Our Beliefs
Statement of Fundamental Truths — Doctrines/Beliefs
The Holy Bible, the Word of God
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to mankind. The canonical books of the Old and New Testaments are the primary rule and authority for faith, morals, and service, against which all other authorities must be measured. The Word of God is the truthful and trustworthy light and guide for the Christian life. We preach from the Bible, study it together in groups, read it in our quiet time with God, and follow its teachings on a daily basis. (2 Timothy 3:15, 2 Timothy 3:16, 1 Peter 2:2).The One True God
We believe in one God, the all-loving creator, and sustainer of the universe. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all wrapped into one perfect and holy mystery who we worship and obey. The one true God has revealed himself as the eternally self-existent, self-revealed "I AM" and has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association, i.e., Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Mark 12:29, Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 11, Matthew 28:19).Jesus Christ, the Son of God — We believe in Jesus Christ, truly God and truly man, in whom the divine and human natures are perfectly and inseparably united. He is the eternal Word made flesh, the only begotten Son of the Father, born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. As ministering Servant, Jesus lived, suffered by crucifixion, and died on the cross. He was buried and rose from the dead on the third day by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus ascended into heaven to be with the Father, from thence He shall return. He is eternal Savior and Mediator, who intercedes for us, and by Him all humanity will be judged. Through inviting Jesus into our lives, placing our faith, trust, and obedience in His atoning work on the Cross of Calvary, we receive forgiveness of our sins and are given eternal life. (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, The Apostles Creed).
The Holy Spirit — We believe in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from and is one in being with the Father and the Son. He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He leads humanity through faithful response to the gospel and into the fellowship of the Church. He comforts, sustains and empowers the faithful and guides them into all truth and righteousness. (Psalm 51:11, Psalm 63:10-11, Luke 24:45-49, John 16:1-15, Acts 1:8).
Mankind’s (Man & Woman) fall and redemption — Man/Woman was created good, upright, and without sin, for God said, “Let Us make man in our image, after our likeness." But man/woman, by their voluntary transgression of God’s commandments in the Garden of Eden sinned and fell from God’s grace. Mankind’s only hope of redemption in the Old Testament was faith in God and His cleansing forgiveness through the Sacrificial System. New Testament believers found the same forgiveness from God through His Son, Jesus Christ and His redemptive work on the Cross of Calvary. (Genesis 1:26-31, Genesis 3:1-7, Habakkuk 2:4, John 3:16, Romans 1:17, Romans 5:12-21).
The Salvation of Mankind —
a. Conditions of Salvation: The grace of God, which brings salvation to mankind, has appeared to all through the preaching of repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ; by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, and being justified by the hope of eternal life found in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (Luke 24:47, John 3:16, Romans 10:13-15, Titus 2:11, Titus 3:5-7)
b. Evidence of Salvation: The inward evidence to the believer of his/her salvation is the direct witness of the Holy Spirit with the believer’s spirit. The outward evidence to all men/women is a life of righteousness and true holiness. (Acts 1:8, Acts 2:38, Acts 15:8, Romans 8:16, Romans 15:13, Ephesians 1:4, Ephesians 5:3, Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 4:4-7, 1 Timothy 2:8, 2 Timothy 1:9, 1 Peter 1:15-16).
The Sacraments — We believe the Sacraments, ordained by Christ, are symbols and pledges of the Christian's profession and of God's love toward us. They are means of grace by which God works invisibly in us, quickening, strengthening, and confirming our faith in Him. Two Sacraments are ordained by Christ our Lord, namely Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
a. Baptism — We believe Baptism signifies entrance into the household of faith and is a symbol of repentance and inner cleansing from sin, a representation of the new birth in Christ Jesus, and a mark of Christian discipleship (Matthew 28:19; Acts 10:47–48; Romans 6:4).
i. The ordinance of Baptism by immersion, sprinkling, or pouring in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as commanded in the Scriptures, shall be administered to all those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of their souls and who give clear evidence of their fruit (Matthew 28:19–20; Colossians 2:9–12).
ii. At the parents’ request, infants and small children may either be dedicated or baptized as was the common practice in the Early New Testament Church (Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:13–16; Luke 18:15–16; Acts 16:33).
b. Holy Communion/Lord's Supper - We believe that Holy Communion/Lord's Supper is a representation of our redemption, a memorial of the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ, and a token of love and union which Christians have with Christ and with one another. Those who rightly, worthily and in faith eat the broken bread and drink the blessed cup partake of the body and blood of Christ in a spiritual manner until He comes enabling the person to receive God’s grace for their lives. (2 Peter 1:4, 1 Corinthians 11:26). Holy Communion/Lord's Supper shall be observed at least monthly or more as determined by the Pastor. It will be part of the public worship service, as commanded by the Lord. Also, on special occasions, where the Pastor deems needed, Holy Communion/The Lord’s Supper will be offered. (Luke 22:19, 20; I Corinthians 11:23-26.
Regeneration — We believe God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. The offering Christ freely made on the cross is the perfect and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, redeeming humanity from all sin, so that no other satisfaction is required. All people who turn from their sins and put their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ receive a new birth by which their life is regenerated by the power of God's Holy Spirit. (John 3:3-6, Titus 3:5).
a. From that time forth, the renewed person has God's Holy Spirit dwelling within them, enabling them to live a holy life (1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Peter 1:3–4) — and also giving them the power to be witnesses for Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8).
b. We believe that, although we have experienced regeneration, it is possible to depart from grace and fall into sin; yet, by the grace of God, we may be renewed in righteousness (1 John 1:9).
The Promise of the Father - All believers are entitled to the promise of the Father and to the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, in obedience to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the everyday experience in the early Christian church. That experience opens the door to a deeper spiritual life and service, bringing with it the bestowment of the gifts of the Holy Spirit for use in the work of the ministry (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; 1 Corinthians 12:1–31). The experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit is distinct from, and subsequent to, the new birth. The book of Acts records this sequence in several accounts (Acts 10:44–46; Acts 11:14–16; Acts 15:7–9), showing that the outpouring of the Spirit empowered believers for witness, unity, and effective ministry.
Sanctification - We believe sanctification is the work of God's grace through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, by which those who have been born again are cleansed from sin in their thoughts, words, deeds, and are enabled by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to live in accordance with God's will, and to strive for a life of holiness without which no one will see the Lord. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can obey the command, "Be holy, for I am holy". (Leviticus 11:44-45). Sanctification is the will of God for all believers and should be pursued by walking in obedience to The Word of God and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is experienced in basically four ways:
a. Instant Sanctification — This is what happens to every person who puts their faith and trust in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are saved through faith in Jesus, we are sanctified in the eyes of God through the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross of Calvary. As God the Father looks at us, He sees the transforming work that has taken place as Scripture declares, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he/she is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”. (2 Corinthians 5:17).
b. Progressive or Practical Sanctification — This is the process by which we strive to live on a day-to-day basis by considering ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in holy living through the power of God's divine nature within our lives. (Romans 6, Philippians 2:12-13, 2 Peter 1:3, 2 Peter 1:4).
c. Entire Sanctification — Entire sanctification is a state of perfect love, righteousness, and true holiness which every born-again believer may obtain by being delivered from the power of sin, by loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and by loving one's neighbor as oneself. Through faith in Jesus Christ, this gracious gift may be received in this life either gradually or instantaneously, and it should be sought earnestly by every child of God.
d. Final Sanctification — This is when we are set free from sin within our mortal bodies. The believer has gained victory over the sting and finality of death through faith in Jesus Christ. As Scripture teaches, “…we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.” (1 Corinthians 15:55, 1 John 3:2).
The Church - We believe the Christian Church is the community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ. We believe it is one, holy, apostolic and catholic. It is the redemptive fellowship in which the Word of God is preached by humans divinely called, and the sacraments are duly administered according to Christ's own appointment. Under the discipline of the Holy Spirit the Church exists for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers and the redemption of the world. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the Church, which is written in Heaven. (Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 1:23, Ephesians 2:22, Hebrews 12:23).
The Ministry and Evangelism - Our Lord has provided a divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry for evangelizing the world and edifying the body of Christ. The Pastor is called of God to train and equip the laity for the work of ministry and in the evangelism of lost people by the witness of their lives. (Mark 16:15–20; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 4:11–13).
Divine Healing - Deliverance from sickness is provided for us in the atonement and is the privilege of all believers. (Isaiah 53:4, Isaiah 53:5, Matthew 8:16, Matthew 8:17, James 5:14-15). The act of Laying on of Hands accompanied by the anointing with oil for the healing of the sick, shall be administered upon request. (Mark 16:18; James 5:14-15).
The Blessed Hope - The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their resurrection, together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, is the imminent and blessed hope of the Church. (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Titus 2:12, 1 Corinthians 15:51, Romans 8:23).
The Millennial Reign of Jesus - The revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven, the salvation of National Israel, and the millennial reign of Christ on earth are the scriptural promise and the world's hope. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, Revelation 19:11-14, Romans 11:26-27, Revelation 20:1-7)
The Lake of Fire/Hell - The devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and anyone whose name is not found written in the Book of Life shall be cast into everlasting punishment in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; this is the second death. (Revelation 19:20, Revelation 20:10-15)
The New Heavens and the New Earth - We, "according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness". (2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21, Revelation 22).