Statement of Faith
The Nature of God
We believe in one true and living God, everlasting, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness—the Maker and Preserver of all things visible and invisible (Isaiah 45:21-22; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 90:2).
In the unity of this Godhead, there are three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—equal in power and eternity (John 1:1; John 15:26).
God the Father is the supreme Person in the Godhead, to whom the Son and the Holy Spirit, though equal in essence, are subordinate in office. The Father sent the Son into the world and also sends the Holy Ghost. Worship belongs to the Father, and through the Son, the penitent sinner is reconciled to Him.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who was eternally with the Father. Conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. His sacrifice atones for both original sin and actual sins, reconciling humanity to God. He rose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and intercedes for us (Luke 1:27-35; John 1:14; Romans 5:10; Hebrews 7:25).
The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, being true and eternal God of one substance, majesty, and glory with them (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4). His work includes:
- Convincing the world of sin (John 16:8).
- Regenerating the repentant (John 3:5-9).
- Sanctifying believers (Acts 15:8-9).
- Guiding into all truth (John 16:13).
The Foundation of Faith
We believe the Holy Scriptures—the sixty-six canonical books of the Old and New Testaments—to be the Word of God, given by divine inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16). They contain all things necessary for salvation, so that nothing outside of Scripture should be required as an article of faith (2 Peter 1:20-21).
The Church, the Bride of Christ, is composed of all saved and sanctified believers. As the body of Christ, the Church exists to glorify God and fulfill His mission on earth (Ephesians 5:25-27).
Sin and Salvation
Original sin is the corruption of human nature, inherited from Adam, making all people inclined to sin and separated from God (Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:12; 5:12-18). It is known as the “carnal mind” (Romans 8:7) or “the old man” (Romans 6:6), persisting until eradicated by the Holy Ghost.
Jesus Christ’s suffering, death, and the shedding of His blood made full atonement for sin, providing the only grounds for salvation (Romans 5:8-10; Acts 4:12). Salvation is available to all who repent and believe (Luke 24:47; John 3:16).
- Free Will: Humanity was created with the ability to choose between right and wrong. Since the Fall, God’s grace is necessary to draw sinners to salvation (Revelation 22:17).
- Faith: Living faith, a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8), is essential for pleasing Him (Hebrews 11:6).
- Repentance: True repentance involves sorrow for sin, confession, and forsaking sin through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 7:10).
The three simultaneous acts of the new birth are:
- Justification: A gracious act of God absolving guilt and removing the penalty of sin (Romans 5:1).
- Regeneration: The impartation of divine life, transforming the sinner into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
- Adoption: A believer becomes a child of God (Romans 8:15).
Sanctification and Growth
Entire sanctification is a second, definite work of grace where the believer’s heart is cleansed from original sin by the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Romans 15:16). It follows regeneration and requires full consecration (Romans 6:11-13).
Believers must grow in grace and maintain a right relationship with God (2 Peter 3:18). Even if a believer falls into sin after justification, repentance and restoration are possible (1 John 2:1).
Christian Living
Worshiping God involves more than acts of praise—it is a way of life. True worship is striving to live a life pleasing to God, presenting oneself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him (Romans 12:1). This includes staying away from influences that can lead to sin (2 Corinthians 6:17).
We recognize the first day of the week as the Christian Sabbath, commemorating Jesus’ resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 20:7; Matthew 28:1).
We believe that any form of sexual immorality—such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, or pornography—is contrary to God’s design for human sexuality. Marriage, as ordained by God, is exclusively the union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Romans 1:26-29).
Water baptism is an outward sign of inward grace but does not cleanse or save (Acts 10:47-48).
Instituted by Jesus, it symbolizes His body broken and blood shed for the redemption of sin (Luke 22:19-20).
Last Things
Jesus will return bodily and premillennially, first for His saints (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18) and later with His saints to reign (Jude 14).
There will be a resurrection of the just and the unjust. The righteous will be rewarded with eternal life in heaven, and the wicked will face eternal punishment in hell (2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 10:28).
Heaven is the eternal home of the redeemed (John 6:38; Matthew 6:20), while hell is the final destination of the unrepentant (Luke 16:23; Matthew 23:33).