About Our Statement of Faith

We believe:
We believe the Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative, divinely inspired Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths and instruction in righteousness.  In its original writing, it is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Romans 16:25-26, Proverbs 30:5, Isaiah 34:16)

 

Authority of the Holy Bible.
The Bible is our all-sufficient rule for faith and practice. Both the Old and New Testaments are the verbally inspired Word of God known as the Holy Bible or commonly the Bible. As the revelation of God to man, the bible is the infallible, authoritative rule of our faith. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Romans 16:25-27) 

 The One True God
 We believe there is one true God, (Deuteronomy 6:4, Mark 12:29, Isaiah 43:10-11) who eternally exists in and as three persons — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The one true God who is infinitely perfect (Matthew 5:48) - Who has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent, self-revealed “I AM,” and has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association, by simultaneously existing as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Exodus 3:14, Matthew 28:19, Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 13:14 , Ephesians 4:4-6)

God the Father
 God as Father is all powerful, (Exodus 6:3, Psalm 91:1) all present, (Ezekiel 48:35) all knowing, (1 John 3:20, Isaiah 40:28) all loving, (1 John 4:8) and all wise. (Romans 11:33)

We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true God, and the true man, (John 8:58, John 17:21, Philippians 2:5-11) in His virgin birth, that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:34-38) in His sinless life, (2 Corinthians 5:21) in His power to heal, [Matthew 12:15) in His miracles, (Acts 2:22) in His atoning death through His perfect sacrifice on the cross, (Philippians 2:6-11, Hebrews 10:14)  He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust (1 Peter 3:18) as a substitutionary sacrifice (Hebrews 2:9) and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood (Acts 13:39, Romans 5:9)
We believe in His bodily resurrection, (Romans 6:9) He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures (Acts 2:23-24) and in His ascension to the right hand of the Father as our High Priest and Mediator. (John 3:13, Luke 22:69, 1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 12:24). We believe the Lord Jesus is coming back again just as He promised. [John 14:2-3, Matthew 24:30) He will come again to establish His kingdom, righteousness, and peace. (Matthew 26:64, Isaiah 9:7)

We believe the Divinity of the Holy Spirit
 The Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead  (2 Corinthians 13:14, Matthew 28:19) sent to eternally indwell, guide, teach the believer (John 14:16-17, Hebrews 13:5, John 16:13-15) and empower those who are baptized in the Holy Spirit. and convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. (Acts 2:38, Acts 1:8, Acts 10:38, John 16:7-11)
Jesus Christ Indwells All Believers in the Holy Spirit who have chosen to actively receive the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by and through His Holy Spirit and become children of God. (John 1:12, John 14:17, John 14:20, John 14:23)

The Promise of the Father - Baptism in the Holy Spirit
 Initially given at Pentecost, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is something all born-from-above/born of the Spirit believers are entitled to, should earnestly ask for, and should ardently expect to receive - according to the example and command and promise of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Luke 11:13, Acts 2:1-4)  With it comes the enduement of God’s power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts of the Spirit and their uses in the work of the ministry.  (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-13)  First modeled to us by Jesus Himself to fulfill all righteousness.  (Matthew 3:14-17)
This experience may be distinct from and is typically subsequent to the experience of repentance unto believing (faith) and receiving the Holy Spirit within. (Acts 1:5, Acts 19:2-6, Acts 11:15-18, Acts 15:7-9) 

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
 The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build up His Body and for the profit of all. (1 Corinthians 12:4, 7) To demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. (Romans 8:11, Hebrews 2:4, Luke 4:14)
The Bible lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)  All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the gifts, but especially agape love. (1 Corinthians 12:31, 1 Cor 13) These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and bear witness to God’s Word and should be ministered to one another as the grace of God. (1 John 5:6, Psalm 119:160, John 17:17, John 6:63, 1 Peter 4:10)

 The Church

 The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and is built on the divine revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16, 18) The church is made of those who are redeemed through His blood, are born from above of the Holy Spirit, and hear or will hear His voice. (John 10:27, John 10:16)
The church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus' great commission. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church  (Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 2:19-22) which has been given His authority in heaven and on earth, and commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:18-20) and to edify the body of Christ itself as it comes to the unity of the faith and grows up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ. (Ephesians 4:12-16)
 The Local Church
 The local church is a body of believers in Christ who join together for the teaching of the Word and the fellowship, breaking of bread in church and at homes, and prayers. For the worship of God, for the proclamation of the gospel, for continuing daily with one accord – toward the unity of the faith and singleness of heart. (Acts 2:41-47) For the growth of the Body for the edifying of itself in agape love. (Ephesians 4:16) For the compassion and care of our neighbors – doing good to all, and to keep from being polluted by the world. (Galatians 6:10, James 1:27)   

Ministry
  Scriptural ministry has been provided by our Lord for the proclamation of the gospel of Christ to all the world, for the edifying of the body of Christ until we all come to the unity of the faith. We believe our ministry is called to individually edify one another (Proverbs 27:17) in the intimate knowledge of Jesus, (2 Peter 1:2-3) teaching one another by speaking the Truth in love, (John 13:34) to invincibly establish ourselves into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ – in this world. (Ephesians 4:11-13, 1 John 4:17)       Marriage

God instituted the covenant of marriage. It is a covenant made between one man (XY) and one woman (XX) that makes them one flesh (Genesis 2:22-24, Genesis 1:27)
Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in a lifetime covenant commitment and should be honored by all. (Hebrews 13:4) Marriage is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. (Ephesians 5:30-32, Genesis 1:12, Galatians 6:7)
 The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, and each with unique capacities - since both are created in God's image. (Galatians 3:28, 1 Corinthians 11:11-12)  The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife and give himself for her as Christ loved the church. (Ephesians 5:25) Husbands should love their own wives as themselves - as their own bodies. (Ephesians 5:28, 33) And a husband is to sanctify and cleanse his wife with the washing of water in the Word – that she should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:26-27)
A wife is to submit herself graciously to the Godly servant leadership of her husband even as she does to the Lord and as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. (Ephesians 5:22-24) 

 The Family
 God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. (Esther 2:10, Ephesians 3:14-15)
Since life begins at the moment of conception, (Luke 1:35, Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:13, 15-16, Isaiah 49:1, Isaiah 44:24) children are a blessing and heritage from the Lord even prior to their birth. (Psalm 127:3)
 Parents are to demonstrate to their children God's pattern for Godly living and marriage. Parents are to teach their children biblically moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle examples and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. (Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4)  Children are to honor and obey their parents. (Ephesians 6:1-3, Colossians 3:20)

Divine Healing
 Healing is provided for in the atonement of Christ, the Word of God, and is the privilege of all believers (Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 8:16-17, Psalm 107:20, Mark 16:17-18)  Healing is a part of the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ and is shown in the life and ministry of Jesus and His disciples & followers. It is included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples and followers and is one of the signs which follows believers.. (Psalm 103:2-4, Acts 3:6-8, Acts 19:11-12, Mark 16:17-18, Acts 8:6-7)  It is also a part of Jesus' work on the Cross and one of the irrevocable gifts of the Spirit. ( Galatians 3:13-14, 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, Romans 11:29) Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are also taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the Church in this present age (James 5:14-15) 

Resurrection
 Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross (Luke 24:36-39, 46) . The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation, together with those who are alive and remain unto the Lord, is imminent and is the blessed hope of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:17, 1 Corinthians 15:50-52) There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; (1 Corinthians 15:20-23) for the former, a resurrection unto life for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment.  (John 5:28-29)

The Lake of Fire
 The devil, the beast and the false prophet, shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake which burns fire and brimstone. These three shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 19:20, Revelation 20:10) Any not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15)

The New Heavens and New Earth
 We, as promised in the Scriptures, look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1)

The Christian and the Social Order
 Means and methods used for the improvement of society and the establishment of righteousness and good will among men can be truly and permanently helpful only when they are rooted in the agape love of God by the born-from-above individual. (Deuteronomy 10:12-13) In the Spirit of Christ, in agape love, Christian believers should hold themselves to oppose racism, selfishness, lying, and all vice, and all forms of sexual immorality including but not limited to adultery, fornication, homosexuality, transgenderism, incest, and pornography. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13, Titus 1:15, 1 Corinthians 9:27, Ephesians 4:25, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
 We should work in agape love to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. We should defend and speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. (Proverbs 31:8-9) In order to promote these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men of good will in any good cause, always being careful to act in the Spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth. (Romans 13:9, Galatians 5:14, Ephesians 4:28-29, 31-32) 

Peace and War
 It is the duty of Christians to seek peace with all men on principles of righteousness. In accordance with the spirit and teachings of Christ they should do all in their power to put an end to war.  (James 4:1-4)
 The true remedy for the spirit of war is the gospel of our Lord Jesus. The supreme need of the world is the acceptance of His agape love, and teachings in all the affairs of men and nations, and the practical application of His law of love. Christian people throughout the world should pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace. (Matthew 5:9, Matthew 5:38-48, Matthew 26:52, Romans 12:18-21, Romans 14:19, Hebrews 12:14)  

Religious Liberty

Church and state/civil government are and should be separate. (James 4:4, 1 Corinthians 6:1-5) The state owes protection and full freedom to every church in the pursuit of its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be favored by the state more or less than others. Because God-appointed civil government is ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to render obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the Word of God. The church should not resort to nor rely on the civil government to carry on its work. The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone as the foundation for the pursuit of its ends. The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power. (Titus 3:1-8)