What We Believe

We believe that the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired and infallible Word of God. It is without error in its original writings and is completely authoritative in every area of faith and life. We believe that every part of Scripture is equally and fully inspired by God and that the Bible contains God’s complete revelation concerning His will for the salvation of humanity. While a passage of Scripture may have many legitimate applications, it has one true meaning. That meaning is determined through careful study of the text according to its grammatical, historical, and literary context, under the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Because Scripture is God’s Word, it stands as the supreme and final authority for what we believe and how we live.
(2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21; James 1:22–25; Psalm 119:105; John 7:17; 16:12–15; 1 Corinthians 2:7–15; 1 John 2:20, 27; Matthew 5:17)

We believe there is one true God who eternally exists in three distinct Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each Person of the Trinity possesses the same divine nature, attributes, and perfection and is equally worthy of worship, honor, and obedience.
(Exodus 20:3-5; Deuteronomy 6:4–5; Matthew 28:19–20; John 1:1–4; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

We believe God the Father is the first Person of the Trinity and is sovereign over all creation. He orders and directs all things according to His own purpose, wisdom, and grace. He alone is the absolute and all-powerful ruler of the universe, and He has ordained all things according to His perfect will and for His glory. He is sovereign over creation, providence, and redemption. From eternity past, according to His grace and purpose, He has chosen to redeem a people for Himself.
(Psalm 145:8–9; 103:19; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Romans 11:36; Ephesians 1:3–12)

We believe that Jesus Christ is the second Person of the Trinity and is fully God and fully man. He has eternally existed with the Father and shares fully in the divine nature. Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. In His incarnation, the eternal Son of God took on human flesh and lived among us as God in the flesh. Although He willingly took the position and role of a servant, He never ceased to be fully divine or surrendered His divine nature or attributes. Jesus Christ lived a completely sinless life. He is unchanging in His divine nature and character, and He remains forever fully God and fully man.
(Philippians 2:5–8; Colossians 1:15–17; Hebrews 4:15; 13:8; Luke 1:35)

We believe that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah who came to fulfill the purposes of God revealed throughout Scripture. During His earthly ministry, He demonstrated His divine authority through His teaching and miracles. Jesus willingly died on the cross as the sufficient substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of humanity. His body was truly buried, and He physically rose from the dead on the third day. After His resurrection, He appeared to many witnesses before ascending bodily into heaven. Jesus Christ is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, where He serves as our High Priest, Advocate, and Mediator. We believe that He will return for His Church and that He will ultimately judge all humanity.
(1 Corinthians 15:1–4; 1 Peter 1:18–20; Hebrews 8:1; 9:28; 10:10–14; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1; Acts 1:9–11; 1 Thessalonians 1:9–10, 4:14-16; John 5:22–23; Revelation 20:11–15)

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. He has eternally existed with the Father and the Son and was sent by the Father and the Son to accomplish His work in the world and in the Church. The Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates, indwells, sanctifies, teaches, empowers, and transforms believers into the likeness of Christ. He gives spiritual gifts to believers for the building up and ministry of the Church and works to glorify Jesus Christ. At the moment of salvation, every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and receives Him as the guarantee of their salvation and inheritance. Therefore, every believer is called to submit to the Spirit’s leading and to continually yield to His control so that the believer may experience His power and direction for faithful Christian living and service.
(John 14:16–17; 15:26; 16:7–15; Acts 1:5; 2:4; Romans 8:9–11; 12:6–8; Ephesians 1:13; 2:22; 4:7–16; 5:18; 1 Corinthians 12:4–13; 1 John 2:20, 27; 1 Peter 4:10)

We believe that Satan is a real and personal spiritual being who, along with his demonic servants, actively opposes God and His work in the world and in the lives of His people. Satan is powerful, but he is neither equal to nor independent of God. God is infinitely greater in power and authority than Satan and will ultimately and completely defeat him.
(1 Peter 5:8; Genesis 3:1–7; Ephesians 6:12; 1 John 4:4; Revelation 20:1–10)
Scripture instructs believers to stand against Satan by:
Humbly drawing near to God and depending upon His grace, mercy, and strength.
Resisting Satan and his temptations.
Knowing and rightly applying the truth of Scripture.
Forgiving others so that Satan does not gain an advantage over us.
Putting on the full armor of God, including truth, righteousness, readiness to proclaim the Gospel, faith, salvation, and prayer.
Remaining faithful to Christ and persevering through trials and suffering.
(2 Corinthians 12:7–9; Hebrews 4:15–16; James 4:7–8; 1 Peter 5:6–10; Matthew 4:1–11; John 8:44; Ephesians 4:24–27; 6:11–20; 2 Corinthians 2:10–11; Revelation 2:10, 13; 3:9–10)

We believe that God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them in six literal, twenty-four-hour days. God existed before creation and is Himself the eternal Creator. God created all things to display His glory, divine nature, eternal power, wisdom, and supreme authority. Creation belongs to Him, is sustained by Him, and ultimately exists for His glory.
(Genesis 1; Exodus 31:17; Psalm 33:6–9; Acts 17:24; Hebrews 11:3; Colossians 1:16; Isaiah 43:7; Psalm 19:1–2; Jeremiah 10:12; Romans 1:20; Revelation 4:11)

We believe that God created humanity—male and female—in His own image and for His glory. Every human being is therefore created with inherent dignity, value, and worth because every person bears the image of their Creator. Although sin has marred the image of God in humanity, it has not erased it. Every person continues to bear God's image and therefore possesses inherent value and dignity. Human beings were created to know God, enjoy fellowship with Him, and live under His authority. In Christ, God is restoring His people into the likeness of Christ and ultimately will fully renew His image in them.
(Genesis 1:26–28; 5:1–2; 9:6; Psalm 8:3–9; Acts 17:24–29; Colossians 3:10; James 3:9–10)

Through Adam’s sin, humanity fell into sin and rebellion against God. Sin brought separation from God, spiritual and physical death, and the curse upon creation. Every person is born with a sinful nature and is a sinner by nature and by choice. Apart from God’s grace, humanity is spiritually dead and unable to save itself. Our only hope of reconciliation with God and eternal life is found in His grace through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
(Genesis 3:1–24; Psalm 51:1-5; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10–23; 5:12–19; 6:23; 7:18; 8:7–8; Ephesians 2:1–3; Colossians 1:21; John 3:3–7, 36)

We believe that salvation is the gracious work of God through which sinful people are delivered from condemnation and receive eternal life. Salvation is accomplished by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, apart from works. It cannot be earned by human works or maintained through human effort. Salvation involves repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work. A person is saved by believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and willingly died and rose again as the sufficient payment for sin. Everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ by faith is born again, forgiven, justified, and adopted as a child of God. Salvation brings the believer into a personal and everlasting relationship with Jesus Christ and is secured by God rather than by human effort.
(Ephesians 1:13–14; 2:8–10;; 4:30; Romans 3:21–28; 5:1; 6:23; 8:16; 10:8–13; 14:9; John 1:12–13; 3:5–6, 16; 10:27–28; 17:3; 20:30–31; Acts 2:36; 4:10–12; James 1:19–27; 2:14–26)

We believe that prayer is the God-given privilege and responsibility of every believer to communicate with God through Jesus Christ. Through prayer, believers worship God, confess their sins, give thanks, seek His guidance, bring their needs and requests before Him, and intercede for others. We believe God hears and answers the prayers of His people according to His will and purposes. Believers are called to pray continually, faithfully, and with confidence in the character and promises of God, relying upon the Holy Spirit who helps us in our weakness.
(Matthew 6:9–13; Philippians 4:6–7; 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18; Hebrews 4:14–16; 1 John 5:14–15; Romans 8:26–27; James 5:16)

We believe that a local church is a congregation of born-again believers who have publicly identified with Christ through baptism. Every Christian is called to be vitally connected and committed to a local church. The local church provides believers with the opportunity to worship together, grow through discipleship, serve according to their spiritual gifts, care for one another, and practice the “one another” commands of the New Testament. Through these relationships, the body of Christ is built up in love and the unity of the Spirit is maintained. The local church is responsible for carrying out the mission Christ has given His Church, including proclaiming the Gospel, making disciples, observing the ordinances, and caring for one another. The local church has the biblical authority and responsibility to govern itself in matters of membership, leadership, discipline, doctrine, and stewardship.
(Acts 2:41–42; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22–23; 4:11–16; Acts 20:17–28; 1 Timothy 3:1–15; Colossians 1:18; Acts 15:13–18; Ephesians 5:23–24)

We believe that humanity’s highest purpose is to glorify God by loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Every believer—men, women, and children—is called to glorify God and live for His glory. Worship is more than a gathering or a musical expression. Worship declares the worth of God, honors Him as Lord, and celebrates His goodness and grace through the complete surrender of our lives to God. We seek to worship God in spirit and in truth, with our gathered worship and our daily lives centered upon Him.
(Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Psalm 5:7,95:6, 99:5; Romans 12:1; 2 Samuel 6:14–16; John 4:23–24; Revelation 4:11; 5:12)

We believe that Jesus Christ gave His Church two ordinances: believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
We believe that baptism is an outward testimony of the believer’s faith in Christ and portrays the believer’s union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. We believe that baptism is most clearly represented through immersion in water.
We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Jesus Christ as a memorial of His death and as a proclamation of the Gospel until He returns.
Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper is a means of earning, maintaining, or securing salvation. They are acts of obedience and public identification with Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 28:18–20; 26:26–30; Acts 8:36–39; Romans 6:3–4; 1 Corinthians 11:17–30; Ephesians 2:8–9)

We believe that civil government is established by God for the good and orderly functioning of human society. Government leaders should be honored, respected, obeyed, and prayed for as they carry out their responsibilities. However, our ultimate allegiance belongs to God. When the commands of human government directly conflict with the commands of God, believers must obey God rather than man. Jesus Christ alone is Lord of the conscience and the ultimate King over all earthly rulers.
(Romans 13:1–7; 2 Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21–22; Acts 4:19–20; 5:29; 23:5; Matthew 22:21; Daniel 3:17–18; 1 Timothy 2:1–2)

We believe in the personal, visible, and bodily return of Jesus Christ. We believe that Christ will return according to God’s perfect timing to gather His people, judge the world, defeat sin and evil, and establish His everlasting kingdom.
We believe that Christ will return before His promised millennial reign, during which He will reign as King over His kingdom. We affirm the premillennial return of Christ while recognizing that faithful Christians hold differing views concerning the timing and sequence of events surrounding His return and the millennium.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all people. Those who have trusted in Christ will be raised to eternal life and everlasting fellowship with God, while those who have rejected Christ will be raised to judgment and everlasting punishment.
We believe that believers are immediately present with the Lord at death and await the resurrection and glorification of their bodies. Those who die apart from Christ remain in conscious judgment awaiting the final resurrection and judgment.
We believe that God will ultimately make all things new. Those who belong to Christ will dwell forever with Him in the new heavens and new earth.
While we hold firmly to the clear teachings of Scripture, we allow liberty and grace regarding differing interpretations concerning the timing and sequence of prophetic events.
(John 14:1–3; Acts 1:9–11; 1 Corinthians 15:20–28, 50–57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Titus 2:11–14; Revelation 20:1–15; 21:1–8; 22:12–20)

We believe that God established marriage at creation as the covenantal union of one man and one woman. God created humanity as male and female, and that marriage is to be the lifelong union of a man and a woman. Because God designed sexual intimacy for marriage, all sexual activity outside the covenant of marriage is contrary to God’s design and is sinful. Christian marriage is intended to reflect the relationship between Christ and His Church. Husbands and wives are therefore called to love, honor, serve, and remain faithful to one another according to God’s design. Children are a blessing from the Lord and parents have the primary responsibility to raise their children to know, love, and follow God.
We believe that every human life is sacred because every person bears the image of God. Therefore, human life is worthy of protection and dignity from the moment of conception through every stage of life.
(Genesis 1:26–28; 2:24; Psalm 127; 128; 139:13–16; Matthew 19:1–10; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; Ephesians 5:22–33; Hebrews 13:4)

We believe that the gift of tongues was extensively used during the apostolic era and is a legitimate spiritual gift. However, we do not believe that speaking in tongues is the normative evidence or necessary expression of the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of every believer or in the gathered church today. Any member who believes that speaking in tongues is normative for the church today and seeks to promote or practice it within the church will be referred to the Elder Team for pastoral and doctrinal evaluation. The Elder Team will make a determination consistent with the church’s statement of faith and biblical convictions. A member who refuses to abide by the Elder Team’s decision shall be subject to church discipline, including removal from membership.

We believe that God created humanity as male and female and that these two sexes are established by God and reflect His intentional design for humanity. A person’s biological sex is a gift and design from God and is not something that can be independently redefined according to personal identity or preference. Rejecting God’s design for humanity, including the rejection of one’s biological sex, is contrary to God’s revealed purposes in Scripture and is sinful and offensive to God.
(Genesis 1:26–27)

We believe that God designed sexual intimacy to be experienced exclusively within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. Therefore, all forms of sexual immorality are sinful and contrary to God’s design. This includes, but is not limited to, adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and pornography.
(Matthew 15:18–20; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; Hebrews 13:4)