WE BELIEVE…

1. We believe the totality of God’s written revelation to be the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments (Revelation 22:18-19). We believe in their verbal, plenary inspiration (2Timothy 3:16; 1Corinthians 2:13), that they are inerrant in the original writings (Matthew 5:18; Psalm 12:6; Psalm 119:96; Proverbs 30:5), and are the supreme and final authority in matters of faith and life (2Timothy 3:16; 2Peter 1:20-21).

2. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; 2Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 1Peter 1:2; Revelation 1:4-6).

3. We believe a virgin named Mary conceived Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit and the overshadowing of the Most High (Mark 1:11; Matthew 1:18-23, 17:5; Luke 1:30-35; Luke 2:40), and that Jesus is true God and true man (Luke 24:39; John 1:1; John 1:14, 18; 1Timothy 2:5; John 20:25-28; Galatians 4:4; Colossians 2:9; Isaiah 9:6), totally without sin (Luke 1:35; Hebrews 4:15), the promised Messiah (Matthew 22:41-44; John 1:41; John 4:25-26; Philippians 2:5-8).

4. We believe God created all things (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1; Colossians 1:16). Among His creations are other supernatural beings including seraphim, cherubim, and angels. Angels are ministering spirits (Hebrews 1:14). We believe Satan was created as a guardian cherub (Ezekiel 28:12-19), but when he fell into sin became known as Satan (Luke 10:18; Revelation 12:9). We believe many angels followed him in his rebellion, and these creatures became the demons spoken of in the Bible (Revelation 12:9). We further believe Satan and his demons are the enemies of our souls, tempting, opposing, and bringing trouble to us (Matthew 4:1-11; 1Peter 5:8-9; 2Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:13-17; 2Thessalonians 2:9-10; Acts 5:3; 1Thessalonians 3:5), and that we must be strong in the Lord with the armor of God to stand our ground against Satan (Ephesians 6:10-18; James 4:7). We believe Satan and those who followed him will be cast into the lake of fire and tormented forever (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:1, 2, 10).

5. We believe man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), that he sinned, and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:17-22; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:4; Isaiah 64:6-7; John 3:18), and since Adam’s fall all are born with a sinful nature, and are spiritually dead (Romans 5:12-14, 18; Ephesians 2:1-5).

6. We believe the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as our substitute sacrifice (Isaiah 53:4-6; Romans 5:8; Matthew 26:28; Leviticus 17:11; 1Corinthians 15:1-5). His crucified, dead body was resurrected on the third day (Matthew 28:1-10; 1Corinthians 15:1-5), and He ascended into heaven where He is our High Priest and Advocate (Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 7:25; 1John 2:1).

7. We believe in the blessed hope, the personal, imminent, pre-tribulation rapture of the Church (Titus 2:11-14; Revelation 3:10; 1Thessalonians 24:13-5:10; Philippians 3:20-21), a literal seven-year tribulation for those left on earth (Daniel 9:26-27; Matthew 24; Revelation 6-18), and the pre-millennial Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with His saints to set up His kingdom (Revelation 19-20; Isaiah 11:1-16).

8. We believe all who reach moral responsibility and receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are justified freely on the ground of His shed blood (Mark 14:24; Ephesians 2:8-13; Colossians 1:20; Hebrews 9:12; 1Peter 1:18-19), born again of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-5; Titus 3:5; 1John 5:1), and become children of God (John 1:12-13; 1John 3:2; I John 3:10).

9. We believe the Christian is permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13; 2Corinthians 1:22), but that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is not necessarily accompanied with any outward manifestations such as signs and wonders (1Corinthians 12:29). We do not accept a separate baptism of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by speaking in tongues or healings (1Corinthians 12:12). We believe the signs and wonders including tongues and the gift of healing mentioned in the books of Acts and 1Corinthians served to authenticate the gospel message, and the apostles as God’s messengers in the first century while the early Church was getting started, and while the Scriptures were being written. We believe the revelation of Scripture was completed at the end of the first century and the function of these special gifts ceased as the common experience of many believers (1Corinthians 13:8).

10. We believe the Christian is commanded to be filled or controlled by the Holy Spirit, which occurs repeatedly as the believer yields control of his life to God and is empowered for worship, service, witnessing, and healthy relationships (Ephesians 5:18-21; Acts 4:8; Acts 4:31).

11. We believe in the bodily resurrection and blessedness of the saved, and the bodily resurrection and everlasting punishment of the lost (1Corinthians 15; 1Thessalonians 4:13-17; Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:11-14; Ezekiel 37:11-14).

12. We believe all Christians are called to a life of separation from all worldly and sinful practices (1John 2:15-17; 1John 5:4; Ephesians 2:1-8, 5:1-21; John 17:14-16; Colossians 3:5-10).

13. We believe marriage is a monogamous union ordained by God for a man and a woman (Genesis 2:18-25). We do not believe God intended anyone to be homosexual and that He is opposed to all sexual relationships except of a man and his wife (Romans 1:26-27; 1Corinthians 6:9-11; Leviticus 18:22-25). We believe God views all sexual activity outside of marriage as sin, but that we must show compassion and concern as the family of God for people involved in all kinds of sin, encouraging them to seek help, repentance, and restoration to God’s intended relationships (Ephesians 5; Jude 23; Galatians 6:1).