What We Believe
The Bible
We believe the Bible is inspired by God, without error in the original manuscripts, and is the supreme authority of faith and practice for all followers of Christ.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 119: 105; Psalm 12:6
GOD
We believe there is one living and true God. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present. We believe that God is one in essence while existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Though each person of the Godhead possesses precisely the same nature and attributes, each functions differently in respect to God’s purposes and dealings with man.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
the father
The first person of the Trinity orders and directs all things according to His own purpose, pleasure and grace. The Father is sovereign in creation, providence and redemption. He has decreed all things that come to pass for His own glory. He graciously involves Himself in the affairs of men, hears and answers prayer, and saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
2 Chronicles 29:11; Psalm 103:19; Matthew 6:9; Ephesians 1:2-6
the son
The second person of the Trinity is both eternal Son of God and virgin-born Son of man. Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, surrendered nothing of His deity during His earthy life. Having led a sinless life, He satisfied the Father’s justice concerning sin by His substitutionary death. We believe in His bodily resurrection, His physical ascension and His visible return to earth to establish His earthly kingdom.
Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-5, 1 Corinthians 5:3-4, Romans 1:3-4
the holy spirit
The third person of the Trinity executes the will of God in the world of men. It is the Holy Spirit who applies the salvation that Jesus Christ secured through His death on the cross. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers the church to live a lifestyle pleasing to God, and gifts from the Holy Spirit empower and equip believers to accomplish distinct ministries, planned beforehand by God the Father.
John 3:1-8; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 1:13-14; 5:18-21
Creation
We believe that the first eleven chapters of Genesis are the literal history of the universe and early earth.
We believe the entire universe was created by God the Son as a sequence of creative acts accomplished with the aid of the Holy Spirit and directed by God the Father. We believe these creative acts were mere spoken commands of God (2 Peter 3:5) and that these creative acts were accomplished in six literal twenty-four hour days (Exodus 20:11). Therefore we hold to a young earth view supported by the genealogies and other time information provided in the Word of God. We believe the entire universe was created in total perfection (Genesis 1:31) but as a result of the disobedience of the first man and woman (whom we view as literal people created on the sixth day) is cursed with sin and death (Genesis 2:15-3:19).
Genesis 1:1, 2; Colossians 1:16
man
We believe that the first man and woman were created in God's image and thus all humans have great value in God's sight. However, when the first couple sinned, they brought both physical and spiritual death to the human race. As a result, all human beings are born with a sinful nature, commit acts of sin in their lives, and must be reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ.
Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2
marriage
Since God created mankind into genders distinctly male and female and defined marriage as between one man and one woman, we believe that the only legitimate marriage is that between one man and one woman.
Genesis 2:22-24; Ephesians 5:22-33
Salvation
We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins, physically rose from the dead, and that He brings salvation and forgiveness to all who truly believe in Him. We believe that this salvation is a gift we receive through faith and it cannot be earned by any human effort. Therefore, because salvation is from God, He is able to keep us from falling and to present us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy. (Jude 24)
Romans 6:23; John 3:16; John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5:8
The church
We believe the local church should be a witness to the world and that without compromising Biblical absolutes, its ministry, worship, and teaching should creatively reach out to the community. The Head of the church is Jesus Christ. The body of the church is all people who have trusted Christ for salvation. The New Testament clearly teaches that local churches are to be established. A local church is a group of believers in one location who have united around a common faith in Jesus Christ, statement of belief from the Scriptures, and mission to worship God, make disciples, and serve people. Church members are to model the life of Christ and as such are to live holy lives. The local church is an autonomous body, free to self-govern under the Headship of Jesus Christ according to biblical principles.
Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:24-25
Communion
The two ordinances of the church are baptism and communion. We serve communion the first Sunday of every month. Communion is a memorial of Christ and His redemptive death. It is also an expression of our fellowship with one another. In Communion we are reminded of the great sacrifice that God the Father gave us, Jesus. And the great sacrifice that Jesus gave us, himself.
1 Corinthians 11:23-29
baptism
As for baptism, we practice what is often called "believer's baptism". That is, we believe that baptism is a symbolic, public, visible demonstration of an invisible, inner work of God when a person is in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit at the point of conversion. We do not believe in infant baptism. Each year we have a baby dedication service on Mother’s Day for parents who would like for the church to pray for their children.