STATEMENT OF FAITH
We Believe:
The Scriptures Are Inspired
In the verbal inspiration of the Bible. The Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to mankind, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.
In the Godhead
Our God is the one true God, but manifested in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is eternally self-existent, and the Creator of heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind.
In the Deity of Jesus
That Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father, conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary. That Jesus lived a sinless life, performed many miracles, was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead. That Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is today at the right hand of the Father as the Intercessor.
In the Fall of Man
That man was created good and upright, for God said “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” However, through Adam’s voluntary transgression, “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God” thereby all have incurred separation from God.
In the Atonement
Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Because all have sinned and are therefore under the sentence of death, all must trust in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for the remission of sins. There is no other way to reconcile with God or escape from eternal judgment, except through the propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus. Those who trust in Jesus Christ have access to the Throne of Grace by His sacrifice and by His sacrifice alone. Good works are acceptable to God only as a love offering given to Him because of His worthiness, and have no bearing on our acceptance, standing or approval, all of which were accomplished by the cross. Good works offered for the purpose of acceptance, standing or approval are therefore an affront to the cross by which all of these things were gained for us by Jesus. Good works are not offered for His approval, but for His joy and glory, and must be offered through the Son in obedience to Him. Therefore, the goal of our service is obedience and not sacrifice.
In Sanctification
Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing throughout the life of the believer. Entire sanctification is the will of God for all believers, and should be earnestly pursued by walking in obedience to God’s Word.
In the Lord’s Supper
We acknowledge the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Jesus and as a testimony of our communion (common-union) with Him in His body, the church. We consider it a holy ordinance, but we do not accept the teaching that communion is for the purpose of remitting sins, which Scripture testifies is based solely in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
In Water Baptism
We believe that water baptism should be by immersion and accomplished immediately after commitment to the Lordship of Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for our sin. This ordinance is a personal and public statement of faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf, and is a commitment to lay down our lives to be one with Him in His death, burial and resurrection.
In the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. We believe that this gift is presently available to all who believe (Acts 2:38-39), but is not essential for salvation or regeneration. This experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance.
In Divine Healing
Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers today.