian’s Walk

We believe that we are called with an holy calling, to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and so to live in the power of the Spirit that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. But the flesh with its fallen, Adamic nature, which in this life is never eradicated, being with us to the end of our earthly lives, needs to be kept by the Spirit constantly in subjection to Christ, or it will surely manifest its presence in our lives to the dishonor of our Lord.

We believe that the Christian is not under the Law but that the grace of God is sufficient for the maintenance of a life of obedience to the Word of God.  (Romans 6:14, John 14:15, 2 Peter 3:18)

We believe that all believers are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ.  Specifically, to be an obedient Christ followers and a person who aspires to see others come to faith in Christ.  Believers are called to be spiritual reproducers.  (Mark 1:17)

We believe that the qualities required of a spiritual leader are clearly revealed in the Scriptures (Rom. 6:11-13, 8:2-13; Gal. 5:16-23; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 2:1-10: 1 Tim. 3: 1-13; Titus 1:5-9; Jas. 3:1; 1 Pet.1:14-16, 5:1-3;1 Jn. 1:5-2:2, 3:5-9).

XI. Marriage & Human Sexuality

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female.  These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen 1: 27)  Rejection of one's biological sex rejects God's design for each individual to be born as either a biological man or a biological woman.  (Ps 139:13-16)  

We believe that the term "marriage" has only one meaning; the uniting of one biological man and one biological woman in a single monogamous, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture.  (Gen 2: 18-25)  We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other.  (1 Cor 6:18; 7: 2-5; Heb 13:4)  We believe that intimate sexual activity outside of marriage is sinful and against the will of God. (Eph 5:31)

XII.  The Church

We believe that the church, the Body and Bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism, made up of all born-again persons of this present age. We believe that the Church began at Pentecost and that a believer is placed into the Church by the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation.

We believe the purpose of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ worldwide through preaching the gospel, edifying believers and equipping them for ministry (Matt 28: 18-20; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor 5:20; Eph 4: 11-13)

We believe that the universal Church consists of all believers everywhere, and the local Church consists of believers who assemble together in one locality (Mt. 16:18; Acts 1:5, 11:15; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:22-23, 4:11-16, 5:22-33; Col. 1:18).

XIII. The Great Commission

We believe that those whom God has saved are sent into the world by Christ as He was by the Father. Those so sent are ambassadors, commissioned to go make disciples and make Christ known to the whole world. We also believe that everyone should have an opportunity to carefully examine the facts about Christ and have a chance to make an intelligent decision about Him (Mt. 28:18-20; Jn. 15:8, 17:18, 20:21; Acts 1; Rom. 10: 14-15; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; Col. 4:2-6; 2 Tim. 2:14-26)