Statement of Faith

…the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the wholly authoritative, inspired Word of God, infallible and inerrant in the original writings. The complete revelation of His will for the salvation of mankind, and the Divine and final authority for Christian faith, and life. (2 Tim 3:16)

…in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1; Ezekiel 36:27; John 1:1, 14, 15:26; Romans 8:9)

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…that Jesus Christ is true God and true man having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross, a sacrifice for our sins, according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest and Advocate. (Hebrews 2:17; Mark16:19; Matthew 1:18; Is7:14; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Matthew 28:19)

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…that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ; and during this age to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, indwell, bestow gifts, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living and service. (John 14:16, 26; Luke 12:12; Acts 1:8; Hebrews 10:15; Titus 3:5) We further believe in the operation of the gifts of the Spirit as manifested in the Early Church and enumerated in the scriptures, (I Corinthians 12-14) and the Spirit-filled life of separation from the world and the perfecting of holiness in the fear of God as an expression of Christian faith.  (Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 5:18, I Corinthians 6:14; 7:1)

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…that man was created in the image of God (Imago Dei), but fell into sin and is, therefore, lost. The shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only grounds for justification and salvation, for all who believe. Only such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit and, thus, become children of God. (Genesis 9:6b; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9; Romans 3:23, 6:23; John 1:12; 1 John 5:11-12)

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…that the true Church is composed of all such persons, who through saving faith in Jesus Christ, have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. Only those who are members of the true Church shall be eligible for membership in the local church. (Ephesians 4:4, 5:23; 1 Corinthians 6:15a, 12:27)

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… in the personal, premillennial, and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and that this “Blessed Hope” has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer. (Luke 21:27-28; Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 1:7, 11:13)

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…in the bodily resurrection of the dead, of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment. (Luke 23:43; 1 Corinthians 15:51-55; Philippians 3:20; Revelation 2:7, 7:17, 20:12, 21:4 & 8)

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…that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during this present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as a means of salvation. (Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:5; Colossians 2:12; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-26)

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Men and women are absolutely equal in essence, dignity, and value but are distinct by divine design. As part of God’s good created order, men and women are to have different yet complementary roles and responsibilities in the home and church. As it relates to the church, men and women are both expected to lead; however, the office of elder/pastor is reserved for qualified men (1 Tim. 3; Titus 1).

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We believe that God designed marriage for humanity. Biblical marriage, as described in the story of creation (Genesis 2:24) and affirmed by Jesus (Mark 10:6-9), is designed by God to be a covenantal, lifelong, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman and that all intimate sexual activity outside the marriage relationship is immoral and sinful (Proverbs 2:16-17; Malachi 2:14). We believe that God wonderfully created two distinct sexes, male and female (Genesis 1:27).  Biblical marriage should be marked by faithfulness, sacrificial love and joy, because it displays the relationship between God and His people (Exodus 20:14, 17; Leviticus 18:22-23; Hosea 2:16; Matthew 5:27-28, 19:4-9; John 2:1-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Hebrews 13:4; Jude 7; Revelation 21:1-9).

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We affirm the Nashville Statement on Homosexuality found here.