Doctrinal Statement

The Scriptures

We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as originally written, were both verbally and completely inspired, consisting of the sixty-six books from Genesis to Revelation. We believe that the Holy Bible is the truth without any mixture or error and is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried. We believe that the scriptures are to be studied and interpreted: literally, grammatically, and historically.

The Trinity

We believe that there is only one true and living God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; that He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the work of redemption.

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity; a divine person equal with God the Father and God the Son; and the divine Agent in nature, revelation, and redemption; that He convicts the world concerning sin, that He seals and indwells all who have been saved. He further fills, empowers, guides, teaches, and sanctifies believers as they rely on Him.

The Creation

We believe in the biblical account of creation; that it was by direct, immediate creative acts of God without evolutionary changes or development, in six literal days; that Adam was created in God’s own image and after His own likeness; and that all mankind is descended from the historical Adam and Eve, the first parents of the entire human race.

The Fall of Man

We believe that Adam and Eve were created innocent of sin but by voluntary disobedience fell from their sinless state; that the consequence of this fall is that they became sinners, depraved in nature and subject to Satan’s power; that all descendants are sinful by nature, choice, and practice and are guilty before God, possessing within themselves no means of salvation.

The Virgin Birth

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; that as it had been prophesied, He was born of Mary while she was a virgin; that His virgin birth was as no other man ever was born or ever could be born of woman; and that Christ was God, the second person of the Trinity, incarnate, at His birth.

The Atonement for Sin

We believe that salvation is totally by grace through Jesus Christ alone, Who, by the appointment of God the Father voluntarily took upon Himself our nature yet without sin, honoured the divine law by  perfect personal obedience, and through the merits of His shed blood and His death made full and satisfactory payment for our sins; that His atonement was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, bearing the penalty of God’s holy law against the disobedient, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord bearing our sins in His own body on the cross; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven, a living Saviour, the believer’s High Priest, Mediator and Advocate.

Jesus Christ’s Resurrection and Return

We believe that Christ rose bodily from the grave on the third day according to the Scriptures; that after manifesting Himself for forty days to the disciples, He ascended and is now at the right hand of the throne of God; that He alone is our merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to our need before God. We believe that this same Jesus which was taken up from earth will so come in like manner: imminently, personally, quickly, visibly, and bodily.

Grace and the New Birth

We believe that sinners must be born again in order to receive the blessings of heaven; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that salvation is the free reconciliatory gift of God, neither merited nor secured in any part by any virtue of the past or future work of man, but received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe that salvation is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker in the divine nature and receives eternal life as the gift of God; that such are safely kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation and shall never perish; that the new birth is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth; so as to secure our personal voluntary obedience in believing the Gospel and receiving the gift of salvation; and that its proper evidence appears in the fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life.

Repentance and Salvation

We believe that repentance is part of a complete faith wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby, being deeply convinced and sorrowful over our personal sinful choice, danger, and helplessness, and of the singular way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God through Christ alone.

Repentance is the change of one’s mind about what saves him from the penalty of sin and what his personal accountability is for his sin; that the blessings of salvation are made free only to those who repent; that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel; and that rejection involves him in an aggravated divine condemnation.

Regeneration and Salvation

We believe that in order to be saved lost sinners must be regenerated, or born again; that regeneration is a re-creative act, far beyond comprehension, wrought by the direct personal ministry of the Holy Spirit; that it is instantaneous, miraculous, and not a process or cultural; that it cleanses and pardons the soul from its just penalty for sin; that the spiritually dead sinner is made to live through the new spiritual birth, becoming thereby regenerated, possessing eternal life as a gift of God; that it is the actual impartation of the divine life, being just as real as a physical birth; that it is not a mere transformation of the human life; and that the proper evidence of regeneration appears in the holy fruits of obedient followers of the Lord Jesus.

Justification and Salvation

We believe that the great declaration and benefit of those who truly believe in Christ is justification; that justification is declared because of a divine pardon of sin; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in Christ’s blood which covers all our sin; that by virtue of such faith God imputes Christ’s perfect righteousness to us; and that we are brought into a state of peace and favor with God, securing every blessing needful for eternal life with God.

Faith

We believe that faith is a gift of God; by which man comes to know and believe the truth of the Scriptures, and the excellency of them above all other writings; that they clearly teach the sinful condition of man and the excellency of Christ in His nature and offices; that it enables discernment of all doctrines that are contrary to truth. The same faith that converts to Christ is able to carry the soul through all duties, temptations, conflicts, and sufferings. All believers who are progressively sanctified by faith will experience the love of God manifested in their souls and find their strength increased through faithfulness in sufferings and temptations.

Eternal Security

We believe that those who are born again become a new creation in Christ Jesus through a salvation offered to man totally of God; that salvation is secure in the grace of God alone; that those who have accepted Christ are forever sealed and will never come into the condemnation of the lost; that a special Providence watches over their welfare; that they are securely held in both the hand of the Father and the hand of the Son through faith unto eternal salvation.

Sanctification

We believe that sanctification is a progressive work by which, according to the will of God and the dedication in our life, we are made partakers of His holiness; that it is begun in salvation; that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit through continual self-examination by the Word of God, good works, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer; and that sanctification is not a state of sinless perfection, a “second blessing,” nor a special “baptism of the Holy Spirit.”

The Church

We believe that a church is a congregation of immersed believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His word; that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; that the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission. We believe that a local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from any interference of any hierarchy of individuals of organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ. We believe in and practice separation from the world, false teaching, and an unrepentant brother. As a church, we have a responsibility to stand against these without compromise, yet in the spirit of love and meekness.

Baptism

We believe that the Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, to show forth our union with the crucified, buried and risen Christ also, our death to sin and our resurrection to a new life; that it is not a means of grace for salvation; and that it is a condition for membership.

The Lord’s Supper

We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by our Lord as the commemoration of His death until He comes; that it is the privilege and obligation of all obedient believers; and that it should be preceded by solemn examination.

The Believer

We believe that the Scriptures teach that every believer should walk in Christian love and holiness through the inward energizing of the Holy Spirit, exhibiting qualities of honesty, integrity, forgiveness and spirituality; that any achievements in these characteristics will be evidenced by sincere humility and genuine zeal for the advancement of the cause of Christ and for the contending for the faith.

The Righteous and the Wicked

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only those who are saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are truly righteous in His esteem; that all those who continue in willful disobedience and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse; that this distinction continues, both in and after death, in the everlasting holiness and the bliss of the saved in heaven and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost in the Lake of Fire.

Last Things

We believe that the end of the world is approaching; that at the last day Christ return visibly and personally; that He will raise the dead from the grave uniting both soul and resurrected body to final retribution; that a solemn separation will then take place: the unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, and the righteous will receive their reward and dwell forever with the Lord.

Marriage and Sexuality

We believe God’s plan for human sexuality is to be expressed only within the context of marriage, that God created man and woman as unique biological persons made to complete each other. God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. For this reason, we believe that marriage is exclusively the union of one man and one woman.