The following statement does not in any way replace the Scriptures or claim to be an exhaustive statement of the teachings of Scripture. It is meant to be a summary of the foundational doctrines held to and confessed by this body of Christian believers.
The Bible
We believe in the full inspiration, inerrancy, authority and sufficiency of the sixty-six books that make up the Old and New Testaments. We believe that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches, and is our only authority in all matters of doctrine and practice.
The Godhead
We believe that there is One True and Living God who has revealed Himself in three distinct Persons as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe that the Three Persons within the sacred Godhead are equal in their Divine perfections and perfectly harmonious in the executions of their distinct offices. We believe that God is Eternal, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Unchanging, Holy, Just, Faithful, Patient, Merciful, Loving, Gracious, and who is the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth. We believe that God is absolutely perfect and sovereign in all that He does. We believe that God reveals His wrath against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
The Lord Jesus Christ
We believe in the pre-existence, full Divinity and Perfect Humanity of Christ. We believe in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death on the cross for sinners, His literal physical resurrection from the dead, His ascension to the right hand of God and in His second coming in power and great glory.
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the full Divinity and Personality of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit witnesses of Christ and convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. The Spirit of God indwells all true Christian believers and empowers them to serve the Lord with the gifts that He has sovereignty given to each.
Man
We believe that man was created sinless in the image of God. But man transgressed the commandment of God and fell into sin. Since man's fall into sin all men and women born into this world are born in a state of sin and are under the wrath of God. We believe that man is totally depraved in that all his faculties are tainted by sin and that he has no inherent desire to love and please God. Apart from the regenerating grace of God and faith in Christ men are eternally lost.
Salvation
We believe that salvation from beginning to end is of the Lord. Long before the universe was created God the Father sovereignty and graciously devised a plan to save a vast multitude of people that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language. The Son agreed to come into the world as the representative of His people and to die on the cross shedding His precious blood as a sacrifice of atonement for sinners. The Holy Spirit applies to sinners the work of Christ through the preaching of the Gospel. We believe that sinners are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and granted the faith to believe in Christ. All those who repent of their sins and believe in Christ are justified and have peace with God. We believe that all those whom God justifies He will sanctify, and those whom He sanctifies He will also glorify. We believe that all those who are saved will cultivate a life of holiness, loving God and delighting to do His will as revealed in the Scriptures. We see this desire as the inevitable "fruits" of salvation. Anyone who claims to be saved but continues to habitually practice sin is evidencing the fact that they were never the children of God.
The Church
We believe that the Church is the body of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church and every true Christian believer is a member of His body. The will of Christ as revealed in the Word of God (the Bible) is the final and only authority in the church in all matters of faith and practice. We believe that Christ has entrusted to His church the responsibility of making disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that He has commanded. We believe that Christian baptism is an ordinance of the church, commanded by Christ. We believe that the Lord's Supper (Communion) is a New Covenant ordinance of the church established by Christ as a Proclamation of the Lord's death until He comes. Whenever Christian believers come together to eat the bread and to drink the cup they partake of Christ by faith, remembering Him who gave His body, shed His blood and rose again for their justification. We believe that the Lord's Supper is to be kept by all believers until the return of Christ. We believe that Christ has given pastor/teachers to His church to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body might be built up until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
The Last Things
We believe in the Second Coming of Christ, the final judgment of the world, the everlasting happiness of the redeemed of the Lord in heaven, and in the everlasting torment of the wicked and unbelieving in the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Practice
We believe that the teaching contained in this Confession of Faith will be central to a person's beliefs and practice. We believe that it would be inconsistent to hold to this Confession of Faith truly without also living a life that conforms in practice to its content.
It is commanded of us to “Love the Lord our God, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.” Our Lord also commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Deuteronomy 6:4ff, 10:12, 30:6, Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:29-31, Luke 10:27ff)
Therefore…
We covenant ourselves to follow the example of Jesus revealed to us in the Scriptures, learning from one another and the leaders of this church as we all follow Christ. (Philippians 3:17, Philippians 4:9, Hebrews 13:7)
We commit ourselves to be devoted to one another in brotherly love; loving one another deeply, fervently, sincerely from the heart, honoring one another above ourselves — loving one another as Jesus Christ loved us, demonstrating that God lives in us and that we are Christ’s disciples. (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:39, John 13:34-35, Romans 12:9-10, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 John 4:11-12)
We resolve to peacefully build each other up to the benefit of the body of Christ, using the Word as we gather, counsel, teach, admonish, encourage, and praise God with one another. (Romans 14:19, 15:14, Ephesians 4:12-13, 5:19, Colossians 3:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 10:24-25)
We commit ourselves to practice tender kindness towards one another, bearing with one another, not sinning against or causing another to sin, not being judgmental but speaking the truth in love. We will be quick to seek reconciliation as we confess our sins, pray and forgive one another.(Matthew 5:23-24, 18:15-20, Romans 14:13, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13, James 5:16)
We will serve one another with fervent love and humility, not considering ourselves more important than others. We will use our spiritual gifts, cheerfully offer hospitality, carry one another’s burdens — serving each other as the Lord enables us through His Spirit to the praise and glory of God. (John 13:14, Galatians 5:13, 6:2, Philippians 2:1-11, 1 Peter 4:8-11)