WHAT WE BELIEVE 

ABOUT GOD
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He is infinite, eternal, almighty, and perfect in holiness, truth, and love. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (i.e., the “Trinity”). These three are equal in divine perfections and are one God. (Gen. 1:1, 26-27; John 1:1-3; Daniel 4:34-35; Deut. 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 90:2; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 22:13; Rev. 4:8; Deut. 32:4; 1 John 4:8; Matt. 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Cor. 13:14)

ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and is fully human and fully divine. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless human life and taught the way of God’s kingdom while performing miracles. He offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin by dying on the cross. He arose from the dead after three days, demonstrating God’s power over sin and death. For a period of 40 days after his resurrection, he was seen by over 500 people before ascending to heaven. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father and offers continual intercession for His people. He is Lord of all and is the head of His body, the Church. (John 1:14; Romans 1:3-4; 1 Tim. 2:5; Titus 2:13; Matt. 1:18-25; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Cor. 15:1-8; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 7:25; Col. 1:18)

ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is present in the world to make us aware of our need for Jesus Christ, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides Christians with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. Christians seek to live under his control daily.  (II Cor. 3:17; John 16:7-13; Ephesians 1:13; Acts 1:8; I Cor. 2:12; Galatians 5:22-26; 1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Cor. 6:19)

ABOUT PEOPLE AND SIN
God made man male and female in His own image, as the crown of creation, that we might have fellowship with Him. Tempted by Satan, man rebelled against God, incurring physical, spiritual, and eternal death, which is separation from God. As a consequence, we are marred by an inward depravity and now live under the dominion of sin and Satan. Human beings are hostile toward God and are lost and without hope apart from salvation in Christ.  (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Col. 3:10; Genesis 3:6-8; Romans 5:12-21; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:19-20; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2; Eph. 2:1-3).

ABOUT SALVATION
Jesus Christ is the gospel. The good news is revealed in his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Salvation is a gift of grace from God to humankind, given through faith for the glory of God. We can never make up for our sin by self improvement or good works. On the cross, Jesus was our sacrificial substitute, redeeming us from the dominion of the devil, removing our guilt, and appeasing the wrath of God’s just and holy verdict against our sin. It is only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s sacrifice for sin that we can be saved from the wrath of God. Those who turn away from sin in repentance and look to Jesus Christ receive the gift of eternal life and are declared righteous by God.  (Eph. 2:8; Galatians 2:16; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet 3:18; Romans 3:21-26; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8; Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9; Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30; Romans 5:9; Romans 8:1; 1 Thess. 5:9)

ABOUT THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible (the 66 books of the Old and New Testament) is God’s Word, fully inspired and without error. It was written by human authors who were under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so that what they wrote is the Word of God. It is the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.  (Mark 13:31; Prov. 20:5; Psalm 119:105, 160; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; John 20:31; Acts 20:32; Matt. 4:4)

ABOUT ETERNITY
All of us were created to exist forever. We will either exist in union with God through the work of Jesus Christ, or eternally separated from God by sin. The place of eternal separation from God is called Hell, and it is a place of eternal punishment for sin. Heaven is the place of eternal union and eternal life with God. Those belonging to Jesus Christ will have eternal life in the new heaven and new earth and will live in ever-increasing joy, to the glory of God.  (John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; 2 Thess. 1:7b-10; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 21:27)

ABOUT ASSURANCE
Because salvation is a gift of God, the believer is secure in this salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self effort of the Christian.  (John 10:29; 2 Tim. 1:12; Hebrews 10:10-14; I Peter 1:3-5)

ABOUT THE CHURCH
The Church is the living spiritual body of Christ on earth. Jesus is the head and the source of its life. The church is the creation of God through His Word and the Spirit, calling human beings out of sin into the fellowship of Christ’s body. All true believers in Christ are members of the universal Church and should be in a vital and committed relationship with a local church so they can grow in their faith, worship and fellowship with other believers, and make a united impact upon the world. Christ has given gift ministries to the church for the equipping of his body that it might mature and grow. God’s people receive pastoral care and leadership and the opportunity to employ their God-given gifts in his service in relation to one another and the world.  (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:23; 1 Cor. 12:12,27; Hebrews 10:23-25; Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:11-16)

ABOUT CHRISTIAN CONDUCT
The Christian is called and empowered, as a response to salvation, to live out the Great Commandment – to love God with all our heart and soul and our neighbors as ourselves; and the Great Commission – to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey all Jesus commanded us. A follower of Jesus Christ should fulfill this calling for the glory of God; seeking to be blameless in conduct, a faithful steward of his possessions, intently seeking to live a life filled with the Spirit of God and revealing the fruit of the Spirit.  (Luke 10:27; Matt. 28:19-20; 1 Cor. 10:31; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 9:6-9; Col. 1:9-10)

ABOUT THE COVENANT
We are a covenant keeping church. God enters into a covenant of grace (an unchangeable, divinely imposed agreement) with those whom he calls to be his sons and daughters. Christ serves as a mediator of this new covenant in which he fulfills the conditions for us and reconciles us to God. Covenant people enter into this covenantal relationship through faith in Jesus Christ and express that covenant by obedience to God’s commands, living our lives as His children and keeping covenant in our own relationships with our spouses, family, and all believers in all places.  (Genesis 3:15, 12:1-3, 17:7, 22:16-18; Galatians 3:8-9, 14-16; Romans 4:11-12, 15:8-9; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ephesians 3:7-12; Romans 8:12-14; Ephesians 4:1, 5:21; Deut. 7:9)

ABOUT THE SACRAMENTS
We believe there are two sacraments given by Christ to strengthen our faith as members of His Church. The first is Baptism which is a sign and seal of God’s eternal covenant of grace for us and our children. We do not believe that the act of baptism saves a person. Baptism of an infant symbolizes the presence of the Holy Spirit beginning a work and inclusion in a local church family. It is not a sign of that child’s salvation. Baptism of believers symbolizes the washing away of our sins through the blood of Christ and demonstrates our union with Christ in His death and resurrection.  The second is the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is to be observed only by those who have become followers of Christ. The broken bread symbolizes the broken body of Christ. The cup symbolizes the blood of Christ poured out at the Cross for our salvation. Christ is spiritually present in the bread and juice. As we partake of the Supper with an attitude of faith and self-examination, we remember and proclaim the death of Christ, receive spiritual nourishment for our souls, and signify our unity with other members of Christ’s body.  (Acts 2:39; Matt. 28:19; Romans 6:3; Acts 16:30; 1 Cor. 11:23-29)

ABOUT FINAL THINGS
When history has run the course laid out in God’s divine plan, Jesus will visibly return in power and glory to judge the world and to complete his total victory over sin, death and Satan through the resurrection of the dead, the judgment of the just and unjust, and the establishment of His kingdom in the New Heavens and Earth. Those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord will live with him forever, serving God and giving Him unending praise and glory. Those who have not trusted in Christ will be eternally separated from God, enduring eternal punishment for sin. All followers of Christ from all history will be with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for eternity in glorious fellowship. Every tear will be wiped away and death will be swallowed up in victory!   (Acts 1:9-11; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Revelation 1:7; Matt. 16:27; 1 Peter 4:5; Matthew 25:31-56; Revelation 20:11-15; 1 Cor. 15:20-28; Revelation 21:1-5)

ABOUT MARRIAGE AND FAMILY 
We believe that marriage was ordained by God at creation as the sacred union of one man and one woman. All sexual relations must therefore be reserved for that union. Christian marriage is a representation of Christ’s relationship to His church. We also believe that children are a blessing from the Lord. Thus, all human life is sacred and worthy of protection from the moment of conception.

(Genesis 1:26-28; 2:24; Psalm 127-128; 139:13-16; Matthew 19:1-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:22-33; Hebrew 13:4)