GOD
God is the only infinite, eternal, living and true Being. He is the Creator and perfect moral Ruler of the universe. He possesses infinite wisdom and power. In the eternal unity of God there are three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 90:2, 97:2; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Peter 1:2; 1 John 4:8; Daniel 2:20; 2 Corinthians 13:14.)
GOD THE FATHER
God the Father is supreme in position and authority. He is creator & Lord of heaven and earth (ruler of the universe), he wisely plans all things & gives every good and perfect gift. He is characterized by infinite love and uncompromising justice. He chose us before the foundation of the world, makes us his beloved children & loves us with an everlasting love. (I Cor. 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; James 1:17; Matthew 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:28; Ephesians 1:4-6; Colossians 1:12-13; 1 Timothy 6:14-16; Psalm 89:14.)
GOD THE SON: JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is eternally co-equal with the Father and is fully God and fully man. He fulfilled the law by living a sinless life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for sins by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead, ascended to Heaven and will return to earth in power & glory to raise the dead, judge the world and establish His glorious kingdom. Jesus is the hope of the church. (John 1:1–5; John 1:14; John 10:30; John 14:6-7; Colossians 1:13–18; Romans1:3-4; Philippians 2:5–8; John 14:6–7; Hebrews 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:1–8; Titus 2:13; Ephesians 1:19-23)
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is eternally fully God, equal with the Father and the Son. He is present to do God’s work in the world. He cleanses, empowers, reveals, teaches, assures, prays, and unifies. The Holy Spirit brings lost and sinful people to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life. By the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence and power, the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment; seals the believer for the day of redemption and creates in us characteristics reflecting his character. (John 15:26–27; John 14:16–17 and 26; John 16:7-13 John 3:5; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Romans 8:13-14 and 27; Galatians 5:22–25; 1 Corinthians 12:7)
THE BIBLE
The Bible alone is our ultimate trustworthy authority for faith and practice. The sixty-six (66) books of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God written by men who were guided by the Holy Spirit. They are the complete revelation of God to man. They are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore, are the unique, full and final authority for faith and life. The Bible teaches us about God, and mankind; about what’s right, what’s wrong, how to correct what’s wrong and how to do what’s right. (2 Timothy 3:16–17; Psalm 119:105 and 160; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20–21; John 17:17; 1 Peter 1:23)
ABOUT PEOPLE
We are all made in the image of God, to be like Him in character and conduct. We are created to worship, glorify and delight in him forever. Evil entered the world through the fall, the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve. This produced a nature of disobedience toward God which is called sin. Sin separates us from God and leaves us subject to his righteous justice. (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Psalm 139: 13-18; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2.)
SALVATION
Salvation is a gracious gift from God to mankind. We are saved from the eternal ruin and misery of hell by the grace of God alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ who alone is our Lord, Savior, and King. It is grace that sent the Son, grace that caused the Cross, grace that sent the Spirit to open blind eyes, open deaf ears and crack hearts of stone. We believe that grace alone makes faith possible and our response through faith alone, saves. Once God gives the gift of salvation, He will never take it away. No one is righteous, no one seeks God. Ruin and misery lies ahead for all who do not obey the truth, But the gift of God in his mercy is to graciously bring those who will be saved to faith in Christ by the work of the Spirit. Salvation, eternal life with Jesus Christ, is completely a work of God’s free grace; it is not in any way the result of human works or goodness. (Romans 3:9-12, Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-9; John 14:6; John 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5.1; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:31-39; John 6:37-39; John 17:3)
THE CHURCH
The church is the community of all true believers on earth and in heaven. Its purpose is to worship and glorify God, to equip and bring believers to maturity and service; to lead others to faith in Jesus and to have ministries of mercy to believers and unbelievers. We believe in commitment to the local church. If a believer is to be truly effective, he or she must be rooted in a local assembly where they can be challenged, comforted, strengthened and used in service to God and others. The local church is cared for and led by a plurality of elders under the authority of Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd. (Acts 2:42; I Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 2:19-22; Hebrews 10:25; Ephesians 4:11–13;1 Peter 2:9; Philippians 1:1)
BAPTISM
Baptism is a picture of our union and identification with Christ’s death and resurrection. By participating in water baptism believers are giving an outward sign of the reality that the Holy Spirit has baptized them into Christ. It is a public identification with Jesus Christ as Savior. It also pictures cleansing from sin. It symbolizes the idea of repentance and washing away our sins as seen in Paul’s baptism, in John’s baptisms and in Jewish ceremonial washings. We believe that the proper form of baptism is by immersion when possible. (Romans 6:2–6;1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27–28; Colossians 2:11–12; Acts 22:16.)
THE LORD'S SUPPER
The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ work. It is a symbol and a memorial leading to humility and thanksgiving for the blessing of Jesus’ death for us. We give witness to our belief in the effectiveness of His shed blood for the remission of sin. In communion, we recognize that we are always in his presence by means of the Spirit, but communion draws us more fully and consciously into his presence – fellowshipping with Him, recognizing that spiritual nourishment comes only from Christ, confessing our sins, rejoicing in our salvation and committing to abide with him. We also rejoice, glorify and worship him because his death and resurrection is the reason we will one day have a place at the marriage supper of the Lamb and enjoy all the glory of that future day. (1 Corinthians 10:16–18; John 6:53–58; 1 Corinthians 11:23–29; Luke 22:14-20.)
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
The Holy Spirit gives believers various gifts to be used in love for service to others and for the common good. (Ephesians 4:11–12; 1 Corinthians 12:4–7; 1 Corinthians 12:31; Romans 12:6.)
LOVE
Love is the essence of Christian character and conduct. Without it, we are nothing. (1 Corinthians 12:31; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; 1 Corinthians 14:1; John 13:35; 1 John 4:20-21, 5:3; Galatians 5:22, 6:2.)
MARRIAGE
Biblical marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive covenant union. God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (Genesis 2:18-25; Ephesians 5:21-33; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4.)
LIFE’S ULTIMATE PURPOSE: THE GLORY OF GOD ALONE
We should live our entire lives before the face of God (in the presence of God), under the authority of God and for his glory alone. (1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 4:15; Philippians 2:11.)
ETERNITY
Everyone is created to exist forever. All humanity will experience a bodily resurrection. Those who have believed will be resurrected to eternal life with God in the new heaven and earth; and those who reject Jesus, to the resurrection of eternal suffering and separation from God in hell. (John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; Matthew 25:34; Revelation 21:1-5,27; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44; Daniel 12:2.)
