What We Believe

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES: We believe in the plenary (complete) verbal (word by word) inspiration of the Scriptures; that the Bible is the infallible and authoritative Word of God to men. Ps. 12:6, 19:7-11; Mt. 5:18; Jn. 10:35b; 1 Th. 2:13; 2Tim. 3:13-17; Tit. 1:2; 2Pet. 1:20-21.

THE GODHEAD: We believe in the one true God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the three persons being equal in power and majesty yet executing distinct but harmonious offices. Gen. 1:26-27; Deut. 6:4; Ps. 90:2; Mt. 3:13-17, 28:10; 1Cor. 8:4, 6; 1Tim. 2:5.

THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe in the personality and power of the Holy Spirit; that He was sent into this world according to the promise of the Father and the Son, to reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment to come; that He is to quicken, seal, and sanctify believers and to guide us into all truth. Gen. 1:2; Jn. 14:16-18, 16:8, 13; Acts 2:16-18; 1Cor. 6:11; Eph. 1:13; Tit. 3:5.

THE CHURCH: We believe in a future church now existing in the mind of God, made up of every believer, which shall be the bride of Christ; also referred to as the body of Christ. We believe also in visible, local churches made up of baptized believers in Christ, and that to such local churches was given the responsibility of carrying out the Great Commission. Mt. 16:16-18; Acts 2:41-47, 15:41, 16:5; 1Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 5:25-27; 1Tim. 3:15; Rev. 1:4, 19:7.

THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST: We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, conceived of the Holy Spirit; that He is truly God and truly man. Micah 5:2; Mt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:26-35; Jn. 1:1-2; 3:16, 20:31; 1Cor. 15:6-8; 1Tim. 2:5.

SATAN: We believe in the personality and diabolical cunning of Satan who is also called the devil, that he is the arch enemy of God and the deceiver of mankind. Is. 14:12-15; Ez. 28:12-19; Mt. 4:1-11; 2Cor. 4:3-4, 11:14; 1Pet. 5:8.

CREATION: We believe that the Genesis account of creation is to be accepted literally and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in Gods’ own image and after His like-ness; that at the creation of man and woman God also instituted marriage between husband (singular) and wife (singular), thus establishing the family; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolutionary changes of development of species through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly; and God’s established law was that they should bring forth only after their kind. Genesis 1:1, 11-12, 20-21, 24-28, 2:21-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Hebrews 11:3.

THE STATE OF MAN: We believe in the total depravity of man; that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and with-out Christ are lost. Is. 53:6; Rom. 3:10, 19-23.

THE ATONEMENT: We believe that the one and only hope for lost mankind is in the blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary; that the life and death of Christ were not merely exempla-ry but substitutionary. Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22; 1Pet. 2:24, 3:18.

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH: We believe that men are justified and saved, not by meritorious works, but on the single ground of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work. Rom. 3:28, 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5.

ETERNAL SECURITY: We believe that all who are justified by Jesus Christ are saved forever and nothing can separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ps. 37:28; Jn. 6:37, 10:27-29; Rom. 8:38-39; Eph. 1:13-14; Php. 1:6; 2Tim. 1:12; 1Pet. 1:5.

CHURCH ORDINANCES: We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted the ordinances of baptism and Lord’s supper to be observed by born again believers, baptized by immersion to be observed once, after conversion, as an outward testimony to an inward work of grace, and the Lord’s supper to be observed continuously until He comes. Mt. 28:19; Acts 8:34-39; Rom. 6:4; 1Cor. 11:23-29; Eph. 4:5.

THE ETERNAL STATE: We believe that the spirit of every believer at death departs to be with Christ there to abide with Him in conscious bliss and rejoicing for eternity. The spirit of every unbeliever at death is forever banished from the Lord in a conscious condition of remorse and punishment. Mt. 25:31-46; Lk. 16:15-26; Jn. 14:1-3; 2Cor. 5:1-8; Php. 1:23; Rev. 20:11-15.

THE RAPTURE: We believe in the imminent, pretribulational rapture of the believers when they, both those who have died and those who live at that time, are caught up to meet the Lord (Christ) in the air. 1Thes. 4:13-18; 1Cor. 15:51; John 14:3.

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND MILLENIAL REIGN: We believe in the pre-millennial return of Christ to judge the nations, bind and imprison the devil, and to establish His millennial king-dom. Matt. 25:31-46; Rev. 19, 20.

CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR: In view of all these things, “What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness?” We believe that as Christians we should follow Christ, even as He commanded. As followers of Christ we must abstain from all appearances of evil, ceasing to allow those things which cause our brothers to stumble, or be offended, or made weak, and at all times seeking to walk worthy of the vocations wherewith we are called. Mt. 4:19; Rom. 14:21; 2Cor. 5:20; Eph. 4:1; 1Thess. 5:22.

MISSIONS: The command to give the gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and the Commission was given to the churches. Mt. 28:19; Mark 1:15; Jn. 20:21; Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:13-15.

CIVIL GOVERNMENT: We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the only Lord of the conscience; and the coming prince of the kings of the earth. Ex. 18:21-22; 2Sam. 23:3; Ps. 72:11; Dan. 3:17; Mt. 22:21; Acts 4:19-20, 23:5; Rom. 13:7; Tit. 3:1; 1Pet. 2:13-17.