THE SCRIPTURES
We believe in the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, as originally written; that it was verbally and plenarily inspired and is the product of Holy Spirit-controlled men, and therefore as truth without any admixture of error for its matter and is infallible and inerrant in all matters of which it speaks. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creed, and opinions shall be tried. (II Tim. 3:16,17; II Pet. 1:19-21)
THE TRUE GOD
We believe there is one, and only one, living and true God, infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Exod. 20:2-3; I Cor. 8:6; Rev. 4:11; I John 5:7; John 10:30; II Cor. 13:14)
ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until Gods purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony, that He is the agent of the New Birth; that He seals, baptizes, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. (John 14:16-17; Matt. 28:19; Heb. 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Gen. 1:1-3; II Thess. 2:7; John 16:8-11; John 15:26-27; Acts 5:30;11:16; Luke 24:49; John 16:13; John 14:26; Rom. 8:14; II Thess 2:13; I Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:26-27; Rom. 8:16)
THE DEVIL, OR SATAN
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, the Devil; and that he was created by God as an angel but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator; that he became the unholy god of this age and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Matt.4:1-11; II Cor. 4:4; Rev. 20:10)
CREATION
We believe the Biblical account of the creation of the physical universe, angels, and man; that this account is neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct creative acts of God without any evolutionary process; that man was created by a direct work of God and not from previously existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, first parents of the entire human race.(Gen.1,2; Col. 1:16; John 1:3)
THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created in innocence (in the image and likeness of God) under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression, Adam fell from his sinless and happy state, and all men sinned in him, in consequence of which all men are totally depraved, are partakers of Adams fallen nature, and are sinners by nature and by conduct and therefore are under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Gen. 1:26-27; Gen. 3:1-6; Rom. 3:10-19; 5:12,19; 1:18,32)
THE VIRGIN BIRTH
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son. (Gen.3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14)
SALVATION
We believe that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who, by the appointment of the Father, voluntarily took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, and honored the divine law by His personal obedience, thus, qualifying Himself to be our Savior; that by the shedding of His blood in His death, He fully satisfied the just demands of a holy and righteous God regarding sin; that His sacrifice consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinners place, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead He is now enthroned in Heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, being in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and all-sufficient Savior. We believe that personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation; repentance is a change of mind and purpose toward God prompted by the Holy Spirit and is an integral part of saving faith. Jonah 2:9; Eph. 2:8; Acts 15:11;Romans 3:24,25;John 3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7,8; Heb. 2:14-17; Isa. 53:4-7; I John 4:10; I Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:21; I Peter 2:24)
THE RESURRECTION AND PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST
We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ and in His ascension into Heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest interceding for us. (Matt. 28:6-7; Luke 25:39; John 20:27; I Cor. 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 25:2-6, 5l; Acts 1:9-11; Rev.3:21; Heb. 8:6; 12:2; 7:25; I Tim. 2:5; I John 2:1; Heb. 2:17; 5:9-10)
GRACE AND THE NEW BIRTH
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about by our sovereign God in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith and newness of life. (John 3:3; II Cor. 5:17; I John 5:1; Acts 16:20-33; II Pet. 1:4; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1,5; Col. 2:13; John 3:8)
JUSTIFICATION
We believe that justification is that judicial act of God whereby He declares the believer righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemers shed blood. (Rom. 2:24; 4:5; 5:1,9; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:9)the Holy Spirit and is an integral part of saving faith. Jonah 2:9; Eph. 2:8; Acts 15:11;Romans 3:24,25;John 3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7,8; Heb. 2:14-17; Isa. 53:4-7; I John 4:10; I Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:21; I Peter 2:24)
SANCTIFICATION
We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God accomplished in a threefold manner; first, an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in Christ, establishing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior; second, a continuing process in the saint as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life; third, the final accomplishment of the process at the Lords return. (Heb. 10:10-14; 3:1; John 17:17; II Cor. 1:30;Eph. 5:25-27; I Thess. 4:3,4; 5:23,24; I John 3:2; Jude 24,25;Rev. 22:11; II Cor. 3:18)
THE LOCAL CHURCH
We believe that a local church is an organized 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 officers are Pastor and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold 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 superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation, that on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.(I Cor. 11:2; Acts 20:17-28; I Tim. 3:1-13; Acts 2:41-42)We believe in the unity of all New Testament believers in the Church which is the Body of Christ. (I Cor. 12:12,13;Eph. 1:22,23; 3:1-6; 4:11; 5:23; Col. 1:18; Acts 15:13-18)
BAPTISM AND THE LORDS SUPPER
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith and identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, through Whom we died to sin and rose to a new life; that baptism is to be performed under the authority of the local church; and that it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. Baptism is an act of obedience by the believer to Gods command, but is not necessary to salvation. We believe that the Lords Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. We believe that the Biblical order of the ordinances is baptism first and then the Lords Supper, and that participants in the Lords Supper should be immersed believers. (Acts 8:36,38,39; John 3:23; Rom. 6:3-5; Matt. 3:16; Col. 2:12; I Cor. ll:23-28; Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 2:41,42)
SEPARATION
We believe in obedience to the Biblical command of separation. This includes personal separation unto God from worldliness. It also includes separation from ecclesiastical apostasy and the ecumenical movement. (II Cor. 6:14-7:1; I Thess. 1:9,10; I Tim. 6:3-5; Rom. 16:17; II John 9-11; Eph. 5:11; Psalm 1:1; Rom. 12:1,2; I John 2:15; Jude 4)
SECURITY OF THE SAINTS
We believe in the eternal security of the saints; that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ; that once saved it is impossible for the believer to lose or relinquish his salvation. (Phil. 1:6; John 10:28,29; Rom. 8:35-39; Jude 1; Heb. 6:4-6; John 6:39,40)
THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only those who are justified by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost in the lake of fire. (Mal. 3:18; Gen. 18:23; Rom. 6:17,18; I John 5:19; Rom. 7:6; 6:23; Prov.14:32; Luke 16:25; Matt. 25:34-41; John 8:21; Rev. 20:14,15)
CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that those in authority are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of kings. (Rev. 19:16; Rom. 13:1-7; II Sam. 23:3; Exod. 18:21,22; Acts 23:5; Matt. 22:21; Acts 5:29; 4:19,20; Dan. 3:17,18)
ISRAEL
We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as Gods eternal covenant people, though now dispersed because of her disobedience and rejection of Christ, she is being preserved to be regathered to her land where believing Jews will recognize and embrace their Messiah. (Gen. 13:14-17; Rom. 9:10,11; Ezek. 37)
THE RAPTURE AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
We believe in the pre-tribulational and pre-millennial return of Christ, an event which can occur at any moment, and that at that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies, and the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death, and all shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. (I Thess. 4:13-18; I Cor. 15:42-44, 51-54; Phil. 3:20,21; Rev. 3:10) We believe that the Tribulation, which follows the rapture of the church, will be culminated by the revelation of Christ in power and great glory to sit upon the throne of David and to establish the millennial kingdom. (Dan. 9:25-27; Matt. 24:29-31; Luke 1:30-33; Isa. 9:6,7; 11:1-9; Acts 2:29,30; Rev. 20:1-4,6)
MARRIAGE, THE FAMILY AND DIVORCE
1) On Marriage: We believe that marriage is ordained of God for mankinds welfare and happiness (Gen. 1:28; 2:18; Prov.5:18,19) that the institution of marriage was honored by the Lord Jesus Christ in word (Matt. 19:6) and in deed (John 2:1-11), that the marriage bed is honorable (Heb. 13:4) and that, for the believer, marriage is to be in the Lord and only to another believer. (II Cor.6:14; I Cor. 7:39)
2) On the Family: We believe that the family is the most basic unit of society and that in each individual case, it is initially formed only within the bonds of marriage. Later, as God wills, children may be added to the family (Ps. 127:3-5). Gods order of authority in the Christian family is Christ, the Head; followed by the husband or father, then the wife or mother and finally, the children. It is only when these are in proper scriptural balance that the family becomes all that God intended it to be. (Eph. 5:21; 6:4; Col. 3:18-21; Exod. 20:12)
3) On Divorce: We believe that from the beginning, God never intended for man and wife to either be separated or divorced. (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:6) This continues to be His perfect will and pattern, even to the selection of marriage as being the only human example or type of the eternal blessed and unbroken union of the believer with his Savior. (Eph. 5:25-32) However, with the fall of man and the sure consequences of man living from then on with a fallen or sinful nature, God recognized what is and commanded Moses to authorize the bill of Divorcement because of the hardness of the human heart. (Deut. 24:1-4; Matt. 19:7-8) Speaking within the dispensation of law, Jesus enlarged upon the Law of Moses by explaining that this authorization was under the permissive will of God, and except for divorce on account of fornication, did not condone the remarriage of either party, calling such action the committing of adultery in violation of the commandment Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Matt. 19:9; Mk. 10:2-12) In like manner, the Lord, speaking through Paul, instructed the wife not to leave her husband and the husband not to put away his wife. (I Cor.7:10-11) We believe then that divorce or divorce and remarriage is contrary to Gods perfect will and that divorce and remarriage constitutes adultery. However, we believe that the attitude of the local church should be that of ministering in a forgiving and Christ-like spirit, and seeking to restore the believer to fellowship. (Gal.6:1-3; Isa. 54:1-10; Jer. 3:1)