Beliefs

We believe that the Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. The Bible, in its original writing, is both inspired and inerrant (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26).

We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and are worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience. (Mark 12:29; John 1:1-4; Matthew 28:19-20; Colossians 1:15-17; Philippians 2:6,).

We believe that Jesus Christ is God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity. Jesus Christ is 100% man and 100% God. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life (John 1:1,14, 20:28; I Timothy 2:5, 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6, II Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, Romans 3:23).

Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son of the Father, conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary. Therefore, Jesus is the Son of God (Matthew 1:18, 20, 23; Luke 1:27-35; Isaiah 7:14).

Humanity was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression fell; our only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21).

We are saved by grace (which is undeserved and unearned) through faith in Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; I Corinthians 15:1-4).

Because Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, His blood shed on the cross of Calvary is 100% sufficient to cleanse us of all sins when appropriated individually through repentance and faith. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for the sins we have committed, enabling all who believe to be freed from the penalty of sin (which is death) (I John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 5:9; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:10-12, 23, 25; 5:9; John 1:29, Hebrews 9:22).

Repentance is a commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ. Through repentance we individually receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation (Acts 2:38, 3:19).

Christians are people who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by the Holy Spirit. They are putting their trust in what Christ accomplished for them when He died, was buried, and rose again from the dead (John 14:17, 23, 15:4; Romans 8:11; Revelation 3:20).

After receiving the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the Name of the Lord (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 8:36-38, 10:47-48).

The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Christ’s great commission. Every person who is born of the spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers (Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; I Corinthians 12:12-14, 27-28; Ephesians 4:1-16).

The Lord’s Supper is a unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread and wine (or grape juice), expressing in some spiritual way the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, are taken by believers in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross (I Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25; Matthew 26:26-28; John 6:53-54; Luke 22:1-20).

Initiated at Pentecost, Holy Spirit Baptism or Second In-filling is the promise of the Father, given by Jesus after His ascension, to empower the Church to supernaturally communicate the gospel throughout the whole earth (Acts 1:8, 14:3; Mark 16:20). When a believer receives the baptism in the Holy Spirit, Scriptural precedent demonstrates that he has both the potential and probability of experiencing various manifestations such as Scripture-based prophetic experiences, unknown tongues, and other visible outward signs (Acts 2:1-18, 8:14-18, 10:44-46, 19:6; Luke 11:13).

Sanctification is the ongoing process of being set apart for God, characterized by our yielding to God to complete the development of Christ’s character in us. A lifestyle of developing righteousness and holiness is the evidence to all men that Christ’s Spirit lives within us (I Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; II Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18; Romans 8:29, 12:1-2; Hebrews 12:11).

We believe that, as part of Christ’s work of salvation, it is the Father’s ultimate will for believers to become whole and healthy in all areas of life:

• Spiritually (II Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10).
• Mentally and Emotionally (II Timothy 1:7; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3).
• Physically (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:17; I Peter 2:24; Romans 8:11).
• Financially (Joshua 1:8; Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; II Corinthians 9:6-10; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalm 34:10, 84:11; Philippians 4:19).
• Sexually (I Corinthians 6:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:3-7; Ephesians 2:1-7; Colossians 3:5-7).

These promises do not negate the experience of trials (John 16:33). And the presences of trials do not imply any sort of spiritual inferiority. These promises are merely a plan by which God receives glory and man receives wholeness – whether received in this life or the next.

Healing of the sick is illustrated in the life and ministry of Jesus and is included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples. Healing is a provision of Christ’s atonement on the cross and is given as a sign which is to follow believers (Matthew 8:16-17; Acts 8:6-7; James 5:14-16; III John 2; Psalm 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:5; Mark 16:17-18).

Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His kingdom. This will occur at a time undisclosed by Scriptures (Revelation 1:7; Acts 1:9-11; Matthew 24:30, 36; 26:63-64; I Thessalonians 4:15, 17; II Thessalonians 1:7-8).

We believe that Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. One day all believers in Christ will also be physically resurrected in glorified bodies to their reward in heaven with God (Luke 24:16, 36, 39; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21; I Corinthians 15:42, 44; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28, 21:4; Acts 24:15).

Heaven is the eternal dwelling place of all who believe in Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:1; I Peter 1:4; Hebrews 11:16; John 17:24; Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34).

After living one life on earth, those who have rejected Christ will be judged justly by God and sent to Hell, where they will be eternally tormented together with the devil and the fallen angels (Hebrews 9:27; Matthew 25:41-46; Daniel 12:2; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8; Mark 9:43-48; Matthew 10:33).