••  WHAT WE BELIEVE  ••

•    We believe that the Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God and contains the record of the history of the redemption of mankind.  It is without error in its original manuscripts.  God, as the divine “Author-in-Chief,” not only used human instruments to write His Word, but He also watched over the human instruments that preserved and translated the Bible.  The Bible is our only standard for faith, the ultimate authority in the questions of faith and practice!(II Timothy 3:16 & II Peter 1:20)

•    We believe that God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

•    We believe that there is one true eternally existent God who has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and in numerous ways throughout the course of human history. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Ephesians 4:6 and I Timothy 2:5, 3:16)

•    We believe that Jesus was truly God and truly man.  He was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life.  When He was crucified, Jesus shed His blood as a substitution for the sins of the whole world.  He was buried and rose again on the third day.  He ascended back to heaven and will return again in power to receive His disciples.

•    We believe that the only way of salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ and that individual pardon and repentance and faith in Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice obtain forgiveness of sins.  Those who exercise faith in Christ are justified by faith, saved by God’s grace and not through personal merit. (Luke 13:3 and Romans 5:1)

•    We believe that water baptism is an ordinance of the church where individual believers celebrate forgiveness of sins by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ.  Believers symbolically are “buried with Christ,” publicly identifying with Him and declaring Him as their Lord and Savior. (Acts 2:38, 8:16 & 10:48)

•    We believe God’s Spirit is at work in the earth today regenerating those who confess their sins and exercise faith in God.  Believers are graciously born again by the power of the Holy Ghost and should produce the fruit of the Spirit and should seek to operate in the gifts of the Spirit. (Matthew 3:11 and Acts 2:4)

•    We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost) with the evidence of (but not limited to) speaking in other tongues as the disciples experienced in the “first” church, in the book of Acts.  This experience is God’s gift given to His disciples to empower and sanctify them.  We further believe that one must not be content to be “Spirit filled” but we must endeavor to become “Spirit led” (mature) children of God. (Joel 2:28, Acts 1:8, 2:4, 10:46, 19:6)

•    We believe in the “gifts of the Spirit” listed in I Cor. 12 and Romans 12 should operate in the church under the guidelines of love established in the scripture.

•    We believe the suffering of Jesus paid not only the price for the salvation of our souls but also for the divine healing of our physical bodies. (Matthew 8:17, Isaiah 53:5 and James 5:14-16)

•    We believe tithing is God’s financial plan to provide for His work. Abraham practiced it, Moses’ law taught it and Israel gave it when they were right with God. Paul said to lay in store as God has prospered you.

•    We believe that Jesus Christ will return to earth to receive His faithful people in the same manner that is described in I Corinthians 15:51-58 and I Thessalonians 4:13-18.  There will be a final judgment of all people and Christ will ultimately destroy the work of Satan and all the forces of evil.  Believers will live eternally in heaven with Christ while the unbelievers will exist eternally in hell, a place of unspeakable eternal punishment and torment.

•    We believe each believer who walks in faith toward Jesus Christ comprises the church, the “body of Christ,” regardless of denominational affiliation or background.  Individual Christians should contribute to the unity of the body, receiving one another in HIS love.
   
WE FURTHER BELIEVE THAT IT IS INCUMBENT UPON EACH BELIEVER TO TRULY BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS THAT HE MUST WALK WORTHY OF HIS CALLING.  JESUS SAID, “BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YOU HAVE LOVE ONE TOWARD ANOTHER.”  THEREFORE WE SHOULD ENDEAVOR TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT UNTIL WE ALL COME TO THE UNITY OF THE FAITH.

WE ADMONISH ALL BELIEVERS NOT TO CONTEND FOR THEIR DIFFERENT VIEWS TO THE DISUNITY OR DISHARMONY OF THE CHURCH BODY.  BUT SEEK TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE EACH OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST, TO PURSUE SPIRITUAL MATURITY AND TO “PROVOKE ONE ANOTHER TO GOOD WORKS.”