What We Believe - Doctrinal Statement

SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Bible is the inerrant, inspired Word of God and that it is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. For reasons of textual reliability, we believe that God has preserved His Word for the English speaking people in the King James Version of the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21)

GOD
We believe in one God, eternally existing as a Trinity in unity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three persons and yet one God. (Genesis 1:1, John 10:30, Matthew 28:19, Acts 5:3-4)

THE SON
We believe that Jesus Christ, eternally existing, is the only begotten Son of God, who became a sinless man to redeem us. He was born of a virgin and is true God and true man. (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-35, Luke 1:30-55, John 1:1-15, Galatians 4:4-5, Colossians 2:9)

We believe in the bodily resurrection of our Lord, His bodily ascension into heaven, and His bodily presence there for us as High Priest and Advocate. (I Corinthians 15:1-4, I Corinthians 15:20-25, Acts 1:9-11, Hebrews 7:25, I John 2:1-2)

SATAN
We believe that Satan is literal and personal, the agent of the fall of man and that he is the prince and power of this world, and that he shall be judged and eternally punished by God. (Revelation 10:1-10, Ephesians 2:1-4, Job 1:9-12, Genesis 2:13-14)

SIN
We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death which is separation from God - and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are now sinners by birth and by choice, positively inclined to evil, and are therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin and hell without defense or excuse. (Genesis 2:17, Romans 5:12-21, Psalm 51:5, I Corinthians 2:14, Romans 1:20, Genesis 1:26-27)

SALVATION
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified by His shed blood. (I Corinthians 15:1-4, II Corinthians 5:21, I Peter 2:24, Romans 5:9, I Peter 1:18-19)

We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again by the Word through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and are thereby children of God and are eternally saved. (John 3:3, Galatians 3:24-26, I John 5:13, Romans 8:35-39, John 10:27-29, Hebrews 6:3-6, I Peter 1:23, Romans 10:17)

THE CHURCH
We believe that the Bible teaches that the following offices of the church should be held by men only: Pastor, Deacon. (I Timothy 3, Acts 6:1-3)

We believe that the local church is a congregation of baptized believers associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its offices are pastor and deacon whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; we believe the true Mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the inheritance of any hierarchy or individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in teaching the faith and for furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and methods of its cooperation; that on all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline and benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Acts 2:1-8, Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 16:15-18)

We are not, nor ever will be part of the World Council or National Council of Churches. We believe that in the last days there will be a unity of false religions eventually forming a one world "church" (Revelation 17). Therefore, we do not worship or fellowship with churches or individuals who do not hold to the fundamentals of the faith. We believe the fundamentals (i.e. trinity, deity, virgin birth, inspiration, bodily resurrection, blood atonement, salvation by grace alone, the sinless life of Christ, and the eternality of Christ) are salvation doctrines and must be accepted by all believers (II John 1:9). Furthermore, we do not worship or cooperate with churches who do not believe the same doctrines as set forth in this doctrinal statement. We do not believe in, nor do we support, any modern day movement such as Neo-Orthodoxy, Liberalism or any such movements that place less than a primary emphasis on the Word of God.

SEPARATION
We believe that all the Saved are called into a life of separation from all worldly and sinful practices (Romans 12:1-2, James 4:4, I John 2:15-17). Children of God (light) should not fellowship with lost people (darkness) (II Corinthians 6:14). Nor should children of God fellowship with backsliders (II Thessalonians 3:6, I Corinthians 5:11) but, we should love sinners by showing forth Christ and being kind toward them (Luke 15:2, Mark 2:15).

CHURCH FINANCES
We believe that God's method of financing His earthly work of spreading the Gospel to all nations, the care of the churches and the support of the ministry is by the tithes and faith promise offerings of His people. That it is to be given to the Lord through His local church as the storehouse to be distributed as directed by the leadership of the Spirit as the need arises. The time to tithe is upon the first day of the week; that His Word teaches that the tithe rightly belongs to the Lord; and that an obedient Christian does not have an option not to tithe; that tithing was instituted long before the Law was given and was practiced by the early church; that Christians are accountable to God not only for the tithe, but also for how the remaining nine-tenths is used. (II Corinthians 8:7, I Corinthians 16:2, Leviticus 27:30, Malachi 3:10, Acts 4:34-35 & 37, Luke 11:42, 18:10-12, Genesis 28:22)

BAPTISM
We believe that immersion is the only form of baptism revealed and commanded in the Scriptures; that the new birth, which comes through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, is the Scriptural prerequisite to baptism; that baptism has no saving power since it is only for those who are old enough to believe for themselves and who are already saved. (Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3-5, Ephesians 4:15, Matthew 3:13-16, I Peter 3:21)

THE LORD'S SUPPER
We believe that the Lord's supper is a memorial of the death of Christ and that only those who have been saved through faith in His atoning blood and are walking in obedient fellowship with Him ought to partake of it. (I Corinthians 11:23-32, Matthew 26:26-28)

GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that four gifts have ceased (I Corinthians 13:8-10); tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing and prophecy (foretelling). We believe these four sign gifts ceased when the Jews (who required a sign) rejected Christ, when the apostles died off and when the Bible was completed (I Corinthians 14:22, Mark 8:12). However, we do attempt to exercise all gifts of the Holy Spirit and desire to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

END TIMES
We believe in the "Blessed Hope"; the personal, bodily, pre-tribulation, pre-millennial, and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (II Thessalonians 2, John 14:1-3, Matthew 24:44, I Thessalonians 4:14-18, I Corinthians 15:51-58)

We believe there are two judgments (Daniel 12:2, John 5:28-29) and we believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust, the eternal conscious punishment of the lost (a literal burning hell), and the eternal joy of the saved (heaven). (Revelation 10:1-10, I Thessalonians 4:16-18, I Corinthians 15:51-54)