What We Believe
We affirm the Holy Bible as the inspired Word of God and as the only basis for our beliefs:
About God
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and are one God.
Gen. 1:1, 26-27, and 3:32; Ps. 90:2; Matt. 28:19; I Pet. 1:2 & 2 Cor. 13:14
About Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is coequal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Matt. 1:22-23; Isa. 9:6; Jn. 1: 1-5; 14:10-30; Heb. 4:14-15; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Rom. 1:3-4; Acts1:9-11; 1 Tim. 6:14-15; Titus 2:13
About the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. The Christian seeks daily to live under His control. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer gifts to be used in ministry to other Christians and to the world.
2 Cor. 3:17; Jn. 16:7-13; 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 2:12; 3:16; Eph. 1:13; Gal. 5:25; 5:18; I Cor. 14:26, 39-40
About Man
Man is made in the image of God, to be like Him in character. He is the supreme object of God’s creation. Although man has tremendous potential for good, he is marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.” This attitude separates man from God.
Gen. 1:27; Ps. 8:3-6; Isa. 53:6a; Rom. 3:23; Isa. 59:1, 2
About Eternity
Man was created to exist forever. After death, one will exist eternally, united with God in Heaven or exist eternally separated from God in Hell. The gift of eternal life is offered to every individual. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence.
Jn. 3:16; 2:25; 5:11-13; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:15; Matt. 18:8; 25:44, 46
About Salvation
Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin’s penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. Because God gives man eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security.
Rom. 5:1; 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; Jn. 14:6; 1:12; Titus 3:5; Gal. 3:26; Jn. 10:28-29; Heb. 7:25; 10:10, 14:1; 1 Pet. 1:3-5
About the Bible
The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It is written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any error.
2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 2 Tim 1:13; Ps. 119:10-160, 12:6; Prov. 30:5
About Ministry
It is the responsibility of the pastors to lead the church and to equip the membership for ministry. Each member has the responsibility to discover and employ their gifts in the life of the church. Every Christian needs to discover and be faithful in their ministry for Jesus Christ.
1 Cor. 12:7; Eph. 4:11-13; Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 4:10-11
About Praise & Worship
The Christian exists to minister to the world, to other Christians, and especially to God through praise and worship. We exist for the praise of His glory. Worship is celebrative, reflective, and inspirational.
Ps. 100; Eph. 1:12; Ps. 63:3-4; Ps. 126:2-3
About Marriage & Sexuality
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, transgenderism and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance. We believe that the term of “marriage” has only one, legitimate meaning, and that is marriage sanctioned by God, which joins one man and one woman in a single, covenantal union, as delineated by Scripture. Marriage ceremonies performed in any facility owned, leased or rented by this church will only be those ceremonies sanctioned by God, joining one man with one woman as that gender was determined at birth.
Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 5:1; 1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23; 1 Thes. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4