Statement of Faith

SALVATION
We believe that salvation is by the sovereign grace of God.  We believe that, since God’s punishment for sin is death, human beings can only be reconciled to God through the death of a perfect substitute. The only perfect substitute was God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who voluntarily died on the cross, taking the place of sinners and, by His shed blood, cleansing all who believe from their sins. By His death, Jesus Christ fully satisfied the holy demands of God for sin, and God accepted His sacrifice by raising Him from the dead and glorifying Him in heaven. We believe that salvation involves repentance for sin and turning to God by faith alone.  We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again by expressing their faith in what Jesus has done for them, that it is instantaneous; that in the new birth the one dead in sin is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; and are eternally secure in Christ. The new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit. (John 3: 16, 17)

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THE LOCAL CHURCH
We believe that a church is a company of believers, called out from the world, separated unto the Lord Jesus, voluntarily associated for the ministry of the Word, the mutual edification of its members and the utilizing of their spiritual gifts, the propagation of the faith and the observance of the ordinances. We believe it is a sovereign, independent body, exercising its own divinely awarded gifts under the Lordship of Christ, the great head of the church.

(Acts 2: 42 – 47)

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ORDINANCES

Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as they obey Christ’s command and set forth their testimony of union, by faith, with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.  We believe the Lord’s Supper to be a memorial wherein the believer symbolically partakes of the bread and wine giving testimony of their faith in the efficacy of the death of Christ and His shed blood, purchasing the believer’s salvation.

(Matthew 3: 17, 17; 1 Corinthians 11: 23 – 26)

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

We believe that every person is directly responsible to God. Believers should be free to covenant together in autonomous congregations without undue interference from any ecclesiastical or government authority. While respecting the authority of government we affirm the responsibility of the church to speak into the public forum. In matters of disagreement between Scripture and government, we believe we must obey God. 

(Acts 4: 29)

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LAST THINGS

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom at the time of His Father’s choosing. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the endless suffering of the unbeliever in Hell and the eternal joy of the believer in the presence of God.

(Revelation 19: 11 – 15)

THE WORD OF GOD

We believe that the Bible is the revealed Word of God, inspired and written under the direction of the Holy Spirit. We believe it is without error in the original manuscripts and is true and trustworthy in all that it asserts. We believe it is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice.

(2 Timothy 3: 16 – 17)

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THE TRINITY

 We believe that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - yet one in substance and equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.

(2 Corinthians 13, 14)

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GOD, THE FATHER

We believe that there is only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honour, trust, and love, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

(John 1: 18; 1 Thessalonians 1:9)

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GOD, THE SON

 We believe in Jesus Christ, existing co-equally with and eternally as God’s Son. In His incarnation He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, led a sinless life, performed miracles and taught with authority. We believe that by His vicarious death, He made possible a reconciliation of sinful humanity with a holy and just God.  We believe in His bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people and personal visible return to earth.

(Philippians 2: 5 – 11)

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GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is a Divine Person equal with the Father and Son, who was sent by the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide.

(Acts 2: 1 – 4)

ANGELS

We believe that angels are a distinct order of created spiritual beings; that they can appear in human form; that good angels minister to human beings and serve God as special messengers.   We believe that Satan exists as an evil personality, the originator of sin, the archenemy of God and man.  He, and his evil angels whom he leads, exercise great but limited evil power in the world, and will suffer final defeat at the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Hebrews 1: 14; 2 Corinthians 4:4)

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CREATION

We believe the Triune God created everything, both physical and spiritual, out of nothing. We believe God created human beings, male and female, in His own image and likeness and with unique, intrinsic worth from conception to natural death.  We believe Adam and Eve, through their voluntary act of disobedience to God in succumbing to Satan’s temptation, became sinners, the image of God in them was marred, and they incurred physical death and spiritual separation from God.  We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. 

(Genesis 1:1)

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