GOD

We believe that there is one God: infinite, eternal, almighty and perfect in holiness, truth and love. In the unity of the godhead, there are three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-existent, co-equal and co-eternal. The Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Holy Spirit, yet each is truly Deity. One God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is the foundation of Christian faith and life.

JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the eternal Word made flesh, supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He is perfect in nature, teaching, and obedience. He is fully God and was fully man. He was before all things and in Him all things are held together by the word of His power. He is the only Savior for the sins of the world, having shed His blood and died on Calvary’s cross. By His death in our place, He revealed the divine love and upheld divine justice, removing our guilt and reconciling us to God. Having redeemed us from sin, the third day He rose bodily from the grave, victorious over death and the powers of darkness and for a period of forty days appeared to over five hundred witnesses performing many convincing proofs of His resurrection. He ascended into heaven where, at God’s right hand, He intercedes for His people and rules as Lord over all. He is the Head of His body, the church, and should be adored, loved, served and obeyed by all.

HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. Through the proclamation of the gospel, He persuades men to repent of their sins and confess Jesus as Lord. The Holy Spirit unites believers to Jesus Christ in faith, brings about the new birth, and dwells within the new person. The Holy Spirit has come to glorify the Son who in turn came to glorify the Father. He will lead the church into a right understanding and rich application of the truth of God’s Word.

 

THE SCRIPTURES

We accept the Bible, including the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament, as the written Word of God. The Bible is an essential and infallible record of God’s self-disclosure to mankind. It was verbally and plenary-inspired, and is the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore is infallible and inerrant in all matters of which it speaks. It leads us to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Being given by God, the Scriptures are both fully and verbally inspired by Him. Therefore, as originally given, the Bible is free of error in all it teaches. We do believe that the Scriptures are the authoritative and normative rule and guide of all Christian life, practice and doctrine. The Scriptures must not be added to or changed.

MAN

God made man, both male and female, in His own image, as the crown of creation, that man might have fellowship with Him. Man was tempted by Satan and rebelled against God. Being separated from his Maker, he became subject to divine wrath, inwardly depraved and apart from a special work of grace, utterly incapable of returning to God. This depravity extends to his mind, will and affections. The unsaved man lives under the dominion of sin and Satan. He is at enmity with God, hostile toward God, and hateful of God. Fallen, sinful people, whatever their character or attainments, are lost and without hope apart from salvation in Christ.

THE GOSPEL

The good news is revealed in the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Christ’s crucifixion is the heart of the gospel, His resurrection is the power of the gospel, and His ascension is the glory of the gospel. Christ took the place of sinful man on the cross. It satisfies the demands of God’s holy justice and appeases His holy wrath. It also demonstrates His mysterious love and reveals His amazing grace. Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man. There is no other name by which men must be saved. At the heart of all sound doctrine is the cross of Jesus Christ and the infinite privilege that redeemed sinners have of glorifying God because of what He has accomplished. The cross is at the center of the gospel.

SALVATION

Man’s response to the gospel is rooted and grounded in the free and unconditional election of God for His own pleasure and glory. It is also true that the message of the gospel is only effectual to those who genuinely repent of their sins and by God’s grace put saving faith in Christ. This gospel of grace is to be sincerely preached to all men in all nations. Biblical repentance is characterized by a changed life, and saving faith is evidenced by kingdom service or works. While neither repentance nor works save by themselves, unless a person is willing to deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow Christ, he cannot become His disciple.

THE CHURCH

The church is not a religious institution or denomination. Rather, the church body is made up of those who have become genuine followers of Jesus Christ and have personally accepted the gospel. The church exists to worship and glorify God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It also exists to serve Him by faithfully doing His will in the earth. This involves a commitment to see the gospel preached and churches planted in the entire world. The ultimate mission of the church is the making of disciples through the preaching of the gospel.

All Christians are to be a vital and committed part of a local church. In this context, they are called to demonstrate the reality of the kingdom of God. The ascended Christ has given gift ministries to the church (including apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) for the equipping of Christ’s body that it might mature and grow. Through the ministries, all members of the church are to be nurtured and equipped for the work of the ministry. In the context of the local church, 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 to the world.