Our Statement of Faith

We Believe That:

Scripture -

The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, was written by men under the inspiration of God.
It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter.
It reveals God’s righteous standards by which He will judge us, and therefore is and always will be the true center of Christian unity and the highest authority in all matters of faith, conduct, and doctrine.
II Tim. 3:15-17; Proverbs 30:5-6; Romans 2:12; I John 4:1; II Pet 1:19-21; Ps 19:7-11; 119:105

God -

There is one true and living God, the creator and sovereign ruler of heaven and earth.
God is an infinite, intelligent Spirit, inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love.
In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious roles in the great work of redemption.
Gen 1:1; Jn 4:24; Ps 83:18; Heb 3:4; Rom 1:20; Jer 10:10; Ex 15:11; Ps 147:5; Is 6:3; I Pet 1:15-17; Rev 4:8-11; Mk 12:30; Mt 10:37; Jer 2:12-13; Mt 28:19; Jn 5:17; 10:30;14:23; 15:26; 17:5,10; I Cor 2:10-11; 12:4-6; Phil. 2:5-11; Eph 2:18; II Cor 13:14; Rev. 1:4-5

Human Creation & Fall -

God created Adam & Eve as male and female, in His image, in holiness under the loving rule of their Maker.
Being made in the image of God, every person of every race and worldview possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
In choosing to rebel against God, Adam & Eve fell from their holy and happy state and were corrupted by a sin nature which is passed down to all of humanity.
As a result, all people are sinful by nature and choice, without the holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil, and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse.
Gen 1:27, 31, 2:16-17, 3:6-24; 6:12; 9:6; Ecc 7:29; Acts 17:26-29; Rom 1:18, 20, 32; 2:1-16; 3:9-19; 5:12,15-19; 8:7; Ps 51:5; Isa 53:6; Eph 2:1-3; Gal 3:10; Mt 20:15; Ezek 18:19-20; Gal 3:2

Jesus the Savior -

Salvation is entirely on the basis of grace, given through the mediation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus is both fully human and fully divine; He is one Person with two natures.
He perfectly fulfilled God’s law by His personal obedience and lived without sin.
He made full atonement for our sins by dying on the cross.
He rose bodily from the grave in victory over sin, and ascended into heaven.
In His wonderful person are united the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, and He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and all sufficient Savior.
Eph 2:1-10; 3:8; I Jn 2:3; 4:10, Acts 15:11; Jn 1:1-14; 3:16; Heb 4:14; Phil 2:5-11; Is 53:4-5; Gal 4:4-5; Rom 3:21-26; 4:25; Mt 20:28; I Cor 15:1-3, Heb 1:3, 8; 9:13-15; Col 3:1-4; Heb 7:25-26

Justification -

To be justified is to be declared righteous, or to be made right with God.
Justification is granted without consideration of any good works, but by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Through justification, Christ’s perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us by God, and this brings us into a state of reconciliation, most blessed peace and favor with God.
Justification includes the forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life.
Jn 1:12-13, 16; Acts 10:43, 13:39; Is 53:11-12; Rom 3:24-26; 4:4-5, 23-25; 5:1-21; 6:23; Zech 13:1; Mt 9:6; Tit 3:5-7; I John 2:12; Phil 3:8-9; I Cor. 1:30-31

Regeneration -

To be regenerated is to be spiritually made alive or born again.
To be truly redeemed and reconciled with God, we must be regenerated.
Regeneration is brought about by the Holy Spirit, in connection with the divine truth of God’s Word.
Regeneration results in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and secures our voluntary obedience to the gospel.
True regeneration is always marked by repentance, faith and newness of life.
Jn 1:13, 3:3-8; Rev 21:27; II Cor. 5:17; Ezek 36:26-27; Dt 30:6; Rom 2:28-29; 5:5; 8:9; I Jn 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18; Jms 1:16-18; I Cor 1:30; Phil 2:13; I Pet 1:22-25; Eph. 2:3-5; 4:20-24; 5:8-9; Col 3:9-11; Gal 5:16-24; Mt 3:11; 7:20

Repentance & Faith -

Repentance and faith are both essential to true conversion
They are brought about within us by the regenerating Spirit of God
Being deeply convinced of our guilt before God, we turn to Him, confessing our sin and asking for His mercy
At the very same time, we wholeheartedly receive Jesus Christ as our Lord, relying on Him alone as our only and all-sufficient Savior
Mk 1:15, Acts 2:37-38; 11:18; 16:30-31; Eph 2:8; I Jn 5:1; Jn 16:8; Lk 15:18-21;18:13; Jms 4:7-10; 2 Tim 2:25-26; Ps 51; Rom 10:9-11

Sanctification -

Sanctification is the lifelong process by which a Christian grows up into Christlike holiness
Sanctification is a progressive work that begins at regeneration
Sanctification takes place within us by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit through the ongoing use of ordinary means, especially: the Word of God, self-reflection, self-denial, church fellowship, and prayer.
I Thess 4:3; 5:23; II Cor 3:18; 7:1; 13:5; Phil 1:9-11; 2:12-13; 3:12-16; I Jn 2:29; Rom 8:5, 13; Eph 1:4; 13-14; 4:11-13; 30; Prov 4:18; Heb 6:1; II Pet 1:5-8; 3:18; Jn 3:6; I Pet 2:2; Lk 9:23;

Perseverance of the Saints -

Only those who are true believers will endure to the end.
Their persevering faith in Christ is what distinguishes them from false converts.
All true believers are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
Jn 6:66-69; 8:31; 13:18; I Jn 2:19, 27-28; 3:9; 4:4; 5:18; Mt 13:20-23; Job 17:9; Rom 8:28-30; Jer 32:40; Ps 121:3; Ps. 91; Phil 1:6; 2:13; Jude 24-25; 2 Tim 2:18-19

The Church -

The Church is the gathered people of God redeemed by faith in Christ, from all places and all times.
This one Church is expressed here on earth as the collection of all true local churches.
A true local church is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel.
As commissioned by Christ, the Church has been sent into the world to make disciples of all nations.
Jesus has given the keys of the kingdom to the local church to bind and loose those who belong to it.
The only scriptural offices of the local church are elder/pastors and deacons as defined in 1 Timothy and Titus.
Mt. 16:17-19; 18:17-19; 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42, 47; 5:11; 8:1; 11:21-23; 14:23; 15:22; I Cor. 1:2; 4:17; 5:6, 12-13; 11:16; 14:12, 23; III Jn 9; I Tim 3; Rom 16:17-20; Gal 6:1-2; Phil 1:1;Titus 1

The Ordinances -

Baptism is the immersion of a believer into water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Baptism is a public display of a person’s faith in the crucified and risen Christ, symbolizing their cleansing of sin by Christ’s work and their union with Christ in His death and resurrection, by which they have died to sin and risen to new life.
Being commanded by Christ himself, baptism is required for church membership.
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience in which the Church eats the bread and drinks the cup, remembering Christ’s death, anticipating His second coming, and celebrating their union in Him.
Matt. 3:16; 28:19-20; John 3:22-23; Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38-41; 8:12; 10:47-48; 16:32-34; 18:8; 22:16; Gal.3:26-28; Rom.6:4; Col. 2:12; I Peter 3:20-21; Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20; I Cor.11:23-32;

Marriage & Family -

God has ordained the family as the social foundation of human society, composed of people related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption.
Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.
Husbands and wives are of equal dignity and worth before God, both being created in His image.
A husband is to love his wife sacrificially, as Christ loved the church, and has a God-given responsibility to lead and protect his family.
A wife is to submit herself graciously and thoughtfully to the servant leadership of her husband, as his essential helper in leading their household and nurturing the next generation.
Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord.
Gen 1:28; 2:20-24; Eph 5:22-6:4; Col 3:18-21; 1 Pet 3:1-7; Mt. 19:3-6

Church & State -

God has appointed civil government for the interests and good order of society.
Government leaders are to be prayed for and respected.
Church & state should remain separate, allowing each person to freely practice their faith according to their conscience.
All people are ultimately accountable to God and must not be constrained to obey laws that clearly violate His will as revealed in Scripture.
Gen 9:5-6; Rom 13:1-7; Deut 16:18-20; II Sam 23:3-4; Mt 22:21;28:18-20; Tit 3:1; I Pet 2:13-17; I Tim 2:1-4; Acts 4:18-20; 5:29; Dan 3:15-18; 6:7-10; Rev. 19:16; Ps 2

The World to Come -

The end of the world is approaching when Christ will return bodily to judge both the living and the dead.
This judgment will forever establish the state of all people in either heaven or hell.
God will renew His creation, bringing about a new heaven and a new earth where His redeemed people will enjoy eternal life and intimacy with him.
God’s glory will be restored to its rightful place for all of eternity, at the very center of all things.
I Pet 4:7; I Cor 4:5; 7:29-31; 15:12-58; Heb 1:10-12; 6:1-2; 9:28; Mt 13:38-43, 49-50; 24:30-31, 35; 25:31-46; I Jn 2:17, 28; 4:17; II Pet 3:3-13; Acts 1:11; 10:42; 17:31; 24:15; Rev 1:7; 20:11-15; I Thess 4:13-18; Dan 12:2; Jn 5:28-29; 6:40; 11:25-26; II Tim 1:10; Phil. 3:20-21; II Cor. 5:10; II Thess 1:6-12; Rom. 2:2-16;