What We Believe

We believe that the collection of documents testifying to the work of God throughout history and to the life, the teachings, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus known as the Holy Bible to be the authoritative Word of God. We believe God inspired the original words of the Scripture thru the minds, mouths, and hands of specially appointed human authors and those original writings were consequently without error. We believe that the Bible is the unchanging and final authority for all matters of faith, truth, morality, and Christian living.

We believe God desires to be in relationship with human beings. We believe every person has an eternal spiritual nature in addition to the temporary physical nature. We believe that humanity, created by God, willfully rebelled against God and, as a result, is guilty of sin (has missed the mark) and without hope apart from Jesus Christ who is the only One who can intercede on our behalf to restore the relationship with between humanity and God the Father. Without restoration, the justice of a Holy and Perfect God leaves no alternative but to eternally separate us from His Presence. To be eternally separated from God is to be in hell. The process of restoration that saves us from the justified wrath of God is referred to as salvation.  We believe:

That salvation—the forgiveness of sins—is only by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ.

That one receives this saving by putting faith in Christ, repenting of sin, and confessing Jesus as Lord.

We also believe that Jesus commands that every believer who repents and confesses Him as Lord, should be baptized by immersion based on the language and practice of Scripture. This command and practice was confirmed and carried out by His closely trained Apostles (Acts 2:38) and was done almost immediately, or very shortly thereafter, in every detailed conversion experience as stated in the letter of Acts beginning on the Day of Pentecost. The Apostle Paul states clearly in Romans 6 that the reason we do this is to identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

We believe that those who have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ are sent into their communities and the world to proclaim the Gospel, to love one another and others, and serve the world just as Jesus Himself did.

We believe the Bible teaches that God is the Creator and Sustainer of human life; that God creates each person in His image; and that life is therefore sacred, from conception to death. We believe, as Jesus stated in Mark 10:7-9, that God creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the “image of God” in humankind; and we believe that each person’s biological gender is an intrinsic, immutable aspect of his or her nature and identity.

Jesus also confirmed in Mark 10:7-9 that God established marriage in the beginning as a lifelong, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman. We believe that He has reserved sexual intimacy as an expression of love and commitment between married couples and that any intimate expression of sexuality outside of Biblical marriage is sin.

We believe that while sexual or other temptations may vary in nature for individuals, if one chooses to be a follower of Jesus, they are called to a life of obedience as Scripture defines it and should abstain from engaging in behavior outside of God’s boundaries.

We believe in the Church of Jesus Christ, founded on the Day of Pentecost, consisting of all Christians everywhere, and organized into local congregations. The Apostle Peter defined it as being part of a new, holy nation. We believe the Bible teaches that every Christian should be an active member of a local congregation. We believe that Christ is the head of the church and that the overseers (called Elders in Scripture) are responsible for the spiritual protection, instruction, discipline, and restoration of its members.

We believe that the Bible instructs church members to: Meet together regularly for fellowship, worship, teaching, and the Lord’s Supper; Use our natural abilities and spiritual gifts to serve one another; Love one another, bear with one another, accept one another, and forgive one another; Seek unity, agreement, and peace with one another; Encourage and build up one another; Bear one another’s burdens; Pray for one another; Spur one another to love and good deeds; Submit to the authority of the elders of the church; Support the church financially; Pursue personal holiness and obedience to God’s Word; and strive together to fulfill the Great Commission.