what we BELIEVE
ARTICLE I Scripture
We believe the Old and New Testament Scriptures are the inspired Word of God without error in the original Writings, the complete revelation of God’s will for the salvation of men, and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life. (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:20-21; Mt. 5:17-18; Duet. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19; Prov. 30:6; Heb. 4:12)
ARTICLE II God
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Duet. 6:4; Gen. 1 & 2; Matt. 5:48; I Pet. 1:2; Heb. 1:8; Acts 5:3-4; II Cor. 13:14; Mt. 28:19)
ARTICLE III Jesus
We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins according to the scriptures. Furthermore, he arose bodily from the dead, ascended into Heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest and Advocate. (Col. 1:15-20; 2:9; John 10:10-38; Matt. 1:20-23; Luke 1:30-35; I John 2:2; Eph. 1:7; I Pet. 3:18; II Cor. 5:21; I Cor. 15:3-8; Acts 1:9-11; Heb. 4:14-16; I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:25)
ARTICLE IV Holy Spirit
We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and during this age to convince men of sin and to empower the believer for Godly living and service. (John 15:26; 16:7-15; Gal. 5:16-25)
ARTICLE V Man
We believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost and that only by receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained. (Gen. 1:26-27; I Cor. 11:7; James 3:9; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 3:23; Gen. 3:1-19; Eph. 2:1-3; Tit. 3:4-7)
ARTICLE VI Salvation
We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only grounds for the justification and salvation for all who believe and that only such as receive Jesus Christ by faith are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus become the Children of God. (I Pet. 1:18-19; Rom. 3:24; 5:1-9; Eph. 2:8-9; John 1:12; 3:3; Rom. 10:9-10; I John 5:10-12)
ARTICLE VII The Resurrection
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all the dead: of the believers to everlasting blessedness and joy with their Lord, and of the unbelievers to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment. (Matt. 25:34, 41, 46; John 5:28-29; John 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6, 11-15)
ARTICLE VIII Christ’s Future Coming
We believe in the blessed hope, the personal pre-millennial, pre-tribulation, and imminent rapture of the Church.
We believe in the personal, visible, and glorious return of Christ to the earth with His saints at the end of the Tribulation period. This phase of His coming is known as the Revelation of Jesus Christ or His Coming in glory. When He returns to the earth with His saints, we believe He will establish His millennial kingdom and will reign for 1000 years on this earth. (Matt. 24:26-51; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Thes. 4:13-18; Tit. 2:11-14; Rev. 19:11-21; 20:1-6)
ARTICLE IX The Church
We believe that the Church is composed of all such persons, who, through saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the Body of Christ of which He is the Head. (Eph. 2:11-22; Matt. 16:28; John 17:20-23; Eph. 4:1-16; 5:23-27; Col. 1:18)
ARTICLE X The Ordinances
We believe the ordinances are acts of obedience for believers done in the context of the New Testament Church and have no saving merit. After salvation, water baptism is the next step in confession of the believer’s union with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Water baptism by immersion is observed as a sign of the believer’s identification with Christ and a testimony to newness of life in Him. The Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ and is to be observed as a memorial of His broken body and shed blood for our sin. It is to be observed as a symbol of His sacrifice for us until He comes. (Acts 2:41; Rom. 6:3-4; I Cor. 11:17-34; Col. 2:9-13)
ARTICLE XI Satan
We believe Satan is a fallen angel and was cast out of Heaven. His sole purpose is to destroy and deceive the world, including the elect. Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity. (I John 3:8; I Pet. 5:8; Eph. 6:12; Rev. 20:10; Isa. 14:12-17)
ARTICLE XII Speaking in Tongues
We believe this was a spiritual gift given by the Holy Spirit for a specific purpose at a specific time. It was primarily given to the early Church as a sign gift to proclaim Jesus Christ to foreign-speaking Jews and to unbelieving Jews. (I Cor. 14:1-25)
ARTICLE XIII Healing
We believe that God, in His sovereign grace, can and does heal today; however, the spiritual gift of healing, as evidenced in the apostolic Church, was a temporary sign gift for authenticating the new era of the Church. We believe in prayer for healing, in seeking competent medical attention, and in trusting God’s will and purpose. (Mark 6:13; Acts 4:7-10; James 5:13-16)
