STATEMENT OF FAITH

The Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is supernaturally, plenarily and verbally inspired of God through the Holy Spirit, that it is inerrant and infallible in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and practice. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the ultimate standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried.

The True God

(A) We believe that there is only one living and true God, infinite in every excellence; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three personal distinctions - The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit - yet one in substance and every divine perfection.

Exodus. 20:2-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6

(B) We believe in the absolute deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ: that He was and is divine as no other man can be, being begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, having lived a sinless life; that He was and is truly God and truly man; that He existed from all eternity, co-equal with God the Father and the Holy Spirit; that He never ceased to be God for one instant.

John 1:1,2,14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:26-38

(C) We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person – equal with the Father and Son and of the same nature and substance; that He is the administrator of the things of God upon the earth during this age; convicting of sin, righteousness and judgment, revealing truth; is the prime source of the new birth, indwelling believers; enduing and empowering believers in prayer and service; and restraining evil until “He be taken out of the way.” Every true believer receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation.

John 14:16,17; Romans 8:14-27; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Luke 24:49

(D) We believe that the Holy Spirit equips believers for service by bestowing upon them spiritual gifts. Some gifts listed in the New Testament, however, (such as tongues and healing) were temporary in nature, were intended for the infancy of the church, and are no longer being received.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Corinthians 13:8; Hebrews 2:4

The Devil, or Satan

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, that he was created by God as an angel, but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator, that he is the unholy god of this age, the author of all the powers of darkness and sin, and is destined to the judgment of eternal justice in the lake of fire.

Matthew 4:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10

Creation

We believe that the Biblical record of the creation of the angels, physical universe, and man is literal, and not allegorical or figurative. Christ personally created the Heaven and the Earth; He brought forth all original matter out of nothing; He fashioned changes in species; He ordained each species to bring forth after its kind; and He formed man out of the dust of the ground. Man did not evolve over a period of time but was created in the image of God by an instant and final action. Every creative act of God was complete and perfect in itself; and that not one of His creations was conditioned upon antecedent changes naturally wrought during interminable eons of time. All men are descendants from the historical Adam and Eve.

Genesis 1-2; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16, 17; Hebrews 1:1-3

The Fall of Man

We believe that man fell from his sinless and happy state by voluntary transgression in consequence of which all men are now sinners, not only by nature, but by choice, and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse.

Genesis 1:26; Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:16; Romans 5:10-19

The New Birth and Redemption from Sin

(A) We believe that, because all men are totally depraved and dead in their sins, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is “born again” and that no degree of reformation - however great; no attainment in morality - however high; no culture - however attractive; no humanitarian and philanthropic schemes and societies - however useful; no baptism or other ordinance - however administered; can help the sinner to take even one step toward heaven; but a new nature imparted from above, a new life implanted by the Holy Ghost, through the Word, is absolutely essential to salvation.

Isaiah 64:6; John 1:12,13; John 3:5,18; Galatians 6:15; Philipians 3:4-9; Titus 3:5,6; 1 Peter 1:23

(B) We believe that our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made to be sin, and made a curse for us, dying in our place and stead; and that no repentance, no feeling, no faith, no resolutions, no sincere efforts, no submission to the rules or regulations of any church, can add in the very least to the value of that precious blood, or to the merit of that finished work, wrought for us by Him who united in His person true and proper divinity with proper and sinless humanity. His blood alone is efficacious. His salvation is wholly of grace.

Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5-7; Leviticus 17:11; Matthew 26:28; Romans 5:6-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:18, 19

(C) We believe that it is the privilege, not only of some, but of all who are born again by the Spirit through faith in Christ as revealed in the Scriptures, to be assured of their eternal salvation from the very moment they take Him to be their Savior; and that this assurance is not founded upon any fancied discovery of their own worthiness, but wholly upon the testimony of God in His Word, exciting within His Children the love of God, gratitude, and obedience to God.

John 3:16, 18, 36; John 5:24; John 6:37; Romans 8:28-39; 2 Corinthians 5:1; 2 Corinthians 6-8; 2 Timothy 1:12; 1 John 5:13

(D) We believe that Christ, who in the fullness of the blessings which He has secured by His obedience unto death, must be received by faith alone. The moment we trust Him as our Savior, we pass out of death unto everlasting life. Therefore, being justified from all things, we are accepted before the Father according to the measure of Christ’s acceptance, loved as He is loved, and having His place and portion as linked to Him, and one with Him.

John 5:24; John 17:23; Acts 13:39; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:4-6, Ephesians 2:13; 1 John 4:17; 2 John 5:11,12

The Church

(A) We believe that what is normally referred to as the “universal church” is in reality the body of Christ and that it is a New Testament organism. It was established by Jesus Christ, who is its sole Head; revealed through the apostles; empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit; composed of all born again believers in Jesus Christ, both Jew and Gentile; called out from the world and indwelt by the Holy Spirit; it is referred to in the New Testament as both the Bride and the Body of Christ. It began with the New Testament Saints and will be consummated at the coming of Christ in the Rapture.

Matthew 16:18; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-28; Ephesians 1:22,23; Ephesians 3:21; Ephesians 5:23; 1Thessalonians. 4:13-18

(B) We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its only scriptural officers are elders and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus.

Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Gal. 1:2; Acts 6:1-6; 1 Timothy 3:1-14; Titus 1:5-9

1. We believe that the true mission of the church is found in the great commission - first, to make individual disciples; second, to build up the church; third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order.

Matthew 28:19-20

2. We believe that the local church has the absolute right of self-government; free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only Head is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and in the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation, all matters of doctrine, membership, policy, government, discipline and benevolences. The will of the local church, as defined in this Constitution is final.

Ephesians 5:21-33; Romans 15:26; 2 Corinthians 9:8-9; Romans 16:1-2; Acts 15:22; Acts 11:22, 29, 30

Ordinances

We believe that there are two New Testament Church ordinances - water baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These ordinances are not sacraments, but are symbolic, pointing to the world’s only Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.

(A) Baptism - Water baptism is the single immersion of the believer in water and is properly called “Believer’s Baptism”. It sets forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with the effects of that faith in our lives which produces death to sin and resurrection to a new life. It is a prerequisite to the privileges of local church membership and participation in the Lord’s Supper, but it is not essential to salvation.

Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 28:19; John 3:23; Acts 2:41; Colossians 2:12

(B) Lord’s Supper - We believe that the Lord’s Supper is symbolic and is a feast of remembrance to be observed until He comes. We believe it shows forth His death and anticipates His return and is intended to be a time of serious self-examination and self-judgment for the Christian.

Matthew 26:26-29, 22:19,20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; 1 Corinthians 10:16

1. Baptism - those professing saving faith in Jesus Christ as personal Savior shall, by the Lead pastor or other church elder, be immersed in water in accordance with scriptural teachings at any service of the church. This shall be done in accordance with ARTICLE V, Section II, Paragraph (C).

2. The Lord’s Supper - The Lord’s Supper shall normally be served to the church by the elders and the deacons and shall be observed at least four (4) times a year at the discretion of the elders. In cases where there are not sufficient numbers of elders and/or deacons present to adequately serve the congregation, other members of the congregation, who meet the qualifications of deacon as stated in ARTICLE VI, of this constitution, may, upon approval of the elders, as appropriate, assist in serving the Lord’s Supper. If there are no elders or deacons present, the Lord’s Supper may not be served. Since the Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of the local church, it must be observed only in an announced service of the local church to which all members are invited.

Separation

(A) Personal - We believe that we are called with a holy calling to walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; that we should not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, but the flesh, being still in us to the end of our earthly pilgrimage, needs to be kept constantly in subjection to Christ, or it will surely manifest its presence to the dishonor of His name.

Romans 8:12,13; Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:1-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-9

(B) Ecclesiastical and Ecumenical - We believe not only in separation from worldliness and apostasy, but also separation from: the present-day charismatic movement, new-evangelicalism, neo-orthodoxy, liberalism, cultism, modernism, and inter-denominationalism. True faith does not seek after signs and wonders, for true faith does not need signs to validate it. The only sign for this generation is the evidence of the crucified and risen Savior. In Him we put our trust. We believe in the separation from the National and World Council of Churches or any other type of involvement in the Ecumenical movement.

Hebrews 11:1-3; Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 12:38-40; Matthew 16:1-4

The Righteous and the Wicked

(A) We believe that the world is fast ripening for judgment; that there will be a fearful apostasy in the professing Christian body; that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only such as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified (set apart) by the Spirit of God, are truly righteous in God’s sight.

(B) We believe that all who continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse; that this distinction holds among men both during life and after death, in the everlasting conscious joy of the saved, and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.

Malachi 3:18; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8; Luke 17:26-30; Luke 18:8,9; Luke 6:25; John 8:21

The Return of Christ

We believe in the bodily, personal, pre-millennial return of Jesus Christ in the air only, before the seven-year tribulation period to catch away His church; and that He will later come with His church at the close of the tribulation to judge the living nations and to set up His kingdom on earth.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 19:11-21

The Resurrection

(A) Of Christ - We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate.

1 Corinthians 15; Acts 1:9-11; Philipians 2:9; Hebrews 9:23; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1,2

(B) Of Believers - We believe in the resurrection of the bodies of the dead, that believers who have died in Jesus will be raised at the coming of Christ for His church and caught up with transformed living saints to meet the Lord in the air.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:4

(C) Of Unbelievers - We believe that the wicked dead will be raised at the close of the millennial kingdom and stand in their bodies at the Great White Throne Judgment to receive their final doom.

Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 25:34-46

Marriage and Sexuality

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-5). We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography, any attempt to change one’s sex, or disagreement with one’s biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God (Romans 1:24-32).

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of the church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons who are employed by the church in any capacity, join in membership, or serve as volunteers, shall abide by and agree to this Statement on Marriage and Sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly.

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual will not be tolerated and is not in accord with scripture nor the doctrines of the church.