What we believe
Scripture: We believe that the sixty-six books of the Old and New, God-breathed Word of God, wholly true and without error in the original writings, and therefore the final and sufficient authority for all matters of faith and practice. Written by men carried along by the Holy Spirit, Scripture speaks with the authority of God Himself and stands above all human opinion, tradition, and experience. To deny the truthfulness, sufficiency, or authority of Scripture is to reject God’s revealed Word and undermine the foundation of the Christian faith. (2 Timothy 3:16–17, 2 Peter 1:20–21, John 17:17, Psalm 19:7–11)
The Trinity: We believe that there is one true and living God, eternally existing in three distinct Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—equal in power and glory, sharing the same divine nature. These three are not separate gods, but one God, co-equal and co-eternal, each fully God and yet distinct in person and role. This triune God is the Creator of all things and the source of all life, and He alone is worthy of all worship, honor, and obedience. (Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Matthew 3:16-17)
God the Father: We believe in God the Father, the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. He is eternal, sovereign, holy, loving, just and rules in unrivaled power. (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 135:6; Romans 11:36, 1 Timothy 6:15)
Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He lived a sinless life in perfect obedience to the Father and willingly offered Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners, bearing the full wrath of God on the cross. He was bodily raised from the dead, securing redemption for all who believe, and ascended to the right hand of the Father where He intercedes as our High Priest. He will return in power and glory, and He alone is the only mediator between God and man and the only way of salvation. Fully God: (Colossians 2:9; John 1:1, 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17, Matthew 1:23, Hebrews 4:15, Isaiah 53:5–6; 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, Acts 1:9–11,)
Holy Spirit: We believe in God the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, who is fully God and co-equal with the Father and the Son. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and regenerates, indwells, and seals all who believe in Jesus Christ. The Spirit sanctifies believers, empowering them to grow in holiness and obedience, and equips them with gifts for the building up of the church. He glorifies Christ and guides Believers into all truth through the Word of God. (Acts 5:3–4; 2 Corinthians 3:17 John 16:8 John 3:5–6; Ephesians 1:13–14 Galatians 5:16–17 1 Corinthians 12:4–7 John 16:13–14)
Sin: We believe that man was originally created in the image of God but fell into sin through disobedience, bringing corruption and death upon the entire human race. As a result, all people are sinners by nature and by choice, spiritually dead and separated from God. Because of this fallen condition, man is unable to save himself or make himself right with God apart from divine grace. Therefore, all stand under God’s just judgment and are in need of the redemption that is found only in Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:10–12, Romans 3:23, Ephesians 2:1–3, Jeremiah 17:9)
Salvation: We believe that justification is the gracious act of God by which He declares sinners righteous on the basis of the finished work of Jesus Christ, apart from any works or merit of their own. This righteousness is not infused but imputed, credited to the believer through faith alone in Christ alone. By His obedience and substitutionary death, Christ has fully satisfied the demands of God’s justice, so that all who trust in Him are forgiven of their sins, accepted as righteous in God’s sight and secure in their salvation from the moment they place their faith in Christ. (Romans 3:28, Ephesians 2:8–9, Galatians 2:16, Romans 5:1, John 6:37, Romans 8:38-39)
The Church: We believe the Church consists of all those who, by faith, have trusted in Jesus for their salvation. God has called believers in various places to join together into local churches to bring the visible expression of the love, life and power of Jesus to a lost and dying world. It is Christ’s command that His Church go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to every person. (Matthew 28:18-20, 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 Peter 2:5-10; Hebrews 10:25)
Ordinances: We believe and practice 2 ordinances given to the Church by Christ; Baptism in water by immersion and the Lord’s Supper/Communion, as outward signs of an inward, gracious work of God received by faith. (Mt 28:19; Acts 8:38; Romans 6:3-4, Luke 22:14-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-29)
The Second Coming: We believe that Jesus Christ will visibly and personally return in the air for His people. (Matthew 24:30-31; Acts 1:11; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 22:20).
Final Judgment and the Eternal State: We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just unto everlasting blessedness in God’s presence and the unjust unto everlasting punishment separated from God’s presence. (Mt 25:31-46; John 5:28-29, Revelation 20:11-12)
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Necessity of Conversion: We believe that, because of man’s sinful nature, all people must be converted in order to be saved, being born again by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Conversion includes both repentance, a turning from sin, and faith, a trusting in Christ alone for salvation. This work is brought about by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, resulting in a new heart and a transformed life. Without this genuine conversion, no one can enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:3-7, Acts 2:38, Ezekiel 36:26–27, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Titus 3:5)
Exclusivity of Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, the sole mediator between God and man, and the only name by which sinners can be saved. No other person, religion, or work can reconcile humanity to God, for salvation is found entirely in Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. All who come to God must do so through faith in Him alone, trusting in His finished work on the cross for forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 John 5:11–12, Romans 10:9–10, Galatians 2:16)
Doctrines of Grace:
-Every part of man is affected by sin; apart from God’s grace, humans are spiritually dead and cannot seek God on their own, cannot please God and cannot understand spiritual things. (Ephesians 3:8-9, Romans 3:10-18, 8:7-8, 1 Corinthians 2:14)
– God chooses, before the foundation of the world, those whom He will save—not based on any foreseen merit or action, but according to His good pleasure and purpose. (Ephesians 1:4–5, Romans 9:15–16)
-Christ’s death was sufficient for all, but His saving work was intended specifically for the elect, effectively securing their salvation. (John 10:11, Matthew 1:21, Ephesians 5:25)
– When God calls His elect to salvation, the Holy Spirit effectively brings them to faith; this divine call cannot ultimately be resisted. ( John 6:37,44, Romans 8:30)
-Those truly saved will persevere in faith and cannot lose their salvation; God preserves them by His power until the end. (John 10:28–29, Philippians 1:6, Romans 8:38–39)
- Believer’s Baptism: We believe that baptism is a sacred ordinance commanded by Christ, to be administered only to those who have personally trusted in Him. It is a visible and public demonstration of the inward reality of faith, union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and a sign of cleansing from sin. Baptism testifies to a believer’s identification with Christ and His body, the church, and proclaims to the world the transformative power of the gospel in the life of the believer. (Acts 2:41, 8:36–36-38, Romans 6:3–4, Matthew 28:19)
- Communion: We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a sacred ordinance instituted by Jesus Christ for His church to observe until His return. It is a memorial of His death and a visible proclamation of the gospel, celebrating His body broken and His blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. While it does not convey salvation in itself, it spiritually nourishes believers, strengthens their faith, and unites them as one body in Christ. Baptism is also a participation in the death, burial & resurrection of Jesus. Participation is to be done by those who have personally trusted in Christ, in repentance, faith, and love for one another. ( Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:23–26, 1 Corinthians 10:16, Romans 6:3-4)
- Church Governance: We believe that the local church is to be governed according to the pattern set forth in Scripture, under the authority of Christ as Head. Each congregation is to be led by a plurality of elders who are spiritually mature, able to teach, shepherd, and exercise oversight with humility and accountability. This plurality protects against error, encourages mutual counsel, and ensures the spiritual well-being of the flock, while deacons serve to meet practical needs in the church. All church members are called to submit to the leadership of elders and to exercise their gifts in service under Christ’s authority. ( 1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9 Plurality: Acts 14:23, Matthew 18:15–17, 1 Timothy 3:8–13)
- Complementarian: We believe that God has created men and women as equal in value and dignity, yet distinct in roles within the family and the church. Men are called to lead as husbands and elders, exercising loving servant leadership, while women are called to support and complement that leadership according to God’s design. These role distinctions do not imply inferiority, but reflect God’s wise and good order, designed to reflect Christ and His church, promote unity, and glorify God in the home and the body of Christ. (1 Timothy 2:12–14, 1 Timothy 3:1–2, Galatians 3:28, Genesis 2:18)
- Spiritual Gifts: We believe that the Holy Spirit sovereignly gives spiritual gifts to believers for the building up of the church, the encouragement of the body, and the glory of God. While Scripture affirms the continuation of gifts, we hold an open but cautious view, emphasizing discernment, order, and submission to the authority of God’s Word. All gifts are to be exercised in love, for the edification of the church, and never in a way that elevates self or undermines biblical teaching. We caution against practices or claims that lack clear biblical warrant or that promote disorder, deception, or dependence on extraordinary manifestations over the ordinary means of grace. (1 Corinthians 12:4–7, Ephesians 4:11–13, 1 Corinthians 14:29–33)
- Mission of the Church: We believe that the mission of the church is to glorify God by proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, making disciples of all nations, and teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded. The church exists to worship God, equip believers for service, care for the needy, and bear witness to God’s truth in the world. Every member is called to participate in this mission, using their gifts and resources to advance God’s kingdom, for the glory of Christ and the good of others. Matthew 28:18–20, Acts 2:42, 2 Timothy 4:2, 1 Corinthians 5)
- Eschatology: We believe in the bodily return of Jesus Christ to earth, visibly and personally, to establish His kingdom and to judge the living and the dead. We hold that Christ will return before a literal thousand-year reign on earth, during which He will restore righteousness, defeat evil, and fulfill God’s promises to Israel. The church anticipates this blessed hope, living in holiness and faithful witness, confident that all history is under God’s sovereign control and that Christ’s return will bring final justice, redemption, and the consummation of all things. (Revelation 20:1–6, 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, Matthew 24)
- Creation: We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, and all living things, by His direct and sovereign power in six literal, twenty-four-hour days, as recorded in Genesis 1–2. Creation was immediate, complete, and fully functional, reflecting God’s wisdom, goodness, and glory. We affirm a young-earth perspective, understanding the genealogies and timelines of Scripture to indicate that the earth is relatively recent, and that death, decay, and suffering entered the world through Adam’s sin. This literal reading of Scripture forms the foundation for understanding God’s authority, the fall of man, and the necessity of redemption in Christ. (Genesis 1–2, Psalm 33:6, Hebrews 11:3)
- Christian Liberty: We believe that every believer is free in Christ from the condemnation of the law and the power of sin, yet this freedom is never a license to live selfishly or sinfully. Christian liberty is to be exercised with love, wisdom, and consideration for others, honoring God in all actions and avoiding anything that would cause another believer to stumble. True freedom is found not in doing whatever we desire, but in living under the lordship of Christ, guided by Scripture and the Spirit, for God’s glory and the good of His people. (Romans 14:1–6, 1 Corinthians 10:23, Galatians 5:13)
- Worship Style: We believe that corporate worship is a vital expression of the church’s love and devotion to God, and it should be conducted in a manner that is both reverent and Spirit-led. Our worship embraces a blend of classic hymns and contemporary music, valuing the rich theological depth and historical testimony of hymns alongside the freshness and accessibility of modern songs. All music and lyrics are to glorify God, teach sound doctrine, and encourage the congregation to respond in heartfelt praise, unity, and obedience. Worship is not a performance, but a participatory act that honors God and strengthens His people. (John 4:24 — Worship in spirit and truth Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19-20, Psalm 150, Psalm 95:1–7)
- Marriage and human sexuality: “We believe that the term ‘marriage’ has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union for life. God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other and that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, transgenderism, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one’s sex, or disagreement with one’s biological sex, is sinful. God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin therefore every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:31, 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10,18, Hebrews 13:4)
Unity: We believe that all believers are united in one body through faith in Jesus Christ, regardless of age, race, gender, or background. This unity is to be expressed in love, mutual submission, and cooperation, as each member exercises their gifts for the building up of the church. While we may differ on non-essential matters, we are called to maintain fellowship, encourage one another, and work together to glorify God, advance His kingdom, and reflect Christ’s love to the world. (Ephesians 4:3–6, Philippians 2:1–4, Romans 15:5–7, Colossians 3:14)