What We Believe

Below are some of the core doctrinal beliefs and stances of our church:

 

  1. The Scriptures
    We believe the Holy Bible is a supernatural book, that it is the very Word of God, and that in the sixty-six books the full, final, and complete will of God is revealed to man. We believe the author of the Bible is God, the Holy Spirit, and by inspiration, we mean the plenary verbal inspiration; that holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. We believe that the King James Bible is the word of God for the English speaking peoples and as such we reject the modern paraphrased versions, the common language versions, and all others, as they delete the pure meaning of redemption and do injustice to the Deity of Christ. We believe and teach that the Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. (II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 119:89; Revelation 22:18-19)
     

  2. The Trinity
    We believe God is revealed in the Trinity as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which exist, in the same divine nature, essence, and being. (I John 5:7) We believe that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communications of the Holy Spirit are with us. (II Corinthians 13:14)

    1. God, the Father

      1. We believe and teach that there is one, and only one, true and living God. (Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:39-40)

      2. We believe that He created the universe, man, and all that is therein, and that the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2, 26)

      3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, was in the beginning. (John 1:1-2)
         

    2. Jesus Christ, the Son

      1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; II Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8)

      2. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitute sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24-25; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 2:24; I Peter 1:3-5)

      3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24, 7:25; I John 2:1-2)
         

    3. The Holy Spirit
      We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine being, equal with the Father and the Son, and is of the same nature (John 14:16-17). The Holy Spirit was active in the creation (Genesis 1:26) and is active in four basic areas today:

      1. He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled (Ephesians 4:30);

      2. He convicts the world of sin, judgment, and righteousness (John 16:7-8);

      3. He is the agent of the New Birth and as such He indwells, seals, guides, and directs the believer (Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 12:11,13; Romans 8:26-27);

      4. He is the Teacher, Comforter, and Guide of the New Testament Church (Luke 12:12; John 14:16-17, 26; 16:13);

      5. He does not work today through the nine sign gifts (I Corinthians 1:22).
         

  3. The Devil
    We believe that the Devil is a created being, which once resided in heaven, but because of pride was cast out of heaven. (Colossians 1:16; Ezekiel 28:11-19)

    1. He is the god of this world and the Prince of the Power of the air (John 14:30; Ephesians 2:2);

    2. His final abode shall be the lake of fire, which is the eternal place of judgment, prepared for the Devil and his angels (Revelation 20:1-10).
       

  4. The Creation
    We Believe the Genesis record of creation is literal, and not allegorical or figurative; that God personally created the heaven and the earth in a direct act, that he brought forth all original matter out of nothing. We believe that God created man in His own image. (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3; Hebrews 11:3; Colossians 1:16-17; Genesis 1:26-27)
     

  5. The Fall of Man
    We believe that God created man in total innocence and holiness. Man, by voluntary disobedience to the command of God, fell from this state of innocence and holiness and as a consequence became a sinner alienated from God and brought upon him and all mankind just condemnation. Man is now, by virtue of his fallen nature, void of holiness, positively inclined to evil and is condemned to eternal damnation. (Genesis 1:26, 3:6-24; Romans 5:12, 19)
     

  6. The Virgin Birth
    We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; born of the Virgin Mary as no other man was born or can be born of woman. He is both God the Son and the Son of God. (Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1, 14; Matthew 1:18-25; Isaiah 7:14)
     

  7. The Atonement for Sin
    We believe that the lost sinner is guilty and under just condemnation and is by nature alien to God and because of sin condemned to die that the blood atonement for sin was provided through the vicarious death of the Jesus Christ; who by divine appointment freely took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, that He through obedience during His earthly walk honored the divine law by keeping it, and through His death on the cross satisfied the law for the penalty of sin by the shedding of His blood. (Romans 3:23-25; Hebrews 9:14, 22; I John 1:7; John 10:17-18; Isaiah 53:5-6; Hebrews 12:22; Philippians 2:5-11; Leviticus 17:11; Revelation 1:5)
     

  8. The Doctrine of Grace
    We believe that grace is the gift of unmerited favor given by God to all who will accept Christ. The gift of God’s grace is seen in two distinct ways in the scriptures. First God’s grace results in salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (I Corinthians 15:3-4) We also believe that it is the opportunity of all mankind to accept salvation, by faith, and those who voluntarily reject salvation will face eternal separation from God in a literal place of punishment called the Lake of Fire. This salvation wrought by grace assures the believer of:

    1. Forgiveness of sin (I John 1:9);

    2. Eternal life (John 3:15-16; 5:24);

    3. Conforming to the image of Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20-21; Romans 8:29; 12:2);

    4. Eternal security in Jesus Christ. Beyond the grace that brings salvation we also can know the grace of God needed to meet our daily needs. Whenever we have needs or wants we can take them to the Lord in prayer and allow God’s grace to be sufficient for us. (I Peter 1:5; I John 5:11-13; Matthew 6:33-34)
       

  9. Repentance and Faith
    We believe that repentance and faith in Christ are absolute and inseparable prerequisites for salvation; that these inseparable graces are wrought in the heart by the quickening power of the Holy Spirit, and as the sinner is deeply convicted of his guilt and helplessness he turns to the Lord Jesus Christ in repentance, surrendering himself wholeheartedly to Christ, receiving Him as personal Lord and Savior. When this is accomplished the sinner is immediately born again. (Acts 2:37-38, 3:19, 20:21; II Corinthians 7:9-10; Mark 115; Matthew 3:1-2; Romans 5:1-2; Hebrews 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)
     

  10. The Doctrine of the Church
    We believe that the local, visible assembly of called-out believers into a public place of worship and service is the type of church Jesus said that he would build. This church is the only church Jesus built and all others are not true churches. We do not believe in an invisible or universal church. We believe that Jesus Christ founded the local New Testament Church during His own personal ministry and that entrance into this church is by way of salvation and scriptural baptism. We believe that each New Testament Church is an independent congregation and is not governed or controlled by an ecclesiastical hierarchy. The will of the local church is final. (Ephesians 3:21; Acts 2:41-47, 16:4-5; I Timothy 3:15; Matthew 16:18)
     

  11. The Church Ordinances
    We believe that the New Testament Church has two ordinances as set forth by Jesus Christ. These ordinances are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that although these ordinances are very important they have no part in earning eternal salvation.
     

    1. Scriptural Baptism began with the ministry of John the Baptist. John’s baptism ushered in the New Testament dispensation. Our Lord Jesus Christ accepted this baptism as the fulfillment of all righteousness and used those baptized by John to formulate the first New Testament Church. For baptism to be scriptural it must have:

      1. Proper candidate (Acts 2:41; Romans 6:3-5);

      2. Proper mode (Acts 8:36-39);

      3. Proper motive (Matthew 3:13-17);

      4. Proper authority (Matthew 28:19-20).
         

    2. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial service administered by the authority and instruction of the New Testament Church. It is designed as a time for the church family to remember Christ’s sacrifice by His shed blood and broken body on Calvary’s cross. This ordinance is for church members only, and should not be partaken of by any outside that particular church. Church members must be in a right relationship with the Lord and the other church members to participate. (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:14-20; I Corinthians 11:23-29)
      We believe that proper observance of these ordinances will work to draw the church into a closer communion with each other and with the Lord.
       

  12. The Resurrection, Rapture, and Return of Christ

    1. We believe that Jesus Christ arose from the grave; that His resurrection was not simply spiritual but was a physical, bodily resurrection necessary for His perfect salvation plan. (Matthew 28:5-6; Mark 16:5-6; Luke 24:2-8; John 20:1-10; I Corinthians 15:3-4)

    2. We also believe in a two-fold resurrection of those who dwell on earth. The Saints of God will be resurrected at the time of the rapture and the Christ-rejecter will be resurrected to stand before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment. (Daniel 12:2; John 5:25, 28-29; Acts 24:15)

    3. We believe the rapture to be the moment Jesus Christ will call away all believers before the great tribulation period. (Daniel 12:1; Romans 5:9; I Thessalonians 4:16-5:5, 9)

    4. At the end of this tribulation period the Saints will return with Christ to earth where we will rule and reign with Him for 1,000 years. (Revelation 20:4-6)

    5. The rapture of the Saints is an imminent truth. (Matthew 24:42-44; I Thessalonians 4:17; James 5:8; Revelation 3:3)

       

  13. The Grace of Giving
    We believe that giving in the Local Church is a gift from God and that God’s desire is that we abound in this gift. We believe that there are two types of giving found in the scriptures, these being: 1) command offerings, and 2) free-will offerings. The command offering is the tithe of all our increase while the free-will offerings can fall under a variety of categories and is given out of a heart of love for God and his church. We believe all church members are to be involved in giving cheerfully, openly, willingly, and regularly. (I Corinthians 16:1-2; II Corinthians 9:6-8; Deuteronomy 14:22; Proverbs 3:9-10; Malachi 3:8-10; Genesis 28:22)
     

  14. The Plan of Salvation

    1. You need to be saved: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3: 23; see also Romans 3:10-12 and John 3:18-19)

    2. You cannot save yourself: “Not by the works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” (Titus 3:5; See also Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:28)

    3. God has provided for your salvation: “Wherefore He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25) “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16; see also Isaiah 45:22, Romans 3:24-26)

    4. Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6; Also, Acts 4:10-12)

    5. God wants to save you: “The Lord is not slack, concerning His promise as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9; See also Matthew 11:28)

    6. God can save you now: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13) “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name;” (John 1:12-13; see also John 3:3-7, 16)