Doctrinal Statement

Doctrine of the Bible

We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures (II Tim. 3:16), that both the Old and New Testaments are inerrant as they were originally written (Matt. 5:18; John 17:17), that the Scriptures are complete and infallible (Rev. 22:18-19; Ps. 119:128), and that they are the sufficient and sole authority on all matters of faith and practice for the Christian believer (I Thess. 2:13).

Doctrine of God

We believe that God is one God, the Creator and Sovereign ruler of the universe (Gen. 1:1, John 1:1-3), eternally co-existent in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (II Cor. 13:14)—who are co-equal in nature, divine attributes and perfections, and who are worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence and obedience. We believe that God created all things, not by evolutionary processes, but directly and immediately, and that He sustains and guides all things to their pre-determined end (Col. 1:17; Eph. 1:10).

Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ

We believe in the deity of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Isa. 7:14; Col. 2:9), who was pre-existent with the Father (John 1:18), conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:35), born of the Virgin Mary, not having human father (Luke 1:34), and who is true God and true man (Matt. 16:13-18).

We believe that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life (John 8:46; I Peter 1:19), died a substitutionary death on the cross for the sins of the world, was bodily resurrected from the grave on the third day, and ascended into heaven where He now intercedes for believers (Heb. 7:25). Christ is man’s only hope of salvation and is the only mediator between God and man (John 14:6; I Tim. 2:5).

Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

We believe in the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit who regenerates believers (John 3:5) and baptizes them into the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:13), empowers them for service (Acts 1:8), indwells (Rom. 8:9), infills (Eph. 5:18), guides (Rom. 8:14), and enlightens believers (Eph. 3:16-19), comforts them for daily living (John 14:16-18), and seals them until the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13).

Doctrine of Man

We believe that Adam, as the natural head of the human race, was created in the image of God, originally innocent and sinless (Gen. 1:26-27), that he voluntarily sinned (Gen. 3:6-7; Rom. 5:12), and thereby incurred not only physical death, but spiritual death upon himself and all mankind (Rom. 3:10; 3:23).

We believe that all human beings are sinful by nature (Ps. 51:5), become sinners by choice when they reach moral responsibility (Jer. 17:9), are unable to effect their own salvation (Titus 3:5), and are in need of the salvation which Christ alone can provide (Rom. 6:23; 5:18).

Doctrine of Salvation

We believe that a person is saved when he repents of his sin and accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, apart from human works or ceremonies (John 1:11-12). We believe in the eternal security of the believer, who is kept by the power of God (John 10:27-29; I Peter 1:5).

Doctrine of the Church

We believe that the church has two aspects:

1. “Church which is His body” — the living spiritual body of which Christ is the head, and of which all regenerated believers are members (I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 3:6; Col. 1:24).

2. “Local Church” — a company of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, baptized by immersion upon a credible confession of faith, and voluntarily associated for worship, fellowship and service (Acts 2:47; Acts 11:19-30).

We believe the local church was given the responsibility to perpetually observe two ordinances:

• the Baptism of believers by immersion as a testimony and symbol of the believer’s regeneration and union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 8:30; Rom. 6:3-5).
• The Lord’s Supper as a memorial of the Lord’s death until He comes again (I Cor. 11:23-34).

We believe the church was given the divine commission to preach the Gospel to every creature (Matt. 28:18-20), to earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3), and to edify individual members of the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-16).

We believe the local church should be independent, autonomous; and free from interference by any convention, or ecclesiastical or political authority (Acts 6:1-7; 15:28-35).

We believe in separation of church and state (Matt. 22:21) because they are different in function, but not that government should be separated from its Scriptural foundation (Ps. 33:12).

Doctrine of Satan

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, that he is a created being who sinned, that he became the chief adversary and enemy of God, His creation and His children (Isa. 14:12-15; Ezk. 28:12-15; Matt. 4:2-11; John 8:44). He seeks to keep men from the Lord (II Cor. 4:4), and when he cannot succeed, he seeks to weaken the testimony of the believer (I Peter 5:8). Ultimately, Satan will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where he will be tormented day and night forever (Rev. 20:10).

Doctrine of Christian Living

We believe that every believer should demonstrate a Christ-like testimony by a consistent walk in the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16), and by life and word show forth the praise and honor of the Lord (Matt. 5:13-16; Phil. 2:15-16).

Believers should be personally separated from all worldly alliances, pleasures and practices that hinder spiritual growth and stability (Eph. 5:10; I John 2:15-17; II Cor. 6:14-18).

Doctrine of Separation

We believe that Biblical separation includes separation of the local church:

1. From any affiliation or fellowship with:

• Those who deny the basic fundamentals of the faith (II Tim. 2:16-19; I Tim. 6:3-6)
• Those who teach and practice extra-Biblical traditions and doctrine ( Rom. 16:17; I Tim. 1:18-20)
• Those who practice inclusivism (II Chron. 19:2; II Thess. 3:6, 14)
• Any form of apostasy (Titus 3:10-11; II John 9-11; Gal. 1:8)

2. From indulgence in worldly practices and amusements ( Rom. 12:1-2; I John 2:15-17; I Cor. 6:19-20; James 4:4; Eph. 5:10)

Doctrine of Last Things

We believe in the imminent (Titus 2:13), pre-tribulational return of the Lord Jesus Christ for His church (the Rapture)(Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 3:10), that following the Great Tribulational period He will visibly and bodily return to the Earth with His saints and establish His millennial kingdom (II Thess. 1:7-9), and that during this 1,000 year period the covenant promises of God for Israel will be literally fulfilled and the times of the Gentiles will end (Ezk. 36:24-28; Isa. 11:11-16; Rom. 11:26; Luke 21:24; Zech. 12:2; 14:2-3).

We believe all human beings will be resurrected and judged according to their works. Believers will receive their rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ–the Bema (II Cor. 5:10). Unbelievers will be condemned eternally to the lake of fire with Satan and his angels at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15).

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