CORE BELIEFS.
ABOUT GOD...
We believe there is one, true God who is the creator and sustainer of the heavens and the earth. God is eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe—the beginning and the end of all things. We believe that God longs to be in relationship with all of humanity and that He cares deeply about the things that take place in this world. We believe that God alone is sovereign and completely trustworthy with every area of our lives.
About Jesus Christ...
We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, atoning death on the cross, bodily resurrection, bodily ascension into heaven, and His personal return once again in power and glory. We believe that Jesus died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice, paying the penalty for our sins (Mark 10:45) and that three days later He was raised from the dead demonstrating victory over sin and death.
ABOUT SALVATION...
We believe that salvation cannot be gained by human effort, but only through God's grace in the redemption He provided in Jesus Christ, a redemption which is responded to by faith and which leads to a life devoted to obeying God. This salvation is available to anyone who puts their faith and trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Everyone who trusts in Jesus should be willing to leave their life of sin, confess their belief and be baptized into the name of Jesus. Only by the grace of God are we made righteous before God.
aBOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT...
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and that Christians are enabled to live a godly life by His dwelling in us. The Holy Spirit also empowers believers for service. We recognize the Holy Spirit as a co-equal with God the Father and God the Son. We also believe that the Holy Spirit lives in each member of God’s family as a helper, comforter and guide. The Holy Spirit plays an active role in our lives as Christians as we seek to do what is right, serve others and share Jesus. Specifically, we believe that the Holy Spirit is a free gift to all believers in Christ Jesus (to those who have placed their hope and trust in Jesus, have confessed him as Lord and have been baptized).
ABOUT THE CHURCH
We believe in the ordinances authorized for the Church in the New Testament, namely adult Baptism (immersion in water) and the Lord's Supper. Immersion, as commanded and exemplified in the New Testament, is a burial in water with Christ for the remission of sins and resurrection to a new life with Him in the Spirit (Romans 6:3-4). The scriptures record that the early Church frequently observed the Lord's Supper as instructed by Jesus (I Corinthians 11:23-26; Acts 2:42; 20:7). Therefore, we take communion each Sunday.
We believe Jesus Christ is the head of His Church (Ephesians 1:22-23) and that authority for life and doctrine rests in Him. (Hebrews 1:1-14). We believe that the purpose of the Church is to glorify God by building its members up in the faith, by instruction of the word, by fellowship, and by advancing and communicating the gospel to the entire world. The formation of the Church, the body of Christ, began on the Day of Pentecost and will be completed at the coming of Christ.
We believe Jesus Christ is the head of His Church (Ephesians 1:22-23) and that authority for life and doctrine rests in Him. (Hebrews 1:1-14). We believe that the purpose of the Church is to glorify God by building its members up in the faith, by instruction of the word, by fellowship, and by advancing and communicating the gospel to the entire world. The formation of the Church, the body of Christ, began on the Day of Pentecost and will be completed at the coming of Christ.
ABOUT THE BIBLE...
aBOUT HUMANITY...
We believe that the Bible is God’s written Word. Although it was written by humans, it is divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit and it is without error or mistake. Literally speaking, we believe that the Bible is “God breathed”, is without error and is the source of absolute truth in our lives. By reading the Bible, we can discover what it means to have a relationship with God, who God is and why he loves us! Simply stated, we believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God. We accept both Old and New Testaments as inspirational and authoritative in nature.
We believe that, according to the Bible, we were all created in the image of the invisible God. However, we also believe that everyone needs the grace of God (salvation) because we have all sinned and have fallen short of God’s expectations for us as humans. As a result, sin has separated us from God who longs to be in a relationship with his creation/humanity. We eagerly anticipate the day when God will make all things new under Heaven and earth—completely restoring our fallen world that is currently plagued and marred by sin.
ABOUT marriage and sexuality...
We believe the Bible clearly defines the covenant commitment of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. All expressions of sexual activity outside these bounds of marriage are therefore contrary to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures and to God’s original creative intent. (Gen. 2:20b-24; Matt. 19:4-6; I Cor. 6:9-11,18-20; Heb. 13:4).
As a result of the fall of mankind (Genesis 3), we live in a broken world and are all born with a sin nature; as a result, all of us have fallen short of God’s creative intent in various ways (Rom. 3:23), often in the area of sexuality. We pray that every person will seek redemption through Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:1-10), and we encourage those with same-sex attractions, as well as those with opposite-sex attractions, to live out the sexual ethics taught in the Scriptures. As we uphold Biblical standards, we do so with patient grace, knowing the mixed messages that are rampant in our broken world. We welcome and treat with respect, compassion, and sensitivity all who experience same-sex attractions. To extend love and dignity to others in this way is consistent with Jesus’ command to love our neighbor. (Mark 12:31).
As a result of the fall of mankind (Genesis 3), we live in a broken world and are all born with a sin nature; as a result, all of us have fallen short of God’s creative intent in various ways (Rom. 3:23), often in the area of sexuality. We pray that every person will seek redemption through Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:1-10), and we encourage those with same-sex attractions, as well as those with opposite-sex attractions, to live out the sexual ethics taught in the Scriptures. As we uphold Biblical standards, we do so with patient grace, knowing the mixed messages that are rampant in our broken world. We welcome and treat with respect, compassion, and sensitivity all who experience same-sex attractions. To extend love and dignity to others in this way is consistent with Jesus’ command to love our neighbor. (Mark 12:31).