The Bible Is God’s Written Word

We teach that the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments constitute God’s written revelation to humanity.

Scripture was given through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We affirm plenary verbal inspiration: all Scripture, including its words, is God-breathed.

We believe that the original manuscripts were without error and that Scripture is infallible and entirely trustworthy in everything it teaches.

Understanding Scripture

We teach a literal, grammatical, and historical approach to interpretation. This means seeking the meaning intended by the biblical author through careful attention to words, context, literary form, and historical circumstances.

While a biblical passage may have several legitimate applications, we believe it has one true intended interpretation.

The Holy Spirit helps believers understand Scripture, but our personal opinions must be tested by God’s Word, not the other way around.

Creation and God’s Design

Our doctrinal statement affirms that God created the world in six literal twenty-four-hour days, specially created man and woman, and established marriage as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman.

It also teaches that sexual activity outside biblical marriage is contrary to God’s revealed will.

One Living and True God

We believe there is only one living and true God, eternal, infinite, unchanging, and perfect in all His attributes.

God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and present everywhere. He is self-existent and dependent on nothing outside Himself.

Three Persons, One God

We teach that the one God exists eternally in three distinct, coequal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Each person is fully divine, sharing the same divine essence. All three are equally worthy of worship and obedience.

Our statement also affirms the eternal relationship of the persons of the Trinity: the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son.

Creator and Sovereign Lord

God the Father orders and governs all things according to His own purpose, wisdom, and grace.

He is sovereign over creation, providence, and redemption. Nothing lies outside His authority or sustaining power.

Yet God’s sovereignty does not make Him the author or approver of sin, nor does it remove human responsibility for moral choices.

Our Heavenly Father

As Creator, God is Father to all humanity in the sense that all life comes from Him. Spiritually, however, He is Father to those who belong to Jesus Christ.

We teach that God graciously chose His people before the foundation of the world and receives all who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ.

Believers are adopted into His family and enjoy the privilege of knowing Him as Father.

Fully God and Fully Man

Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully equal with the Father and possessing every divine attribute.

All things were created through Him and continue to be sustained by His power.

In the incarnation, the eternal Son took on a complete human nature without ceasing to be God.

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and lived without sin.

His Sacrificial Death

We teach that Jesus voluntarily gave His life on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin.

His death satisfied divine justice, accomplished redemption, and provided reconciliation with God for His people.

His Resurrection and Ascension

Jesus physically rose from the dead, confirming His identity and the saving significance of His sacrifice.

He ascended to heaven, where He intercedes for believers as Advocate and High Priest.

His resurrection guarantees the future resurrection of those who belong to Him.

His Return and Judgment

We teach that Christ will return, receive His church, establish His earthly kingdom, and ultimately judge all humanity.

The Third Person of the Trinity

The Holy Spirit is fully God, eternal and equal with the Father and the Son.

He is not an impersonal force, but a divine person who acts, speaks, wills, and can be grieved.

His Work in Salvation

The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He brings about spiritual regeneration and unites believers to Christ.

Every true believer receives the indwelling Holy Spirit at salvation. He sanctifies, instructs, strengthens, and seals believers for redemption.

Spiritual Gifts

We teach that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts for the building up of Christ’s church.

Our doctrinal statement holds a cessationist understanding of miraculous revelatory and sign gifts. It teaches that gifts such as tongues and apostolic sign miracles fulfilled their validating purpose in the earliest days of the church and have ceased.

We affirm that God remains sovereign and answers prayer, including prayer for healing, according to His will.

Created in God’s Image

We believe humanity was directly created by God in His image and likeness, originally without sin, and entrusted with moral responsibility.

Our doctrinal statement teaches that God created human beings as male or female and that biological sex is part of His created design.

The Fall and Its Consequences

Through Adam’s disobedience, humanity fell into sin and became subject to physical and spiritual death.

The statement teaches that Adam represented humanity, so all people inherit a fallen nature and stand guilty before God, with Jesus Christ the only exception.

Because of sin, no one can restore himself or earn acceptance before God through personal effort.

Our hope rests entirely in the grace of God and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

Salvation Is God’s Work

We teach that salvation is entirely of God’s grace, accomplished through the perfect righteousness and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

Human merit, religious activity, or good works cannot earn salvation.

Election

Our doctrinal statement teaches unconditional election: before the foundation of the world, God sovereignly chose those whom He would save.

Election is not based on foreseen human merit or faith. The statement also affirms that people remain responsible to repent and believe the Gospel.

Atonement

Through His perfect obedience and sacrificial death, Christ fully satisfied divine justice and secured reconciliation and eternal redemption for those given to Him by the Father.

Regeneration

The new birth is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, giving spiritual life to the sinner through the Word of God.

By this gracious work, the sinner is enabled to respond to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith.

Justification

Justification is God’s legal declaration that a believing sinner is righteous before Him.

This standing is not earned. Our sin is credited to Christ, and Christ’s righteousness is credited to us through faith alone, apart from works.

Sanctification

Every believer is set apart for God at conversion and then progressively grows in holiness through the work of the Holy Spirit.

While believers continue to struggle against sin throughout their earthly lives, the Holy Spirit provides power for obedience and spiritual growth.

Eternal Security and Assurance

We teach that all who are genuinely redeemed are preserved by God’s power and are secure in Christ forever.

True saving faith produces repentance, spiritual fruit, and an increasingly obedient life. Christian freedom is never a license for continuing in sin.

Separation and Holy Living

Believers are called to separate themselves from sinful practices and false teaching, living in gratitude for God’s grace and in faithful obedience to His Word.

The Body of Christ

We believe all who place genuine faith in Jesus Christ are united into one spiritual body, the Church, of which Christ is the Head.

Our statement teaches that the Church began at Pentecost, is distinct from Israel, and will be completed when Christ receives His people.

Local Church Leadership

Christ is the supreme authority over the Church.

Local congregations are governed by biblically qualified elders, with deacons serving according to their scriptural responsibilities. The statement teaches that qualified men serve in the eldership.

We affirm the autonomy of the local church, mutual accountability, discipleship, and biblical church discipline.

The Church’s Mission

The Church exists to glorify God through worship, instruction in Scripture, fellowship, spiritual growth, service, and the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the world.

Baptism

We teach believer’s baptism by immersion as a public testimony of faith in the crucified and risen Savior.

Baptism symbolizes the believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

The Lord’s Supper

We teach that communion commemorates and proclaims Christ’s death until He returns.

The bread and cup represent Christ’s body and blood, and participation calls for serious self-examination and fellowship with the risen Christ.

Holy Angels

We teach that angels are created spiritual beings who serve and worship God.

Although angels occupy an important place in God’s purposes, they are not to be worshiped.

Fallen Angels and Satan

Our statement teaches that Satan is a created angel who rebelled against God and led other angels into rebellion.

He is the enemy of God and humanity and introduced temptation into human history.

Yet Satan’s defeat has been secured through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

His final judgment and eternal punishment are certain.

Death and the Intermediate State

We teach that physical death does not end personal consciousness.

The souls of believers enter the presence of Christ at death, awaiting the resurrection and glorification of their bodies.

The statement also teaches that unbelievers face conscious punishment while awaiting final judgment.

The Rapture of the Church

Our doctrinal statement teaches a pretribulational rapture: Jesus Christ will personally and bodily receive His church before a seven-year tribulation.

The Tribulation

Following the removal of the Church, the statement teaches that a period of divine judgment will come upon the earth, culminating in Christ’s glorious return.

The Second Coming and Millennium

We teach that Jesus Christ will return bodily to earth, defeat His enemies, and establish a literal thousand-year kingdom in fulfillment of God’s promises.

This understanding includes a future restoration of Israel and Christ’s reign on the throne of David.

The Final Judgment

Following the millennial reign and Satan’s final rebellion, Christ will judge unbelievers at the Great White Throne.

The statement teaches bodily resurrection and eternal conscious punishment for those who remain outside of Christ.

The Eternal State

God’s redeemed people will enjoy eternal life in His presence in the new heaven and new earth.

Sin, death, and evil will ultimately be judged, and God’s purposes will be fulfilled.

Believers will enjoy everlasting fellowship with God and with one another.