Teaching the Word for Growth. Reaching the World for Christ.
Doctrine
| The Bible The Trinity God the Father |
God the Son God the Holy Spirit Sin and Man |
Salvation Sanctification The Church |
Angels Satan & Demons Future Things |
| The Bible We believe in the verbal, plenary, inerrant inspiration of the Bible. We affirm that it is accurate in all areas it touches, and true in all it says. We affirm that it is God's complete written revelation to mankind, and is the final authority for guidance in living the Christian life. As the scriptures in their entirety point to Jesus Christ and His death for the sins of the world on the cross, they are a complete and trustworthy guide to reveal God's plan of salvation for all mankind. (Psalm 119:18, 160; Matthew 4:4; 5:18; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21.) The Trinity We believe in one God, creator of all things, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three persons are equal in their power and holiness. We deny that the doctrine of the Trinity is polytheistic; God exists as three persons, but one essence. (Genesis 1:1, 26-27; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10-11; Matthew 3:16-17; John 4:24; 14:16-17; 2 Corinthians 13: 14; I Timothy 2:5; I Peter 1:2.) God the Father We believe in God the Father, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, who, on the basis of His love for mankind, sent His Son to accomplish the salvation which He had planned for His creation. (Psalm 139:1-12; 147:3-5; Jeremiah 32:17; John 10:27-29; 17:1-5; Romans 5:8.) God the Son: Jesus Christ We believe in Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, possessing all attributes of deity, who in the Father's will and at the proper time became flesh, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, existing as man without ceasing to be God, lived a sinless life, died an atoning death on the cross for the sins of the world, in order that He might reconcile a lost mankind to God. He physically rose from the dead on the third day, securing victory over sin and death for all who believe in Him. He ascended into heaven where He is now highly exalted, and He will return someday to reign on earth for one thousand years (the Millennium). (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-3, 14; 3:16; 10:30; 14:8-9; Acts 1:9-11; 16:31; I Corinthians 15:3-8, 50-57; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Philippians 2:6-11; I Timothy 1:15; Titus 1:2-3; I John 2:2; Revelation 20:1-6.) God the Holy Spirit We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, possessing all attributes of deity. The Holy Spirit is the author of scripture, and is active both in salvation (convicting the world of sin, baptizing all who believe into the Body of Christ, indwelling them and sealing them) and spiritual growth (leading, comforting, and guiding believers.) (Genesis 1:2, 26; Psalm 139:7; John 14:16-18, 26; 16:7-15; Acts 1:5 (see also 10:44; 11:15-18); 5:3-4; I Corinthians 3:16; 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 2 Peter 1:21.) |
Sin and Man We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, living in perfection and open fellowship with God. When Adam sinned against God, however, the whole race became stained with the sin nature and inherited spiritual death. Alienated from a Holy God and bound by sin, mankind is totally dependent on the grace of God to remedy his lost condition. (Genesis 1:25-27; 2:16-17; 3:1-20; Romans 3:10-18, 23; 5:6, 8; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3, 11-12.) Salvation We believe that salvation from the penalty of sin, and the gift of eternal life, is available to mankind on the basis of God's mercy, love, and grace. This salvation is made possible solely because of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross for the sins of the world, and confirmed by His resurrection from the dead. Mankind receives this salvation only by believing in Jesus Christ alone, apart from any good works. Those who so receive Jesus Christ by faith are born into the family of the omnipotent God; they cannot be taken from Him, as they are kept by His power, by the love of Christ, and by the seal of the Holy Spirit. They can therefore be assured of eternal life. (Matthew 1:21; John 1:12-13; 3:16-18; 5:24; 10:27-29; 14:6; 20:30-31; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Romans 4:4-5; 5:8; 6:23; 8:35-39; Ephesians 2:4-9; 2 Corinthians 5:19,21; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 1:13; 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11; 3:5-6; I John 3:1-2; 5:11-13.) Sanctification We believe that sanctification, the Christian being "set apart" or "made holy" to God, is realized in three ways. All Christians are positionally sanctified when they first believe by virtue of being "in Christ." Christians are personally or progressively sanctified as they allow the Spirit of God to guide their lives, and begin to produce the fruit of the Spirit. Christians will be ultimately sanctified when they become completely conformed to the image of Christ in His presence. (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 5:17; Galatians 5:16-23; Ephesians 2:10; 5:25-27; Colossians 3:1- 4; Hebrews 10:10, 14; I John 3:1-3.) |
The Church We believe that all who have put their faith in Jesus Christ are members of the Church (Universal), the Body of Christ. We believe that those in the Body of Christ should meet regularly in local groups for encouragement, worship, teaching, and fellowship, as taught and practiced in the New Testament. Under the headship of Jesus Christ, leadership in the local church is provided by elders, who are recognized as qualified to lead by the spiritual example of their lives. We believe God gives spiritual gifts to all individual believers to build up the Body of Christ, and the ultimate ministry of the Church is to make disciples. We believe that Jesus Christ committed to the Church the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Communion) to be observed until His return. We encourage every believer to be baptized in obedience to Jesus Christ. The mode of baptism practiced is immersion. (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:42; 9: 31; 14:23; 15:41; 20:17, 28; Romans 12:1-8; I Corinthians 11:23-27; 12:1-14; Ephesians 1:22- 23; 2:19-22; 4:7-16; 5:23; Colossians 1:18; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 10:24-25; I Peter 5:1-5. Angels We believe in the existence of angels, personal spirit beings created by God, who worship and serve Him, and are active in the world, aiding believers. (Matthew 18:10; Luke 1:26-33; Acts 27:23-24; Hebrews 1:14) Satan and Demons We believe that Satan is a personal being, created as the highest ranking of all the angels, who through the sin of pride fell from heaven, taking with him other angels (demons) who joined him in sin. He is the author of sin, and through the temptation of Adam and Eve caused the fall of mankind. He is the enemy of God and man, and with his demons seeks to blind the minds of unbelievers and destroy the work of believers. Satan and demons will be eternally punished in the lake of fire. (Genesis 3:1-7; Job 1:6-12; Isaiah 14:12-20; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Matthew 13:38-39; 25:41; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 11:14; Ephesians 6:11-12; I Thessalonians 2:18; 2 Timothy 2:26; I Peter 5:8; I John 3:8; Revelation 20:2-3, 7-10.) Future Things We believe in the imminent return of Jesus Christ in the air to receive all believers unto Himself, first those who have died, then those who remain alive. All believers will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive reward or rebuke for those things done on earth. We believe that there will be a seven-year time of Great Tribulation during which the world will be judged and the Antichrist will rise to power. After this Jesus Christ will return to earth to set up His kingdom and rule for a thousand years (the Millennium). We believe in the Great White Throne judgment, where all the unsaved wilt be judged. We believe in hell, the place of everlasting punishment for all who have not received Jesus Christ as personal Savior. (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:21, 27-31; 25:31-32; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 14:10-12; I Corinthians 3:11-15; 15:51-57; 2 Corinthians 5:10; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; 5:1-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Titus 2:13; I John 2:18; Revelation 6; 8-9; 11:2-3; 16; 19; 20:1-15.) |