The Holy Scriptures
We believe that the Authorized Version (1611) of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God. The scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six (66) books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete revelation of God to man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. The 1611 King James Authorized Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by the church.
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and each having the same attributes and perfections. (Deut.6:4; Matt.28:19; II Cor.13:14; John 14:10, 26)
The Person and Work of Jesus Christ
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. (Isa.7:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; II Cor.5:19-21; Gal 4:4-5)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished redemption through his death on the cross as a representative, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Rom.3:24-25; I Pet. 1:3-5; 2:24; Eph.1:7)
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Rom.8:34; Heb.7:25; 9:24; I John 2:1-2)
The Person and Work of the Holy Ghost
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; I Cor.12:12-14; II Cor.3:6; Eph.1:13-14)
We believe that He is the Divine Teacher, who assists believers to understand and apply the scriptures and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Eph.1:17-18; 5:18, I John 2:20, 27)
We believe that God is sovereign in the giving of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Rom.12:3-8; I Cor.12:4-11, 28; Eph.4:7-12)
We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that the final deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the completion of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. (I Cor.1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22)
The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen1:26-27; Rom.3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph.2:1-3; 4:17-19)
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God, totally void of any work that man can offer, and is given to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. (John 1:12; Eph.1:7; 2:8-10; I Pet.1:18-19)
The Eternal Security And Assurance of Believers
We believe that all the
redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ
forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom.8:1, 38-39;
I Cor.1:4-8; I Pet.1:4-5)
We believe that it is the privilege of the believer to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as a reason to live in known sin. (Rom.13:13-14; Gal.5:13; Titus 2:11-15)
The Church
We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons, who have been scripturally baptized and are doctrinally like-minded. (I Cor.12:12-14; II Cor.11:2; Eph.1:22-23; 5:25-27)
We believe that the establishment and continuance of the local church is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Tim.3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of an external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; Rom.16:1, 4; I Cor.3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13)
We recognize water baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper as the only scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church of this age. (Mt.28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; I Cor.11:23-26)
Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations which are contrary to God’s Word is commanded of God. (Rom.12:1-2; 14:13; II Cor.6:14-7:1; II Tim.3:1-5; I John 2:15-17)
The Second Advent of Jesus Christ
We believe in the “blessed hope”, the personal imminent return of Jesus Christ who will rapture His Church prior to the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation Christ will personally and visibly return, with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom, which was promised to the nation Israel. (Ps.89:3-4; Dan.2:31-45; Zech.14:4-11; I Thess.1:10; 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev.3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6)
The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Mt.25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Rev.20:5-6, 12-13)
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where they await the Rapture of the Church, at that time the soul and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (II Cor.5:8; Phil.1:23; 3:21; I Thess.4:16-17; Rev.20:4-6)
We believe that the souls of unbelievers are, after death, in the conscious punishment and torment of the literal Hell. These souls await the Great White Throne Judgment of Jesus Christ, after which they will be cast into the Lake of Fire, to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment. (Mt.25:41-46; Mk.9:43-48; Lk.16:19-26; II Thess.4:16-17; Rev.20:4-6)
The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and instrumental in the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isa.14:12-17; Mt.4:2-11; 25:41; Rev.20:10)
Creation
We believe that God created and ordered the Universe known to man in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Day Age Theory, Theistic Evolution and any other theory which is contrary to the literal Genesis account of creation. (Gen.1-2; Ex.20:11)
Missions
We believe that God has given the Church a Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from all the lands who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We only support missionaries who are accountable to a local church of like belief and faith. Because of the Great Commission, we will support these missionaries with our prayers and financial support as God provides and leads. (Mt.28:19-20; Lk.24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; II Cor.5:20)
Giving
We believe that every
Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is
obligated to support their local church financially. We believe that God has
established a tenth of the believer’s income as a starting amount in giving but
that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully
to the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of
the Gospel.
Gen.14:20; Pro.3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; I Cor.16:2; II Cor.9:6-7; Gal.6:6;
Eph.4:28; I Tim.5:17-18; I John 3:17)