Statement of faith
Learn what we believe
It’s critical to know what a church believes. Here’s a summary of our main convictions.
One God
There is one living and true God, infinite in glory, wisdom, holiness, justice, power and love, one in His essence but eternally substantial in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Bible
The books which form the canon of the Old and New testaments as originally given are plenarily inspired and free from all error in the whole and in the part. These books constitute the written word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.
Creation
God sovereignly created the world out of nothing, so that His creation, while wholly dependent upon Him, neither comprises part of God, nor conditions His essential perfection.
Creation of Man
God created man in His own image, in a state of original righteousness, from which he subsequently fell by a voluntary revolt, and as a consequence is guilty, inherently corrupt, and subject to divine wrath. The unregenerate are totally depraved and do not possess a will that is free from the dominion of the sin nature.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, possesses all the divine excellencies, being co-substantial and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. In His incarnation, He united to His divine nature a true human nature and so continues to be both God and man, in two distinct natures and one person, forever. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, fulfilled the requirements of the law by His sinless life, suffered under Pontius Pilate, poured out His blood as a vicarious and propitiatory atonement for sin in satisfaction of the divine justice, and on the third day was raised from the dead in the same body, now glorified. He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father interceding in Glory for His redeemed.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son, through the ministry of regeneration and progressive sanctification applies salvation, guides and comforts the children of God, directs and empowers the church in fulfillment of the Great Commission, and convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.
Salvation
Salvation consists of the remission of sins, the impartation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, the gift of eternal life and all the accompanying blessings therein, which are a free gift of God, and received by faith alone apart from human works of merit. Even the ability to believe is a gift of God. This blessing in no way relieves men of their responsibility to repent and believe. After repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ, the believer is to publicly proclaim his identity with Christ by immersion in water baptism, in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The Lord Jesus Christ baptizes regenerated believers in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes to empower believers to do the works of Christ. Whether this happens at the moment of salvation, or as a separate and subsequent event, is up for debate. Regardless, we believe that all believers should live in a continual state of being filled with the Holy Spirit according to Ephesians 5:18. Without the Holy Spirit’s continual, indwelling empowerment it is not possible to live a fully fruitful Christian life.
Gifts of the Spirit
All nine gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Cor. 12:4-11 continue to be expressed in the church today and are subject to the order prescribed by Scripture.
Communion
Communion is to be taken frequently and offered to all believers except those who are living in unrepentant rebellion or immorality. The communion elements are symbols of Christ’s body and blood and are useful to the exercise of faith in the person of Jesus Christ as the only means of absolving guilt, shame, and punishment of sin.
Death
At death, the souls of the redeemed are made perfect in holiness and immediately enter into the presence of Christ, enjoying eternal conscious fellowship with Him. The souls of those who have rejected Christ’s redemption will immediately enter into eternal conscious torment apart from joyful fellowship with Christ forever.
The Return
The Lord Jesus Christ will return bodily, visibly, and personally to conform believers to His own image. He will judge the quick and the dead and will effect a final separation of the redeemed and the lost, assigning unbelievers to eternal punishment and believers to eternal glory.
Marriage
We believe that the term ‘marriage’ has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. Sexual intimacy is designed by God for marriage and is a profound blessing therein. When sexual intimacy is taken beyond the boundaries of marriage, it becomes sin and is destructive to both body and soul.
The Five Solas
Sola Scriptura
“Scripture alone”: The Bible alone is our highest authority.
Sola Fide
“Faith alone”: We are saved through faith alone in Jesus Christ.
Sola Gratia
“Grace alone”: We are saved by the grace of God alone.
Solus Christus
“Christ alone”: Jesus Christ alone is our Lord, Savior, and King.
Soli Deo Gloria
“To the glory of God alone”: We live for the glory of God alone.
The Apostles’ Creed
We believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.