The Bible is God’s perfect guidebook for living, which declares his design and plan for all mankind. It was written under the direct inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Every word in the Bible is the word of God and it is completely accurate in all that it affirms.
2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21
God is bigger and better and closer than we can imagine. There is One True God and he has revealed himself as a trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All are equal, all are eternal, all are God, yet there is not three gods, but One.
Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10,11; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22
Jesus Christ is God showing himself to us. Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man simultaneously.
He was born of a virgin: Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31; Luke 1:35
He lived a sinless life: Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22
He did real physical miracles: Acts 2:22; Acts 10:38
He paid the penalty for our sins on by his death on the cross: 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21
He was resurrected from the dead: Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:4
He is now seated at the right hand of God the father: Acts 1:9-11; Acts 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:3
Humans were created by God to fellowship with him, but willingly chose to sin against God—bringing evil and death into the world. Sin separates people from God and this causes a multitude of problems, both individually and corporately. The ultimate result of sin is spiritual death and eternal separation from God. Genesis 1:26,27; Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:6; Romans 5:12-19
Salvation is God’s solution for our sin. Jesus Christ died for the sins of all people for all time, and he is the only way that we can receive salvation. Every person can have restored fellowship with God through the free gift of salvation. It is our choice to accept it by faith alone through the grace of God.
Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; Titus 3:5-7
The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit: Romans 8:16
The outward evidence is a life of righteousness and true holiness: Ephesians 4:24; Titus 2:12
Water Baptism and Communion are expressions that Jesus Christ instituted for his church. They represent our participation in the faith community.
Through water baptism by immersion, as commanded in the Scriptures, we are identifying with the death and resurrection of Christ. All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47,48; Romans 6:4
Through the Lord’s Supper – consisting of bread and the fruit of the vine – we remember the life of Christ and his redemptive work on the cross. Communion is a symbol expressing:
Our participation in divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Peter 1:4 Memorial of his suffering and death: 1 Corinthians 11:26 Prophecy of His second coming: 1 Corinthians 11:26 Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a special experience after salvation that empowers believers for effective service, just as it did in New Testament times. Jesus Christ left us with a final command to pray and wait for the baptism in the Holy Spirit so that we might have the power to be witnesses, to work miracles, to use our spiritual gifts, and know how to pray in every situation.
Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31
This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth.
Acts 8:12-17; Acts 10:44-46; Acts 11:14-16; Acts 15:7-9
With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as:
Overflowing fullness of the Spirit: John 7:37-39; Acts 4:8Deepened reverence for God: Acts 2:43; Hebrews 12:28 Intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work: Acts 2:42 More active love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost: Mark 16:20Speaking in Tongues is the first outward sign of having received baptism in the Holy Spirit, as experienced in the New Testament. When a believer has been filled with the Holy Spirit they will speak in a language that they do not understand. Acts 2:4
The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues, but is different in purpose and use: 1 Corinthians 12:4-10; 1 Corinthians 12:28
Sanctification is God’s power growing in us to make us more like Jesus. Sanctification initially occurs at salvation where we are declared righteous in God's sight. But it is also a lifelong process of separating from evil and depending on the Holy Spirit to transform our lives and make us holy.
Romans 12:1,2; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:12
Through sanctification we identify with Christ in His death and resurrection and we daily surrender to the control of the Holy Spirit: Romans 6:1-11,13; Romans 8:1-2,13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12,13; 1 Peter 1:5
Without holiness no one can see the Lord: Hebrews 12:14
By the power of the Holy Spirit we commanded to be holy: 1 Peter 1:15,16
The Church is the body of Jesus Christ present in the world today with the mission to reach the lost and make disciples. The church is a body of believers who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ and gather together to fulfill the following biblical purposes of the church: worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry to others. Ephesians 1:22,23; Ephesians 2:22; Hebrews 12:23
Since God's purpose concerning man is to seek and to save that which is lost, to be worshipped by man, and to build a body of believers in the image of His Son, the priority reason for being is:
To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world: Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15,16To be a corporate body in which man may worship God: 1 Corinthians 12:13To be a channel of God's purpose to build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son: Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Corinthians 14:12Ministry is God’s purpose for every believer in the church. According to God’s design, every believer is called to serve in a ministry in the church and to fulfill their life mission in the world, especially as it pertains to spreading the message of God’s love and bringing people to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
A divinely called and scripturally ordained leadership ministry serves the church to:
Reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ: Mark 16:15-20Worship God with other believers: John 4:23,24Build up or edify the body of believers – the Church: Ephesians 4:11-16Divine Healing of sickness and disease is provided for all believers today through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that Jesus died to save people from their sin and to provide physical healing for those who are sick. The church should regularly pray for the sick and ask God to heal them.
Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:16,17; James 5:14-16
The Blessed Hope is the event when Jesus Christ raptures his Church prior to his return to earth. In this future moment in time, all believers who have died will rise from their graves and meet the Lord in the air, and believers who are still alive will be caught up with them, to be with the Lord forever.
1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; Romans 8:23; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 15:51,52
The Millennial Reign of Christ is the event when Jesus Christ returns to earth again and personally establishes his rule over the nations for a thousand years period. At this time, many in the nation of Israel will recognize and accept him as the Messiah, the Savior who died for them and for all mankind. The millennial reign is the Second Coming of Christ and will bring:
The visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years: Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27,30; Revelation 1:7; Revelation 19:11-14; Revelation 20:1-6The salvation of national Israel: Ezekiel 37:21,22; Zephaniah 3:19,20; Romans 11:26,27The establishment of universal peace: Isaiah 11:6-9; Psalms 72:3-8; Micah 4:3,4The Final Judgment will take place for those who have rejected Jesus Christ. They will be judged for their sin and receive their eternal punishment. Satan and his demons will be destroyed at this time. In this final judgment, the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be consigned to the everlasting punishment in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:8
New Heaven and New Earth is prepared for all people, of all time, who have accepted Jesus Christ. We will live and dwell with him there forever following His millennial reign on earth. "In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”
2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21; Revelation 22
What We Believe
