(A) The Holy Scriptures. We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, man’s final authority and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried. The sixty‑six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical‑historical meaning. The 1611 Authorized King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by our Church (II Sam. 23:1-2; Prov. 30:5-6; Luke 16:29-31; John 6:63, 10:35, 12:47-48; Acts 1:16, 3:21; II Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12; II Peter 1:20-21).
(B) Dispensationalism. We believe that
the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely
determined dispensations or rules of life which define man's responsibilities
in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather
are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His
purpose. Three of these dispensations‑ the law, the Church, and the kingdom‑are
the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture (Gen.1:26-28; 1 Cor. 9:17; II Cor. 3:9‑18; Gal. 3:13‑25; Eph.
(C) The Godhead. We believe that
there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit,
whose name is JEHOVAH, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth,
inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor,
confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons:
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, each co‑eternal in being, co‑identical
in nature, co‑equal in power and glory, equal in every divine perfection, and
executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption (Ex.
15:11; Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 6:3, 45:18-23; Jer. 10:10; Matt. 3:16-17, 28:19; John
14:10, 23, 26; Rom.
(D) The Person and Work of Christ.
1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (Isa. 7:14, 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1: 1‑2, 14; II Cor. 5:19‑21; Gal. 4:4‑5; Phil. 2:5‑8).
2. We
believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His
death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice;
that His precious, sinless, and divine blood was and is the only acceptable and
efficacious payment for man’s sins before God; and that our justification is
made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Matt. 26:28; Acts 2:18‑36, 4:33; Rom.
3:23‑26; I Cor. 15:3-4, 20; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:20; Heb. 9:12-14, 22-28; I Peter
1:3‑5,
3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9‑10; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25, 9:24; I John 2:1‑2).
(E) The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.
1. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8‑11; Rom. 8:9; I Cor. 12:12‑14; II Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13‑14, 4:30).
2. We
believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and
appropriate the Scriptures; and that it is the privilege and duty of all the
saved to be filled with the Spirit (John
3. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that all can do the work of the church ministry (Rom. 12:3‑8; I Cor. 12:4‑11, 28; Eph. 4:7‑16).
4. We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit; and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing (I Cor. ch. 12, 13, 14; James 5:14-16).
(F) The
Total Depravity of Man. We believe that man was created in holiness under
the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from that happy
state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, being by nature
utterly inclined to evil, totally depraved, and therefore under just
condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse (Gen. 1:26-27, 31, 3:6;
Rom.
(G) Salvation. We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediatorial work of the Son of God, Who according to the will of the Father assumed our nature, yet without sin, and by His death made a full atonement for our sins; that having risen from the dead He is now enthroned in heaven. He is a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior. We believe that salvation is the gift of God offered to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for our redemption and the payment for our sins (Matt. 18:11; John 1:12, 3:16; Acts 4:12, 15:11, 16:30-31; Eph. 1:7, 2:5-10; I Peter 1:18-19).
(H) Regeneration. We believe that regeneration, or the new birth, is that change wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit, by which a new nature and a spiritual life not before possessed are imparted. The person becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus; a holy disposition is given to the mind, the will subdued, the dominion of sin broken, and the affections changed from a love of sin and self to a love of holiness and God. The change is instantaneous, effected solely by the power of God, in a manner incomprehensible to reason. The evidence of it is found in a changed disposition of mind, the fruits of righteousness, and a newness of life (John 1:12-13, 3:3-8; II Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:24; Titus 3:5; I Peter 1:23; I John 5:1).
(I) Repentance. We believe that repentance is that complete change of mind and attitude toward God and sin, accompanied by sorrow and deep humility, that leads to a prayer for pardon and a change in conduct. The truly penitent exercises faith in God, Who then works into him a hatred for sin and a desire to avoid evil. God’s mercy leads man to repentance, as a work of His grace (Isa. 55:7; Luke 13:2-5, 24:47; Acts 3:19, 17:30, 20:21; Rom. 2:4; II Cor. 7:10; II Tim. 2:25).
(J) Faith. We believe that faith is a gift from God by which Christ is received by the soul as its sacrifice and Savior. It is an assent of the mind and a consent of the heart, consisting mainly of belief and trust. The testimony of God is implicitly accepted and believed as true, while Christ is unreservedly trusted for salvation. By it the believer is brought into a vital union with God, is freely justified by Him, and commits his heart and life to Him (Ps. 34:22, 125:1; Rom. 3:22, 5:1-2, 10:10; II Cor. 5:7; Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 11:1, 6).
(K) Justification. We believe that justification is the judicial act of God in which He declares righteous those who trust Christ for salvation. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer, wholly by God’s grace. The believer stands guiltless before the Judge, not because of merit, but because Christ paid his sin debt (Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:22-28, 4:3, 11, 21-25, 5:1-2, 9, 8:1; Gal. 2:16, 3:24).
(L) Adoption. We believe that adoption is a gracious act by which the Father places believers into the position of heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. Adoption gives children of God a right to the inheritance reserved in heaven for them (Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 4:5-7; Eph. 1:5; I Peter 1:3-5; I John 3:1-2).
(M) Sanctification. We believe in a threefold meaning for sanctification: 1) In position, the believer is set apart for God eternally at salvation, and is called a saint. 2) In experience, sanctification is an on-going process as the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures sanctifies the believer, who cooperates by self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, prayer, and other exercises and duties. 3) In completion, sanctification will be totally accomplished at Jesus’ second advent, when the believer receives his new body and finally is like Jesus. Sanctification, or holiness, never means sinless perfection in earthly life; it means “set apart for God” (John 17:17; I Cor. 1:30; II Cor. 3:18, 13:5; Eph. 4:11-18, 5:25-27; Phil. 1:1, 2:12-13; I Thess. 4:1-5, 5:23-24; Heb. 6:1, 10:10; I Peter 2:2; II Peter 1:5-8, 3:18; I John 3:1-2).
(N) Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers. We believe that all believers, once truly saved, are kept safe from falling away by the power of God, in which they are secure forever. Being born of the Spirit, they cannot by any means reverse that birth. Assurance of this security comes from God’s Word, which also clearly forbids using this Christian liberty to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Those professing salvation who live ungodly lifestyles over time give evidence that they were never truly regenerated (Matt. 13:20-21; John 3:15-18, 36, 5:24, 6:37-40, 44, 10:26-30; Rom. 8:28, 38-39, 13:13-14; I Cor. 1:7-8; Gal. 5:13; Phil. 1:6; Titus 2:11-15; I Peter 1:4-5, 23; Jude 24-25).
(O) The Church.
1. We believe that the local Church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born‑again, Scripturally baptized persons. No Church other than the local Church exists today. The “Church of the first-born,” the entire Church-age body, will be assembled at the rapture (Acts 2:41-47; I Cor. 12:12‑14; II Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22‑23, 5:23-27; I Thess. 4:16-17; Heb. 12:22-24).
2. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local Churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Matt. 16:18-19, 28:18-20; Acts 14:21-28, 20:17-35; Phil. 1:1; I Tim. 3:1‑13; Titus 1:5‑9).
3. We believe in the autonomy of the local Church free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1‑4, 15:19‑31, 20:28; Rom. 16:1-5; I Cor. 5:4‑13).
4. We recognize water baptism and the Lord's Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the Church in this age (Matt. 28:19‑20; Acts 2:41‑42; I Cor. 11:23‑26).
(P) Baptism. We believe that Scriptural baptism is the complete immersing of a born-again believer in water by a proper administrator (a Scripturally constituted local church). There is no doctrine nor instance in the Bible of sprinkling, pouring, or infant baptism. Baptism is an act of obedience, open testimony, and identification with Christ and His Church, and is subsequent to – not a part of – salvation. We also believe proper baptism is necessary for local church membership (Matt. 3:13-17, 28:18-20; John 3:22-23; Acts 2:37-41, 8:35-39, 10:44-48, 18:8, 19:1-7; Rom. 6:3-5; I Cor. 1:12-18)
(Q) Separation. We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded of God (Rom. 12:1‑2; II Cor. 6:14‑18, 7:1; II Tim. 2:20-22, 3:1-5; Titus 2:12; I John 2:15‑17; II John 9‑11).
(R) The Second Advent of Christ. We believe in that "blessed hope," the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture His Church prior to the seven‑year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom, which was promised to the nation of Israel (Ps. 89:3‑4; Zech. 14:4‑11; John 14:1-4; Acts 1:10-11; I Thess. 1:10, 4:13‑18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10, 19:11‑16, 20:1‑6).
(S) The Eternal State.
1. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Dan. 12:2; Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29, 11:25‑26; Rev. 20:5‑6, 12‑13).
2. We
believe that the spirits and souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from
the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the
first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified
forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; I Cor. 15:51-58; II Cor. 5:1-8; Phil.
1:23-24,
3. We believe that the spirits and souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment in hell until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and then shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment (Matt. 25:41‑46; Mark 9:43‑48; Luke 16:19‑31; II Thess. 1:6-10; Jude 6‑7; Rev. 20:10‑15).
(T) The Personality of Satan. We believe that Satan is a personage, the author of sin and the cause of the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6‑12, 2:1-7; Isa. 14:12‑17; Ezek. 28:12-19; Matt. 4:2‑11, 25:41; Rev. 20:10).
(U) Creation. We believe that God created the
universe in six literal, 24‑hour days. We reject Evolution, the Gap Theory, the
Day‑Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin
(Genesis ch. 1,2; Ex.
(V) Civil Government. We believe that God has ordained and created all authority, consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home; 2) the church; and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God (Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:1‑7; Eph. 5:22‑33; Heb. 13:17; I Peter 2:13‑17).
(W) Human Sexuality.
1. We
believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in
outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of
homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication,
adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex. Any
employee of the Church becoming pregnant or causing pregnancy as a result of
consensual intercourse, outside of the marriage relationship, shall be
terminated from employment. (Gen. 2:24,
2. We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Gen. 2:21-25; Rom. 7:2; I Cor. 7: 1-11; Eph. 5:22‑33).
3. We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the Church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the Church. (Gal. 3:28; Eph. 5:22-33; Col. 3:18-19; I Tim. 2:8‑15, 3:4‑5, 12; I Peter 3:1, 7).
(X) Divorce and Remarriage. We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce with remarriage is regarded as adultery, except on the grounds of fornication. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon (Mal. 2:14‑17; Matt. 5:31-32, 19:3‑12; Rom. 7:1‑3; I Tim. 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6).
(Y) Abortion. We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental wellbeing of the mother are acceptable (Job 3:16; Ps. 139:14‑16; Isa. 44:24, 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5, 20:15‑18; Luke 1:44).
(Z) Missions. We believe that God has given the Church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us (Matt. 28:19‑20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46‑48; John 17:18, 20:21; Acts 1:8; II Cor. 5:18-20).
(AA) Lawsuits Between Believers. We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the Church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian's insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander (I Cor. 6:1‑8; Eph. 4:31‑32).
(AB) Giving. We believe that every Christian, as a
steward of that portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to
support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the
tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other
offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief
of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel, as stated in the Church
Covenant. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use
of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made (Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9‑10;
Acts 4:34‑37; I Cor. 16:2; II Cor. 9:6‑7; Gal.
6:6; Eph.