Beliefs
We believe. . .
The Word of God
The scriptures are innerant, true, authoritative, and sufficient.
Psalm 19:7-11; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21
The Triune God
There is only one true God. He is Creator of heaven and earth and eternally exists in three distinct Persons: The Father, The Son, & The Holy Spirit.
Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-6, 46:9-10; John 17:3; Colossians 1:15-20; Genesis 1:26, Matthew 3:13-17, 28:17-20; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; John 14:7; John 3:16-18; John 11:27; 2 Corinthians 3:17
All things exist for the glory of God.
Psalm 148; Proverbs 16:4; Isaiah 61:3; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Ephesians 1:3-14
Man and Sin
All humanity, Christ excluded, is sinful by both nature and action. The deserved penalty for sin is physical and spiritual death.
Genesis 6:5; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23, 5:8, 5:12-21, 7:18; Ephesians 2:1-3; Genesis 2:15-17, 3:19; Romans 5:12, 6:23; James 1:14-15
The Person and Work of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who was born of a virgin and is both fully God and fully human.
Matthew 1:20; Luke 2:52; John 1:1-4, 14; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:1-3
Jesus Christ died as the sacrificial substitute to pay the penalty for sin. He physically rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and will one day physically return.
John 1:29, 10:1-18; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 1:4; 1 Peter 3:18; Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-53; John 20:21-28; Acts 1:11; Ephesians 4:9-10; Colossians 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 9:28; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 1:7
Salvation
Only through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ and repentance from sin can one be reconciled to God and experience true life and joy.
John 3:18, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:21-26; 1 Timothy 2:5-6
The Church
The universal church is the body of which Christ is the head and to which all who are saved belong. It is made visible in local churches, which are congregations of believers who are committed to each other for the worship of God, the preaching of the Word, the administering of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, for pastoral care and discipline, and for evangelism.
Matthew 16:18; John 10:11; 15:1-8; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16; 11:2; Ephesians 1:22; 2:20-22; 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18; 2:7; 1 Peter 2:5, 1 Peter 2:25
Believers Ordinances
There are two ordinances that should be practiced by believers. These ordinances are a remembrance and not a sacrament.
Water baptism is an outward physical picture of an inward spiritual baptism by the Holy Spirit. Water baptism is not a means of salvation, nor is it a necessity for salvation; it is a testimony of salvation. We believe water baptism should be full immersion and accept other forms of water baptism for transferring members.
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and the fruit of the vine, and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death and to be a bond, pledge, and renewal of a believer’s communion with Him, and of their church membership, preceded always by solemn self-examination. We celebrate the Lord’s Supper each Sunday.
Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
Christian Life
That all believers are called to a life separated from worldly and sinful practices.
Romans 13:13-14; Ephesians 4: 17-32; Titus 2:11-15
Marriage, Gender, Sexuality
God created male and female, a divinely ordained biological distinction of the human race and is integral to God’s design and therefore not possible by man to sever the connection between one’s gender and one’s biological sex.
Marriage is the covenantal union of one man and one woman, before God, in an exclusive, lifelong, public relationship, meant to reflect the beauty of Christ’s love for his redeemed church and God’s ordained means for procreation.
Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 15:18-20; Mark 7:21-22; Romans 1:21-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 6:18; 7:2-5; Ephesians 5:21-33; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; Hebrews 13:4; Jude 7
Last Things
There will be a future physical resurrection of the dead. Only those who turn from sin and to Jesus in faith and repentance will be raised to eternal reward. Those who do not turn from sin and to Jesus will be raised to eternal punishment.
Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:20-24; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; Revelation 20:4-6; Revelation 20:11-15