Our Beliefs

The Holy Scriptures

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official translation used in church services and related ministries (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21).

The Godhead

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16,17; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians13:14; John 14:9,10, 26).

The Person and Work of Christ

(1) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (Isaiah 7:14,9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2,14,18; II Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8).

(2) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Luke 24:46,47; Romans 3:24-25; 4:25; I Corinthians 15:1-4; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5)

(3) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2).

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

(1) We believe that the Holy Spirit is the member of the Godhead Who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ and indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 3:5-8; 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 6:19; 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13-14).

(2) We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all saved to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; I John 2:20, 27).

(3) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry (Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12).

The Total Depravity of Man 

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:10-20; 3:22-23; 5:12: 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17-19).

Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. We believe that Jesus is the ONLY way to heaven (John 1:12; John 14:6; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; II Timothy 3:15; I Peter 1:18-19; I John 5:11-12).

The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

(1) We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; Philippians 1:6; I Peter 1:4-5).

(2) We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Romans 6:1,2; 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).

The Church

(1) We believe that the true church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons (I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23-30).

(2) We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:23, 27; 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11; I Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1).

(3) We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control of men but is governed by God’s Word (Acts 13:1-4; 20:28; Romans 16:1,4; I Corinthians 1:2; 5:4-7,13; Galatians 1:2; I Peter 5:1-4).

(4) We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 10:47,48; 16:15; 16:33; I Corinthians 11:20-26).

Separation

We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God (Romans 12:1-2; 14:13; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; II Timothy 3:1-5; I Peter 1:15; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11).

The Second Advent of Christ

We believe in that “blessed hope,” the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture His Church prior to the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel (Isaiah 2:1-5; Daniel 2:31-45; Zechariah 14:4-11; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6).

The Eternal State

(1) We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; I Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-15).

(2) We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; I Corinthians 15:50-57; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23,3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6).

(3) We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment (Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15).

Creation 

We believe that God created the universe as indicated in Genesis 1 and 2. We reject evolution and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin (Genesis 1-2; Ex. 20:11).

Civil Government 

We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home; 2) the church; and 3) the state. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities. We believe that Christians are to obey and honor those government officials who are in authority over them (Genesis 2:24; Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; I Peter 2:13-14).

Human Sexuality 

We believe that God has intended that physical intimacy is to be engaged in only by a man and a woman who are married and that no intimate sexual activity should occur outside of marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful in the sight of God. (Genesis 2:24; 19:5-7, 13; 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4).

Divorce and Remarriage 

We believe that God intends for marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon (Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 19:3-12: Romans 7:1-3; I Timothy 3:2,12; Titus 1:6).

Abortion 

We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable (Job 3:16: Psalm 51:5; 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).

Missions 

We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-17).

Lawsuits Between Believers 

We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander (I Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32).