Our beliefs represent the foundation of our faith and are our understanding of what the Bible proclaims as the essentials of Christianity. All of our values, behaviors, teachings and way of life flow out of these statements. Beyond this, we embrace St. Augustine’s philosophy, “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity.”
Our Faith Statements
WE BELIEVE the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible, authoritative Word of God. (II Tim. 3:16,17)
WE BELIEVE in the triune Godhead as eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (II Cor. 13:14)
WE BELIEVE in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious death and atonement through His Shed Blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His present priestly ministry. (I Tim 3:16, Rom. 3:25,26)
WE BELIEVE that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. We further believe in the keeping power of God. (Heb.9:22, Jude 24, 25)
WE BELIEVE in evangelistic and missionary fervor and endeavor. (Acts 1:6, Mark 16:15—18)
WE BELIEVE that sanctification, holiness and the overcoming life is God’s design for the Church, which is the Bride of Christ. (Eph. 5:25—27)
WE BELIEVE that sexual purity is a necessary expression for all of God’s children and requires abstinence from adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, or other sexual relationships or practices forbidden by Scripture. (Heb. 13:4, I Cor. 6:18, Lev. 18:1—30)
WE BELIEVE that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime and a sacred institution established by God. (Matt. 19:4—6)
WE BELIEVE that Baptism is for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and is to be administered by immersion, thus bearing witness to the gospel of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection for us, and our own new life in Him. (Matt. 28:19, Rom. 6:4)
WE BELIEVE that Communion, when shared by believers, witnesses to the saving power of the gospel, to Christ’s presence in His church, and looks forward to His victorious return. (I Cor.11:23—26)
WE BELIEVE in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost and in the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit as evidenced in charismatic gifts and ministries, and in the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. (Acts 2:4, Acts 10:46, Acts 19:6, Eph. 4:11, I Cor. 12:8—11, Gal. 5:22, 23)
WE BELIEVE We believe that divine healing is obtained on the basis of the Atonement. (I Peter 2:24, Matt. 8:17)
WE BELIEVE in Christ’s imminent personal return in power and great glory, and in His present and everlasting dominion. (Acts 1:8, Rev. 1:7, Dan. 7:14)
WE BELIEVE in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: they that are saved unto the resurrection of eternal life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of eternal punishment. (John 5:28, 29, Rev. 20:15)