Statement of Faith
Section 1 - God:
I believe in one sovereign God who created all things and is infinitely perfect and full of holiness (Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 5:48). This one and only God eternally exists in three equally divine persons: the Father (1 Corinthians 8:6), the Son (Col 1:15-20, John 8:58), and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). Each is co-equal and co-eternal in being, in nature, in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections (2 Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 1:1-13).
God the Father is the chief of the Godhead, followed by the Son, and then the Spirit (1 Cor 15:27-28). All things are from him and exist for him (1 Cor 8:6), and he has established a plan from before the world to save his chosen saints, the elect, and to bless them through the Son (Eph 1:3-11).
Section 2 - The Bible:
I believe that God has inspired the words preserved in the Scriptures: the Old and New Testaments, made up of 66 books. These writings alone constitute the verbally inspired Word of God, which is the ultimate authority and without error in the original writings (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; Revelation 22:18-19). The Bible is complete in its revelation of His will for salvation and is sufficient for all that God requires us to believe and do. While I affirm that I can know, whilst enlightened by the Holy Spirit, God’s truth confidently (John 16:12-13), I confess that both our finite mind and our sinful nature preclude the possibility of understanding God’s truth completely (1 Corinthians 13:12; James 1:5). The Bible is to be believed, as God’s instruction, in all that it teaches; obeyed, as God’s command, in all that it requires; and trusted, as God’s pledge, in all that it promises.
Section 3 - Jesus Christ:
I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became fully man without ceasing to be fully God (John 1:1,14, Colossians 2:9). He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Luke 1:35) and lived a perfect, sinless life (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22) in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful human beings (John 14:9, Titus 2:14). Jesus accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as our substitutionary sacrifice, and our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3–5). He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9) and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry as our Representative (Hebrews 9:24), Intercessor (Hebrews 7:25), and Advocate (1 John 2:1–2) and will return as King (John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:16).
Section 4 - The Holy Spirit:
I believe that God, the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8–11). His primary role is in regenerating and placing all believers into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). He is also teaching (John 16:13-14), enlightening (1 Corinthians 2:11-13), indwelling them (Romans 8:9) and securing them until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).
Section 5 - Mankind:
I believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, in His own image (Genesis 1:27). These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). But through Adam’s sin all people inherit a sinful nature, and are alienated from God (Romans 5:12). The consequence of sin is spiritual, physical and ultimately eternal death (Romans 6:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). In and of themselves people are totally depraved and utterly unable to remedy their lost condition (Romans 3: 23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1–3, 12).
I believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor doctrines of the church (Galatians 5:22-23).
Section 6 - Salvation:
I believe that salvation is the gift of God offered to every person but received only by those who turn in personal faith and repentance to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord upon being called by God and being regenerated (Ephesians 2:8–10; John 1:12; Luke 13:3; Romans 10:9). Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus (Acts 4:12, John 14:6), whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (1 Peter 1:18–19). I believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (John 3:16, 1 John 2:2-3, Romans 5:8, Romans 6:23).
Section 7 - Assurance of Believers:
I 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; Romans 8:1, 38-39; 1 Peter 1:5). It is the privilege of believers to rejoice and be confident in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which also clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion for the flesh (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11–15).
Section 8 - The Church:
I believe that the church, which is the body of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all genuine Christ-followers (Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:12–14). They are to gather together as a local church regularly for teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:25). And, as His body, it is our responsibility to go and represent Christ in the world (Mark 16:15). As a church, are autonomous, answering only and directly to Christ, the head (Acts 13:1-4; Colossians 1:18). They are governed and shepherded by a plurality of elders/overseers: (1 Peter 5:1-5; Acts 20:17, 28). Believers’ baptism and the Lord’s Supper are recognized as scriptural means of testimony for the church (Matthew 28:19; Acts 18:8; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26).
Section 9 - Spiritual Gifts:
I believe that every Christian has at least one spiritual gift which is a God-given capacity to serve in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:11). These gifts help make each believer a unique member of the body. There is no particular gift that is essential, or that proves the presence of the Holy Spirit, and one’s spiritual gift is not an indication of their level of spirituality or maturity (1 Corinthians 12:18-19, 29-30). Some gifts are foundational and/or intended as sign gifts to unbelieving Israel at the establishment of the church and are no longer prominent today (Ephesians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 14:21-22). It is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to minister according to the gifts and grace that God has given them (Romans 12:1–8; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Peter 4:10–11).
Section 10 - Christ’s Return:
I believe in the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). While the exact time of Christ’s return is unknown, it is imminent and certain (James 5:8; Matthew 24).
Section 11 - The Eternal State:
I believe in the physical resurrection of all human beings. I believe at death, every believer passes into the conscious blessedness and joy in the presence of Christ and there awaits the resurrection when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; Revelation 20:5-6). I believe that the unsaved will remain under condemnation, and in misery, until the Great White Throne's judgment. They will then be united with their body and be cast into the eternal lake of fire as their eternal conscious punishment, along with Satan and the fallen angels (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; John 5:28-29; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:10-15).
Section 12 - Marriage and Sexuality:
I 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 (Genesis 2:23-25, Matthew 19:4-6).
I believe that God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other. I believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage between a man and a woman (Hebrews 13:4).
I believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography, or any attempt to change one’s sex, or disagreement with one’s biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God (1 Corinthians 6:18-19, Galatians 5:19-21).
Section 13 – Sanctity of Life:
I believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Ps. 139.)