Beliefs

The Bible

The Bible is God's Word to all people. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and Christian living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error.

2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,160; Psalm 12:6; Proverbs 30:5

God

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.

Genesis 1:1, 26, 27; Genesis 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19;1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:1

Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5; John 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15;1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth and guidance in doing what is right. The Christian seeks to live under His control daily.

2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12;1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18

Man

We are made in the spiritual image of God to be like Him in character. He is the supreme object of God’s creation. Although we have tremendous potential for good, we are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.” This attitude separates us from God until the relationship is restored through a personal commitment to Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2

Salvation

Salvation is a gift from God to humanity. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can we be saved from sin’s penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his or her life by faith.

Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; John 1:12; Titus 3:5;Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1

Eternal Security

Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security.

John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 10:10-14; 1 Peter 1:3-5

Ordinances

Communion

All who are Christ-followers, having placed their faith and trust in Jesus as Savior, are welcome to participate in communion. We believe the bread and cup are elements symbolic of Jesus’ body and blood, broken and shed for us for the remission of sin. We celebrate communion regularly in obedience to Jesus’ command to “do this in remembrance of Me”.

Matthew 26:26-27; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-30

Baptism

Once we have placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior, baptism is the next step on our journey with God. Baptism is not an action necessary for salvation, but is an outward expression of what God is doing in and through us. The original Greek word "Baptizo" used in the New Testament means to dip, immerse, or submerge. We baptize by immersion because of the example Jesus and His disciples set in Scripture.

Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 8:26-40; Romans 6:4; Ephesians 2:8-9

Marriage & Relationships

The Bible informs and defines our views on marriage and the family. We believe that God created marriage as a picture of Christ’s relationship with the church (Ephesians 5:22-32). We believe that the term marriage has only one meaning. We believe that Marriage unites one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union (Genesis 2:23-24; Matthew 19:4-6). Marriage provides for intimate companionship, pure sexual expression (Genesis 2:25; Ephesians 5:31-33), procreation, and reflects the relationship of Christ and the church (Genesis 1:28; Proverbs 5:15-19; 1 Corinthians 7:1-5). God has given marriage to us as a gift that is to be enjoyed and celebrated as a good thing.