STATEMENT OF FAITH
(A) The Holy Scriptures.
1. We believe the Holy
Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary
inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and
God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith and life.
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 normal grammatical-historical meaning.
2. We believe the King
James Version of the Bible to be the best English translation of God's
preserved Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. While we believe in preservation
of the scriptures, we do not believe that scriptures teach that the
translations were inspired as the original writings were. Therefore, we
reject secondary inspiration.
(B) Dispensationalism. We
believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense
reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life, which define
man's responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not
ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by
which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these
dispensations - the Mosaic Law dispensation, the Church Age, and the
Kingdom - are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture (Genesis
1.28; First Corinthians 9.17, Second Corinthians 3.9-18; Galatians
3.13-25; Ephesians 1.10; 3.2-10; Colossians l.24-25, 27; Revelation
20.2-6).
(C) The Godhead. We
believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons -
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - each co-eternal in being, co-identical
in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes
and perfections (Deuteronomy 6.4; Matthew 28.19; Second Corinthians
13.14; John 14.10, 26).
(D) The Person and Work of Christ.
1. 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
(Isaiah 7.14; 9.6; Luke 1.35; John 1.1-2, 14; Second Corinthians
5.19-21; Galatians 4.4-5; Philippians 2.5-8).
2. We believe that the
Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the
cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and,
that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical
resurrection from the dead (Acts 2.18-36; Romans 3.24-25; First Peter
2.24; Ephesians 1.7; First Peter 1.3-5).
3. We believe that the
Lord Jesus Christ, personally, visibly, and bodily ascended to Heaven,
and is now exalted at the right hand of the Father, where, as our High
Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and
Advocate (Acts 1.9-10; Hebrews 9.24; 7.25; Romans 8.34; First John
2.1-2).
(E) The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.
1. We believe that the
Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of
righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent
in regeneration, indwelling and sealing unto the day of redemption
those who come to Christ (John 16.8-11; Romans 8.9; First Corinthians
12.12-14; Second Corinthians 3.6; Ephesians 1.13-14).
2. We believe that He is
the Divine Teacher Who assists believers to understand and appropriate
the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved
to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 1.17-18; 5.18; First John 2.20,
27).
3. We believe that God is
sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God
uniquely uses gifted men to equip believers in the assembly in order
that they can do the work of the ministry (Romans 12.3-8; First
Corinthians 12.4-11, 28; Ephesians 4.7-12).
4. We believe that the
sign gifts (including but not limited to tongues, healing, miracles) of
the Holy Spirit are not presently bestowed upon believers. We believe
that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the
consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God
frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical
healing (First Corinthians 1.22; 13.8-10; 14.21-22; James 5.14-16).
(F) 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; and, that man is totally depraved, and,
of himself, utterly unable and unwilling to remedy his lost condition
(Genesis 1.26-27; Jeremiah 17.9; Romans 3.22-23; 5.12; 6.23; Ephesians
2.1-3; 4.17-19).
(G) Salvation. We believe
that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received
by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was
shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (John 1.12; Romans
4.1-5; 5.1; Ephesians 1.7; First Peter 1.18-21).
(H) The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers.
1. We believe that all the
redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in
Christ forever (John 6.37-40; 10.27-30; Romans 8.1, 38-39; First
Corinthians 1.4-8; First Peter 1.4-5).
2. We believe that it is
the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their
salvation through the testimony of God's Word, as they are obedient to
God. God's Word clearly, however, forbids the use of Christian liberty
as an occasion to sin or an occasion to live in the flesh (Romans
13.13-14; Galatians 5.13; Titus 2.11-15; First John 2.3).
(I) The Church.
1. We believe that it is
God's will for the local Church to be solely made up of born-again
persons who have been baptized by immersion subsequent to salvation
(First Corinthians 12.12-14; Second Corinthians 11.2; Ephesians
1.22-23; 5.25-27).
2. We believe that the
establishment and continuance of local Churches is clearly taught and
defined in the New Testament Scriptures to carry out the Lord's work.
In them men and women exercise their spiritual gifts and knowledge. The
local Church is to be the pillar of truth, light to the world, salt to
the community, and a restraint to evil. The local church is to
evangelize, nurture new believers to maturity, maintain its purity,
educate and edify her people. While we acknowledge the existence of all
saved people everywhere and while we recognize our right and
responsibility to individually fellowship with them as long as they are
not in doctrinal error, practicing heresy, or in blatant sin, we hold
to and practice the supremacy of individual churches as the means and
institutions by which the Lord equips His saints for the work of the
ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ. (Acts 14.27;
20.17, 28-32; Ephesians 4.4-5; First Timothy 3.1-13; Titus 1.5-11).
3. We believe in the
autonomy of the Church free of any external authority or control (Acts
13.1-4; 15.19-31; 20.28; Romans 16.1, 4; First Corinthians 3.9, 16;
5.4-7, 13; First Peter 5.1-4).
4. We recognize water
baptism of believers by immersion and the observance of the Lord's
Supper as ordinances of obedience, and not sacraments, in that the
Lord's Supper is a memorial to be observed by all born-again Christians
who examined themselves. We practice "open communion". (Matthew
28.19-20; Acts 2.41-42; 18.18; First Corinthians 11.23-26).
5. We recognize water
baptism of believers only. The proper mode is full immersion signifying
the believer's identification with death, burial, and resurrection of
Christ. The proper candidate has given verbal testimony and affirmation
of his conversion and understands the ordinance. The baptizer need not
be a pastor but must be a born-again man, nor does the baptism need to
take place in a church. However, the baptism must no diminish the
clarity of the public testimony which it declares. One may follow the
Lord in baptism without choosing to join the local church.
(J) Separation. We believe
that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring
reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all
religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and
associations is commanded of God (Romans 12.1-2; 14.13; Second
Corinthians 6.14-7.1; Second Timothy 3.1-5; First John 2.15-17; 5.19;
Second John 9-11).
(K) The Second Advent of
Christ. We believe in that blessed hope, the personal, imminent
return of Christ Who will rapture all believers 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
Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel (Psalm
89.3-4; Daniel 2.31-45; Zechariah 14.4-11; First Thessalonians 1.10;
4.13-18; Titus 2.13; Revelation 3.10; 19.11-16; 20.1-6).
(L) The Eternal State.
1. We believe in the
bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the
unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25.46; John
5.28, 29; 11.25-26; Revelation 20.5-6, 12-13).
2. We believe that the
souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present
with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first
resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified
forever with the Lord (Luke 23.43; Second Corinthians 5.8; Philippians
1.23; 3:21; First Thessalonians 4.16-17; Revelation 20.4-6).
3. 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 (Matthew 25.41-46; Mark. 9.43-48; Luke
16.19-26; Second Thessalonians 1.7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20.11-15).
(M) The Personality of
Satan. We believe that Satan is an angel, a person, a created being,
the author of sin and the cause 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 (Job 1.6-7; Isaiah 14.12-17; Matthew
4.2-11; 25.41; Revelation 20.10).
(N) Creation. We believe
that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We
reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic
Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin (Genesis 1-2; Exodus
20.11).
(O) Civil Government. We
believe that all legitimate authority is granted by God and that God
has granted authority to 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 in their respective
Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God are equal and
sovereign (Romans 13.1-7; Ephesians 5.22-24; Hebrews 13.17; First Peter
2.13-14).
(P) Human Sexuality.
1. 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 in 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.
Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the
Church (Galatians 3.28; Colossians 3.18; First Timothy 2.8-15; 3.4-5,
12).
2. We believe that God has
commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a
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. Any employee or office holder of the Church becoming
pregnant or causing pregnancy as a result of consensual intercourse,
outside of the marriage relationship, or who commits any of the above
sins shall be terminated from employment or released from office. Any
Church member guilty of any of the above sins will be subject to
immediate church discipline (Genesis 2.24; 19.5, 13; 26.8-9; Leviticus
18.1-30; Romans 1.26-29; First Corinthians 5.1; 6.9; First
Thessalonians 4.1-8; Hebrews 13.4).
3. We believe that the
only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman
(Genesis 2.24; Romans 7.2; First Corinthians 7.10; Ephesians 5.22-23).
(Q) Divorce and
Remarriage. We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to
last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded
as adultery except on the grounds of fornication. Although divorced and
remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in
the Church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, no person
who has divorced or without Scriptural grounds for remarriage may be
considered for the offices of pastor or deacon (Malachi 2.14-17;
Matthew 19.3-12; Romans 7.1-3; First Timothy 3.2, 12; Titus 1.6).
(R) 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. We reject any teaching as acceptable that
abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender
selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the
mother (Job 3.16; Psalms 51.5; 139.14-16; Isaiah 44.24; 49.l, 5;
Jeremiah 1.5; 20.15-18; Luke 1.44).
(S) Missions. We believe
that God has given this Church a great commission to proclaim the
Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from
every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all
available scriptural means to go to the foreign nations and not wait
for them to come to us (Matthew 28.19-20; Mark 16.15; Luke 24.46-48;
John 20.21; Acts 1.8; Second Corinthians 5.20).
(T) Lawsuits between
Church Members. We believe that Church members are prohibited from
bringing civil lawsuits against this Church or other members of this
Church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the Church possesses
all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between
members. We do believe, however, that a member may seek compensation
for injuries from another member's insurance company as long as the
claim is pursued without malice or slander. We believe that once the
instructions of Matt. 18:15-17 have been exhausted that the one who
refuses to follow the decision of the Church in the matter at hand is
then treated as a "publican and sinner" thus allowing the other party
to pursue the matter in a court of law (First Corinthians 6.1-8;
Ephesians 4.31-32).
(U) Giving. We believe
that every Church member, as a steward of that portion of God's wealth
entrusted to him, is obligated to support his Church financially. We
believe that God has established the tithe, and offerings in addition
to the tithe, as a basis for giving, but that every member should also
give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully through this Church
to the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the
spread of the Gospel. (Genesis 14.20; Proverbs 3.9-10; Acts 4.34-37;
First Corinthians 16.2; Second Corinthians 9.6-7; Galatians 6.6;
Ephesians 4.28; First Timothy 5.17-18; First John 3.17).
|