Doctrinal Statement
The Scriptures We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life (II Peter 1:21; II Tim. 3:16-17)
The Godhead We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – yet who are one in essence and equal in every divine perfection (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 3:13-17; Matt. 28:19; II Cor. 13:14).
Jesus Christ We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary and is true God and true man (Matt. 1:18-20; John 1:1-2, 14). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the basis of His shed blood(I Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:21; Rom. 3:21-26). We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into Heaven, and His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate(Matt. 28-1-10; Acts 1:9; Heb. 7:25-28). We believe in “that blessed hope,” the personal, pre-millennial and imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (I Thess. 4:14-17; I Cor. 15:51-53; I Thess. 5:9; Rom. 5:9).
The Holy Spirit We believe in the Holy Spirit, Who is one of the three Persons of the Trinity. We believe that among His ministries are: the restraining of evil in the world to the measure of the divine will; the conviction of the world regarding sin, righteousness, and judgement; the regeneration of all believers; the indwelling of those who are saved; and the continued filling for power, teaching, and service of all among the saved who are truly yielded to Him (II Thess. 2:7; John 3:6; 16:7-11; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 4:30; 5:18). We believe that some gifts of the Holy Spirit were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the filling or baptism of the Spirit. We believe that God, in accord with His own will, does hear and answer the prayer for the sick and afflicted (I Cor. 12:11, 30; 13:8: James 5:14-16).
Salvation We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and in practice become sinners in thought, word, and deed(Gen. 1:26-27; 3:1-24; Rom. 5:12-21; Eph. 2:1-6). We believe that salvation is the gift of God, brought to men by grace and received through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of sins. Salvation is solely by grace through faith in the blood of Christ and apart from human merit. All those who believe are regenerated sons of God (Eph. 2:8-9; John 1:12; 3:5-7). We believe that all the elect of God are kept by God’s power and are secure in Christ forever (John 10:27-30; Rom. 8:31-39).
Sanctification We believe that sanctification is presented in three senses in the Scriptures: (1) every saved person has been sanctified through the death of Christ; (2) is being sanctified by the Holy Spirit; and (3) will be completely sanctified at his glorification. Every believer has two natures, a new one and an old one that cannot be eradicated during this life (Heb. 10:10; John 17:17; Eph. 5:25-27; I Thess. 4:13-18; Gal. 5:17; Rom. 7:18-25).
Separation We believe in the Biblical doctrine of separation which encompasses three things: (1) the separation of the local church from all affiliation and fellowship with those who deny the verities of the Christian faith and from those who are content to walk in fellowship with unbelief and inclusivism; (2) the separation of the individual believer from all worldly practices that would dishonor the Savior, and; (3) the separation of the church and the state (II Tim. 3:1-5; Rom 12:1-2; 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John 9:11; Matt. 22:21).
Church We believe in the Church – a living, spiritual body of which Christ is the Head, and of which all regenerated people in this age are a part. We believe that the Church is a body peculiar to the age of grace and is entirely distinct from the nation of Israel. We believe that a local church is a company of believers in Jesus Christ, immersed upon a credible confession of faith, and associated together for worship, work, and fellowship. We believe that the local church is autonomous, the center of God’s program for this age, and that every Christian is bound by Scripture to give his unhindered cooperation to the ministry of his local church (Matt. 16:16-18; I Cor. 12:12-17; Acts 2:42-47; I Tim. 3:15-16).
The Ordinances We believe that the Scriptural ordinances of the Church are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; that Baptism, by immersion, should be administered to believers only, as a symbol of their belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and as a testimony to the world of their belief and of their death, burial, and resurrection with Him, and that the Lord’s Supper should be partaken of by believers only, to show forth His death till He comes (Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:36-39; Rom 6:3-5; I Cor. 11:23-32).
The Great Commission We believe in the spreading of the Gospel as Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).
Last Things We believe in the imminent rapture of the Church to Heaven followed by a seven year period of tribulation upon all the earth. At the end of this period of tribulation, Jesus Christ shall come back to earth in power and glory with His Church to establish the promised Davidic Kingdom. He shall reign for one thousand years, during which time peace and righteousness will cover the earth, Satan will be bound, and Israel shall be established in her own land. At the end of this glorious reign, Satan shall lead a rebellion against Christ, shall be defeated, and shall be forever banished to the lake of fire. The wicked dead shall be judged at the Great White Throne, and shall be condemned to everlasting conscious punishment in the lake of fire. The righteous shall be in eternal conscious blessedness in the presence of the Lord(John 14:3; Matt. 24:21; Rev. 19:11-16; 21:1-15; Ezek. 39:25-29; I Thess. 4:17).