Beliefs

1. The Bible is the inspired Word of God; that God, through the Holy Spirit, moved upon the authors of the Scriptures in such a way that they faithfully, accurately, and completely recorded all that God intended them to record; that the Scriptures are a reliable, accurate, and a fully trustworthy account of God’s nature and character, His actions in human history, His laws, and the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. We affirm that the Scriptures are to be the standard of faith and practice by which the life of the Church and the lives of its individual members and their families are to be governed. We also affirm that the Scriptures are the standard by which all revelation and tradition is to be judged.

2. Belief In one Triune God, revealed in the Bible, as the only true, eternal, and living God. He is infinite in being and perfection; He is spiritual, immortal and invisible. He is an intelligent and personal Being. He is omniscient; omnipresent, omnipotent, and complete within Himself. He is infinite in holiness, goodness, faithfulness, mercy, righteousness, justice, and all other perfections; and is due the highest love, reverence, and obedience. He is Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, and Sovereign Ruler of creation. He accomplishes all things according to His righteous will for His own glory. He reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.

God the Father determines all things after the counsel of His own will. The Father sovereignly governs His creation and human history by His wise and holy providence.

God the Son is Jesus Christ who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He took upon Himself human nature and identified fully with humanity yet remained holy without sin. Through His death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of all who would believe in Him. He was raised from the dead and appeared to His disciples. He ascended into heaven and is now sitting at the right hand of God the Father reconciling man to God and allowing believers access to the Father.

God the Holy Spirit is the dynamic Power of God Who brings these things into being. He exalts Christ, convicts the world of sin and brings righteousness and judgement. He will guide believers into truth and declare to the things that are to come. The three Persons act out of one will.

3. Man was created in the image of God as the crowning work of His creation. Man stood in a unique relationship with his Creator and was commissioned to rule the earth under God’s headship. Through the temptation of Satan, man transgressed the command of God and fell from his unique relationship to God; thus, all his descendants inherit both a nature and an environment twisted by sin. Because of sin, man is separated from God and is without hope of reconciling himself to a just and holy God through any of his own efforts. Only the grace of God can restore man to his original calling: to live in fellowship with God and to fulfill the purposes for which he was created.

4. Salvation involves the redemption of the whole person and is available only in and through Jesus Christ. It is offered to all people, and is appropriated and experienced by those who respond in faith to God’s call to submit to His Son as Lord and Savior. Jesus, through the shedding of His blood, obtained eternal redemption for those who through faith believe in Him. This faith is a gift from God and is preceded by the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, who enables a person to repent of his sin and self-determinism. Repentance is usually followed by baptism in water and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. The gift of righteousness enables the believer to live a life of obedience to God’s law, to cultivate and maintain right relationships, and to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

5. God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. Through covenant God binds Himself to His people and His people to Himself. God has extended covenant to us in Jesus Christ. This covenant encompasses both His promises which make available to us the inherited riches belonging to Christ, and His demands which are to be faithfully met. Entering into God’s covenant involves entering into covenant with God’s people. The primary demand of the covenant is that the people of the covenant love one another. This is the command of the Lord Jesus.

6. The Church is the people of God who are participants in God’s covenant in Jesus Christ. The Scripture gives us several pictures of the Church, each illustrating an aspect of the Church’s nature and function. The Church is Christ’s body, with Him as its Head. It is His family, with Him as the Firstborn. It is His workmanship, with Him as its Craftsman. It is His temple, with Him as its Cornerstone. It is His army, with Him as the Captain. It is His bride, with Him as the Bridegroom. The goal of the Church is to reflect the glory of God and to make disciples of all the nations.

7. God has provided certain Ordinances and Transactions which are to be a part of the Church’s life:

Baptism – in which a believer partakes of the death and resurrection of Christ and is transferred from the government of darkness to the government of God’s dear Son.

The Lord’s Supper – in which the participants affirm and renew their covenant with God and His people, remember and acknowledge the death of the Lord Jesus on their behalf, and share in the life of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Marriage – in which a man and a women are joined as husband and wife.

Ordination – in which a believer, called by God into leadership in the Church, is confirmed in their calling and authorized for their office.

Love “One Anothers”