What We Believe

 

1.     We believe the Holy Bible is the Word of God. We fully accept the writings of the entire New and Old Testaments as the inspired, inerrant, and objective word of God. The Bible is the final authority in all matters of doctrine, duty, and decisions as individuals and as a New Testament Church.

 

2.     We believe in the Godhead. We believe in the only true God, the Creator, who is eternal, loving, just, merciful, holy, and unchanging. God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in every divine attribute and executing distinct but complimentary offices in the work of redemption.

 

3.     We believe that Jesus Christ is God's Only Begotten Son. He pre-existed with God the father before His birth in Bethlehem. He was supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit in the body of the Virgin Mary. He lived a totally sinless and perfect life. He died on the cross for the sins of the whole world. He was buried and supernaturally raised out of the grave. He was declared victorious over sin, death, and hell. He is presently seated at the right hand of God in the place of authority in heaven. He is coming back to earth to bodily resurrect the dead in Christ and to rapture every living believer to be carried to heaven with Him.

 

4.     We believe in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit convicts the sinner, regenerates the sinner, indwells, and seals the believer at the point of initial salvation. He fills and empowers the believer in order that they may live a holy and fruitful life. Every Christian should live their life under the control of the Holy Spirit of God. The evidence of the fullness or control of the Holy Spirit is in living a godly, holy, fruitful, and witnessing life. We do not accept the teaching that any of the sign gifts are to be sought as evidence of the Holy Spirit's fullness. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is an experience that takes place at the time of salvation and is not separate from salvation.

 

5.     We believe that Man is a Sinner. Adam, the first man, was created in the image of God and in innocence. However, by his voluntary transgressions against the will and law of God, he fell into sin and incurred not only physical death, but spiritual death, which is separation from God. Consequently, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are in need of redemption.

 

6.     We believe in Salvation. Salvation is by grace through faith; it is the free gift of God. Man is saved by faith in the shed blood of Christ. A person must repent of their sin and by faith receive and trust the Person and provision of Jesus Christ as Lord in order to be saved. Salvation is a present reality, one can be saved and can know they are saved, and can enjoy their life of salvation. All who have been truly born again will be saved forever and cannot lose their salvation. Being saved is the most important experience in every individual's life.

 

7.     We believe in Heaven. Heaven is a real place that is lovely and perfect. It will be populated by the saints of God from all ages. The most important thing about heaven is the presence of the Lord Himself. A person must make proper preparations to go to heaven; and that preparation is to receive Jesus Christ as one's own Lord and Savior.

 

8.     We believe there is a Hell. Hell is a real place that was prepared for the devil and his angels. And all those who die outside of Christ will spend eternity in hell. Hell is a literal place of physical, mental, spiritual, and eternal suffering. Every  person will spend eternity in heaven or hell.

 

9.     We believe there is a Devil. Satan is real person who was created and originally lived in heaven, but was cast out of heaven when he rebelled against God. He is totally sinful and deceptive. He is the powerful leader of a vast host of evil spirits who seek to keep unsaved people lost. He seeks to divide, devour, and deceive New Testament churches and individual Christians. Christ defeated the Devil at the cross and Christians have authority and power over the Devil now, through the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire at the end of the age.

 

10.     We believe in the Christian life. The greatest privilege of a Christian is to live for Jesus in this present age. The Christian life is a supernatural life. It is Christ living His life in us and through us. It is a spiritual life. The Holy Spirit of God empowers and enables us to be what God wants us to be. It is a life of warfare and a constant struggle between the flesh and the spirit. The Christian life is one of separation from the ways of the world. It is a life of faith that is totally committed to Christ, living by the promises of God and in obedience to the commands of God. It is a life of progress, spiritual growth and maturity, where we become more and more like Jesus. A life of fruitfulness where the fruit of the spirit is exhibited in our lives in the way we live and in the witness of our lives as we lead other people to the saving faith in Jesus Christ. Witnessing is a necessary and normal part of the Christian life. 

 

11.     We believe in the Local Church. The local church is God's instrument in this present age. All Christians should belong to and be an active part of a local New Testament Church. The church is a body of baptized believers in whom Christ lives. The church is to live under the direction and discipline of the Holy Word of God. They are united together in the Holy Spirit for the purpose of evangelizing the lost, building up the saved, and glorifying the Lord. Christ purchased the church with His own blood. All members of His church should love Christ. And they should be faithful to the purpose. We believe in the separation of church and state. The church is a God-governed body with the pastor serving as the spiritual leader of the body.

 

12.     We believe in Baptism and the Lord's Supper as Church Ordinances. Baptist by immersion is the only scriptural mode. Baptism does not save, but it is the act of obedience to the command of Christ and a testimony to the world of one's faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism identifies the believer with Jesus Christ and with the people of God. The Lord's Supper is a symbolical ordinance which pictures Christ's body broken for our sins and His blood shed for our redemption. It is not a saving ordinance, but rather symbolical. Every born-again, baptized believer should take the Lord's Supper as an act of worship, praise, remembrance, and gratitude to Jesus Christ for what He has done for the sinner.

 

13.     We believe in Giving. Every Christian should give at least ten percent of their income to the Lord through the local church. Every Christian should go beyond the tithe in their giving to Spirit-directed giving. The Christian's time, spiritual ability, and money should be given back to God as an act of dedication and love to Jesus Christ and in order to fulfill the Great Commission.

 

14.     We believe in World Evangelism. It is the responsibility and privilege of every member of the local church to do everything they can to make the gospel of Jesus Christ available to as many people as possible. Hence, evangelism begins at home as we lead people to the saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then evangelism spreads to the community, city, state, nation, and to the world. The energies of our church should be totally directed to getting the gospel to the masses of the world. It is our solemn responsibility as a church to do everything we can to fulfill the Great Commission.