What We Believe:
The Scriptures
The Bible, comprised of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is inspired by God in both words and ideas (2 Timothy 3:16). It is without error in the original writings and is the complete and objective written revelation of God, set down by human authors who were superintended by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is completely true and is the ultimate and only authority in life, godliness, and the spiritual realm (2 Peter 1:3). We believe that the Bible is to be interpreted grammatically, contextually, literally, and historically (2 Peter 1:20). God
The Nature of God
There is one God who is personal and eternally existent in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (John 10:30). Each of these persons possesses all of the divine attributes. Each is in Himself God, and all three together are God. God is in essence spirit and totally perfect and unchanging in His character and attributes. He is Maker and Supreme Ruler over all that exists. He is completely holy—in Him no evil can exist. He is omnipotent and omniscient over all creation (Psalms 103:19). God, the Father
His general fatherhood extends over all creation (Genesis 1:1–37; Ephesians 3:9; 1 Chronicles 29:11). He is a personal Father to those who are His sons and heirs as a result of receiving His gift of salvation. God, the Son
Jesus, the Christ, while being totally God, became a man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and He was born of a virgin. His becoming man was voluntary, and though He laid aside His visible glory to become man, He never ceased to be God (Philippians 2:5–8; John 14:7). He lived a sinless life and provided for our redemption through the shedding of His blood in the sacrificial death on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). This provided the only effective sacrifice for our sins, making salvation available to all men (John 14:6). Jesus then rose bodily from the dead and ascended to heaven, where He is now the High Priest and Advocate of those who believe in Him (Mark 16:19). God, the Spirit
The Spirit’s ministry glorifies Jesus Christ, convicts the unsaved of their need for salvation, regenerates, indwells, and sanctifies believers. He empowers believers and grants spiritual gifts to each one. Through the Spirit’s power, believers are able to live lives of godliness and grow to maturity. The gift of the indwelling Spirit is given by God to every believer at the time of conversion (1 Corinthians 2:12–13; Romans 12:6; Galatians 5:22). Man
Man was created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). Through Adam, man sinned and fell from his created position of sinlessness. With sin came the judgment of death and separation from God (Genesis 3). All men are guilty of sin and are cursed with an essentially wicked nature (Romans 3). Salvation
God provided a way for each individual to escape the judgment of God caused by sin. Salvation is a free gift from God, offered to all (Ephesians 2:8–9; John 3:16–17). Through God’s grace, salvation is given to all who individually ask forgiveness for and repent of their sins, put their trust and faith in Jesus, and receive His gift of forgiveness. It is only through Jesus’ sacrifice that this gift can be offered to anyone, and only through faith and trust in Him can it be received. Good works are an evidence of faith and salvation but are not a means to salvation (Titus 3:5). Security of the Believer
God’s gift of salvation comes with a pledge of eternal inheritance and, once given, cannot be revoked or lost. The Holy Spirit is the earnest God gives each believer (Ephesians 1:13–14). The Church
The true church is comprised of all who have saving faith in Jesus and have been regenerated by the Spirit. Jesus is the head of the church, which is called the “body of Christ’’ (1 Corinthians 12:12–27). The primary function of the church is to glorify God through the worship of God, the edification of believers, and the evangelism of the world. This local church, part of the universal church of God, is self-governed with Jesus as its head. Future Events
We believe in the personal, premillennial, and imminent return of Jesus. This return will begin the events that will lead to all believers living in God’s presence in His everlasting kingdom. There will be a bodily resurrection of the dead: the believer to everlasting joy with God in heaven (1 Peter 1:3–5), and the unbeliever to everlasting punishment and separation from God in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). Angels and Demons
Angels are spirit beings created by God to serve Him. God has used angels to do His is will in the affairs of men. They are not to be worshiped (Revelation 22:8–9). Satan was a created angel who rebelled against God (Isaiah 14:12–14), taking approximately one-third of all angels with him in his rebellion (Revelation 12:4). He is the leader of the fallen angels, which are called demons. Satan and his demons oppose the work of God and are the ultimate source of all false doctrine. Satan and his demons will ultimately be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10). Ordinances
Water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are observed by believers (Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 11:26). They are symbols of spiritual truths and not requirements of salvation. They are observed out of obedience to God’s word.
