Statement of Faith

The Scriptures

We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, fully inspired without error, and the infallible rule of faith and practice. The Word of God is the foundation upon which the church operates and is the basis upon which the church is governed. We believe that the Word of God supersedes any earthly law that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures (Isaiah 28:13; Nehemiah 8:8; John 17:17; II Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; I Peter 1:23-25; II Peter 1:3-4, 21).

The Trinity

We believe that there is one living and true GOD, eternally existing in three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all things (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:8, 48:16; Matthew 28:19-20; John 10:30; Hebrews 1:3).

God the Father

We believe in the person of God the Father, an infinite, eternal, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love; 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 those who come to Him through Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2, 102:27; John 3:16, 4:24; I Timothy 1:17; Titus 1:3).

God the Son

We believe in the person of Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings, his substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people and personal, visible return to earth (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; Mark 16:19; Luke 1:34-35; John 1:1-2, 8:58,11:25; I Corinthians 15:3-4; I Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:8; I John 1:2; Revelation 1:8).

God the Holy Spirit

We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, Who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower for ministry all who believe in Christ (John 16:8-11; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:26, 15:13,16; II Corinthians 3:18; Hebrews 9:14). We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide (John 16:13, 14:16-17, 16:8-11; Romans 8:26). We believe in the Baptism with the Holy Spirit as a distinct and separate experience to that of regeneration, occurring either subsequent to or simultaneous with salvation, evidenced by a greater dynamic in the Christian’s life, enabling that person to be a bold and more effective witness. The supreme evidence of the Spirit-filled life is the fruit of the Spirit, love. We believe in the present-day ministry of the Holy Spirit in regard to the exercise of all biblical gifts of the Holy Spirit according to the instructions given to us (1 Corinthians 12-14).

Sin

We believe that all people are sinners by nature and choice, falling short of God’s standard and breaking His commandments – and therefore are under God’s righteous judgment. Yet, God saves and gives new life to all who come to Him in repentance and faith, trusting in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. At the cross, Jesus Christ died in our place as our substitute, absorbing God’s wrath that should have come upon us. Because Jesus died for the sins of the world, the invitation to believe is open to all, and whoever desires may come unto Jesus for new life and the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 11:28; John 3:16; Acts 3:19, 20:21; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:1-3, 8-9; I John 2:2; Revelation 22:17).

Ordinances

We believe that the Lord, Jesus Christ, instituted two ordinances for the church: the full-immersion water baptism of believers and the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Heaven and Hell

We believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell and that all those who place their faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord. Those who reject Jesus’ free gift of salvation will spend eternity separated from the Lord (Psalm 9:17; Matthew 5:3, 5:22, 18:9, 25:31-34; Mark 9:42-49; Luke 12:5; John 3:18; Hebrews 12:23; I Peter 1:4; Revelation 14:10-11, 20:11-15).

Christ’s Second Coming

We believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, which is His personal, visible return to Earth and the establishment of His millennial kingdom, in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous and endless separation of the wicked (Matthew 16:27; Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:11-15). We believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church where all believers will meet the Lord in the air and be taken out of this world prior to the Tribulation that will come upon the earth (Isaiah 26:20; Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 21:36; Romans 1:18, 5:9; I Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-16, 5:9; II Peter 2:7-9; Revelation 3:10, 5:7-10, 7:13-14).

Marriage

We believe that God created man and that He created them male and female. As such, He created them differently so as to complement and complete each other. God instituted monogamous marriage between a man and a woman as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. Therefore, marriage between a man and woman is in accordance with the Bible, consistent with the Old and New Testaments (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; John 4:16-18; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 5:11, 6:9-11,18-20, 7:1-3,8-9; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-7; 1 Timothy 1:9-11).

Philosophy of Ministry

Biblical Exposition

We place great emphasis on the exposition of Scripture and teaching the entire Bible chapter-by-chapter and verse-by-verse. We believe that the Spirit of God works through the Word of God in the hearts of the people of God. Exposition is more than merely speaking about the bible or from the Bible; it is the proclamation of the Bible itself. The work of the expositor is to determine what God has said in Scripture and then to convey it to God’s people so that God’s own voice is heard.

We believe that Bible exposition is inductive: directing the listener to the Bible’s own truth without preconceived ideas. We believe that Bible exposition is exegetical: demanding a critical examination of the text with accuracy and basing one's message upon observable principles of interpretation.

Christ Centered Worship

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

When the Lord created man in His image (Gen 1:26), we were created with the glorious capacity to be a reflection of the Lord Himself. We were created to literally share His life, His nature, His character, His love, joy, and peace. Thus, man at his highest identity is found as he shares his life with the Lord, and the Lord shares His life with us. Thus, we were made to worship the Lord as He is so worthy to receive glory and honor and power, as we have been made to bring him pleasure. And nothing brings more pleasure to man than when man is pleasing God.

Equipping the Saints

Here is the simplicity of it:

Win people to Jesus
Disciple that person in Jesus
Send that person out in the world for Jesus

Evangelism

The word evangelism simply means “the spreading of the good news of Jesus Christ by personal witness or public preaching.” Or “a zealous advocacy of a cause.”

It’s because Jesus Christ gave Himself for us on the cross that He might give Himself to us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that He might live His life through us, sharing the good news. We believe in and love sharing the good news of Jesus and do it with zeal.

Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15 ).

Jesus also said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19-20).

And Jesus said “ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Thus, our Lord Jesus gave to the Body of Christ the incredible privilege and blessing and responsibility and call to go into all the world and share the glorious news that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners and to make disciples.

A foundational aspect here is the teaching of the Word of God. After His resurrection, Jesus emphasized the teaching of the Word to Peter when He asked him, “Lovest thou me?” which Peter affirmed, and then Jesus told him, “Then feed My sheep.” And the result of good teaching is evangelism. As Pastor Chuck Smith often said, “Healthy sheep beget sheep.” And that is evangelism to us.

Evangelism first reveals itself primarily through the Christian’s life. Paul says that Christians are “living epistles, known and read of all men” (II Corinthians 3:2). Thus, the great majority of Christians through history have come through the personal witness of Christians. There are many varied methods of preaching Christ; in public open-air evangelistic meetings, missionary outreaches around the world, and through many media forms.

Our desire is “to know Him and make Him known.”

God’s Grace and Love

Grace has been defined as God’s unmerited favor. In contrasting grace, mercy, and justice, I see that justice is getting what I deserve, mercy is not getting what I deserve, and grace is getting what I don’t deserve. I don’t deserve the blessing that He bestows daily on my life.

Thus, our proper attitude should be to consent to be loved, though we are aware of how unworthy we are of that love; to refuse to make resolutions and vows to be better, for that is to trust in our flesh; to expect to be blessed, though we know how unworthy we are of those blessings. Satan would have me focus on myself, and when I do, I can see many reasons for God to withhold His blessings, but when I focus on His grace, I expect and receive abundant blessings that never stop.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit/Gifts

The task of reaching the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ is impossible. Impossible, that is, without the equipping and enabling of the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge that to live for and serve the Lord, we need the dynamic imparted by the Lord Jesus through baptism with the Holy Spirit. He has called us, commissioned us, and promised to equip us (Acts 1:8). The promise of this power (Dýnamis) is a gift for every believer (Acts 2:39) subsequent to the Holy Spirit’s work of regeneration, and to be received by faith as a separate and distinct work of grace to that of salvation. The Lord has also promised to equip His servants with spiritual gifts for the work of the ministry (I Corinthians 12:4-11). These gifts are for all believers to experience as the Lord wills and did not cease to be manifest at the end of the apostolic age.