Statement of Faith
1. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is not silent and has revealed Himself in the Word of God, commonly referred to as the Bible.
2. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible (in the original writings), authoritative Word of God. It consists of two parts being what is commonly referred to as the Old Testament (Genesis through Malachi) and the New Testament (Matthew through Revelation). It is the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged.
3. We believe in the deity and humanity of Christ (God incarnate – fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures), in His virgin birth (conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary), in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His present rule as Head of the Church and in His personal return in power and glory.
4. We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. The salvation of lost and sinful men by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. A personal faith in the atoning work of Christ brings people to a saving faith. Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation. And that faith and faith alone brings one to salvation.
2. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible (in the original writings), authoritative Word of God. It consists of two parts being what is commonly referred to as the Old Testament (Genesis through Malachi) and the New Testament (Matthew through Revelation). It is the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged.
3. We believe in the deity and humanity of Christ (God incarnate – fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures), in His virgin birth (conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary), in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His present rule as Head of the Church and in His personal return in power and glory.
4. We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. The salvation of lost and sinful men by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. A personal faith in the atoning work of Christ brings people to a saving faith. Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation. And that faith and faith alone brings one to salvation.
5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit who glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of its guilt, regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service. Miraculous gifts are not normative gifts given to all believers nor is the filling of the Holy Spirit a special event.
6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the barrenness of damnation.
7. We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, with equality across racial, gender, and class differences. We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God's Word, the Spirit's power, and fervent prayer in Christ's name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ's commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.
8. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace.
6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the barrenness of damnation.
7. We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, with equality across racial, gender, and class differences. We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God's Word, the Spirit's power, and fervent prayer in Christ's name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ's commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.
8. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace.
