What we believe

I. Scripture
The Bible, including the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is God's written revelation of His power, glory, holiness, and character. It is the deliverance of His moral code for humanity. It is divinely given through human authors who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Its content is entirely true and is to be the supreme and final authority for faith and practice in the church and in the life of the Christian. Through the Scriptures we can find all we need to learn about salvation through the incarnate Word of God, Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:18-2:16; Psalms 19; Acts 14:15-17; 17:22-31; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; John 1:1-18).
 
II. God
The Bible reveals God to be the one and only true and living God. He is perfect in all His attributes; He is all-knowing, powerful, gracious, slow to anger, full of love and justice, forgiving sinners through Christ, and punishing the guilty. He is eternal, unchangeable, and transcendent, exalted above all as the Creator and King, present everywhere, and sustainer of all things. God exists, in His being, as one God revealed in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These Persons are co-existent, co-equal, and co-eternal, yet distinct in office and activity. (Genesis 1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 100:5; Isiah 45:5; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; 2 Corinthians13:14).

III. God - The Father
God the Father is a personal being, who is perfect in His holiness, power, knowledge, love, and wisdom. He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of His creation, hearing and answering prayers, saving from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. He is worthy to receive all glory and adoration. (Psalm 139:1-16; 1 Corinthians 8:6; John 5:17).

IV. God - The Son – Jesus Christ
Jesus is both fully God and fully human, containing two natures in one person. He is Christ, the Son of God. Born in the flesh of a virgin, He lived a life without sin, in perfect obedience to the Father. He died on the cross to provide the forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation due to His sacrifice where His blood was shed to purify us and cleanses us from our sin. He rose from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return in power and glory. Jesus is the only mediator between God and man, and He is the head of the Church. (1 Peter 1:1-2; 1:3-5; John 1:1-29; Romans 3:24-26; Hebrews 1:3; 4:15; 7:25-26; 2 Corinthians5:18-21; 1 John 2:1-2; Hebrews 9:24; 7:25; Hebrews 9:22; 1 John 1:7).

V. God - The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine and equal with the Father and Son. In Him, all true Christians are baptized into Christ, beginning at the moment of salvation, empowered for bold witness and effective service as they yield to Him, and uniquely gifted for the building up of the church. The Holy Spirit convicts individuals of sin, gradually grows believers into the likeness of Christ, and secures them until the final day of redemption. (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians, 1:13-14; Galatians 5:22-25).

VI. Humanity
God created human beings, male and female, in His image and for His glory. Yet every human being has willfully disobeyed God — an act known as sin — thus inheriting both physical and spiritual death. All human beings are born guilty of sin, with a sin nature and are inclined toward sin. Only by the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, can they experience salvation. (Genesis 1: 26-28; Romans 3:23; 5:12-21; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12).

VII. Salvation
All human beings are born with a sin nature, relationally separated from God, and are unrighteous under His just condemnation, and in need of a Savior. Salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, as a person repents of sin and receives eternal life, and is made righteous. Salvation is given by the grace of God, on the basis of the finished work of Jesus Christ, not on the basis of human works. (Romans 3:28; 8:1-4; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:9; 2 Peter1:1 Isaiah 53: 1-13; Galatians 2:16;).

VIII. Sanctification
Sanctification is the work of God in making an individual holy. Positionally, it is already complete since the believer is in Christ and set apart by God. Since the believer, in this life, retains his sinful flesh, there is need for a gradual change as the believer grows in the likeness of Christ, which comes by the power of the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:21; Ephesians 5:25; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; Romans 4:23; 6:1-7; Hebrews 10:10).

IX. The Church
The church consists of all true believers of Jesus Christ who are brought into the fellowship of Christ’s body, with Christ as the Head. As members of the body of Christ, all believers are called to join themselves to a local church. The local expression of the church is an assembly of believers in Jesus Christ who voluntarily join together for the purpose of worship, biblical instruction, prayer, service, and fellowship, all to the glory of God. The church has been sent on mission by Jesus Christ to go and make disciples of all nations. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be valued and observed in the local church. These are visible signs representing spiritual truths; they do not accomplish salvation. Baptism is a one-time ordinance where the believer is immersed in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism signifies the believer’s union with a crucified, buried and risen Savior, and it also signifies the believer’s death to sin, burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. The Lord’s Supper is a repeated ordinance, which memorializes the meaning and significance of the death of Christ and anticipates His return. (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2: 1-3 4:22; 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 11: 17-34; 12:12-14; Acts 2:41; 8:12-13; 16:33; 18:8; Romans 6:3-4).

X. Last Things
God has appointed a set time for the consummation of the present age, though He has not revealed its exact time. Allowing for diversity of end-time views, we believe the following are essential: Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth, the dead will be raised, and Christ will judge all men justly. A solemn separation will take place: the unrighteous will be assigned to endless punishment and the righteous to endless joy in a new heaven and new earth. This judgment will fix forever the final state of people in heaven or hell, in accordance with God’s righteousness and justice. (1 Corinthians 5:10; 15:50:58; 2 Thessalonians 1; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:15; 22:3-11).

XI. The Good News of Salvation
Before one comes to Jesus, he must first recognize that he is in need of a Savior. Everyone has committed sin before God (Romans 3:10-18,23). We all have lied, cheated, hated, or despised another person, and above all, we have opposed God. A person is liable to damnation only by a single sin (Genesis 3:1-19). Even though we have all sinned before God and are guilty of eternal punishment, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). God demonstrated His own love toward us, that while we were still in our sins, He sent His Son to die for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus paid the price for the sins of His people. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:9,13).
You, too, can make the declaration and confession to follow Christ by recognizing that you have sinned and are worthy of punishment by God. However, you can declare that Jesus has provided a way for your salvation, and by faith in Him, you can start your Christian life.

If you have decided to put your faith in Christ, please let us know so we can celebrate with you and encourage you as you begin this new journey.