GET TO KNOW US What We Believe
Our Statement of Faith
What We Believe
• In essential beliefs — we have unity.
“There is one Body and one Spirit...there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)
• In non-essential beliefs — we have liberty.
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters... Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls... So then each of us will give an account of himself to God... So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.” (Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22)
• In all our beliefs — we show charity.
“If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains — but have no love, I amount to nothing at all.” (1 Corinthians 13:2 Phillips)
The essentials we believe:
1. We believe in one God, creator of all things, perfect in love and holiness who exists as three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; I Peter 1:2)
2. We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and entered human form by the miracle of the virgin birth, that he lived a sinless life, and died for our sins. We believe that He rose again on the third day and now sits at the right hand of God as our advocate. (Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1 & 14, 3:16; I Corinthians 15:3-7; Hebrews 1:3; I John 2:1)
3. We believe that the Holy Spirit is God. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. We believe that He brings about the new birth, indwells, baptizes, seals, anoints, and endows all who are regenerated with spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit also leads believers who daily surrender their life to Him by guiding, teaching, sanctifying and filling them. (John 15:26, 16:8, 3:3-6, 14:16-17, 14:26)
4. We believe the Bible is God’s inspired Word and is the sole authority for all Christian faith and life. We believe that God has preserved His Word and that by His power it has been kept from being lost, destroyed, or diluted with error. (II Timothy 3:16; Psalm 119:89; I Peter 1:23 & 25)
5. We believe that all people are created in the image of God. At the same time because of Adam’s sin, all people are sinful by nature and choice. Apart from forgiveness in Jesus Christ, all are lost and alienated from God. (Genesis 1:27, 3:1-6; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:1-3)
6. We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. His death is the only payment for our sins that God will accept. All who truly believe in Christ are born again and become the children of God. (John 1:12; Ephesians 2:8-9)
7. We believe that the Church consists of all who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior. We believe that every local church is free to govern its own affairs under Christ and should seek to support the unity of all Christ honoring churches and ministries. (Colossians 1:28; Ephesians 4:3-6)
8. We believe in the priesthood of all believers, and that every born again person has direct access to God and has the responsibility for his growth in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. (I Timothy 2:5; I Peter 2:2, 5, and 9)
9. We believe the Holy Spirit gives to every true believer spiritual gifts. The purpose of spiritual gifts is to enable the Church to fulfill its mission of exalting Christ, empowering believers, and evangelizing the world. (I Corinthians 12:12)
10. We believe that God hears and answers prayer today, performs miracles, and does heal for His own glory. However, we believe that the gift of healing and the gift of miracles do not reside in any one person as they did in the Age of the Apostles. (I Corinthians 13:8; Ephesians 4:11-12)
