Statement of Faith

The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority on all spiritual matters. 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 historical, practical, prophetical, and literal meaning. To avoid confusion, and promote unity the King James Version of the Bible shall be the preferred translation used by this fellowship. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)

Dispensationalism
We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations of times and rules of life which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages for specific people. And scripture must be understood within that dispensation and yet inspired for all, and in all ages.

The Person and Work of Christ
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; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption (paid the price for our sins) through His death and resurrection on the cross as a representative, and substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical death and resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5)

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; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2)

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God (God Himself) 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 to produce the works of God in man. (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14)

We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures rightly dividing the Word of Truth. (Eph. 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27)

We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28; Eph. 4:7-12)

Divine Healing
We believe in divine healing in the body of Christ and that Christ can, and still heals today. We believe in the laying on of hands by the elders of the church for those that are sick and believe God to be faithful to his Word. (Matt 10:1, Luke 9:2, Acts 28:8)

The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God, which now leads to death. Man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition short of acquiring God’s grace (Himself in us) which comes from repentance unto salvation. (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19)

Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received through repentance and personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. We believe that all sins, except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, are forgivable. We also believe that salvation has an outcome of works that will reveal true deliverance and manifest fruit accordingly. Every good tree will bear fruit to produce itself, thus God’s people will produce fruit to produce more of the same. (John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Matt. 12:31-32; 1 John 1:9)

The Assurance of Believers
We believe that all the redeemed are kept by God’s power and only God’s power. If we are not doing the will of the Lord, then it is the lack of Gods power in that life and repentance is needed for real salvation to gain the power to live a Holy life. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1; 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Pet. 1:4-5)

We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word acting out in their life which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. We also believe that man in the flesh has the ability to separate himself from God by sin thus being instructed to come out from amongst them and be ye separate, “Be ye Holy.” (Rom. 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)

The Church
We believe that the local church, which is the body and the future espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons that have repented of their sins and abide in Christ. (1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27)

We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)

We believe in the autonomy of the local church, and yet the accountability of the body under submission to each other under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Pet. 5:1-4)

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; 18:18; 1 Cor. 11:23-26)

Baptism

We believe in the practice of baptism by submersion. We believe that Baptism is the act of submersion in water to show that you are a follower of Jesus Christ. We believe that all that are “Born Again” need to be baptized as a witness to their faith in Jesus Christ. We also believe that repentance is a necessary act before baptism. (Matt 28:19-20, Matt 3:11, Mark 16:16, Acts 2:37-38)

Communion (meaning: fellowship with God)
We believe in the practice of communion (partaking of the body and blood of Jesus Christ in remembrance of what he did for us at the cross). We believe that believers need to remember Christ in this fashion out of obedience to his Word. (1 Cor 10: 16-17, 1 Cor 11: 23-30)

Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. God commands His people to separate from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations, and to refrain from all immodest and immoderate appearances and actions as not to be a stumbling block to anyone else. (Rom. 12:1-2; 14:13; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11; Lev. 19:28; 1 Cor. 6:19-20)

The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in that “blessed hope,” the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture His Bride 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 Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel for 1000 years. (Ps. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; I Thes. 1:10; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6)

The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28, 29; 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6, 12-13)

We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious hope they are apart of the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; I Thes. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6)

We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment away from the presence of the Lord. (Matt. 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thes. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15)

The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the tempter 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 with all of his followers. (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10)

Creation
We believe that God created the universe in six literal days. Without determining the meaning in the “day” before there were stars or planets to determine it. (Gen. 1-2; Ex. 20:11)

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 areas of responsibility under God. All are under the authority of God and ordered of God. (Rom. 13:1-7; Eph. 5:22-24; Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 2:13-14)

Human Sexuality
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged outside the confines of 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. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance and in fact goes against the plan of God for family, reproduction, and peace and health for mankind. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1: 26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thes. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4)

We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23)

Family Relationships
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. (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12)

We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are an heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including scriptural correction. (Gen. 1:26-28; Ex. 20:12; Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 127:3-5; Prov. 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mk. 10:6-12; I Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:21-33; 6:1-4, Col. 3:18-21; Heb. 13:4; I Pet. 3:1-7)

Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that God disapproves, and hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage while one claims to be “born again” is regarded as adultery and sin. This law is here to add to the seriousness of the marriage and not to take it lightly. The act of adultery and the walking away of an unbelieving spouse are the only scriptural ways of getting out of this covenant. (Mal. 2:14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; I Cor. 7:10-16)

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 physical or mental well being of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Ps. 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)

Love
We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward both those who are not believers and those who oppose us because of our faith. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or the use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions. (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Rom. 12:9-10; 17-21; 13:8-10; Phil. 2:2-4; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; 1 John 3:17-18)

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. (1 Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:31-32)

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, and 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. We also believe that missions start at home first in our own neighborhood. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20)

Tithing/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 principle 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. We believe that the church is the storehouse and should help its community and body of Christ with these tithes. (Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17)