WHAT WE BELIEVE
THE WORD
The Bible is the infallible Word of God, written by human authors, divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is truth and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct of Christian living.
2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21;
1 Thessalonians 2:13; Psalm 119:11, 89, 105, 160; Mark 13:31; John 8:31-32; Hebrews 4:12; John 17:17; Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 55:11
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The eternal Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God who has been on this earth since creation, but upon the ascension of Jesus into Heaven came to dwell within each believer. He came to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. Within every believer, He serves as helper, teacher, and guide.
Genesis 1:2; John 14:16-17, 15:26, 16:5-6; Acts 1:5, 7, 2:1-41; Romans 8:1-16; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16, 6:19, 12:1-31; Galatians 5:16-25; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; 1 Peter 1:2; Psalm 139:7
salvation
Salvation is an unmerited gift from God, not earned through good works or any human effort. Salvation only comes through faith that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for man's sin through His death, burial, and resurrection and is demonstrated through repentance. Upon salvation, we become new creations, delivered from condemnation, and receive eternal life. Whosoever calls upon Jesus will be saved.
John 3:3-5, 16, 6:44; 1 John 1:9, 5:12, 14:6; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Romans 51, 8, 19, 6:23, 8:1, 10:9-10, 13; Proverbs 28:13; Ephesians 2:8-10; Galatians 2:16, 3:13, 26; Titus 3:5; Revelation 3:20; Hebrews 9:24-28; Isaiah 1:18, 53:5-6; Acts 3:19, 4:12
christian
conduct
Through salvation, a believer becomes a new creation and strives for sanctification over the course of their lives. A Christian should live for the glory of God, seeking to reach the full stature of maturity in Christ. A Christian should not forsake the assembling of the saints, pray continuously, store the Word of God within their hearts, be guided by the Holy Spirit, be generous, bear fruit, love their neighbor, be a good steward, live as a godly example, spread the gospel, and make disciples.
Philippians 1:7, 4:6; Matthew 4;4, 5:16; 2 Corintians 9:6-9, 13; Romans 12:1-21; 1 Corinthians 4:2, 10:31, 13:11; Hebrews 4:12, 10:25, 12:1-2; John 14:15, 26, 15:8, 16, 16:13; 1 John 2:3-6; Colossians 1:9-10, 3:23; 2Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:105; Galatians 2:20, 5:22-25; Ephesians 2:10; Mark 11:26, 12:31; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Titus 1:7-9; Acts 20:35; Luke 6:38
heaven & Hell
Each person's eternal destination is either Heaven or Hell, both literal places, determined at judgement by their response to the Lord Jesus Christ. Heaven is where God reigns eternally. Hell is eternal separation from God and is a lake of fire.
Hebrews 9:27, 11:16; Revelation 7:15-17, 14:11, 20:11-15, 22:1-5, 21-25; John 14:2, 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Luke 23:43; Romans 10:9-13; Matthew 6:19-21, 12:36, 13:50, 25:41, 46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Peter 2:4-9; Daniel 12:1-2
Tribulation, Judgement & Reign of Christ
Following the tribulation, Christ will reign for a thousand years. The final judgment will determine the eternal status of both the saints and the unbelievers, according to their relationship to Jesus Christ. All those who have not made Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior will spend eternity separated from God in eternal & everlasting hell, the lake of burning fire. All the saints who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will have their names written in the Book of Life and be given eternal life. Heaven and Hell are both real places. God will create for the saints new heavens and a new earth where they will dwell forever with the Lord.
Revelation 1:7, 5:10, 20:6; Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; 1Thessalonians 4:15-17;
2 Thessalonians 1:7-8;
2 Timothy 2:11-13
THE FATHER
God the Father has revealed himself as the great "I AM." He rules the universe as an infinite, eternal, self-sustaining Spirit, perfect in love, holiness, justice, and grace. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and does not change. He mindfully and mercifully concerns himself with the lives of humankind.
Matthew 23:9; Revelation 1:8; Psalm 33:6-9, 90:2, 102:27, 103:19, 147:5; Isaiah 43:10; John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17; Exodus 3:14; Hebrews 4:13; Provers 15:3; Jeremiah 23:23, 24; Job 11:7-9; Romans 11:33; Daniel 4:34; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17;
Numbers 23:19
THE trinity
There is only one eternal God, who created all things. He exists in three equal persons- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Genesis 1:26; 1 John 5:7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16, 28:18-20; Philippians 2:5-6;
John 1:1-3, 14, 10:30, 14:26-27, 15:26; Acts 2:31-33; Ephesians 2:18;
Luke 10:21-22
SIN
Man chose to sin, which resulted in eternal separation from God in both physical and spiritual death. Sin is the transgression of the law of rebellion against God. Since the first sin, all men are born with a sinful nature, are sinners by choice, and therefore are under condemnation.
Genesis 2:15-16, 3; Exodus 20:1-12; Romans 3:10, 19-20, 23, 5:12, 6:23; Psalm 32:1-5; Jeremiah 17:5; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; Isaiah 1:13; Ezekiel 18:4; Revelation 20:11-14, 21:8; Hebrews 9:27; Ephesians 2:1; 1 John 3:4; Joshua 1:18
the church
The church is a body of believers, the assembly of the saints, unified through their faith in Christ, at both a local and universal level. The Church is also the individual believer, within whom the Holy Spirit dwells. The local church is essential in the believer's process of sanctification, meeting together regularly for edification, worship, fellowship, prayer, and "the breaking of bread." Christ is the head of the church. the church is powerful, built upon the Word of God, equipping the believer to bring the gospel to the world.
Matthew 16:15-18, 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 12:13; Acts 2:42-47, 5:12-16, 14:23, 20-28; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22, 3:10-12, 4:11-16, 5:25-26; Colossians 1:18, 3:16; Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:14; Hebrews 13:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17
water baptism
Baptism is a Christian's public declaration of faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior in the symbolic act of death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism is proceeded by the repentance of sins, an outward profession of faith, and done through full immersion in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is a step of obedience to a direct commandment of Jesus that allows us to follow in His example.
Acts 2:38, 10:47-48; 1 Peter 3:21; Mark 16:16; Matthew 3:1-17, 10:33, 28:19; Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12
resurrection & rapture
After Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, He ascended into Heaven. In the same manner that He went to Heaven at the end of the age, Jesus will return for the saints. He will resurrect and rapture the church. We do not know the time of His return, but just that it is imminent. Upon His return, the dead will rise first and the saints will rise up and meet Jesus in the air and we will be taken to Heaven.
Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:7, 9-12, 24:15; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18, 5:1; Matthew 27:51-53; Daniel 12:1-2; John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; Matthew 25:31-32
THE SON
The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, is the Word made flesh. Born of a virgin, He came into this world fully God and fully man and lived a sin-free life. We believe in his miracles and teachings. He died on the cross, his body broken, to atone for the sins of man. He conquered sin and was resurrected on the 3rd day. He ascended into Heaven. He is our intercessor and will have a literal return to Earth. He is the only way to restore us to God.
Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:18-25, 20:28; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1-2, 14, 20:30-31; Romans 3:25-26, 4:6-8, 6:9-10, 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1Peter 2:21-23; Acts 1:11; Hebrews 4:14-16, 7:25, 9:28; 1Timothy 3:16; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5-7, 5:9; Colossians 1:15-20, 2:9-10; Isaiah 53: 5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
MAN
God created man in His own image by breathing His Spirit into him, creating both a spiritual and physical body. Each person is born male or female and is created in the womb with a unique personality designed by God to live forever. Man was created to have fellowship with God, who wants to have a relationship with every person. God wants to be actively involved in the lives of His people and gave them the freedom to make their own decisions.
Genesis 1:26; 1 John 5:7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16, 28:18-20; Philippians 2:5-6;
John 1:1-3, 14, 10:30, 14:26-27, 15:26; Acts 2:31-33; Ephesians 2:18;
Luke 10:21-22
sanctification
Man chose to sin, which resulted in eternal separation from God in both physical and spiritual death. Sin is the transgression of the law of rebellion against God. Since the first sin, all men are born with a sinful nature, are sinners by choice, and therefore are under condemnation.
Hebrews 12:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, 5:23; 1 Corinthians 11:1, 2, 30:1; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 5:17; Ephesians 4:22-24, 5:1-2; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Peter 3:18; Philippians 1:6, 3:12-14; 2 Timothy 2:1; John 17:17; Galatians 2:20; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Romans 6:1-23
communion
Communion is the commemoration of Jesus's sacrifice on the cross in the same tradition as Jesus and his disciples at the Lord's Supper and the celebration of God's pardon and presence in our lives. Jesus commands us to have communion in remembrance of Him.
Matthew 26:26-29, 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:23-26; John 6:35, 51-58
works of the Holy Spirit
Jesus promised that God would send a Helper to us when He ascended into Heaven. Upon salvation, the believer is filled with the Holy Spirit. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of new birth and is evident through speaking in tongues. Baptism in the Holy Spirit enables Christ followers to fully utilize public and private spiritual gifts for the furtherance of the Church and for personal spiritual growth. Divine healing was purchased by Christ's atonement and is wrought by the power of God through faith by the laying on of hands. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, divine healing, and gifts of the Spirit are available to all believers and are still fully operational in the world today.
Matthew 3:11, 8:14-17; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:5-8, 2:1-12, 16-21, 31-33, 38-39, 8:14-17, 19:1-12; James 5:14-16; Mark 16:15-20; Isaiah 53:3-5; 1 Peter 2:24; Joel 2:28-29; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; Romans 11:29, 12:6-8; 1 Peter 4:10; 1 Timothy 4:14-15; Psalm 103:2-3