Statement of Faith
The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe, however, that the following Statement of Faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible, and therefore, is binding upon all members. All literature used in the Church shall be in complete agreement with the Statement of Faith, and are reflected in the following clear statements:
We believe in the plenary-verbal inspiration.
We believe in the plenary-verbal inspiration of the accepted canon of Scriptures as originally given. The Scriptures are infallible, inerrant, and the sole and final authority for all matters of faith and conduct.
(2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13)
We believe in the Eternal Godhead.
We believe in the Eternal Godhead who has revealed Himself as One God existing in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, distinguishable but indivisible.
(Matthew 23:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
We believe in the creation, test and fall of man.
We believe in the creation, test and fall of man as recorded in genesis; his total spiritual depravity and inability to attain Divine righteousness.
(Romans 5:12, 18)
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men.
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, very God and very Man.
(Luke 1:26-35; John 1:14-18; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6)
We believe Christ died for our sins.
We believe Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, and personally appeared unto His disciples.
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 4:25)
We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven.
We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, His exaltation, and personal, literal and bodily coming again the second time for His Church.
(John 14:2, 3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace.
We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace, through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work of the cross of Calvary by which we obtain remission of sins.
(Ephesians 2:8,9; Hebrews 9:12,22; Romans 5:11)
We believe in the necessity of water baptism.
We believe in the necessity of water baptism by immersion in the Name of the Eternal Godhead in order to fulfill the command of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:34-36; 19:1-6)
We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a real experience at or subsequent to salvation, with the Scriptural evidence, namely, speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.
(Acts 2:1-4; 8:14-17; 10:44-46; Galatians 3:14-15)
We believe in the operation of the Gifts of the Spirit.
We believe in the operation of the Gifts of the Spirit as enumerated in 1 Corinthians 12-14, as manifested in the Early Church.
We believe in the Spirit-filled life.
We believe in the Spirit-filled life, a life of separation from the world and perfecting of holiness in the fear of God as expressing the true Christian faith.
(Ephesians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1)
We believe in the healing of the body by Divine power.
We believe in the healing of the body by Divine power, or Divine healing in its varied aspects as practiced in the Early Church.(Acts 4:30; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 12:9, James 5:14)
We believe in the table of the Lord
We believe in the table of the Lord, commonly called the Communion or the Lord’s Supper, for believers.
(1 Corinthians 11:28-32; Matthew 26:26-28)
We believe in the reality and personality of the Devil.
We believe in the reality and personality of the Devil and eternal judgment in the Lake of Fire for the Devil and his angels.
(Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:14,15)
We believe in eternal life for believers.
We believe in eternal life for believers (John 5:24; 3:16), and eternal punishment for the unbelievers.
(Mark 9:43-48; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:10-15)
We believe that there is one true universal Church.
We believe that there is one true universal Church, made up of genuine believers, but this one universal Church is also composed of many local Churches in given localities. These Churches are under the sovereign Headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, exercising autonomous government under Him, administering all its local affairs and ministry, as well as the propagation of the Gospel.
(Acts 15:22; with Matthew 16:18; 18:15-20)
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority.
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of 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 are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God.
(Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13-14)
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage.
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
(Genesis 2:24; Genesis 19:5, 13; Genesis 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1: 26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)
We believe that God created sex as a gift to be shared only in the context of a marriage between one man and one woman.
We believe that God created sex as a gift to be shared only in the context of a marriage between one man and one woman. Any sexual activity outside of marriage, such as adultery, fornication, or homosexual activity, is sinful and forbidden by Scripture. We believe that an individual’s gender is determined by God and no one should attempt to alter his or her gender by surgery or appearance.
(Genesis 2:24; Genesis 19:5, 13; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:24-32; I Corinthians 5:1-5; I Corinthians 6:9-20; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)
We believe that every Christian is a steward of God’s resources given to him, and a part of this stewardship is to support the local church financially.
We believe that every Christian is a steward of God’s resources given to him, and a part of this stewardship is to support the local church financially.We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made.
(Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17)