OUR BELIEFS;

SECTION 1 - STATEMENT OF FAITH


The Holy Scriptures – We believe the 66 books of 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. (Psalm 119:89; John 17:17; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21).

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; John 14:10, 26; II Corinthians 13:14).


The Person and Work of God the Father

1. We believe that God the Father, who is rich with both wisdom and knowledge, sits on His throne in heaven as Supreme Creator and Sovereign Ruler of all the universe (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:33-36;
I Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; Revelation 4:11).

2. We believe that God the Father loves the world and has sent forth His Son to be the Redeemer of mankind
(John 3:16; 16:27; 20:21; I John 4:9-10, 14).

3. We believe that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead, has adopted us as children into His family and has delivered us from the power of darkness (Romans 6:4; 8:15-16; Galatians 1:1; 4:4-6; Colossians 1:12-13).

4. We believe that God the Father is the One to Whom we pray and from Whom we receive answers to prayer
(Matthew 6:9; John 16:23; Hebrews 4:16; James 1:7).

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; II Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8; I John 3:5).

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; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5; 2:24).

3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 5:9-10; 7:25; 9:24; I John 2:1-2).

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, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II 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 (John 5:18; 14:26; I John 2:20, 27).

3. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry
(Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12).

4. We believe that the temporary sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, have ceased. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and 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
(I Corinthians 12:29-31; 13:8-11; I Corinthians 14; Galatians 5:22-23; James 5:14-15).

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 to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17-19).

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; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10;
I Peter 1:18-19).

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; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5; Jude 24).

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, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh
(Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Philippians 4:14; Titus 2:11-15; I John 5:11-13).

The Church

1. We believe that the church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons (I Corinthians 12:12-14; II 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 (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).

3. We believe that its officers are pastors and deacons whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures (Acts 6:1-6; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-13).

4. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; I Corinthians 3:4-10, 16; I Peter 5:1-4).

5. We recognize believer’s baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:8; I Corinthians 11:23-26).

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; II Corinthians 6:14 - 7:1; II Timothy 3:1-5; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11).

The Second Advent of Christ – We believe in that "blessed hope," the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture His Church 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 millennial kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel (Psalm 89:3-4; Daniel 2:31-45; Zechariah 14:4-11; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6).

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 20:5-13).

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; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21; I 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; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15).

The Personality of Satan – We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the deceiver of mankind; 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 12:19; 20:10).

Creation – We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We believe that the Genesis record of creation is literal, and not allegorical or figurative, that God personally created the heaven and the earth, that He miraculously brought forth all original matter out of nothing, that He actually fashioned all organic forms as specific creations subject to limited changes, that He definitely ordained each to bring forth after its kind, that He formed man (Adam) out of the dust of the ground, not by any process of evolution but by instant action, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man immediately became a living soul, that He created man in the image and likeness of God, that every creative act was complete and perfect in itself and that not one of His creations was conditional upon preceding changes naturally wrought over interminable periods of time. We reject evolution, the gap theory, the day-age theory, and theistic evolution as unscriptural theories of origin (Genesis 1 - 2; Exodus 20:11; John 1:1-3, 14; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 11:3).

Civil Government – 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 are to be 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 (Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19 – 5:29; Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; II Peter 2:13-14).

Human Sexuality

1. 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 (Genesis 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9;
Leviticus 18:20-24; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4).

2. We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2;
I Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23).

3. 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 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 (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18;
I Timothy 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12).

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. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable (Exodus 21:22-25; Psalms 139:14-16: Isaiah 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5; 20; Luke 1:44).

Missions – We believe that God has given the 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 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; II Corinthians 5:20).

Giving – We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his 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 (Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; I Corinthians 16:2; II Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; I Timothy 5:17-18; I John 3:17).

SECTION 2 – AUTHORITY OF 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 foregoing statement of faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible, and therefore is binding upon all members.

SECTION 3 – COVENANT
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of our Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we do now, in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.

We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrines; to give it a sacred preeminence over all institutions of human origin; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.

We also engage to maintain family and private devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred, acquaintances, and all others; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful to our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from worldly defilements and indulgences; to be free from all allegiances or partnerships that would unequally yoke us together with unbelievers; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior.

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy of speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior, to secure reconciliation without delay.

We moreover engage that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word. "