What We Believe

We believe that the 66 books of the Bible are the inspired Word of God, a true and fully accurate account of God and His love for us. Without error in the original writings, the Scriptures are our sole and sufficient authority for faith and life. The authority, clarity, and sufficiency of the Bible is our passion and our foundation for unity. Ps 19:7-10; Rom 15:4; Acts 17:2-3; 2 Tim 3:15-17; 2 Pet 1:19-21; Heb 4:12-13; Rev 22:18-19

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Relational, powerful, intelligent, loving – He created everything out of nothing and revealed His splendor so that people might glorify and enjoy Him forever. Gen 1:1; Deut 4:4, 1 Chron 16:27, Jn 1:1-4; 2 Cor 13:14; Matt 28:19-20; Heb 1:3-8, Ps 1:2, 37:4, 73:26, 96:9

We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son, is fully God and fully man -- the agent of creation of the universe. Eternally the Son, he took on flesh at the virgin birth through conception by the Holy Spirit. He lived a perfect life, died in our place for our sins, physically rose again, and ascended to the Father, making Him the only Savior and only way to know God. John 1:1-18; Isa 7:14; 1 Pet 2:22, 3:18; Matt 1:18-25, 28:6

We believe that the Holy Spirit reveals Christ and convicts people of their need for Jesus – imparting new life at salvation. He indwells every believer as leader, teacher, and comforter – guiding them in applying the Words and work of Jesus Christ. The Spirit is their permanent source of assurance, strength, obedience, and gifts for the building up of others. John 13:15; Titus 3:5; Eph 1:22; Rom 8:9-17; 1 For 12:4-13; Gal 5:25; Acts 1:8

We believe that humans are created in the image of God to know Him and make Him known. As the crown of His creation, every person has dignity, beauty, and worth. But by one man, sin entered the world, and death by sin - which is separation from God. All people are thus sinful by nature and by choice, and in ourselves powerless to please God by religion or goodness. Salvation is not a result of any good works, but is a gift of God received by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Gen 1:27; Isa 43:7; Matt 4:10; Rom 3:23, 5:12-19; Isa 53:6; Heb7:25; 1 Pet 1:3-5; John 5:24; Rom 8:29-39; Rom 10:9-10; Eph 2:8-9; John 3:16; 1 Tim 2:5. 6; 2 Tim 2:13; John 10:28-29

We believe that life is a gift of God, which begins at conception with its ownership vested in its Creator. Male and female both reflect God, and were made to complete one another. Sexual intimacy is a wonderful gift of God to be expressed between one man and one woman -as biologically and Biblically defined-within the love and bonds of marriage. Human sexuality is broken, but Jesus Christ powerfully redeems our relationships and restores our sexuality as we receive His design. Gen 2:20-25; Eph 5:21-33; Proverbs 5:15-23, 1 Cor 6:12-20, 2 Cor 5:16-20

We believe that the Church exists to glorify God by fulfilling the Great Commission (Mt 28:19-20) in the spirit of the Great Commandment (Mt 22:37-39). Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church universal, comprised of all who know Him as Savior and Lord. He also heads our local Church Body, which gathers to live His purposes and make disciples who make disciples. Independent but not isolated, every local church is self-governing under the oversight of God’s Word and godly leaders. Believer’s water baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion) are commanded as an external public sign to the finished work of Christ. Baptism by immersion symbolizes our death to sin, burial of the old life, and resurrection to newness of life. The Spirit empowers every believer to gather in love and witness that Jesus Christ is alive and that He makes us new. Acts 2:42-47; 1 Cor 12:12-27; 1 Tim 3:1-13; Col 1:24-29; Rom 12:5-11; Col 3:14-15; Matt 28:19, 20; Rom 6:3-4; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor 5:19-20

We believe that our enemy, the Devil, actively opposes God and deceives people. Created to serve God, Satan and some of the angels rebelled and now work to “steal, kill, and destroy.” Satan and the demons were disarmed at the cross, defeated at the Resurrection, and are destined for eternal punishment. Job 1:6-7; John 10:10; Eph 6:10-20; Rev 21:10; Isa 14:12-15; Eze 28:12-17

We believe that all people will be resurrected in their bodies – some to eternal life with God and some to everlasting punishment in hell. Those who have rejected God’s Son will be separated from God into never-ending conscious punishment, but all who have received Christ will know Him in everlasting joy. Matt 25:46; Luke 16:19-26; Luke 23:43; 1 Cor 15:50-56; 2 Cor 5-8; Ps 16:11, 2 Thes 1:7-9; Rev 20:11-15

We believe in the imminent, visible return of Jesus Christ to earth and his future literal reign in justice and peace. Our confident hope is that He will complete prophecy, make all things new, and reign in dominion and power forevermore. Zech 14:4-11; Rom 5:5; 1 Thes 4:13-18; 1 Cor 15:51-53; Titus 2:13; Rev 20:1-15, ch 21-22