What We Believe
The Bible
The Bible, both Old and New Testament, is God’s inspired Word, without error in its original writing, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. The Word of God is a “living and powerful” resource that serves as the believer’s final authority for Christian faith and living. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 we see that the Scriptures were inspired or “breathed by God”—that is, the breath or Spirit of God infused the minds of the writers with His perfect will and truth. The end result of this inspiration is that the Bible reveals the truths which God wants His people to know and communicate to the world.
(Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Isaiah 46:11; Romans 10:15)
The One True God
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing simultaneously in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
(Matthew 3:16-17; Genesis 1:26; 1 John 5:6-7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 18:19; Mark 12:29; Isaiah 43:10; 11, Matthew 28:19; John 14:16-20; Acts 10:36-38)
The Fall and Redeption of Man
Man was created in the image of God to know Him and be like Him. For God said, “Let us make man in our image and after our likeness.” Through an act of man’s own free will, he fell from grace and became sinful in his entire nature and action. Man’s only hope of redemption is through the free gift of grace given by God through His son Jesus Christ.
(Genesis 1:26-31; Genesis 3:17; Romans 5:12-21)
Being Saved
Salvation through Faith Alone
Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone. It is through the grace of God and is apart from any works. God has given man a freewill choice for all those who believe to be born of the Spirit (born again), and to be assured of their salvation from the very moment in which they trust Christ as their Savior. (Mark 6:12; Luke 24:47; John 6:44-47; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Acts 17:30; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 5:8; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 2:5,8; Titus 3:5)
Being Born Again
To be born again means to have an inner spiritual renewal as a result of the power of God in a person’s life. The phrase born again comes from John 3:3, 7, where Jesus told Nicodemus, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus meant that mankind is so sinful that they need to be recreated and renewed by God’s Spirit. (John 3:1-17; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; John 6:63)
Evidences of Salvation
Personal salvation is evidenced by a present trust in Christ (John 5:24), regeneration evidenced by the desire and pursuit to live a holy life, (1 John 3:6-10; Titus 3:5-7; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:12-13) and the Spirit Himself who bears witness with a believer’s spirit that they are a child of God. (Romans 8:16)
Assurance of Salvation
The assurance, which believers have as to their own personal salvation, is founded on the truth of the promises found in Scripture. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24; also, (John 6:38-40; 47; 10:27-30; Romans 11:29). That the believer may have such a certainty appears from the testimony of Scripture (1 John 5:13), and from the fact that it has been attained. (2 Tim. 1:12; 4:7, 8; 1 John 2:3; 4:16)
Living for God
(Sanctification)
By the power of the Holy Spirit we strive to obey the command, “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” We believe that sanctification is the work of God’s grace by which the believer is separated from sin and becomes dedicated to the pursuit of God’s righteousness. Sanctification is both instantaneous through God and Christ and progressive through man’s obedience to the Holy Spirit and the Word. The result of sanctification is the purification from sin by both the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit.
(1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; John 17:17; Romans 8:34)
Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the infilling of power for life and service and the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. This experience may be distinct from and subsequent to being born again.
(Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Acts 2:38; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9)
The Great Commission
The Great Commission is a mandate given to all believers by Jesus Christ which says: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:19–20; 24:14; 26:13; Mark 14:9; 16:15–18; Luke 24:46–49; John 20:21–22; Acts 1:8; Romans 1:8; Colossians 1:6)
We believe that the fulfillment of the Great Commission is accomplished through the public statement of the gospel of Jesus Christ and by witnessing to the unsaved in order to win disciples for Him and the church. The message is the Good News that Jesus died for our sins, and was resurrected according to prophecy, and that as the reigning Lord now offers the forgiveness of sins to all who repent and believe.
(2 Corinthians 5:14–15; Matthew 5:16; 1 Peter 2:9; Philippians 2:15–16; 1 Peter 4:10–11)
The Church
The church is the collective body of Christ, made up of individual born again believers in Jesus. Each believer is an integral part of the church and his or her name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
(Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:47; 1 Corinthians 11:18; 14:19, 23, 28, 33, 34; 15:9; Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:24; Revelation 3:5)
Purpose of the Local Church
The purpose of the local church is to fulfill the great commission (Section G), edification, and worship. Edification involves the building up of a person’s faith and dedication to Christ through preaching and teaching of the Word of God; fellowship through group interaction; and love through the application of the teachings of Jesus Christ. Worship involves, but is not limited to, blessing of God through music, prayer, communion, tithes and offerings, and giving ourselves for service.
(Deuteronomy 12; Psalm 134; Psalm 147:7; Acts 17:22-31; Acts 20:33-35; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 12:12; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Ephesians 4:1-12; Jeremiah 26:2)
Divine Healing
Divine healing is both physical and spiritual in nature. The central focus of divine healing is in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the center and source of all healing gifts and miracles from God. All that we are and have is provided for in the atonement of Jesus Christ including the privilege of petition for divine physical healing. However, this privilege does not guarantee a physical healing.
The ultimate spiritual healing was done when Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and we became born again. His righteousness at the moment of our salvation covered our sins and we have been spiritually healed and saved from the penalty of death.
(Numbers 21:5-9; Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; John 3:14-15; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Blessed Hope
The blessed hope is the resurrection of the saints (those who have died in Christ, together with those who are born again and are alive when the LORD returns. Those who are part of this first resurrection will rule and reign with Jesus during the millennial reign and be with Him for eternity. This is the hope and promise of spending eternity with Jesus Christ.
(John 14:1-3; Romans 6:23; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 John 5:13; Revelation 20:4-5)
The Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ
The millennial reign of Jesus Christ consists of the following: The thousand years of Jesus Christ’s literal reign as King on earth with His saints, the salvation of the nation of Israel, and the final judgment of all the nations of the world as prophesied in the Scriptures.
(Romans 11:25-29; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation 19:11-16; Revelation 20:1-6; 12-15)
Final Judgement
All people will be judged and stand before the righteous judge Jesus Christ and give account for their lives. True born again believers in Jesus Christ will not be judged by their works but receive crowns as rewards. Those people who have not been saved will be judged based on their own works and inability to live a sinless life apart from Christ.
(Psalm 19:9; Romans 14:10-12; Romans 2:5-6; 2 Peter 3:7-15; Ezekiel 38:22; Revelation 2:23; Matthew 13:36-43; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9)
Lake of Fire
The devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and whosoever is not found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake which burns fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
(2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10-15)
New Heaven and New Earth
There will be a new heaven and a new earth after the end of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ and after the final Judgment, wherein righteousness dwells.
(Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21-22:5)