WHAT WE BELIEVE

The Bible

We believe that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is inspired by God, so that it is infallible in the original manuscripts and preserved by God in its verbal and plenary inspiration, so that it is a divinely authoritative standard for every age and every life. (Matthew 5:18; I Corinthians 2:13; II Timothy 3:16-17; I Peter 1:21). We believe that over the course of biblical history God progressively reveals Himself to man through seven dispensations (Hebrews 1:1-2).

God

We believe in one God that eternally exists and reveals Himself in three persons – Father, Son, Holy Spirit – having each the same nature, attributes and perfections, worthy of the same worship and confidence. (Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; John 1:1-2, 14, 10:30, 14:15-17; I Corinthians 8:6; II Corinthians 13:14). We believe in God as absolute and sole Creator and Sustainer of the universe, and that creation was by divine command, from nothing and not through an evolutionary process. (John 1:3, 10; Acts 17:24-25; Genesis 1:1). We believe that God, by His sovereign choice and out of love for men, sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners. (John 3:16; I Timothy 1:15; I John 4:14).

God the Son

We believe that Jesus Christ was fully God in the flesh and fully man, that He was born of a virgin and that He lived a sinless life, in which He taught and performed mighty works and wonders and signs exactly as revealed in the four gospels. We believe that He was crucified, shed His blood, died to pay the penalty for our sins and was raised bodily from the dead on the third day. Forty days later He ascended to the Father’s right hand where He is Head of the Church and intercedes for believers. From there He is coming again personally, bodily and visibly to this earth to set up His Millennial Kingdom. (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; Hebrews 1:1-2, 7:25; Luke 1:30-35; Ephesians 4:8; John 1:1-5, 10-14, 14:3; Colossians 2:9; I Corinthians 15:3-4; Acts 1:3,11; Revelation 20:4).

God the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person and is God, possessing all the divine attributes. He convicts of sin, regenerates, indwells, baptizes and seals all believers at the moment of their salvation, filling them in response to their obedience with the goal of conforming them to the image of Christ. (John 3:5, 16:7-11; Acts 5:3-4; Ephesians 1:13, 4:30, 5:18; I Corinthians 6:19, 12:13).

The Church

We believe that the true Church is composed of all persons who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit through saving faith in Jesus Christ; that they are united together in the body of Christ of which He is Lord and Head; and are commissioned for the God-given tasks of worshiping, fellowshipping, teaching, evangelizing and exercising their spiritual gifts. (Acts 2:42, 47; Romans 12:5; Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:23-24; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2). We believe that the establishment and continuance of the local church is clearly taught in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27, 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).

The Ordinances

We believe the ordinances for the believer are water baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper as a memorial. They are, however, not to be regarded as a means of salvation. But both of which are an evidence of obedience, identification and fellowship with the Lord. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 41, 8:12, 35-38; Luke 22:19-20; I Corinthians 11:23-29).

Salvation

We believe that salvation is a gift of God and is received by man through personal faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sin. We believe that man is justified by grace through faith apart from works and that all true believers, once saved, are kept secure in Christ forever. (Acts 13:38-39; Romans 4:5, 6:23, 8:1, 38-39; John 10:27-29; Ephesians 2:8-9).

“I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)