Doctrinal Statement
We believe the Bible. We believe it to be the literal Word of God from start to finish. We believe it to be inspired, infallible, inerrant and authoritative in everything it says. We believe that the God who inspired it is the God who has preserved it for each generation and will until the end of time.
This statement of faith is not exhaustive in content, nor is it thorough in any subject; however, this does state the basics of Bible-believing Christianity. We want all to know that we believe the soul-saving, life-changing message of God's Holy Word. We will preach it and teach it without apology.
A) The Bible
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by inspiration of God. Holy men of old wrote the Bible as the Holy Spirit of God led them. The Bible is absolute in its authority, complete in its revelation, final in its content, and without error in its statements. We believe that God has preserved His Word for us in the English language in the Authorized King James Bible. We believe God's Word to be the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. The King James Bible will be the only acceptable standard in our preaching and teaching and personal study. (II Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 40:8; II Peter 1:19-21; I Peter 1:23-25; Psalm 12:6-7; 119: 89, 140)
B) God
There is only one true and living God - the Lord God Jehovah. He is one God manifested in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is a person, eternally existing, as a Trinity in unity. We believe that they are equal in divine perfection and are executing distinct but harmonious offices in the work of redemption. (Matthew 28:19; John 14:7-12; John 16:7; Deuteronomy 6:4; I John 5:7; John 4:24; Psalm 83:18; Exodus 15:11; Mark 12:30; John 10:22-38; Ephesians 2:18; I Corinthians 8:6; John 1:1-3; Colossians 2:9; Philippians 2:5-6; Hebrews 1:1-8)
C) Jesus Christ
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, in His incarnation and His virgin birth. We believe that Christ, eternally existing, is the only begotten Son of God. We believe that Christ became a man totally apart from sin, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He is true God and true man. We believe that Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man. He was crucified and buried. He is risen and sits at the right hand of the Heavenly Father. He is the virgin-born, sinless, Son of God. We believe that Jesus shed His blood to atone for our sins and willingly gave His life a ransom for all mankind. (Luke 1:27-35; John 1:1-15; Philippians 2:5-11; John 3:16; Colossians 1:15-17; Matthew 1:18-25; Isaiah 7:14; II John 7, 9)
D) The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine person equal to the other persons of the Trinity. He is personal and indwells every true believer from the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit is the Reprover, Comforter, Guide, Sanctifier, and Seal of our redemption. He empowers believers for service as they yield to Him. (John 15:26; John 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; Acts 4:31; Romans 8:9, 14-27; Ephesians 5:18; Matthew 3:16-17; John 14:16-17, 26; Ephesians 1:13-14; I Corinthians -16; ; ; II Corinthians 13:14)
E) Sin
Man was created in the image of God, but by disobedience fell into a state of sin and condemnation. Sin not only brought physical death, but also spiritual death and separation from God. Now all of mankind is totally depraved, having a sinful nature, and guilty before God. (Genesis -27; -17; 3:1-19; Romans -23; ; Romans 5:12)
F) Satan
We believe in the person of Satan, that he is not merely a figment of imagination; but he is a real being, who influences mankind to turn people away from the one true and living God. He is the god of this world. He does not possess the attributes of God, nor does he have the power to harm any child of God. Greater is He (The Holy Spirit) that is in me than he that is in the world. Satan is the author of sin, the father of all lies, and he and his angels will be eternally punished in the lake of fire. (John 8:44; II Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; 6:10-12; Ezekiel 28:13-17; Isaiah 14:12-15; Revelation 20:10; Matthew 25:41)
G) Salvation
Mankind is lost and must be born again to enter the
H) Eternal Security
All believers in Christ are saved by grace through faith and are kept by the power of God through faith. Salvation results when a man turns to Christ and exercises his faith in Christ as his personal Saviour. In so doing, the finished work of Christ settles the believer's account in Heaven. Heaven's rejoicing proves that salvation is secure. We do not earn our salvation; we cannot lose it! (Ephesians 2:8-9; I Peter 1:3-9; John 1:12; 3:15-16, 36; 10:27-30; Jude 24; Titus 3:5; Luke 15:7, 10; I John 5:13)
I) Freedom of Will
The human will is free and self-controlled, having power to yield to the influence of the truth and the Holy Spirit or to resist them. (Revelation 22:17; Romans 10:3; Romans 6:16)
J) Heaven and Hell
We believe in a literal Heaven and Hell. The Bible teaches that Heaven is a definite place reserved for the saved. It is indescribably beautiful and the eternal reward for all those who have been born again. The saved will spend eternity with Jesus Christ in Heaven. Hell is a terrible, eternal reality for those who die in their sin. The Bible describes Hell as a place of fire and torment for the unsaved. (John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10-11; Revelation 21:1-2; Matthew 5:22; 29-30; 23:33; 25:41; Revelation 19:20; 20:10-15; 21:1-8; Luke 13:27-28; 16:19-31; II Corinthians 5:1; 12:2-4; I Peter 1:3-5)
K) The Second Coming, Resurrection, and Judgment
We believe in the imminent pre-tribulation rapture of the saints. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is coming at any moment to catch up His Church and to reward their service. The saved go to Heaven as soon as they die, but do not receive their resurrected bodies until the return of Jesus Christ for His bride at the rapture. The saved will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to be judged according to their works, to receive the rewards that Christ has promised in His Word for those who labour with Him. After ruling and reigning with Christ for 1,000 years, all the saved will then enjoy eternity with Christ in the new heaven and the new earth. Those who die without Christ go to Hell to await the final Great White Throne Judgment where they will be judged for sin and condemned to spend eternity in the lake of fire. (John 14:1-3; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Acts 1:7-11; I Corinthians 15; I Corinthians 3:11-15; II Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 19:11-20:15; John 5:20; Matthew 24: 29-41; 25:41, 46)
L) Creation
We believe that God spoke the world into existence in six literal days. We believe in God's creation without evolution. (Genesis 1:1-31; Colossians 1:16-17; Psalm 33:6, 9; Hebrews 1:2, 10)
M) The Church
We believe the local New Testament church is a group of baptized believers, banded together for edification, exhortation, and evangelism as commanded by Christ in the Great Commission. We believe the Head of the church is Christ. The only Scriptural offices of the local church are that of pastor and deacon. The local church is to be led by the pastor (undershepherd) under the direction of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. We believe in absolute separation of church and state. (Colossians 1:18; I Timothy 3:1-15; Titus 1:5-9; Acts 2:41-47; 8:1; 14:23; 15:22; 20:28; I Peter 5:1-4; John 14:15; 15:10; Matthew 16:13-18; 18:15-20; 28:18-20; I Corinthians 4:17; 11:2, 23; 12:12; Ephesians 1:22-23; II Timothy 3:17-4:2; II Thessalonians 3:7)
N) Soul Winning and World Missions
We believe that the command to give the Gospel to the lost is clear in the Scriptures, and that this is the responsibility of all believers. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 15:16; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 2:10)
O) Baptism
We believe that baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament church. We believe the Scriptural method of Baptism is by immersion in water. We believe that a born-again believer should be baptized after salvation to show forth his/her faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Baptism has nothing to do with salvation, but is rather the first step of obedience after salvation. (Romans 6:1-5; Acts ; -39; 18:8; John 3:23; Matthew 28:19)
P) The Lord's Supper
We believe the Lord's Supper to be an ordinance of the New Testament church. The purpose is to commemorate the Lord's death until He comes again. The unleavened bread represents His broken body and the unfermented juice represents His shed blood. Both are pictures of the sinless Son of God who was crucified to be the Saviour of the world. The Lord's Supper should only be taken by baptized believers and then after careful self-examination. (I Corinthians 11:23-32)
Q) Separation from False Doctrine
We believe the pastor has a Scriptural responsibility to warn the church concerning apostasy and false teaching. Believers should have no fellowship with those who believe and teach false doctrine. (II Corinthians 6:14-17; II Peter 2:1-2; I John 2:22; Jude 3,4; II John 6-11; II Thessalonians 3:6; Ephesians 5:6-11; Acts 19:8-10; Romans 16:17-18; Galatians 1:6-12; Philippians 3:17-19; Matthew 7:15-20)
R) Separation from Worldliness
We believe that all believers should live in such a manner so as not to bring reproach upon our Lord. We believe that separation from sinful pleasures is commanded of God. We believe every believer should strive to maintain a good testimony as a Christian. (Romans 12:1-2; ; II Corinthians 6:14-17; I John 2:15-17)