Our Doctrine

The Bible

We believe that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the inerrant, infallible, verbally inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21) and is to be the sole rule of faith and practice (Matthew 4:4; John 17:17; Romans 10:17).

God

We believe that God is the one true God (Isaiah 44:6) and that He possesses one divine essence which is entirely indivisible (Deuteronomy 4:39, 6:4; John 17:3; 1 Timothy 2:5). Within the Godhead unity, there are three eternal distinctions or persons: God the Father (Matthew 11:25), God the Son (John 1:1, 18; Hebrews 1:8), and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). These three persons of the Trinity are coexistent, coeternal, and coequal (Matthew 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:2).

Creation

We believe that God created the universe out of nothing (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3) in six literal days (Genesis 1-2) and continues to exercise His sovereign control over it (1 Chronicles 29:11), preserving it until the day of judgment (Colossians 1:17; 2 Peter3:7).

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s divine Son (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 1:16-17; Galatians 4:4). We believe in His incarnation (John 1:1, 14; Luke 2:1-20; Philippians 2:7-8) and virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:16, 22-23) that He is eternal in His existence (Colossians 1:15-18), yet at the time of His incarnation was entirely God and entirely man: one person with two distinct natures (John 1:1-14; Romans 1:3-4); that He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15); and that He shed His blood vicariously (Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 2:23-25) for mankind (2 Corinthians 5:21). He died, was buried, and arose bodily the third day from the grave (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), ascending back to heaven forty days after His resurrection (Luke 24:50-51). He currently makes intercession for believers (Hebrews 4:14; 7:24-25) and is the Head of the Church (Colossians 1:18-19). He will physically return for His own at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Acts 1:11) and for unbelievers in judgment at His second coming (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).

Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity (John 14:16, 26). He is coequal, coeternal, and coexistent with God the Father and God the Son (Matthew 28:19-20). He is not simply a force but is a person with characteristics such as intellect (Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 2:11), will (1 Corinthians 12:11), and emotion (Romans 15:30; Ephesians 4:30). We oppose any form of the modern Charismatic Movement and its teachings regarding tongues or other spiritual manifestations which detract from the Lord Jesus Christ, replace Biblical salvation, or are inconsistent with Scripture.

Man

We believe that God instantaneously created man without sin (Ephesians 4:24) in His own image (Genesis 1:27; 2:7) and that Adam willingly chose to transgress God’s law (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-7), bringing sin and judgment upon the entire human race (Romans 3:9-12, 23; 5:12, 19). Thus, man is born with a sinful nature (Romans 5:12) which apart from the saving grace of Jesus Christ will bring forth God’s eternal judgment (Romans 6:23; John 3:16).

Sin

We believe that sin began in heaven with Satan leading a rebellion against God among the angels (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:14-19) and upon earth when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden of Eden (Romans 5:12). We define sin as the transgression of God’s law or will (1 John 3:4). We believe that sin brings physical (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12), spiritual (Romans 5:21; Ephesians 2:1, 5), and eternal death (Matthew 25:41; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 21:8) upon man.

Salvation

We believe that salvation cannot be earned through merit or good works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). We believe a person must repent of his sinfulness before God and personally place his faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ to inherit eternal salvation and that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Acts 4:12; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 John 1:29; 1 John 2:2). We believe at the time of a man’s conversion he is freed forever from the penalty of sin (Romans 5:1, 10; Hebrews 10:10). From that moment on, God seeks to transform him into the image of Christ (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:8-12) and upon his death or the Lord’s return frees him from the presence of sin (1 John 3:2).

Church

We believe the church is a “called out” assembly of believers from the world which began on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). We believe that membership of the local church is limited to individuals who truly know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and have been baptized by immersion (Acts 2:38-41).

Church Ordinances

We believe in two church ordinances: baptism by immersion after salvation for those truly receiving Christ as Savior (Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; Acts 10:47-48) and the Lord’s Supper for all obedient believers (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). We believe that baptism is an outward picture of the new birth which identifies a believer with Christ (Romans 6:3-6; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21) and that the Lord’s Supper commemorates the death of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), symbolizing His sacrifice for our sins. Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper possess any power to save man from his sins.

Church Offices

We believe in two church offices: pastor (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) and deacons (1 Timothy 3:8-13). We believe in the separation of the believer from sin and the world (1 John 2:15-17; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:11); in separation from false teachers and in separation from disobedient brethren (Matthew 18:15-18; Titus 3:9-11; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13).