Statement of Faith

GOD

There is one God, who exists eternally in three distinct but equal persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God is unchangeable in his holiness, justice, wisdom and love. He is the almighty Creator, Savior and Judge who sustains and governs all things according to his sovereign will for his own glory.

The BIBLE

God has revealed himself in the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments alone. Every word was inspired by God through human authors, so that the Bible as originally given is in its entirety the word of God, without error and fully reliable in fact and doctrine. The Bible alone speaks with final authority and is always sufficient for all matters of belief and practice.

THE HUMAN CONDITION

People are made in the spiritual image of God and are the supreme object of God’s creation and God’s love. As a result of the fall of our first parents, every aspect of human nature has been corrupted and all men and women are guilty sinners separated from God. Every person is therefore under the just condemnation of God. Only through personal repentance of sin and a faith commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord can they be forgiven, “saved,” made sons and daughters of God and inherit eternal life in His presence.

JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and is co-equal with the Father. In the flesh, He was both human and divine. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death and His authority to give eternal life to all who will repent and receive Him by faith as Savior and Lord. He ascended to Heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our King, High Priest and Advocate.

SALVATION

Salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace and cannot be earned or deserved. God has graciously provided salvation through Jesus Christ who died on the cross as our substitute in payment for our sin. All who place their faith in Jesus Christ have their sin forgiven; they are justified in God’s sight and saved from their fallen condition by God’s grace alone. They are, thus, reconciled with God and granted eternal life with Him. They have become a “new creation” and will live forever in God’s Kingdom.

THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and Jesus Christ. In all that He does the Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He is present in the world to convince people of their need for the Savior and to draw them to Him. He brings believers from spiritual death to spiritual life guaranteed for eternity. He also lives in every Christian from the moment he/she receives Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth and guidance in doing what is right in order to become like Christ (called sanctification).  As Christians, we seek to live daily under His control.

THE CHURCH

The universal Church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The universal church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances: Baptism is a symbol of union with Christ and is used to signify the entry into his Church but it does not the means of salvation. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of Christ’s sacrifice offered once for all. The purposes of the local church are worship, instruction, fellowship, evangelism, discipleship and ministry to the community and missions abroad.

CHRIST’S RETURN and ETERNITY

We believe in the personal, bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will return to earth to complete the establishment of God’s eternal reign over all creation, after which he will renew both heaven and earth according to his great design. People are created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally in fellowship with and in the presence of God through forgiveness and salvation.