This We Believe

This We Believe

Statement of Faith

There is one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross, the just for the unjust, as a substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures. He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest. He will come again to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace.

The Holy Spirit is a divine Person, sent to indwell, guide, teach, and empower the believer and convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.

The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.

Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God; he fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The portion of the impenitent and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment; and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and bliss.

Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all; and those who repent and believe in Him are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life, and become the children of God.

It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly, being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service. This is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion.

Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the mortal body. Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the Church in this present age.

The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church, which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the Gospel to all nations. The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the Gospel, and observance of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

We believe that God supports the work of the ministry through his people with graceful giving of tithes and offering (Mal. 3:10,11; 2 Cor. 9:6-7).

There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust for the former, a resurrection unto life; for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment.

The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal, visible, and premillennial. This is the believer’s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service.

The Ordinances of the Church are:

Baptism in water

Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper.

Scripture References and Beliefs

God the Creator exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (John 14)

Born of the virgin, Jesus suffered, died, rose again, and was exalted at the right hand of the Father from whence He will come again. (Matthew 1:23, Matthew 27 & 28, Acts 1:11, Hebrews 8:1)

The Holy Spirit brings the benefits of Christ’s saving work to the people who believe in Him. (John 7:37-39)

The Bible is the inerrant written Word of God. (II Timothy 3:16)

The personal salvation of believers through the shed blood of Christ. (I Peter 1:18-19)

Water baptism by immersion as a sign to others of our identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. (Acts 2:38)

Baptism in the Holy Spirit. (Luke 3:16; Acts 2)

The gifts of the Spirit are for the ministry of the church today. (I Corinthians 12)

Divine healing, through faith, and that healing is included in the Atonement.(Matthew 8:16-17)

World evangelization and missionary work in accordance with the Great Commission, with signs following. (Mark 16:15-18)

God will judge the world and receive His own at the end of history. (John 5:28-29, Revelation 20:11-15)