Confession Of Faith

What We Believe

At the center of all we do is the truth that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Jesus lived as a man for thirty years, yet because He was God, He never sinned. He was unjustly accused of wrong-doing and willingly died on a Roman cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all people, because as it says in Romans 3:23, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

Three days after His crucifixion, because death and sin could not conquer Him, Christ rose from the dead and ascended victorious to His home in heaven. He will return to earth someday to judge sin, but is waiting for more people to trust in Him and accept the gift of forgiveness He bought on that cross. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." We pray that you would accept this gift if you haven’t already.

You can also read more about the Gospel message here.

We also believe that all Christians are to be active in the work of making disciples of Christ from all nations and should be using their spiritual gifts to do so, seeking to glorify God in every word and deed. We are to share the message of the Gospel wherever we are and help each other grow in our walk with God. We believe God has called the church to be the training and development center for this work. We seek to do this by offering a variety of gatherings where this can all take place.

Section 1. OF THE SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore the truth without any admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried.

	II Timothy 3:16-17	II Peter 1:19-21
Section 2. OF THE TRUE GOD We believe there is one, and only one, living and true God; an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and supreme Ruler of the heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love: that in the unity of the Godhead there are three Persons--the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct, but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
	Exodus 20:2-3	I Corinthians 8:6	Revelation 4:11	I John 5:7
SECTION 3. OF THE HOLY SPIRIT We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; and that He was active in the creation, that in His relation to the unbelieving world, He restrains the "evil one" until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth, that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.
	John 14:16-17 Matthew 28:19 Hebrews 9:14 John 14:26	Luke 1:35 Genesis 1:1-3 John 16:8-11 Acts 5:30-32	John 3:5-6 Ephesians 1:13-14 Mark 1:8 John 1:33	Acts 11:16 Luke 24:49 Romans 8:14-16 Romans 8:26-27
Section 4. OF THE DEVIL OR SATAN We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire.
	Matthew 4: 1-3	II Corinthians 4:4	Revelation 20:10	Revelation 12:9
Section 5. OF THE CREATION We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution. We understand the Bible to clearly teach that the creation of the world took place in six literal, consecutive, 24 hour days, and that God rested on the seventh day (Genesis. 1 and 2; Exodus 20:11, 31:17; Colossians. 1:16-17; John 1:3).
	Genesis 1 and 2	Colossians 1:16-17	John 1:3
Section 6. OF THE FALL OF MAN We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint but by choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuses.
	Genesis 3:1-6, 24 Romans 5:19	Romans 5:12 Romans 3:10-19	Romans 1:18	Romans 1:32
Section 7. OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; was born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of a woman; and that He is both Son of God and God the Son.
	Genesis 3:15 Isaiah 7:14	Luke 1:35	John 1:14	Matthew 1:18-25
Section 8. OF THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly by grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored by the divine law by His personal obedience and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ the Lord bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; and that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful Person the tenderest sympathies with the divine perfection. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate and all sufficient Savior.
	Ephesians 2:8 Acts 15:11 Romans 3:24	John 3:16 Matthew 18:11 Philippians 2:7-8	Hebrews 2:14 Isaiah 53:4-7 Romans 3:24-27	I John 4:10 I Corinthians 15:3 II Corinthians 5:21
Section 9. OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again, that the New Birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the New Birth the one dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives Eternal Life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine Truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel, and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.
	John 3:3 II Corinthians 5:17 I John 5:1	John 3:6-7 Acts 16:30-31 II Peter 1:4	Romans 6:23 Ephesians 2:1 II Corinthians 5:19	Colossians 2:13 John 3:8
Section 10. OF JUSTIFICATION We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believes in Him is Justification:(a) That justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of Eternal Life on principles of righteousness.(b) That it is bestowed not in consideration of any "works of righteousness which we have done," but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood, His righteousness is imputed unto us.
	Acts 13:39 Isaiah 53: 11	Zechariah 13:1	Romans 8:1	Romans 5: 1-9
Section 11. OF FAITH AND SALVATION We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation.
	Acts 16:31
Section 12. OF THE LOCAL CHURCH We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by a covenant of faith and friendship of the gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are Pastors and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; we believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self government, free from the interference of a hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that its one and only superintendent is Christ; through the Holy Spirit that is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the Faith, and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measures and actions of its co-operation; on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, or discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
	Acts 2:41-42 I Corinthians 11:2 Ephesians 1:22-23	Ephesians 4:11 Acts 20:17-28	I Timothy 3:15 Colossians 1:18	Ephesians 5:23-24 Acts 15:13-18
Section 13. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of the believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation. We believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of the Lord's death until He come, and should be preceded always by a solemn self-examination.
	Acts 8:36-39 John 3:23	Romans 6:3-5 Matthew 3:16	Colossians 2:12 I Corinthians 11:23-28
Section 14. OF THE SECURITY OF THE SAINTS We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God, the Father for Jesus Christ.
	Philippians 1:6	John 10:28-29	Romans 8:28-39	Jude 1 (R.V.)
Section 15. OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked, that such only as are justified through the faith in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds in men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting and conscious suffering of the lost.
	Malachi 3:18 Genesis 18:23 Romans 6:17-18	I John 5:19 Romans 7:6 Romans 6:23	Proverbs 14:32 Luke 16:19-31 Matthew 25:34-41	John 8:21
Section 16. OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interest and good order of human society, that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of kings on earth.
	Romans 13:17 II Samuel 23:3	Exodus 18: 21-22 Acts 28:5	Matthew 22:21 Acts 5:20	Acts 4:19-20 Daniel 3:17-18
Section 17. OF THE RESURRECTION, PERSONAL, VISIBLE, PRE-MILLENNIAL RETURN OF CHRIST, AND RELATED EVENTS We believe in the imminent return of Christ for the Church, which is distinct from Israel, where we will meet Him in the air, the event referred to as the Rapture, our blessed hope (Titus 2:11-14). We believe this event immediately precedes the seven year Tribulation period (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 24:21; Daniel 12:1). During this seven year period there will arise a personal Antichrist (I John 2:18, II Thessalonians 2:3-4). This period will culminate with the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16, 19) and the return of Christ to the earth with power and great glory (Revelation 19). This will be followed by a literal 1000 year reign of Christ (Revelation 20).(a) The Bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ,
	Matthew 28:6-7 Luke 24:39	John 20:27 I Corinthians 15:4	Mark 16:6	Luke 24:2-6
(b) The Ascension.
	Acts 1:9-11 Luke 24:51	Mark 16:19	Revelation 3:21	Hebrews 12:2
(c) The High Priesthood.
	Hebrews 8:6 I Timothy 2:5	I John 2:1	Hebrews 2:17	Hebrews 5:9-10
(d) The Second Coming.
	John 14:3 James 5:8	Acts 1:11	Hebrews 9:28	I Thessalonians 4:16
(e) The Resurrection of the Righteous Dead.
	I Thessalonians 4:13-18	I Corinthians 15:52	I Corinthians 15:42-44
(f) The Change of the Living in Christ.
	I Corinthians 15:51-53	Philippians 3:20-21	I Thessalonians 4:13-18
(g) The Throne of David
	Luke 1:32	Acts 2:29-30	Isaiah 9:6-7
(h) The Millennial Reign.
	I Corinthians 15:25 Isaiah 32:1	Isaiah 11:4-5	Psalm 72:8	Revelation 20:6-14
Family: We believe that marriage is a permanent institution, created by God. It began with Adam and Eve, and is to be the union of one man to one woman for life (Genesis. 2:24; Mark 10:1-12). God has also created sex, which is to take place only in the bonds of marriage. Any practice of it outside of the above defined marriage union is a sin (I Corinthians 6:9-18; Ephesians 5:3-5). Furthermore, we believe it is God's command that believers are to marry believers (II Corinthians 6:14-15) and that they are given the privilege and responsibility of raising their children in the Lord (Ephesians 6:4; Deuteronomy 6). We further believe that homosexuality is a sin, that it is against the clear teachings of Scripture, and is an abomination to the Lord (Leviticus 18:22, I Corinthians 6:9-10, I Timothy 1:9-11). Separation: We believe that we are called to remain separate from apostates and anyone that denies the inspiration and Authority of Scripture, the deity of Christ, the virgin birth of Christ and His miracles, Christ's blood Atonement for Sin, the bodily resurrection of Christ from the dead, and Christ's personal return. Therefore, we as a church will make no binding affiliation with any organization that claims to be of God, but denies any of these stated fundamentals of the faith (2 Corinthians 6.14-17; 2 John 7-11). We do believe, however that we are to carry the Gospel to the lost around us and do not believe these verses imply that we are to live in isolation from the unsaved.