Statement of Faith
The Scriptures
We believe that the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, inerrant, infallible, and authoritative Word of God in its original manuscripts. It is God’s written revelation to man which has been preserved through the ages that we might know God, understand His redemptive plan in Christ, and live for His glory. (2 Tim 3:14-17; 2 Pet 1:3-4, 19-21; 1 Th 2:13; Mt 24:35)
God
We believe that there is only one living and true God as revealed in Scripture, eternally existing as three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: (Dt 6:4; 1 Cor 8:6; Mt 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14)
God the Father
God the Father is the eternally sovereign Creator and all-powerful ruler over all things. We believe that He righteously ordains all things for His glory according to His wise and loving divine purposes. (Gen 1:1; 1 Chr 29:11; Ps 145:8-9; Eph 1:11)
God the Son
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who took on human flesh to save His people from their sins. We believe in His deity and humanity, virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary and atoning death, glorious bodily resurrection and ascension, present intercession on behalf of believers, and future return to establish His kingdom on the earth. (Jn 1:1, 14; Col 2:9; Mt 1:21-23; 1 Cor 15:3-4; Mt 25:31)
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit carries out God’s eternal will in relation to all of mankind, including creation, revelation, incarnation, and redemption. We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts, saves, and presently indwells believers in Christ, enabling and equipping them to live godly lives. (Jn 16:7-8, 13; 3:3-6; Rom 8:9-11; Ezek 36:27; Phil 2:13)
Man
We believe that God created man and woman as two distinct genders in His own image and for His own glory. Since the fall, all men and women are sinners by nature and by choice. They therefore live under God’s wrath, are fully deserving of death and hell, and are utterly incapable of restoring their right standing with God. (Gen 1:27; Col 1:16; Ps 14:2-3; Rom 1:18)
Salvation
We believe in salvation from sin solely by God’s grace through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross and not by any human merit, works, or religious ceremony. Salvation is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which a repentant sinner turns from their sin, responds in faith to the gospel message, receives new divine life, and is reconciled to God. Though many may superficially and/or temporarily profess faith in Christ, all true believers will bear fruit in keeping with repentance and endure in faith to the end. (2 Cor 5:21; Rom 3:23-26; Eph 2:8-10; Titus 3:3-7; 2 Jn 1:9; Jn 10:27-29)
Sanctification
We believe that positional sanctification occurs at the moment of salvation, when a believer is justified, or declared holy on the basis of Christ’s righteousness. (1 Cor 1:2, 30-31; 6:9-11; 2 Th 2:13; Heb 10:10)
We believe that progressive sanctification is the life-long process through which a believer is made increasingly like Christ through obedience to the Word of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit. (Heb 10:14; Rom 6:22; 2 Cor 3:18; 1 Pet 1:14-16; 1 Th 5:23-24)
The Church
We believe that all who have trusted Christ for salvation have been placed into one united spiritual body known as the church, the bride of Christ, under His authority. Members of this one body are directed to form local assemblies through which they participate in discipleship, service, accountability, and gospel ministry under the leadership of biblically qualified elders and deacons. (Eph 1:22-23; 2:18-22; 4:11-16; Gal 3:26-29; Heb 10:24-25; 1 Tim 3:15)
Eternity Future
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will return one day to establish His eternal kingdom on the earth and bring a final end to Satan and his forces of evil. Believers will be transformed into Christ’s likeness and will live forever in blessed and joyous fellowship with Him. Unbelievers will be judged under the wrath of God and cast into the lake of fire where they will live eternally in a conscious state of torment. (Phil 3:20-21; Rev 19:11; 20:11-15; Jn 5:27-29; Mt 25:41, 46)