The Holy Scriptures are the sole authority and final source of all that we believe. The items of this Statement of Faith do not include all the teachings of the Scriptures but comprise the fundamental doctrinal and scriptural beliefs of this church, its ministries, and its members.
We believe the items included in this Statement of Faith accurately represent the teaching of the Holy Scriptures and, therefore, are binding upon all members. In order to preserve the function and integrity of this church as a local body of Christ, and to provide biblical role models to the members and the community, it is imperative that all members and persons employed by this church in any capacity agree to and abide by the items in this Statement of Faith.
(a) The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary 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 books of the Old and New Testament are collectively called the Bible and are the complete and divine revelation of God to Man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical – historical meaning, and all issues of interpretation and meaning shall be determined by the lead pastor. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official translation used by the church. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20- 21)
(b) The Godhead
We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that there is one triune God, eternally existing in three persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26)
(c) The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, 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; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to 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; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2)
(d) The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit 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; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14)
We believe that He is the giver of Scripture and the divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (2 Peter 1:21, Eph. 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27). We believe that He is the divine Comforter and the giver of spiritual gifts for the edification of believers. (John 14:26, I Cor. 14:1-26)
(e) The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19)
(f) Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought 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. We believe that all sins, except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, are forgivable. (John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Matt. 12:31- 32; 1 John 1:9)
(g) The Eternal Security 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; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Pet. 1:4-5).
(h) The Church
We believe that the church was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ and is made up solely of born-again believers. (Matt 16:18, 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27)
We believe that the New Testament scriptures clearly define and teach the establishment of local churches and that the local church is autonomous and self-governing. (Acts 5:19-31; 13:1-4; 14:27; 20:17, 28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11; 1 Pet. 5:1-4)
(i) The Ordinances
We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age.
(1) Baptism. We believe that baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, done in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. It is a believers first act of obedience, commanded in scripture and performed under the authority of the local church. It symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and serves as a public testimony of a believer’s confession of faith. It is a prerequisite to the privilege of church membership. (Matt 28:19-20; Acts 2:41, Rom. 6:3-7)
(2) The Lord’s Supper. We believe that the local church is instructed to observe and partake of the Lord’s Supper as a time to remember the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The bread represents His body that was broken for us, and the fruit of the vine represents His blood that was shed for us. Believers are instructed examine themselves so as not to eat and drink unworthily. (Luke 22:14-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-29)
(j) Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. God commands His people to separate from all sin. (Rom. 12:1-2; 14:13; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11; 1 Cor. 6:19- 20)
(k) 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. (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28, 29; 11:25- 26; Rev. 20:5-6, 12-13)
(l) Creation
We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. During this time, He created the first man, Adam and from Adam He created the first woman, Eve. We reject evolution, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. (Gen. 1-2; Ex. 20:11)
(m) The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of 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; Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10)
(n) Civil Government
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the family, 2) the church, and 3) civil government. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. We believe that civil government is of divine appointment and is to be obeyed with the exception only of things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the Holy Scriptures. (Rom. 13:1-7; Eph. 5:22-24; Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 2:13-14)
(o) Marriage and Human Sexuality
We believe that the Holy Scriptures teach clearly and authoritatively about marriage, gender, sexuality, and sexual behavior. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity, therefore, hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture, nor the doctrines of this church. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31)
(1) Marriage. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one biological male and one biological female in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen. 2:18- 25; Rom. 7:2; I Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a biological male and a biological female who are married to each other. (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2- 5; Heb. 13:4) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage. We believe that a valid marriage requires:
- Only one biological male and one biological female at one time.
- Persons 18 years of age and older without parental consent and persons under age 18 with parental consent.
- The oversight of an appointed and recognized authority (ordained pastor or duly appointed governmental person), in the presence of two or more witnesses.
- A certified government document.
Therefore, no pastor of this church will officiate over a marriage unless it meets the above requirements.
(2) Gender. We believe that God wonderfully and immutably created human beings as male and female. These two distinct, biological, and complementary genders reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen. 1:26-27; Matt. 19:4) We believe it is a rejection of God’s design for humankind, a violation of His nature, and dishonoring to one’s self to reassign one’s biological sex. (I Cor.6:18, Rom. 1:24-27, I Cor. 11:14; Deut. 22:5)
(3) Sexuality. We believe that biological heterosexuality is God’s revealed will for humankind. We believe that a chaste and faithful expression of biological heterosexuality (whether in singleness or marriage) is what God calls all people to. We believe that all forms of sexual orientation apart from being biologically heterosexual are a result of the fall of humanity into a sinful condition that pervades every person. Whatever biological or familial roots of biologically non-heterosexuality may be discovered, we do not believe that these sanction or excuse biologically non-heterosexual behavior. Rather, they deepen our compassion and patience for those who are struggling to be free from biologically non-heterosexual temptations.
(4) Sexual Behavior. We believe that any form of sexual immorality, (including but not limited to adultery, fornication, biological non-heterosexual behavior, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Gen. 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-10; Lev. 18:1-30; Matt.15:18- 20; Rom. 1: 26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9-10; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11). We affirm that all people should find help in the church to engage in the battle against all unbiblical sexual thoughts and behaviors. We believe that the church should minister in love and truth to people who are battling against any and all forms of sexual temptation. People should be assisted in their battle, not ostracized or disdained.
(p) Family Relationships
We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society (Gen 1:26-28; 2:23-24). We believe that men and women are spiritually equal and equally valuable before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual roles for men and women in the home. The husband (male) is to be the head of his wife (female), and is to love his wife as Christ loved the church (Eph 5:23). The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ (Eph 5:22-24). Children are an heritage from the Lord (Ps. 127:3-5). Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. (Deut. 6:4-9; Prov. 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Eph 6:4) Children are to obey their parents and honor them. (Eph 6:1-3; Ex. 20:12)
(q) Sanctity of Life and Abortion
We believe that the direct taking of an innocent human life is a moral evil, regardless of the intention. We believe that life comes from God, it is a gift of God, and must be respected from conception until natural death.
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the physical or mental well being of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Ps. 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)
We believe that an act or omission which, of itself or by intention, facilitates premature death, is assuming a decision that is to be reserved for God. We do not believe that discontinuing medical procedures that are extraordinary or disproportionate to the expected outcome is euthanasia. (Ex. 20:13; 23:7; Matt. 5:21; Acts 17:28)
(r) Lawsuits Between Believers
We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (1 Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:31-32)
(s) Evangelism and Missions
The great commission given by Christ is to proclaim the Gospel to every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group. The task of winning souls, together with proclaiming the Lordship of Christ, comprises the chief work of the Church.
We believe that God has given every believer the privilege and responsibility to share in the work of the gospel, both locally and globally. We encourage believers to be prepared for such opportunities wherever they are. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20)
(t) Giving
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for 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. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made. (Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34- 37; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17)
