What We Believe

 

The Scriptures

We believe that the Bible is the living Word of God, divinely inspired by God, without error, and therefore the only source of true teaching and final standard by which Christians are to live. In the pages of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, God reveals His character and will, our own sinful nature and need for a Savior, and His offer of forgiveness and eternal life in His Son, Jesus Christ.

 
 
 
Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalm 119:11, 89, 105; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39, 16:13-15, 17:17; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2, 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:21

God (The Trinity)

We believe in one eternal God who is the Creator of all things, and He exists in three co-equal Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He has existed in relationship with Himself for all eternity. God is totally loving and completely holy.  God created, redeemed and sanctified us.

 
 
1 John 5:7; John 1:14, 14:28, 16:28; John 15:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 61:1

The Father

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in love, holiness, justice, and grace. We believe that He is all-knowing and all-powerful. We believe that He mindfully and mercifully concerns himself with the lives of humankind, that He hears and answers our prayers, and that He offers salvation from sin and death through Jesus Christ.

 
 
 
Luke 10:21-22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16, 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:1-2, 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6

Jesus, The Son

We believe that because of His love for us, God became a human being, Jesus Christ. Being fully divine and fully human, He lived the perfect life of a servant, and in His death on the cross Jesus suffered the punishment we deserve for our sin. Through His death and His bodily resurrection, Jesus paid the price for our sins and won for us victory over death and the power of the devil. Only through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ can we experience the forgiveness of our sins and be made righteous before God and gain eternal life in heaven.

 
 
John 1:14; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23; 5:9; John 1:29

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, co-equal with Jesus and the Father in the Godhead. We believe the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son, convicts the world of sin and promotes righteousness and judgment. The Holy Spirit is our omnipresent, omnipotent helper, comforter, and guide to all who believe in Jesus.

 
 
John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26

Man

We believe that mankind was made in the image of God. Every human personality is uniquely created, possesses dignity, and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

 
 
 
Genesis 1:26-30, 2:7, 18-22; 3:1-24; Psalm 8:3-6, 51:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; Ephesians 2

Sin

We believe our sin has separated each of us from God and His purpose for our lives. Sin has shattered the image of God we were created with.  We are born with original sin and the action sins we commit are our rebellion against God in our thoughts and deeds that are contrary to His will.  As a result, man cannot attain a right relationship with God through his own effort.

 
 
Genesis 3; Psalm 32:1-5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Romans 3:10, 3:23, 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

Grace

We believe that we enter into a relationship with God, not by anything we do, but solely by what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. Knowing that we are sinners, we trust completely on God’s grace, which is His unearned merit and favor, to save us from condemnation and to give us eternal life and a home with Him.

 
 
 
Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22

Good Works

We engage in actions of love and mercy as a demonstration of God’s love within us. We do this, not to win God’s approval or salvation, but because we are thankful for the gift of eternal life, which we have already received as a free gift in Jesus Christ.

 
 
1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3; Romans 8:29, 12:1-2; Hebrews 2:11

Holy Baptism

We believe as the Bible clearly teaches that in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, God gives to us the blessings of Jesus Christ; which are faith, forgiveness, and eternal life. We baptize infants, children, and adults in obedience to Christ’s command, to forgive the sins of the person being baptized, and to give the gift of the Holy Spirit. God adopts us as His own children through His promises in Baptism.

 
 
 
Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48, Colossians 2:12

Holy Communion

We believe as the Bible clearly teaches that in The Sacrament of Holy Communion, Jesus is truly and really present in a supernatural way “in, with, and under” the bread and the wine. We participate in the Lord’s Supper in obedience to Christ’s command, to remember what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross, and to receive the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith.

 
 
Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 11:27-29;  Acts 2:42; Matthew 11:28; 1 Corinthians 10:17

Prayer

We believe that because Jesus Christ died for our sins, we have the privilege of praying directly to God as part of a growing and continuing relationship with Him. Prayer is our opportunity to thank and praise God, to seek His help in times of trouble and need, and to determine His way and will for our lives. Since prayer is a two-way communication in which we listen to God, as well as speak to Him, regular reading of the Bible is an integral part of daily prayer.

 
 
 
Matthew 7:7-8; Psalm 19:14; John 14:13-14; Philippians 4:6; Matthew 21:22; Romans 8:26; Matthew 6:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18; Luke 11:1-4

The Church

We believe in the power and significance of the Church and the necessity of believers to meet regularly together for fellowship, prayer, and the “breaking of bread.”

We believe that God has individually equipped us so that we can successfully achieve His purpose for our lives which is to worship God, fulfill our role in the Church, and serve the community in which we live.

 
 
Matthew 16:18-19, 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47, 5:11-14, 13:1-3, 14:23, 16:5, 20:28; 1 Corinthians 7:17; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22, 3:10-12, 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18, 3:15; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 21:2-3

The Return of Jesus

We believe that Jesus Christ, as He promised, is coming back to earth at a time known only to God. He is coming to judge the living and the dead and to fulfill His promise to give all believers eternal life.

 
 
 
Matthew 24:27; Luke 21:27; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 1:7; Matthew 25:31-32; John 18:36;   2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 9:28

Heaven

We believe that at the time of death the soul of the believer is at once received into the presence of Christ and that, at the Last Day, the believer will live with Christ, in body and soul, in eternal joy and glory.

 
 
 
 
John 3:36; Matthew 25:34; Romans 8:18; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 21