STATEMENT OF FAITH

THE SCRIPTURES
We believe the Bible to be inspired, the only infallible authoritative Word of God. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and practice. II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13; Hebrews 4:12

THE TRINITY
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These are equal in every divine perfection.  They execute distinct, but harmonious, offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14; Mark 12:29; Matthew 28:19; Isaiah 43:10-11.

GOD, THE FATHER
We believe in God, the Father, an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. Isaiah 48:12; Ps. 95:3,6; Is. 40:21-26; Ps. 139:1-12; Jn. 7:37,38

JESUS CHRIST
We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return for His church and with His church in power and glory. Philippians 2:6; Hebrews 1:8; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20; Romans 3:25; Titus 2:13; I Corinthians 15; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; John 20:31.

THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, the third Person of the Trinity. In the present age, He convicts of sin, of judgment, and of righteousness, He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony, He is the agent in the new birth, indwells all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, baptizes them into the body of Christ, seals them unto the day of redemption, and every believer is commanded by God to be filled with the Holy Spirit, Who bestows gifts as He wills. Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 5:18-20; I Corinthians 3:16-17.

SALVATION
We believe in the depravity of man, that all men are sinners by nature and by choice, and are therefore in need of salvation, divine redemption through personal regeneration. We believe that those who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior are "saved", "regenerated" by the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:47-48.

SANCTIFICATION
We believe that all believers are indwelt with the person of the Holy Spirit at the time of regeneration, given every spiritual blessing, all things pertaining to life and godliness, and empowered with the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit , drawing upon the resources available through the resurrected Christ, to the end that our lives increasingly manifest the very life, character, and power of Christ. Acts 2:38, II Peter 1:3, Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 2:1-6, II Corinthians 3:16, Romans 12:1-3, Galatians 2:20.

THE CHURCH
We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ who have a credible profession of faith, and have associated for worship, work, and fellowship. We believe that the calling of the church is to be the very presence of Christ in the midst of the world, standing as a testimony of His life and character. We believe that the testimony of Christ’s life is seen most fully in the corporate expression of His life that is the church, and that when God calls people unto life with Himself He necessarily calls them into fellowship with other believers as well. Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12-14.

THE ORDINANCES
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: water baptism and the Lord's supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that baptism signifies and symbolizes Christian life begun. We believe that the Lord's supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death and signifies Christian life continued. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:4.

MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY
We believe marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation.

The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God’s image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to her husband as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ.

Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing from God. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage and teach them spiritual and moral values. Through loving discipline, parents are to lead their children to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents. 

Our Official Statement as Christians, we are committed to biblical faith and ethics. As a result, this body stands on the authority of Scripture and God’s truth as central to our lives. What the Bible says about marriage is clear, definitive and unchanging. We affirm biblical, traditional, natural marriage as the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. The Scriptures’ teaching on marriage is not negotiable. We stake our lives upon the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Consequently, we will not accept, nor adhere to, any legal redefinition of marriage issued by any political or judicial body including the United States Supreme Court. We will not recognize same-sex “marriages”, our church will not host same-sex ceremonies, and we will not perform such ceremonies.

While we affirm our love for all people, including those struggling with same-sex attractions or confused about their biological identity as male or female, we cannot and will not affirm the moral acceptability of homosexual behavior or any other behavior that deviates from God’s design for males and females made in His image, including His plan for marriage. Genesis 1:26-28, 3:2; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 51:5; 78:1-8; 127; 128; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6, 15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.