Statement of Faith

We believe the Old and New Testament Scriptures are the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed and are, therefore, the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning, and all the issues of interpretation and meaning shall be determined by the pastor. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by the church. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21) 

We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations, or rules, of life that define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely order to stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these dispensations--the law, the church, and the kingdom--are the subjects of a detailed revelation in Scripture. (Genesis 1:28; 1 Corinthians 9:17; 2 Corinthians 3:9-18; Galatians 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10; Ephesians 3:2-10; Colossians 1:24-25, 27; Revelation 20:2-6) 

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 glory and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 14:10, 26; 2 Corinthians 13:14) 

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 the 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; 2 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. (Acts 2:18-36;  Romans 3:24-25;  Ephesians 1:7;  1 Peter 2:24;  1 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 1:9-10; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24; 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2) 

1.  We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, placing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them, unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12: 12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 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 the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 1:17-18; 1 John 2:20, 27)

3.  We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelist, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the church to do the work of the ministry. (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12)

4.  We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. Speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit. Ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, although God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing.  Three sets of gifts for different purposes: Supervisory, Service, Sign. (1 Corinthians 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22) 

 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. Man, of himself is utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. Man must make a choice. (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17-19) 

 We believe that salvation is the gift of God according to His mercy, God’s grace is given to all men and must be received by repentance toward God by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus shed His blood on Calvary, died, was buried, and rose from the grave for the full payment of sin. He offers forgiveness for the penalty of our sins by this finished work. We believe that all sins, except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, are forgivable. We reject all five points of Calvinism. (Matthew 12:31-32; John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 1:9)

1.  We believe that once a person is saved, he is kept by God’s power and remains secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1; 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; 1 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 13:13-4; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15) 

1.  We believe that the local church, which is the body of Christ for this community, and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again, baptized believers that willfully covenanted together for the purpose of bringing glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27)

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

3.  We believe in the autonomy of the local church that is free of any external authority or controls and any affiliations, societies, organizations, associations, or agencies. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Romans 16:1, 4;
1 Corinthians 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4)

4.  We recognize water baptism by immersion 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; 8:36-38; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

5.  We believe that the church must be active in preaching and evangelizing the lost. We are to be planting churches here and abroad. Mission giving is a main avenue to accomplish this goal. 

We believe that believers should maintain a godly testimony and live in such a way that their lives do not bring reproach upon their Savior. God commands His people to separate from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations, and to refrain from all immodest and immoderate appearances. We stand against any and all worldly philosophies that seek to destroy or to undermine the truth of Biblical Christianity. (Leviticus 19:28; 1 Corinthians 6:19-21; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 2 John 9-11) 

We believe in that blessed hope, the personal, imminent return of Christ, Who will rapture His Saints 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. (Psalm 89:3-4; Daniel 2:31-45; Zachariah 14:4-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6) 

1.  We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men; the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28, 29; 11: 25-26; Revelation 20: 5-6, 12-13)

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. Saints appear before the judgment seat of Christ.  (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21; 1 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 reunite, 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. (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16: 19-26; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15)