Summary Statement.
We believe and affirm the following statements:
- GOD: There is only one true GOD, eternally existent and uncreated in three persons: God-The Father, Jesus-The Son, & God-The Holy Spirit.
- DEITY OF CHRIST- He is the only one through whom people can find access to God. We affirm His virgin birth and sinless life as a human, miracles, vicarious death and atonement through shed blood, bodily resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of the Father as both the High Priest and only sacrificial Lamb of God.
- THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT- We believe in the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit in the earth today, evidenced by empowerment in the church for Christian living and witness, gifts for building the church, and signs and wonders in the world.
- SCRIPTURE: The Bible (the Protestant Canon) to be the inspired and infallible, authoritative Word of God.
- HUMANITY- We believe that God created humans as either male or female (Gen 1:27-30), and that humanity is to function as such—as evidenced by the scriptures and their cultural contexts.
- GENDER & SEXUALITY - We believe that all humans as male or female, live under the grace of God within the God-given covenant of marriage or singleness as seen in scripture. We recognize that gender and sexual confusion find their roots in humanity’s fallen, but redeemable, state.
- MARRIAGE - We believe marriage to be the uniting of one man and one woman in a lifelong covenant before God, and that any sexual, emotional, physical/online activity outside of this boundary constitutes immorality, which is forbidden by Scripture.
- LIFE - We believe that since mankind is created in God’s image, human life is of inestimable worth and significance in all its dimensions, from conception to the grave (Psa 139:13-17).
- SALVATION: Every person is saved when they are born again through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit by God’s grace through faith in the full work of Jesus alone - His death, resurrection and ascension. This act of salvation restores humanity into a relationship and union with God.
- THE GOSPEL: We believe the gospel is the good news about how Jesus Christ's life, death, resurrection through His life-giving Spirit proclaims freedom and restoration for a fallen humanity. The acceptance of this gospel is the only means by which a person receives salvation.
- THE CHURCH- We believe the universal church of Jesus on the earth today is the primary agency of God’s kingdom in the earth today through the work of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the global Church exists to worship and glorify God by exalting the work of Jesus. This is a work of God’s manifold grace operating through all its varied cultures.
- PRACTICES OF FAITH: We believe in the regular and essential practice of the following in the life of the local church:
- CHURCH WORSHIP GATHERING: We believe that in-person meeting with the local church and other believers is an essential part of growing in the ways of God. We believe that the global Church exists to worship and glorify God by exalting the work of Jesus when they gather. This is a work of God’s manifold grace operating through all its varied cultural expressions- in songs, prayer, encouragement, teaching, fellowship, and other ways of building up the church.
- THE WORD: We believe that the church of Jesus, grows through the watering of the Word(Eph 5:24) by which every believer grows into maturity together with the rest of the Body of Christ. This is through the public reading of scripture, sharing among believers, expository teaching in gatherings, topical Bible studies, and personal devotion.
- BAPTISM IN WATER: We believe in Baptism by immersion in water as a public declaration of a new believer’s entry into the new covenant in Christ. This bears witness to the gospel of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection for us, our own new life in Him, and our brotherhood with all true believers. It serves as a public sign to the earthly community and spiritual realm that our allegiance and loyalty is to Christ.
- BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:8), and in this continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit as evidenced in supernatural works such as grace gifts, healings, miracles and other ministries (Eph 4:11-13, 1 Cor 12-14), as the fruit of the Holy Spirit is nurtured in the life of the local church(Gal 5:22-23)
- COMMUNION: We believe that Communion, representing the broken body of Christ and His shed blood, when shared by believers in the local church gathering, witnesses the saving power of Jesus’ work on the cross, the unity of His church, and the anticipation of His return. We do this regularly as part of our gatherings to proclaim Christ’s death and look forward to His resurrection until He returns.
- ETERNITY: We believe the final completion of all things will be marked by the physical, visible, and glorious return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead and the transformation (glorification) of all living believers, the final judgment of both those who are righteous and those who are unrighteous, and the full establishment of Christ's kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth (Rev 21:1-5).