WHAT WE BELIEVE
There is one and only one living and true God – the creator, redeemer, and ruler of all creation. The eternal God has revealed Himself to us as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
God the Father. God as Father reigns over His universe according to His purposes. He is all powerful and all knowing, yet He extends grace to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.
God the Son. Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God. He died on the cross to redeem mankind from sin. He was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven, where He is now exalted at the right hand of the Father. He will return to judge the world and consummate His redemptive mission.
God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired me to write the scriptures and inspires men to understand the truth. He calls men to salvation. At the moment of regeneration, He indwells every believer and bestows spiritual gifts by which they serve God through the church.
Man is the special creation of God, made in His image. By his free choice, man chooses to sin against God and falls under condemnation by God. Only by the grace of God can man be redeemed and restored to fellowship with God.
Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Salvation involves repentance, a turning from toward God, and faith, a commitment of the entire personality to Jesus as Lord. As a result of salvation, man becomes a totally new creature, and is set apart for God’s service. Because salvation is act of God’s grace, not man’s work, all true believers will endure to the end. Believers may sin and bring reproach on the cause of Christ, yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired by God. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy.
The church is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, united by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. The New Testament also speaks of the church as including all of the redeemed of all the ages.
The two ordinances of the church are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act whereby the followers of Christ partake of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorializing the death of Christ, and anticipate His second coming.
It is the duty and privilege of every believer to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. Beginning with family and friends, Christians seek constantly to tell others about Jesus, and support those who are telling others around the world.