What We Believe

The Scriptures

We believe the Bible to be inspired, the only infallible authoritative Word of God. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures have supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

II Timothy 3:16–17; II Peter 1:20–21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12–13; Hebrews 4:12

The Trinity

We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are equal in every divine perfection and execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption respectively.

Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14; Mark 12:29; Matthew 28:19; Isaiah 43:10–11

God, the Father

We believe in God, the Father, an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 48:12; Psalm 95:3, 6; Isaiah 40:21–26; Psalm 139:1–12; John 7:37, 38

Jesus Christ

We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, His bodily resurrection, ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return for His church in power and glory.

Philippians 2:6; Hebrews 1:8; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20; Romans 3:25; Titus 2:13; I Corinthians 15; I Thessalonians 4:13–18; John 20:31

The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, the third Person of the Trinity. In the present age, He convicts of sin, of judgment, and of righteousness; He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; He is the agent in the new birth, indwelling all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, baptizing them into the body of Christ, and sealing them unto the day of redemption; and He bestows gifts as He wills. We believe that every believer is commanded by God to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12–14; Ephesians 5:18–20; I Corinthians 3:16–17.

Salvation

We believe in the depravity of man, that all men are sinners by nature and by choice and are therefore in need of salvation—divine redemption through personal regeneration. We believe that those who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior are saved, regenerated by the Holy Spirit

Acts 10:47–48.

Sanctification

We believe that all believers are indwelt with the person of the Holy Spirit at the time of regeneration, given every spiritual blessing, all things pertaining to life and godliness, and empowered with the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit, drawing upon the resources available through the resurrected Christ, to the end that our lives increasingly manifest the very life, character, and power of Christ.

Acts 2:38; II Peter 1:3; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 2:1–6; II Corinthians 3:16; Romans 12:1–3; Galatians 2:20.

Divine Healing

We believe God can bring deliverance to the sick and afflicted and that it is the privilege of all believers to pray for His healing virtue.

Isaiah 53:4–5; Matthew 8:16–17; Mark 16:18; John 5:14; Isaiah 5:14.

The Church

We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ who have a credible profession of faith and have associated for worship, work, and fellowship. We believe that the calling of the church is to be the very presence of Christ in the midst of the world, standing as a testimony of His life and character. We believe that the testimony of Christ’s life is seen most fully in the corporate expression of His life that is the church and that when God calls people into life with Himself, He necessarily calls them into fellowship with other believers as well.

Ephesians 1:22–23; Ephesians 5:25–27; I Corinthians 12:12–14.

The Ordinances

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church—water baptism and the Lord’s supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that baptism signifies and symbolizes Christian life begun. We believe that the Lord’s supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death and signifies Christian life continued. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:19; Acts 10:47–48; Romans 6:4.

The Last Things

We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal blessedness of those made righteous in and through Christ, and the endless suffering of the wicked.

Mark 9:43–48; John 5:28–29; John 11:25–26; Revelation 20:5–15.

Attitude

Considering the many denominational backgrounds of our community church, we wish to stress the importance of the main fundamental doctrines as being absolutely necessary and to be understanding in minor differences that so often are merely differences in terminology or custom.“In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”