Our core beliefs are centered in Christ and His message as found in and supported by biblical scripture.
- Creation – God created human beings in His image, he created them as male and female, thus the gift of two different yet complementary genders which reflects the intention of God’s creation, to establish a new community.
- The Bible - The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. We believe that scripture in its entirety originated with God and that it was given through the instrumentality of chosen men. Scripture speaks with the authority of God and reflects the backgrounds, styles, and vocabularies of the human authors. We hold that scripture is infallible and inerrant in the original manuscripts. It is the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21)
- God -We believe that there is one true, holy God, eternally existing in three persons---Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality. In the beginning God created the world out of nothing and all things therein, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom, and goodness. By His sovereign power He continues to sustain His creation. By His providence, He is operating throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes. (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Genesis 1:1; John 1:1; Colossians 1:15-17)
- Salvation- The central purpose of God's revelation in scripture is to call all people into fellowship with Himself. Originally created to have fellowship with God, man defied God, choosing to go his own independent way. Thus man was alienated from God and suffered corruption to his nature, rendering him unable to please God. The fall took place at the beginning of human history, and all individuals since suffer these consequences and are in need of the saving grace of God. (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3).
- The salvation of mankind is wholly a work of God's free grace, not the result, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness, and must be personally appropriated by repentance and faith. When God begins a saving work in the heart of any person, He gives assurance in His Word that He will continue performing it until the day of its full consummation. (Ephesians 1:4-7; Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 3:19; John 3:16; Philippians 1:6)
- Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ is the eternal second person of the Trinity united forever with a true human nature and body by miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily atoned for the sins of all by dying on the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. He rose from the dead in the same body, now glorified. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father, where He is the only Mediator between God and man, continually making intercession for His own. He shall come again to earth, personally and visibly, to consummate history and the eternal plan of God, the Father (John 1: 1; Luke 1:34-35; 1 John 2:1-2; Hebrews 1:3; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Thess. 4:13-18)
- The Holy Spirit - The essential accompaniment of a genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ is a life of holiness and obedience, attained by believers as they submit to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. He was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to mankind the saving work of Christ. He enlightens the minds of sinners, and awakes in them recognition of their need of a savior and renews them. At the point of salvation, He permanently dwells within every believer and becomes the source of assurance, strength, and wisdom, uniquely endowing each believer with gifts for the building up of the body. The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Scriptures. His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christ-like character and to bear fruit to the glory of the Father. (Ephesians 1:13; John 16:7-15; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Galatians 5:22-25)
- Human Destiny - Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. For all mankind, there will be a resurrection of the body into the spiritual world and a judgment that will determine the fate of each individual. Unbelievers will be separated from God into condemnation. God's judgment will reveal His justice in consigning them to perpetuate in eternal retribution their own rejection of God. Believers will be received into eternal communion with God. (Hebrews 9:27; 2 Peter 2:4-9; Matthew 25:46; Revelation 21:1-8)
- The Church - The result of the union with Jesus Christ is that all believers become members of His body, the Church. There is one true church universal, comprised of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Scripture commands believers to gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer, the teaching of the Word, fellowship, service to the body through the development and use of talents and gifts, and outreach to the world. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:42-47; Matthew 28: 19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
- Wherever God's people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the Church. Under the watch/care of supportive leadership, its covenant partners are to work together in love and unity, intent on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.
- Faith and Practice - Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. The Church recognizes that it cannot bind the conscience of individual covenant partners in areas where Scripture is silent. Rather, each believer is to be led in those areas by the Lord, to whom he or she alone is ultimately responsible. (2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 14:1-5, 19; Romans 12:16-18)