Beliefs

The Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible, and inerrant. ( II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26 )

There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and co-eternal. ( I John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17; Isaiah 9:6 )

Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for humanity, and atoned for our sins by shedding His blood. According to the Scriptures, he rose from the dead on the third day, ascended to the Father’s right hand, and will return in power and glory. ( John 1:1, 14, 20:28; I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6 )

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or human efforts. ( Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22 )

Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance, we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation. ( Acts 2:21, 3:19; I John 1:9 )

All believers should ardently expect and earnestly seek the Father’s promise of baptism in the Holy Spirit. With it comes the indwelling of power for life and service and the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. This experience may be distinct from and after the new birth experience. (Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-4; 2:38; 8:14-17; 10:38; 10:44-47; 11:14-16; 15:7-9; 17:38-39; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; Joel 2:28- 29)

The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection and confirm the power of the Gospel. All believers are commanded to desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives earnestly. These gifts always operate harmoniously with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters. ( Hebrews 2:4; Ephesians 4:16; I Timothy 4:14; II Timothy 1:6-7; I Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40 )

The church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission. Every person born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. ( Ephesians 1:22; 2:19- 22; Hebrews 12:23; John 17:11, 20-23 )

Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism is the outward sign of what God has done in the individual. ( Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48 )

The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements, bread, and fruit of the vine, is the symbol expressing our acknowledgment of His suffering and death and the prophecy of His second coming and is done in remembrance of Him until He comes. ( Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25)

Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. Both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; they are saved to the resurrection of life, or they are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation. ( Luke 24:16; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28; Acts 24:15; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21)

Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Kingdom. This will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures. ( Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:15-17; II Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7 )

Marriage is a picture of Christ’s relationship with His Bride – the Church. From the beginning of Scripture, it is defined as a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman. God designed sexual intimacy for a marriage relationship without endorsing or condoning it in any other context. ( 1 Thess 4:3-5; Genesis 2:24; Matt 19:4-5 )