What We Believe
GOD - God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. God is absolutely separate from and exalted above all His creatures. He is equally separate from all moral evil and sin (meaning he is Holy). He is unchangeable, all-powerful, infinite in His knowledge, and omnipresent (present everywhere at once). (Genesis 1:1,26,27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
JESUS CHRIST - Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross, paying the penalty for our sin. He rose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again to judge the hearts of people and gather His people to take to their eternal home with Him. (Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5 & 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13)
THE HOLY SPIRIT - The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He was actively involved in creation and is present in the world to make us aware of our need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He is both the author and interpreter of Scripture. (Genesis 1:2, 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13 & 14:16-17; 1 Corinthians 2:12 & 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians5:18; 2 Peter 1:21; Hebrews 3:7, 10:15 )
THE BIBLE - The Bible is God's Word to all people. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, the Bible is total truth without any mixture of error. We accept miracles and creation as literal accounts. (2 Timothy 1:13 & 3:16; 2Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119: 105, 160 & 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)
HUMANITY - Humanity is the crowning creative work of God. Humanity was created in God's image, male, female, and all races. Thus, being image-bearers of God, all of humanity is worthy of utmost respect and love. Humanity was created innocent of sin but given the choice to follow God freely. Satan's temptation of humanity caused humanity to sin and fall from that perfection. Sin entered creation upon that free choice and caused all of creation from that moment forward, including all future humanity, to become broken, only able to be made whole and reconciled and perfect through the grace of God through Jesus. Humanity is restored when, upon reaching the capability of this choice, they choose that grace of God for reconciliation. (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2)
ETERNITY - Humanity was created to exist forever. It will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God, through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence. (John 3:16; 1 John 2:25 & 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15)
SALVATION - Salvation involves the redemption of the whole person, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. (Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9; Acts 2:38)
BAPTISM AND COMMUNION - Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience publicly symbolizing 1) the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior; and 2) the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to their faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Communion (or "The Lord's Supper") is a symbolic act of obedience where the church eats bread and juice, that symbolize his body and blood broken for us on the cross, to remember the death of Jesus and anticipate His second coming. We recognize and affirm the scriptural importance of actively practicing these two ordinances in the life of the Christ follower.(Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; 16:15-16; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12)
JESUS CHRIST - Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross, paying the penalty for our sin. He rose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again to judge the hearts of people and gather His people to take to their eternal home with Him. (Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5 & 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13)
THE HOLY SPIRIT - The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He was actively involved in creation and is present in the world to make us aware of our need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He is both the author and interpreter of Scripture. (Genesis 1:2, 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13 & 14:16-17; 1 Corinthians 2:12 & 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians5:18; 2 Peter 1:21; Hebrews 3:7, 10:15 )
THE BIBLE - The Bible is God's Word to all people. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, the Bible is total truth without any mixture of error. We accept miracles and creation as literal accounts. (2 Timothy 1:13 & 3:16; 2Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119: 105, 160 & 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)
HUMANITY - Humanity is the crowning creative work of God. Humanity was created in God's image, male, female, and all races. Thus, being image-bearers of God, all of humanity is worthy of utmost respect and love. Humanity was created innocent of sin but given the choice to follow God freely. Satan's temptation of humanity caused humanity to sin and fall from that perfection. Sin entered creation upon that free choice and caused all of creation from that moment forward, including all future humanity, to become broken, only able to be made whole and reconciled and perfect through the grace of God through Jesus. Humanity is restored when, upon reaching the capability of this choice, they choose that grace of God for reconciliation. (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2)
ETERNITY - Humanity was created to exist forever. It will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God, through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence. (John 3:16; 1 John 2:25 & 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15)
SALVATION - Salvation involves the redemption of the whole person, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. (Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9; Acts 2:38)
BAPTISM AND COMMUNION - Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience publicly symbolizing 1) the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior; and 2) the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to their faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Communion (or "The Lord's Supper") is a symbolic act of obedience where the church eats bread and juice, that symbolize his body and blood broken for us on the cross, to remember the death of Jesus and anticipate His second coming. We recognize and affirm the scriptural importance of actively practicing these two ordinances in the life of the Christ follower.(Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; 16:15-16; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12)