1) We believe that the Bible, in its original manuscripts, was inspired by God. As God’s inspired Word, the Bible is of supreme and final authority in faith and practice. II Timothy 3:14-17.

 

2) We believe in one God, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, immutable, eternally existing in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19.

 

3) We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. As a result of the incarnation, Jesus Christ is both true God and true man.   Matthew 1:18; John 1:1; Hebrews 4:14-15.

 

4) We believe that man was created perfect and in the image of God by a special act of God, wholly apart from any process of evolution; however, through the sin of Adam, man became totally depraved, in need of a Savior.   Genesis 1:26, 2:7; Romans 5:12-17; Ephesians 2:1-9.

 

5) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice. All who believe in His name and receive Jesus as Savior are made God’s children, joint heirs with Christ.  I Corinthians 15:3-4; Acts 4:12; John 1:12-13; Romans 8:16-17.

 

6) We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of Jesus, in His ascension into Heaven, in His present ministry there for us as High Priest and Advocate, and in His imminent return. Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 4:14; Ephesians 1:20; I Thessalonians 4:14-17; Luke 24:39.

 

7) We believe that all who put their faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and become children of God. They are indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit and so are secured unto the day of redemption. John 1:12, 10:28; Ephesians 1:13-14, 5:18.

 

8) We believe that the church of Christ was begun at Pentecost.  It is composed solely of believers and is the bride of our Lord Jesus Christ. The mission of the church is to display the glory of God to the world and to fulfill the Great Commission. Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8, 2:1ff; I Corinthians 12:12-14, 27.

 

9) We believe in two ordinances: believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of the believer in water as a public testimony to saving faith. Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38, 41.

 

10) We believe the Lord’s Supper was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ and is to be observed by believers in this age as a memorial of Christ’s death.  I Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:42.

 

11) We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust in the last day. Those who profess saving faith will spend eternity with God and the lost will experience separation from God to include everlasting conscious punishment. Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; I Corinthians 15:51-54.

 

12) We believe that Satan, a fallen angel, is the author of the fall of mankind. He is the adversary of Christ and the church and his ultimate destiny, along with the lost, is eternal conscious punishment in the Lake of Fire.  Genesis 3:1-19; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 20:7-10.

 

13) We believe that the church is a local assembly of the body of Christ. This local body meets together for the study of the Bible, for discipleship, for worship, for the observance of the ordinances, and for prayer. As an independent local body, the church has the right of self-governance as directed by the Holy Spirit and the principles of Scripture. Acts 2:42; I Corinthians 11:23-33; Ephesians 4:11-12.

 

14) We believe that the Scriptures admonish each believer to progress in his/her sanctification. This transformation toward Christlikeness is made possible by the efforts of each believer in cooperation with the Spirit, by the power of the Word of God, and by the encouragement of other believers.  Romans 12:1-2; II Timothy 3:15; 1 Peter 1:5-11; Psalm 119:9-16.

 

15) We believe that the local church should fellowship with other churches of like faith. The goal of this fellowship is mutual encouragement and the furtherance of the Gospel. Philippians 4:14-16.

 

16) We believe that the filling of the Spirit in a believer’s life is manifested by that person’s willingness to be under control of the Spirit and to be obedient to the Word of God. We do not believe that speaking in tongues is a primary manifestation of the fullness of the Spirit as it is taught and espoused by the charismatic movement. We believe that tongues were a sign in the early church, and the gift ceased after the completing of the canon of Scripture. 1 Corinthians 13:8-10.

 

17) We believe that God commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, pedophilia and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance. Gen. 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; Cor. 5:1, 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:18; Heb. 13:4.

 

18) We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23.

 

19) We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12.

 

20) We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the leadership of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline. Gen. 1:26-28; Ex. 20:12; Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 127:3-5; Prov. 19:18, 22:15, 23:13-14; Mk. 19:6-12; 1 Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:31-33, 6:1-4; Col. 3:18-21; Heb. 13:4; 1 Pet. 3:1-7.

 

21) We believe that God intends marriage to be a life-long commitment. As such, the breaking of that commitment through divorce is never His intention, though it may at times be permissible in the case of infidelity and/or desertion. Mal. 2:14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Cor. 7:12-16.

 

22) We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder and we reject any teaching that the termination of pregnancies is acceptable for any reasons. Job. 3:16; Ps. 51:5, 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24, 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5, 20:15-18; Luke 1:44.