Our Summary of Beliefs

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The Holy Bible is the Word of God.  It was compiled by men who were inspired by God and guided by the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Bible is the full and final authority on all matters of faith and practice.  The Word of God should be diligently studied because it is the only absolute truth available to mankind.

References: Exodus 24:3,4,7   Jeremiah 36:6   Matthew 5:17,18    Luke 21:33    Romans 15:4; 16:25-26   2 Timothy 3:16-17    Hebrews 4:12   Revelation 22:18-19

There is one true, living and holy God.  God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe and has set forth a purpose and a plan for all His creation.  Eternal God reveals Himself to us as three persons:  God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

References: Genesis 1-2   Exodus 3:14   Psalm 90:2   Isaiah 43:15   Jeremiah 10:10 Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19  1 John 5:6-8

Supporting Scriptures:  Exodus 6:2-3,15,20 / Leviticus 22:2 / Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6 / 1 Chronicles 29:10 / Psalm 19:1-3 

Jesus Christ is the eternal Word made flesh in whom the divine and human natures are united.  He is the only begotten Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.  Jesus lived a sinless life, He died on the cross for our sins, and He arose from the dead; physically appearing to many, including the Apostles.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He will return to earth again one day and establish His Kingdom.

References: Matthew 1:18/Luke 2:8-14/  John 1:1-5,14;3:16

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is present in the world to enable people to understand their need for Jesus Christ. From the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit lives in every believer. The presence of the Holy Spirit empowers believers with a faithful response to the Holy Bible while cultivating character, comforting believers, and providing spiritual gifts to serve God through His Church.

References: Genesis1:2/Matthew 1:18; 28:19-20/Luke 4:14/John14:26;15:26-27 Acts2:38/

Salvation is a gift from God offered freely by grace to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior through personal faith and belief in Him.  Christ was crucified, died, and was buried for the forgiveness of our sins, then was resurrected to give us eternal life.  Salvation is not a result of one’s good works, but by the grace of God. References:John3:16-17;14:6/Acts 16:30-31/Romans 6:23;10:9-10/Ephesians1:7; 2:8-10/Titus 3:5/1Peter 1:18-19

The Church is the Body and Bride of Christ; a community of true believers made up of all the redeemed, from all the ages, and is under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  The Church is governed by His laws, and the establishment and continuance of it is clearly taught and defined in the scriptures of the New Testament. The Word of God is to be faithfully preached, the name of Jesus is lifted up, and the sacraments appointed by Christ, Baptism and Communion, are administered. (continued below)

Through the redemptive fellowship of the Church, believers are edified and grow in exercising their gifts and service to the advancement of the gospel in the world.

References:Matthew16:15-19;28:19,20   /John 17:20-23/Acts 2:41-42;14:23;20:28 /1Corinthians3:9,16;11:23-26/Ephesians 1:22-23;2:19-22;3:21;4:11-13/Colossians 3:15-17/Hebrews10:25/Revelation 21:2,3

Supporting Scriptures:Titus2,3/Hebrews 11:39-40;12:23/James 5:14/Revelation2,3

The Sacraments are celebrated with Baptism and Communion. Baptism is a sign of obedience to our covenant with God established through the sacrifice of Christ. It is a symbolic act performed with water to symbolize a believer’s cleansing in His blood and spirit. It may be performed after a declaration of faith or as a pledge upon a child. Communion is a remembrance of Christ commanded by Him, symbolic of His sacrifice and believers’ covenant with God established through His blood.  

The breaking of the bread symbolizes the broken body of the Messiah given in sacrifice. The cup symbolizes the blood of the covenant.References: Baptism-   Matthew3:11;28:18-20/Mark 1:8/John 1:32-34 Communion- Mark14:22-24/1 Corinthians10:16-17;11:23-26

Supporting Scriptures:Exodus 24:5-8/ Numbers19:9-20/Leviticus14:6-7/Matthew 26:26-28

Humans, male and female, are the supreme object of God’s creation.  They are created in God’s own image.  They lived in an innocent state and were given free will and dominion over the earth.  As a result of the temptation from Satan and their voluntary disobedience, they fell from their sinless condition.  Although humans have tremendous potential for good, everyone is flawed by the same attitude of rebellion toward God called “sin” which corrupts them.  

Sin separates humanity from God, establishing a need for a Savior.  

References:Genesis1:26-28/Romans 3:23-24/1Peter 2:24

God set eternity in the hearts of people.  Every person will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally in union with God through forgiveness of sin and salvation for believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Eternal separation from God is Hell.  Eternal union with God is Heaven.  Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence. References:Ecclesiastes3:11/Matthew25:34,41,46/

John3:16/Romans6:23/2Corinthians5:1/1John5:11-13 Supporting Scriptures:Matthew5:3,10-12/Mark 9:43-48/J

Family is an essential building block for humanity and Christianity. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. Male and female are of equal worth before God since both are created in God’s image.  The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the Church.  He has the God given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family.  

A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the Church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them through consistent lifestyle examples and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents.  

Our physical families, related by marriage, blood, or adoption are to be a source of unconditional love, encouragement, and support for one another. Our spiritual families are to do the same. Those who follow Christ should be defined by their love for each other as members of one big family.  References: Genesis1:26-28; 2:21-24/Exodus 20:12/Deuteronomy6:4-9  /Proverbs1:8;22:6/Mark10:6/Ephesians 5:21-33/Hebrews10:24-25/1Thessalonians5:11 Supporting Scriptures:Romans1:18-32/Ephesians 6:1-4