The Bible

We believe that God spoke to us in revelation through men, being moved by the Holy Spirit.  In the fullness of time, God perfectly revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.  All Scripture, the sixty-six (66) books of the Old and New Testament, is equally and fully inspired of God and in the original manuscripts was perfect and without error and the final authority in faith and life.   II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:21; Jeremiah 1:9.

In God

We believe that He is the Supreme Being; the eternal and infinite Spirit, Creator, and Sovereign of the universe.  He is a God of infinite love, mercy, holiness, righteousness, justice, truth, wisdom, and might.  Genesis 1:1; 17:1.

God the Father

We believe that the Father is the First Person in the order of office and operation within the Godhead.  We believe that in some manner, inconceivable in our finite minds,  He is the Father of the only begotten Son, and that from Him and from the Son, the Holy Spirit proceeds. The Father, with the Son and Holy Spirit, abides in mutual union and fellowship, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct  but harmonious offices in the great works of creation and redemption.  Revelation 15:3; Romans 2:6; Genesis 18:25.

Jesus

 We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God and that He freely laid aside His divine glory and majesty and became a man by taking to Himself a body and soul, yet without sin, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, and that in this state, He is very God and very man. 

John 1:14; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:6-7

Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a real personality, the Third Person within the Divine Being, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and together with them is to be believed in, loved, obeyed, and worshiped.  He shares in the work of creation, inclined men to do good and restrains them from doing evil, inspired all writers of the Holy Scriptures to record, without error, the mind and will of God, that He had a peculiar relationship in the ministry of Christ, and that He now works to the salvation of men by convicting of sin, of righteousness, and judgment and baptizes every believer into the body of Christ and then seals, endues, guides, teaches, sanctifies, indwells every believer.  John 15:26; I Corinthians 3:1-6; Romans 8:11.

The Trinity

We believe that the doctrine of the Trinity is, in its last analysis, a deep mystery that cannot be fathomed by the finite mind.  That it is taught in the Scripture, however, there can be no reasonable doubt.  It is a doctrine to be believed even though it cannot be thoroughly understood.  The Father is all the fullness of the Godhead - invisible, the Son is all the fullness of the Godhead - manifested, the Holy Spirit is all the fullness of the Godhead - acting immediately upon the creature.  Matthew 28:19; I John 5:7; Matthew 3:16; II Corinthians 13:14.

Angels and Satan

They are a supernatural and superhuman order of intelligent beings, created by God to do His will.  Some have kept their original holiness and were confirmed therein, while some fell into sin and remain fallen.  Of the fallen angels, Satan (the devil), the god of this world, seeks to destroy mankind but will ultimately be completely subdued by Jesus Christ.  Matthew 4:11; Mark 13:32; Hebrews 12:22; John 14:30.

Creation

God, in His infinite wisdom and power, created this world and all things from nothing according to the literal Genesis account. 

Hebrews 11:3; John 14:30; Revelation 4:11.

The Sin of Man

The sin of Adam and Eve was purely volitional with the temptation from without, and the essence of this first sin lay in the denial of the divine will and the transgressing of a divinely marked boundary.  This sin was marked by the same thing that every sin committed since has been, a positive disbelief in the

Word of God.  Romans 5:12;, 15, 18, 19.

Salvation

We believe that, owing to death through sin, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless born again, and that no degree of works can otherwise provide the sinner with the new life that makes him a Son of God.  This redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made to be sin for us, dying in our room and stead, and that no repentance, no feeling, no faith, no ordinance of the Church can add in the least degree to the value of the blood in the finished work wrought for us by Him who united us to Himself.

We believe that the new birth of the believer is an act of God the Spirit and comes only through individual faith in Christ as a free gift of God.  No other act, such as confession, baptism, prayer, or faithful service is to be added to believing as a condition of salvation.  John 3:5; Romans 5:6-9; II Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:4-9; I Peter 1:18-19, 23.

The Working of Salvation in the Hearts of Men

Though salvation is instantaneous, there are several things that take place that come under the names of repentance, faith, regeneration,

justification, adoption, and sanctification.

Repentance

It is the confession of sin to God, the forsaking of sin, and the turning away from this sin unto God.  Matthew 4:17.

Faith

It involves the knowledge of the claims of Christ as to His person and work, the assent to all these claims, and the appropriation of Christ as being all that He claims to be.  It is such faith or trust that saves.  Hebrews 11:6; Galatians 2:16.

Regeneration

It is impartation of a new nature - God's nature - to the believer.    Titus 3:5; Ephesians 5:26-27.

Sanctification

It is the separation of one's self from evil to a personal dedication unto God.  It occurs instantaneously at salvation, but at the same time carries with it the idea of growth unto completion.  This complete or final sanctification will occur at the second coming of Christ when the believer will be complete in all compartments of Christian character.  Hebrews 10:10; Colossians 3:5-8; Romans 8:28-29.

Prayer

It is an indispensable condition of fellowship with God and a vital requirement in spiritual growth and the obtaining of promised mercies.  It is communion with God by the believer through faith in Jesus Christ and consists of adoration, praise, petition, pleading, thanksgiving, intercession, communion, and waiting.
I John 5:14-15; Ephesians 6:18.

Ordinances

Communion - This is a memorial established by Jesus Christ to remind us of His suffering and death on the cross for our sins, to be observed as often as we will.  I Corinthians 11:23-26.

Baptism - An act of obedience to be submitted to by believers in Jesus Christ which symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is an outward sign of an inward cleansing accomplished by being immersed in water. However, we do not believe it to be essential to salvation.  Matthew 28:19;

Acts 8:12-13.   We believe children before the age of accountability should be dedicated, not baptized.

The Second Coming of Christ and the Resurrection and Eternal Existence of Both the Saved and Unsaved

Jesus Christ will personally return to receive His bride, the Church made up of all believers, at the rapture when all believers, living and dead, will be caught up to meet Him in the air. I Thessalonians 4:25-28;  I Corinthians 15:51-53.

We believe this will take place before the tribulation begins.  While those left on earth will be going through the tribulation time of 7 years, resurrected believers will, at this time, be enjoying their rewards.  I Peter 5:4; Revelation 19:7-9.

At the end of the seven years of tribulation on earth, the Lord will return in power and great glory to the Mount of Olives accompanied by His armies and will take His throne and establish His Kingdom and rule for one thousand years.  Rev. 19:11-21.

The Church

The Church is the body of Christ of which Christ is the head, and the members of this body are to be united together in bonds of love and fellowship regardless of color or denomination.  The Church is a temple, a building, a habitation, a dwelling place for God's Spirit and is the Bride of Christ. 

Colossians 1:24;Ephesians 1:22-23;  Isaiah 56:7.

Christian Service

We believe that, as disciples and servants of Christ, we are bound to further the extension of His kingdom by our prayers, gifts, and personal efforts. 

I Corinthians 16:2; II Corinthians 9:6-7; Matthew 28:19-20.