What We Believe 

Statement of Faith

The Bible

We accept the Bible as the inerrant, infallible Word of God and that it is the authoritative, sufficient, and unchanging standard for all matters of Christian faith. It is a practical guide for every believer’s conduct and for the life of the church.

God the Father

We believe in one God who is self-existent, all-powerful, all-knowing, and present in all places. He is the Creator of all that exists in both the physical and spiritual world. He reveals Himself to mankind with the desire for a personal relationship with every person. He is one God yet exists as three separate but equal persons: God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus the Son

We believe in Jesus as the Son of God who is equal with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. He chose to come to earth to be the Savior of mankind by His death, burial, and resurrection. He was fully God yet fully human at the same time. His resurrection guarantees the resurrection of all who put their faith in Him. He is now in heaven at the right hand of God the Father waiting until the time known only to God the Father when He will return in glory and power to complete His work of salvation.

The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is equal with God the Father and Jesus the Son. He works in the hearts and minds of mankind to draw all people to God. At the moment of salvation, He indwells every believer and guides him or her to live a life of faith. He provides every believer with at least one spiritual gift that can be used to build up the Body of Christ which is the church.

Man

We believe God created man for His own glory and pleasure to have a personal relationship with him. Man’s perfect relationship with God was broken by disobedience thereby bringing death and sin into God’s perfect creation. Because of sin, every person is condemned to eternal judgment and can only find salvation through Jesus Christ. Mankind is the only living being created in the image of God, thereby giving value and dignity to every person.

Salvation

We believe there is only one means of salvation by personal faith in Jesus Christ. His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead are sufficient to provide complete forgiveness of sin and eternal life. Each person must accept Jesus as Lord and Savior in order to receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life. Salvation is the sole work of Jesus Christ and therefore cannot be lost.

The Church

We believe the local church is the gathering of baptized believers who form the Body of Christ of which Jesus Christ is the Head. The primary purpose of the church is to bring glory to God through worship, discipleship, relationships, and missions. Each local church is autonomous and serves to advance the kingdom of God through the leadership of the Holy Spirit with every member being capable and responsible of following His leadership. The church is to faithfully observe the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe that Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances of the church which are commanded and follow the example of Jesus Christ. Neither convey salvation but both are required for faithful obedience. They are symbolic, conveying deep spiritual meaning and serve as a public statement of faith. Baptism by immersion in water is an expression of faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper celebrates the past sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, the giving of His body and His blood, and is an act of faith trusting in His promise to return at an unknown time in the future.

Marriage and Family

We believe that God created family to be the foundational element of healthy society. Family is composed of people who are related by marriage, birth, or adoption with marriage being the lifelong commitment of love, trust, and purity between one man and one woman. Children are a gift from God and it is the responsibility of parents to raise each child according to biblical principles of the Christian faith. Life begins at conception with every person being created in the image of God, thereby giving every individual worth before God.

The Christian Life

We believe that every believer is to maintain an active, growing spiritual life that follows biblical principles. A sound spiritual life is founded on daily Bible reading and prayer that draws each believer into a close relationship with God. Through that relationship every believer is able to join God in the work He is doing to build up the church and extend His kingdom in the world. Every believer is to be consistently and actively involved in the life of the local church under the leadership of the Holy Spirit