what we believe

We believe there is only one true and living God. He is eternal, almighty,
unchangeable, infinitely perfect, wise, just, holy, and the Creator of all
things. He is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. The Bible is the inspired Word of God and is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires and trusted in all that it promises.

We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. As a result, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled, and renewed.

We believe Jesus Christ is Savior, Lord, and that He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is fully God and fully Man.  He
lived a sinless life, was crucified for the sins of the world, arose from the
dead in bodily form, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God
the Father interceding for us.

We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.

We believe in God’s saving grace; that salvation is free to all through the
Gospel; that the requisite of acceptance is a thankful, penitent and obedient
faith; that nothing interferes with the salvation of the sinner except his
refusal of the Gospel. Man’s disbelief is his condemnation.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person. He convicts the world of its
guilt.  He regenerates sinners, and in Him, they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service. We believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at conversion and unites believers with Christ as part of His family. The Holy Spirit permanently indwells all believers in Christ, He will never depart from the Church and by His indwelling the believer is enabled to live a godly life.

We believe the true church includes all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which Christ is the Head. The church had its historical beginning at Pentecost, is the body and bride of our Lord, and is distinct from Israel. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer. We believe that the purpose of the Church in the world is to glorify God through worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, observation of the ordinances, fellowship, the exercise of our gifts and talents, and the proclamation of the gospel both in our community and throughout the world.