The Essential Beliefs

About God

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe.  He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  These three are co-equal and are one God.
(Genesis 1:1,26-27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2, Matthew 28:19, I Peter 1:2, 2 Corinthians 13:14)

About Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  He is co-equal with the Father.  Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross.  He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death.  He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
(Matthew 1:22-23, Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1-5, 14:10-30, Hebrews 4:14-15, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4;Romans 1:3-4, Acts 1:9-11, I Timothy 6:14-15, Titus 2:13)

About the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God.  He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ.  He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation.  He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right.  When a believer is saved, the Holy Spirit gives a spiritual gift.   As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily.
(2 Corinthians 3:17, John 16:7-13, 14:16-17, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16, Ephesians 1:13, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 5:18)

About the Bible

The Bible is God’s Word to us.  It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit.  It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living.  Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error in the original manuscripts.  The canon of the Scriptures is limited to the sixty-six (66) books commonly included in Protestant versions.
(2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160; 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)

About Human Beings

People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character.  People are the supreme object of God’s creation.  Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called ”sin”.  This attitude of rebellion separates people from God.
(Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2)

About Salvation

Salvation is God’s free gift to us but we must accept it.  We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works.  Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty.  When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved.  Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
(Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; 1:12; Titus 3:5)

About Eternal Security

Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity.  Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian.  It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.
(John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 1):10, 14; 1 Peter 1:3-5)

About Eternity

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth and the establishment of His Kingdom.  People were created to exist forever.  We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal life of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked.  We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation.  To be eternally separated from God is Hell.  To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life.  Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.
(John 3:16, 14:17; Romans 6:23, 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9)

About The Ordinances

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

• Baptism is for those who have personally accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.  Baptism is an outward manifestation and testimony of the spiritual change that occurred in the believer’s life when he accepted Jesus Christ as His personal Savior.  We encourage baptism by immersion because it more closely typifies the believer’s relationship with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, and because that is the most likely the way Jesus was baptized.

(Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:36-38; Mark 1:9-10)

• The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and is symbolic of God’s covenant with us.  It is open to all Christians who are walking in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Lord’s Supper should be approached with understanding, with faith and repentance, and with the purpose of loyalty to Jesus Christ.

(Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

About The Church

We believe in the universal church: a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members.  We believe in the local church; consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on profession of faith and associated for worship, fellowship, ministry, evangelism and discipleship.  We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
(Mt 16:18; Mt 3:13-17; Acts 20:28; Mt 28:18-20; Rom 10:9; Eph 5:25; Acts 11:29-30; Rom 6:4; Heb 12:23; 1 Cor 12:27; Col 1:18)