Any doctrinal statement is man's attempt to explain a belief in a God that is beyond his comprehension. Even though that's the case, we believe it's important for our church to issue this guidance. These statements serve to clairfy and affirm our positions on major biblical doctine and provide an anchor-point that helps in avoiding theological drift.
The Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Scriptures are our only authority for the way of salvation, the Christian life, and the practice of the church; that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. 2 Timothy 3:14-17
God
We believe in the one true and living God revealed in the Scripture as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 6:4; John 14:7-9, 15:26; Matthew 28:19
Humanity
We believe that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; that the way of salvation is by faith receiving God’s free gift of grace, which is given through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus by His atoning death on the Cross and His victorious Resurrection. Romans 3:23-26, 4:23-25; Ephesians 2:1-10
Salvation and Grace
We believe that all true believers, those genuinely born again of the Spirit of God, shall be kept by the power of God through faith; that no power or person shall be able to pluck them out of the Father’s hand or to separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus; that they have eternal life as a present as well as a future reality; that should children of God fall into sin, God will, in love, chasten them as His children and seek to lead them to repentance, forgiveness, and cleansing of sin through confession of sin to God. John 10:27-29; 1 Peter 1:5; Romans 8:35-39; Hebrews 12:5-11; 1 John 1:9, 5:11
Baptism and The Lord’s Supper
We believe that all who have received Christ as Savior and Lord should be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit; that baptism is by immersion in likeness of the believer’s union with Christ in death to sin, burial, resurrection to walk in newness of life; that the Lord’s Supper should be observed in remembrance of Him and to show forth His death for our sins until He comes again. Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
The Church
We believe that each local church is autonomous as far as human government is concerned; that each church should look to Christ alone as its head and earnestly seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit; that we can please God and promote His work by cooperating together for missions, publications, education, and many other joint efforts. Proverbs 4:1-13; Ephesians 1:22-23; Revelation 3:22
The Priesthood of All Believers
We believe in the priesthood of all believers; that every Christian has direct access to God in prayer through Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest; that there is no mediator between God and His children other than Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Peter 2:5; Revelation 1:6
The Resurrection and The Return of the Lord
We believe in the imminent, personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ; that the righteous dead shall be raised immortal to dwell eternally with the Lord; that the unrighteous dead shall be raised to be sentenced to the second death of the lake of fire. Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 20:11-15
Religious Liberty
We believe in religious liberty for all people and the separation of church and state; that a free church in a free state is the Christian ideal. Matthew 22:21; 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Cooperation, Evangelism, and Stewardship
We believe that we are under a mandate from the Lord as stewards of the Gospel and of our lives and possessions to live holy and separate lives of Christian love and to give cheerfully and liberally of our time, talent, and means to bear witness of Christ both personally in our own lives and corporately through our church and missionary efforts. Matthew 5:14-16, 28:18-20; John 20:21-23; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 6:14-19, 9:6-15; 1 Peter 1:13-21