Beliefs
I. The Word of God
We believe the canon of Scripture, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Bible, to be the complete and final Word of God. We do not believe any further revelation outside of the Word of God exists. We believe the Bible is the absolute and final authority for the church. It is the standard by which everything must be measured. It is to be the rule of life to the believer. We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible. By verbal inspiration we teach that the human writers of Scripture were guided by the Holy Spirit in the original writings. By plenary inspiration we teach that all sixty-six books of the Bible are equally inspired in all parts. We believe the Bible is literally God-breathed and is absolutely accurate and completely inerrant. We believe the Word of God is to be interpreted in a literal, historical, and grammatical method. Attention is focused on the historical background and grammar to determine Scripture’s meaning. We believe that thus far the prophetic Scriptures have been fulfilled in a literal, historical, and grammatical manner and that any future prophecies will be likewise fulfilled. We believe that one of the continued themes of the Bible is the anticipation, presentation, realization, and exultation of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Mat. 5:18, Mat. 24:35; Jn. 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pt. 1:20-21)
II. God
We believe there is only one living and true God, who is infinite in being, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, and immutable, Who works all things according to the counsel of His own will for His own glory, and Who is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. He is most loving, gracious, merciful, and long suffering. We believe in the unity of the Godhead, eternally existing as three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (Deut. 6:4; Mat. 3:16-17, Mat. 28:19; 1 Cor. 8:4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6)
A. God the Father
We believe the First Person of the Trinity, God the Father, is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is the supreme and only Sovereign of the universe and His sovereign decrees extend to all the acts of men. He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption. We believe all things have been purposed for His glory. As Creator of the world, He is the Father of all men, but spiritually He is Father only to those who have believed in His Son. We believe that God in His foreknowledge from eternity past, saw there were none that would seek Him or choose Him, but God, being rich in mercy chose before the foundations of the world those that would be recipients of His grace and predestined them to be conformed to the image of His Son. We believe that He saves from sin all those who come to Him through Jesus Christ and whoever comes He will not cast out. (Gen. 1:1-31; Ps. 33:9-11, Ps. 115:3; John 15:16; Rom. 8:14-29; Eph. 1:4-11, Eph. 3:9, Eph. 4:6; 1 Tim. 6:15; John 6:36-44)
B. God the Son
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and as the second Person of the Trinity is equal with God. We believe that all things were created by Him, through Him, for Him, and in Him all things consist. We believe that at the incarnation Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. We believe that He lived a sinless perfect life here on this earth. We believe that Jesus Christ, as the perfect Lamb of God, accomplished our redemption through His death upon the cross and that today Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest where He intercedes for us as our Advocate. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Head of the church and that He will return to rapture the church to Himself and will in the millennial kingdom reign on the throne of David. We believe that He will be the final Judge of all who did not receive Him as Savior. (Micah 5:2; Phil. 2:5-8; Col. 2:9; Isa. 7:14, 9:6; Luke 1:26-35; Isa. 53; John 1:1; Rom. 3:24-25; Eph. 1:7; 1 Pt. 1:3-5; Luke 24:38-39; Heb. 7:25, Heb. 9:24; 1 John 2:1-2; Col. 1:16-18; 1 Th. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:4, 11-15; John 4:22-23; Mat. 25:14-46)
C. God the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, as the third person of the Trinity, is a distinct Person possessing all the attributes of personality and deity. He is coequal and co-substantial with the Father and the Son. We believe that the Holy Spirit was actively involved in creation. We believe it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to carry out the will of the Father and the Son. We believe the Holy Spirit’s work in this age began at Pentecost when He came from the Father as promised by Christ. He came to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement. We believe the Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign Agent in regeneration to those who are saved. We believe the Holy Spirit immediately indwells each believer at conversion and seals them until the day of redemption. He is the guarantee of the completed work of the Son and decree of the Father. We believe the Holy Scriptures came not by the will of man, but by the Holy Spirit, who moved men to write the words of God, and that it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to teach believers the Word of God and guide them into all truth. (1 Cor. 2:10-13; Mat. 28:19; Acts 5:34; 1 Cor. 12:4-6, 13; Heb. 10:15-17; 2 Pt. 1:20-21; John 16:7-9; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13)
III. Man
We believe that all men by nature and choice are sinful and lost. We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God became a sinful creature and incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death for all mankind. We believe man is universally sinful in nature and practice, as well as by divine declaration; thus alienated from the life and family of God and under the righteous judgment and wrath of God. We believe that men are born spiritually dead and are utterly unable to choose or to do that which is acceptable to God. We believe that the natural man will never seek after God, is enslaved to sin, and is completely blinded to spiritual things. (Gen. 1:26-27, Gen. 2:7; Jam. 3:9; Ps. 14:1-3; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:10, Rom. 22-23, Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 1:18, 1 Cor. 2:14)
IV. Salvation
We believe salvation is a complete act of God, whereby God saves those whom He has called. We believe salvation is by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ. It is the free gift of God, neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any virtue or act of man. We believe salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit who quickens the heart of man, thereby enabling him to respond in faith to God’s offer of salvation. We believe that those who have experienced the new birth in Christ will demonstrate good works as evidence of genuine regeneration. We believe that in salvation man is clothed with the righteousness of Christ, set apart for good works, and sealed until the day of his ultimate glorification in the presence of Jesus Christ. (John 1:12, John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Eph. 1:4-11, Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Tim. 3:5-6; Jam. 2:15-26; 1 Pt. 1:18-19; Rom. 3:20-26, Rom. 8:33)
V. Security of the Believer
We believe that all the redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. We believe in an infallible assurance of faith, which is founded upon God’s eternal decree and divine truth of the promise of salvation, through inward evidence of saving grace and the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. (John 5:24, John 6:37-50, John 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, Rom. 16:38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 John 3:24, John 4:13)
VI. The Church
We believe that all believers in Jesus Christ are placed by the Holy Spirit into the universal body of Christ, which is the church, the bride of Christ. We teach that the church age began on the day of Pentecost and is completely distinct from Israel. We believe that the church age will be consummated at the rapture when we will meet Christ in the air. We believe that members of the universal body of Christ are directed to gather themselves together in local assemblies for public worship, exhortation, prayer, and edification. We believe the character of the local church should reflect the character of Jesus Christ and thus church discipline is to be practiced, according to the principles set forth in Scripture for those erring members. (1 Cor. 10:32, 1 Cor. 12:12-13; 2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7-8; Acts 2:1-21, 38-47; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Th. 4:13-18; Eph. 1:22-23, Eph. 5:25-27; Heb. 10:25; 1 Pt. 1:13-21; Mat. 18:15-22; 1 Cor. 5:1-13)
A. Gifts
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of His gifts upon the members of the body and that each and every believer has been given certain spiritual gifts that are to be exercised in the church for the edification and growth of the body. We believe that the gifts of tongues, sign miracles, and healings gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and its authority established. We believe that the Word of God is the sole test for the authenticity of a man’s message today, negating the need for such gifts. We believe that no one today possesses those gifts. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His own will for the sick and the afflicted. (Rom. 12:5-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-14; 2 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 4:7-12; 1 Pt. 4:10-11; Jam. 5:14-16)
B. Leadership
We believe that Jesus Christ is the one supreme authority for the church. We believe that Christ has ordained the offices of elder and deacon as instruments of leadership and oversight in the local church. (Col. 1:17-18; Eph. 1:22-23, Eph. 4:11; Phil. 1:1; Acts 6:1-8, Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pt. 5:1-5)
1. Elders – We believe God has ordained the office of elder (also termed pastor, pastor-teacher, overseer, and shepherd) as the spiritual overseers over the flock. We believe they are to be submitted to as ones who must give an account for the souls entrusted to their care. We believe that elders must meet the qualifications set forth in Scripture and that they should be gifted in such a manner as to provide spiritual oversight and attend primarily to the ministry of the Word of God and prayer.
2. Deacons – We believe that God has ordained the office of deacon to oversee the ministry of the physical needs of the body and the day to day operations of the church. We believe they are to serve as co-laborers with the elders in the work of the ministry and be gifted in such a manner as to provide wisdom and mercy in attending to the ministry of the needs of the flock. We believe that these men must meet the qualifications of the office as set forth in Scripture.
C. Ordinances
We believe that the two ordinances ordained by Jesus Christ to His church are baptism and communion. (Mat. 28:19; Luke 22:19)
1. Baptism – We believe water baptism is an act of obedience to the command of our Lord that demonstrates to all the inward act of conversion. We believe it identifies one with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We practice Christian baptism by immersion as a solemn testimony of the believer. We believe baptism must only be administered to those who have experienced the new birth, but never as a condition for new birth. (Acts 2:28-42, Acts 8:34-38; Rom. 6:1-11; Eph. 2:8-9)
2. Communion – We believe that the Lord’s Supper is to be administered to the church as a celebration and memorial of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ until He returns. We believe that the wine and the bread are only representations of the body and blood of Christ and are in no manner a means of saving grace. We believe communion is to be practiced only by believers after solemn self examination and confession. (1 Cor. 11:28-32; Mark 14:22-25)
VII. Angels
We believe that angels are created beings of God. They are spirit beings without power to reproduce. They have great power and are innumerable. We believe they were created to serve and worship God. (Heb. 1:14, Heb. 12:22)
We believe that Satan (Lucifer) was the most beautiful and powerful of all the angels. However, he fell through pride and unlawful ambition and rebelled against God. Now, depraved in character, he became the leader of a large host of evil angels (called demons) who followed him in his fall from heaven. Satan is responsible for introducing sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve. He is the enemy of God and man, but is doomed to defeat through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He will be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Isa. 14:12-15; Rev. 12:9; Mat. 12:24; Gen. 3:1-15; 2 Pt. 2:4)
We believe that the angels that did not rebel against God are now fixed in their state of holiness. They are called the elect, holy angels of God who now serve Him and bring glory to God. They are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who will inherit salvation. (Ps. 91:11; 1 Tim. 5:21; Heb. 1:14)
VIII. Eschatology
We acknowledge that there are various views within premillenialism that are recognized as, and are consistent with, orthodox Christianity. However, we believe that the following view is best supported by our interpretation of the Scriptures. We believe in the “Blessed Hope” which is the personal, imminent, pre-tribulational and premillenial return of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ are two separate and distinct events. We believe that presently we await only the Rapture (the coming of Christ for His Bride, the Church) and that no other event need transpire. At the Rapture, He will return in the clouds and all believers, both living and dead, will meet Him in the air and in the ‘twinkling of an eye’ we will be changed. We believe the Church will escape the seven years of God’s wrath upon the earth. During the Tribulation we believe that the saints will have been ushered into heaven for the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. (1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Th. 1:10, 1 Th. 4:13-18, 1 Th. 5:9; Rev. 6:16-17)
We believe the Seventieth Week of Daniel’s prophecy (which is the seven year tribulation) will be the beginning of God’s wrath and judgment upon the earth. This will be seven years of tribulation like the world has never before seen. We believe the Tribulation will end with the Second Coming, which is the literal return of the Lord Jesus when His feet will touch the Mt of Olives. When Christ returns in this manner, He will save Israel, judge the nations, and bind Satan for a thousand years. Christ will literally and bodily come to earth to occupy the throne of David and establish the Messianic Kingdom for a thousand years. (Zech. 4:13-18; Rev. 19:11-16; Mat. 25:31; Lk. 1:31-33)
At the end of the Millennium, Satan will be loosed for a short time and lead a revolt. Christ will put down the rebellion and Satan and his angels will be judged and cast into the Lake of Fire, along with all unbelievers. We shall then enjoy fellowship with God and one another forever. (Jn. 17:3; Rev. 21:22)
