The Bible
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the only infallible guide and rule of our faith and practice.
(Psalm 119:89; Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21.)
God
We believe there is one God. In the unity of the Godhead, there are three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and attribute, fulfilling distinct but complementary roles in the great work of redemption.
(Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 John 5:7.)
(1) God the Father (Yahweh)
We believe in God the Father, the co-Creator with the Son and the Holy Spirit, who is the eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere-present, and unchangeable Creator of all.
(Deuteronomy 32:6; Psalms 103:13; Isaiah 63:16; Matthew 6:9; John 1:3, 5:19-23, 17:1-11; Acts 17:28; Romans 8:14-16; Ephesians 4:6.)
(2) God the Son (Yeshua)
We believe in God the Son, co-Creator with the Father and Holy Spirit, who took upon Himself human form, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and given the name Jesus. His death by crucifixion and His bodily resurrection reconciled the human race to God. He ascended to heaven where He is seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us as the King of kings and Lord of lords.
(Isaiah 53:1-5; Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:1-3, 11:25-26; Ephesians 1:20-23; Philippians 2:1-6; 1 Timothy 2:5.)
(3) God the Holy Spirit
We believe in God the Holy Spirit, co-Creator with the Father and Son, who is now sent by the Father through the Son to convict the world of sin, lead us into all truth, and empower and equip the Church to carry on Christ’s work on earth.
(Genesis 1:2; John 14:26, 15:26, 16:8; Acts 1:8.)
The Fall of Mankind
We believe the human race is fallen from its original, created goodness because of the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
(Genesis 1:27, 3:1-6; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10, 3:23, 5:12, 5:19.)
The Plan of Redemption
We believe Jesus Christ was the sacrifice God planned from the foundation of the world for the sin of the human race. By shedding His blood and dying on the cross, Jesus made provision for the salvation of all people.
(Isaiah 53:5; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 1:19-20.)
Salvation
We believe, because of our total inability to save ourselves, salvation is by God’s grace alone. It is received by faith with repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal Savior.
(John 3:3, 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Peter 2:24.)
Water Baptism
We believe water baptism by immersion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is an outward sign of an inward work and is commanded by God following conversion.
(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:4.)
Sanctification Process
We believe by the power of the Holy Spirit we strive to obey the command, “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” Sanctification is the will of God for all believers, and should be earnestly pursued by walking in obedience to God’s Word (Heb. 12:14; 1 Pet. 1:15, 16; 1 Thess. 5:23, 24; 1 John 2:6).
Final Judgement and Hell
We believe there will be a final judgment for all unbelievers. Hell is an actual place of great suffering, bitter sorrow, and remorse reserved forever for the devil and his angels and all whose names are not written in Christ’s book of life.
(Matthew 13:41-43, 25:41; Mark 9:43-44; Revelation 14:10-11, 20:10-15, 21:7-8.)
Heaven
We believe heaven is an actual place of happiness and security where believers will dwell forever with God and receive the reward of their deeds done while on earth.
(John 14:2; 1 Corinthians 2:9, 3:10-15; Revelation 7:15-17, 21:4, 22:5.)
Communion
We believe in partaking of the bread and the cup of communion in remembrance of the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection. We celebrate an open communion for all believers regardless of church affiliation.
(Luke 22:7-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28.)
Foot Washing
We believe the ordinance of Foot Washing shall be observed as seen fit by all established places of worship, as enjoined in the Scriptures (John 13:1-17; Luke 7:36-50).
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in every believer at the moment of salvation. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is distinct from salvation, releasing the power of the Holy Spirit through faith. Consistent with biblical accounts, believers should anticipate Spirit-baptism to be accompanied by speaking in tongues and other biblical manifestations. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is given to endue the believer with power from God, to offer an inspired witness for Christ, to lead the believer in a life of holiness, and to equip for a Spirit-filled life of service.
(John 7:37-39, 14:16; Acts 1:8, 2:4, 2:38-39, 8:14-17, 10:44-46, 19:6; 1 Corinthians 3:16.)
Spirit-Filled Life
We believe every Christian should walk and abide in daily fellowship with the Holy Spirit and experience continual renewing of God’s power to live a Spirit-filled life in attitudes, thoughts, speech, and conduct. In order to build up and equip both individual believers and the Church of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts that are to be earnestly desired and exercised in the spirit of love. The fruit of the Spirit to be cultivated in the life of every believer is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
(John 15:4, 15:8; Acts 4:31; Romans 8:1, 8:5, 12:1-2, 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 12:7-11, 12:31; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:11, 4:30-32, 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 1 Peter 1:15, 4:10-11; 1 John 2:6.)
Divine Healing
We believe the power of God to heal the sick and afflicted is provided for in Christ’s death on the cross. God is willing to and does heal today.
(Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 16:18; Acts 3:16, 10:38; James 5:14-16; 1 Peter 2:24.)
Resurrection
We believe the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ assures the believer of bodily resurrection and eternal life.
(Matthew 28:1-7; Romans 6:1-10; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18.)
Second Coming of Christ
We believe the second coming of Christ will be personal, visible, and triumphant.
(Zechariah 14:4; Matthew 24:36-44; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, 2:8; Titus 2:12-13; Revelation 1:7.)
Last Things
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44; 25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19-26; 17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 5:1ff.; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7ff.; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13.
Church Relationship
We believe Christians should assemble regularly for edification, worship, fellowship, and proclamation of the gospel. All believers should do the work of the ministry according to their spiritual gifts and should tithe and otherwise contribute financially to their church.
(Psalms 111:1; Malachi 3:8-10; Acts 2:42-47, 16:5; Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Hebrews 10:24-25.)
Evangelism and Missions
We believe the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ commands us to carry the gospel message to the entire world – to every nation, ethnicity, culture, and language.
(Psalms 2:8; Proverbs 11:30; Matthew 9:38; Mark 16:15; John 4:35-37; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 5:16; 2 Timothy 4:1-2; James 5:20; Revelation 5:9.)
The Kingdom
We believe the Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over the universe and His particular kingship over men who willfully acknowledge Him as King. Particularly the Kingdom is the realm of salvation into which men enter by trustful, childlike commitment to Jesus Christ. Christians ought to pray and to labor that the Kingdom may come and God’s will be done on earth. The full consummation of the Kingdom awaits the return of Jesus Christ and the end of this age.
Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Matthew 3:2; 4:8-10,23; 12:25-28; 13:1-52; 25:31-46; 26:29; Mark 1:14-15; 9:1; Luke 4:43; 8:1; 9:2; 12:31-32; 17:20-21; 23:42; John 3:3; 18:36; Acts 1:6-7; 17:22-31; Romans 5:17; 8:19; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 11:10,16; 12:28; 1 Peter 2:4-10; 4:13; Revelation 1:6,9; 5:10; 11:15; 21-22.
The Family
We believe God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption.
Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.
The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God’s image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.
Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents.
Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 51:5; 78:1-8; 127; 128; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.
Stewardship
We believe God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him. Christians have a spiritual debt to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are therefore under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and for helping others. According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer’s cause on earth.
Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30-32; Deuteronomy 8:18; Malachi 3:8-12; Matthew 6:1-4,19-21; 19:21; 23:23; 25:14-29; Luke 12:16-21,42; 16:1-13; Acts 2:44-47; 5:1-11; 17:24-25; 20:35; Romans 6:6-22; 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; 6:19-20; 12; 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9; 12:15; Philippians 4:10-19; 1 Peter 1:18-19.
