What We Believe

We believe in the God of the Scriptures. God exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe and that He loves His creation. We believe God is holy, just, and loving. (Genesis 1:1, 26-27, 31; Leviticus 19:1-2; Psalm 33:5; Psalm 90:1-2; Job 38-41; Isaiah 6:1-5; Isaiah 30:18-19; Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-14; John 3:16; John 14:6-7; Ephesians 4:6; I John 4:7-12.)

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God the Father. We believe Jesus is both fully God and fully man. Born of a virgin, Jesus came to earth, and lived a sinless human life. By dying on the cross, Jesus offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people. After three days, Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of God, and lives today as the exalted King at the right hand of the Father. He alone is the world’s savior and king. We believe that Jesus is our example to follow and imitate. We believe that Jesus is only way to have a saving relationship with God. We believe that Jesus will return one day to judge the living and the dead. (Matthew 1:22-23; John 1:1-18; John 14:6-30; Acts 1:9-11; Acts 10:37-43; I Corinthians 15:3-4; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-21; I Timothy 6:13-15; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:1-3; Hebrews 4:14-15)

We believe the Holy Spirit dwells inside every Christian from the moment of their salvation. The Holy Spirit is the seal or deposit of our salvation. The Holy Spirit helps transform us into the image of Jesus. The Holy Spirit guides, helps, comforts, and empowers believers to live as God’s holy people in this life. The Holy Spirit provides spiritual gifts to Christians so the church can accomplish Jesus’ purposes in the world. We believe that we are to be led by the Spirit and to live our lives according to the Spirit. (John 14:16-17; John 16:7-13; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:1-16; I Corinthians 6:19-20; II Corinthians 3:16-18; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 3:16-20)

We believe the sixty-six books of the Bible are the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God. We believe the Bible is the standard for all matters of faith and living. We believe that God expects us to be obedient to the Scriptures, even when popular culture might contradict Scripture. We believe the Bible tells an amazing of story of God’s relentless pursuit of a relationship with us through His Son, Jesus. (Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Psalm 19:7-11; Psalm 119; John 1:14; John 12:44-50; John 17:17; Acts 2:42; Acts 17:10-11; Romans 16:25-26; I Thessalonians 2:13; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21)

We believe that all humans have sinned. Our sins separate us from God who desires a relationship with each of us. We believe that without a saving relationship with Jesus, our sins bring God’s judgment upon us. We believe that only God’s grace can redeem us from being lost, and that salvation comes to us through faith in Jesus as both Savior and Lord. Salvation is not earned, merited, or achieved by any amount of personal goodness, religious deeds, or by church affiliation. We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in what Jesus Christ accomplished through his death, burial, and resurrection. We believe that saving faith demonstrates itself in obedience to the will of God. (Isaiah 59:2; Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 19:10; John 3:16: John 14:6; Romans 3:10-11, 23; Romans 6:23; I Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:3-5)

We believe that water baptism by immersion serves as the point at which we die to our lost selves, are buried, and are raised to a resurrected life in Christ. We believe that, in baptism, our sins are washed away through faith in the blood of Jesus. Baptism, as an expression of faith, is for the remission of sins. We receive the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit when we are baptized. We believe that baptism is the normative means of entry into the life of discipleship. It marks our commitment to regularly die to ourselves and to live for Christ. We believe God sovereignly saves as he sees fit, but we are bound by Scripture to uphold this teaching about surrendering to Jesus in faith through repentance, confession, and baptism. (Matthew 28:19-20: John 3:1-9; Acts 2: 37-39; Acts 8:38; Acts 16:31-33; Acts 17:30; Acts 17:30; Acts 20:21; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:1-9; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 3:26-27; Ephesians 5:26; I Peter 3:21)

We believe the Church is comprised of the community of believers who have been saved by the blood of Christ. The Church is not a building or one particular group of believers. As Scripture affirms, the Church is the bride of Christ, the body of Christ, the temple of the Spirit, and the family of God. To belong to the Church is to belong to Jesus. Christ is the head of the Church. The Church exists to make and grow disciples of Jesus who will join Him in His mission of redeeming and reconciling the world to Himself. We believe that active participation in the life and ministry of a local church is necessary for growth in Christ. (Matthew 16:15-18; Matthew 28:19-20; John 17:20-23; Acts 2:42-47; Acts 20:28; II Corinthians 5:19-20; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 2:19-22; Ephesians 3:10-11; Ephesians 4:9-16; Ephesians 5:22-30; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:23-25; I Peter 2:4-10)

The gospel of Jesus call people to both salvation and discipleship. Faith is more than mere intellectual agreement or emotional warmth toward God. Our faith is to be living and active. It involves surrendering our own self-rule to the rule of God through Jesus in the power of the Spirit. We surrender by trusting and following Jesus as both Savior and Lord. We are called to live worthy of our calling in Christ. God calls us to live holy lives, which reflect the purity, morality, and ethical standards of Jesus. Motivated by love for God and others, we strive to put away the various patterns of sin described in the Bible through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Mark 7:20-23; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 9:23-24; Luke 14:25-35; John 13:34-35; Romans 1:18-32; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 4:19; 5:13-26; Ephesians 4:1-2; Ephesians 4:17-32; Colossians 1:28; James 2:14-26)

We believe that Jesus Christ will return at the end of time. Jesus will reward the saved and punish the wicked, and finally destroy God’s last enemy, death. We believe that those who have put their faith in Christ will be raised to eternal life, but those who have refused to believe in Him will be raised to eternal death. We believe in a real Heaven and a real Hell. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be in God’s presence for eternity is Heaven. Believing in these realities, we desire to draw all people to God through Jesus Christ. We believe in living prepared for Jesus’ second coming. (Matthew 24:30; Matthew 25:31-46; Matthew 26:63-64; Mark 9:43-49; Luke 24:46-48; John 3:16; Acts 1:9-11; Acts 4:12; Acts 24:15; Romans 6:23; I Corinthians 15:40-46; II Corinthians 4:17-5:1; Philippians 1:21-23; Philippians 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Thessalonians 1:6-10; Hebrews 9:27-28; I John 5:11-13; Revelation 20:11-21:5)