Statement of Faith
What We Believe
The Word of God
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
Jn. 6:63; 17:17; Rom. 2:16; 2Tim 3:16; 2Pet. 1:20-21.
The Trinity
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.
Matt. 28:19-20; Jn. 1:18, 8:58; Acts 5:3-4; 2Cor. 13:14; Col. 2:9; Tit. 2:13; 2Pet. 1:1; Heb. 1:8; Rev. 1:7-18; 5:12-13, 22:13,16.
God the Father
We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, who is unchangeable, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, justice, goodness, love and truth. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Ex. 34:6,7; Ps. 86:15; Jn. 4:24; 5:24; 1Jn. 4:19; 5:14,15.
Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s unique and only Son, who was, and is, fully God and fully man. We believe in His conception by the Holy Spirit, His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary, propitiatory death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth. Jesus Christ is the only object of saving faith in the Old and New Testaments.
Deut. 18:15-19; Ps. 2; 40:7; Is. 28:16; Joel 2:32; Rom. 10:9-13; Jn. 1:1,14,18; 8:56-58; 14:6; Acts: 4:12; 1Cor. 10:4; 2Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:16; 1Tim. 2:5; Tit. 3:13; Heb. 4:14-16; 2Pet. 1:1; 1Jn 2:1-2; 4:10; Rev.5:13; 22:12,13.
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower, all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God, and indwells every believer in Christ. He gives gifts to each believer for fruitful service as He desires. He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide.
Jn. 14:16,17; 16:7-15; Rom. 8:9-16,26,27; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Gal. 5:22-25; Eph. 1:13; 4:30; Heb.10:14.
Regeneration
We believe that all men are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under God’s just condemnation. We believe that those drawn by the Holy Spirit who repent of their sins, and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
John 6:44, Ecc. 7:20; Jn. 3:3,4,36; Acts 16:14; 20:21; Rom. 3:9-20-25; 5:12-21; 9:16-18; 2Cor. 4:3,4; Eph. 2:1,2,8,9; 2Tim. 1:9; Tit. 3:5,6; 1Jn. 5:1.
The Church
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the only Head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized having made a credible confession of faith, and associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has given to the members of the local church the primary task of discipling all the nations.
Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; 2:41,42; Eph. 1:21-23.
The Ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has commited two ordinances to the local church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death till he comes. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ex. 24:1-11; Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 6:4-6; 1Cor. 11:23-30; Rev. 21:19
Christian Conduct
We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being of his fellow men; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions; and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.
Jn. 15:8; Col. 1:28; Col.3:17,23; Eph. 4:12-15; Phil. 2:4-13; 1Th. 4:3; Heb. 10:14.
Religious Liberty
We believe that every human being is responsible to God in all matters of faith and conscience and that each believer is a priest of God. We believe that the church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical political authority; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its God-given duties and free from dictation or patronage of the other.
Mt. 22:21; Acts 5:29; Rom.13:1-7; 14:1-19; 1Pet. 2:4,5,9,10; Rev. 5:9,10.
The Last Things
We believe that Jesus Christ inaugurated the Kingdom of God in His first coming to earth. We believe Jesus Christ will return to earth in His glorified body to finalize His Kingdom program. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.
Mt. 11:11,12; 13:24-50; 25:46; Jn. 5:19-24; 6:38-40,44,50,54,58; Acts 1:8-11; 1Cor. 15:24; 1Thess. 4:16,17; 2Thess. 1:8; 2Pet. 2:17; 3:10-13; Rev. 11:15-19; 19:6-9;20:11- 22:21.
This statement of faith is broad and evangelical and we do this with a purpose. Though we teach from a distinctly Reformed understanding of scripture, we show grace to those who, while remaining orthodox, may have some degree of disagreement with certain secondary issues of the faith.
Our leaders hold to the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) as our teaching framework. We understand that these documents do not replace the Bible, but they do help to summarize the things we believe as a church.