We recognize that any statement of faith is a fallible attempt to summarize and systematize an infallible divine revelation. We recognize that the Bible is the Christian's only authoritative document. However, the Bible is often distorted and misinterpreted so we believe that it is necessary not to add to what the Bible teaches but instead to delineate what we believe the Bible means by what it teaches in several important areas. Thus, this statement of faith is essential because it provides an explanation of our understanding of what scripture teaches, and thereby provides the framework in which our curriculum, teaching, and preaching occurs. This statement of faith is also meant to help prospective members understand what we believe as a church. While it is acknowledged that members may not fully agree at every point, it is understood that no member will seek to teach against what each statement affirms.
Much of this statement of faith has been derived from the 1689 London Baptist Confession and the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
We believe the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. It is completely sufficient in the life of the Christian and the body of Christ, the Church. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
Ps 12:6; Jer 23:28-29; Mt 5:18; 24:35; Mk 13:31; Lk 24:27; Jn 8:31-32; 10:35; 16:12-13; 17:17; 20:31; Acts 20:32; 1 Cor 2:7-14; 2 Tim 3:14-17; Heb 4:12; 2 Pet 1:20-21
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that these are co-eternal and co-equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption.
Gn 1:1, 26; Ps 139:7-8; Mt 28:18-20; Jn 1:1- 3; Rom 1:19-20; 1 Cor 2:10-11; 2 Cor 13:14; Eph 4:4-6; 1 Pet 1:2; Jude 20-21
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all that come to Him through Jesus Christ. We believe that He orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace. As the only absolute and omnipotent ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption. In His sovereignty, He is neither author nor approver of sin, nor does He waive the accountability of His creatures.
Gen. 1:1-31; Ps. 103:19 Is 46:9-10; Habk 1:13; Mt 23:9; Lk 10:21-22; Jn 3:16, 6:27; Rom 1:7; 11:36; 1 Tim 1:1-2; 2:5-6; Jas 1:13; 1 Pet 1:3; Rev 1:6; 4:11
We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son. We believe in His virgin conception by the Holy Spirit, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary, propitiatory (satisfaction of his Father's holiness, thereby averting His wrath) death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal, visible return to earth. We believe Jesus Christ is coequal, consubstantial (i.e., having the same substance, nature, or essence), and coeternal with the Father. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest, and King of the church, and Sovereign of the universe.
Is 9:6-7; Mt 1:18-25; 20:28; Lk 1:26-38; Jn 1:1, 14; 10:30; 14:9-11; 20:28-31; Acts 1:11; Rom 5:6-11; 6:9-10; 8:31-39; 9:5; 2 Cor 5:21; Eph 1:4; 1 Tim 3:16; Heb 1:8; 7:25; 9:28; 1 Pet 2:21-25; 2 Pet 1:1-2
We believe in the Holy Spirit who was sent forth from the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign agent in regeneration. It is His work to indwell, sanctify, instruct, empower for service, and seal until the day of redemption all who believe on Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide. He is a divine person, eternal, underived (having no beginning or source), possessing all the attributes of personality and deity. In all the divine attributes, He is coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father and the Son.
Jer 31:31-34: Ezk 36:25-28; Jn 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; Jn 16:9-15; Acts 2:15-20; 5:3-4; Rom 8:9-11; 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19; 2 Cor 3:6; Gal 5:22-26; Eph 1:13-14
We believe God originally created Man in His own image, both male and female, and free from sin. Prior to the Fall, God gave his good and natural ordering and pattern for marriage and family relationships when He created Adam first and placed him as head over his wife, Eve. The natural and God-ordained pattern for marriage (heterosexual, exclusive, monogamous, and between one biological male and one biological female), family, gender, and sexuality, therefore, are grounded in the Genesis 1–2 creation account, prior to the Fall, and are still normative and necessary today.
Gen 1:26–27; 2:15–25, 3:1–19; Mt 19:3–9; Rm 1:26-27; 1 Tim. 2:13
Through the temptation of Satan, however, Adam transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness. In Adam's sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, humanity lost its innocence, incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death, became subject to the wrath of God, and became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. Thus, every human being is utterly depraved and, having no recuperative powers to enable him to rescue himself, is hopelessly lost. Man's salvation is, therefore, wholly of God's grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Gen 2:16-17; 3:1-19; 6:5; Jn 3:36; Rom 3:10-17, 23; 5:12; 6:23; 1 Cor 2:14; Eph 2:1-9; 1 Jn 1:8
We believe that because all humanity descended from Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam's sin has been transmitted to all of humanity (Jesus Christ being the only exception). All of humanity is thus sinful by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration, spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins, and by nature, children of God's wrath.
Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18, 23; 5:10-12; Ephesians 2:1-3
We believe that election is solely an act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ all whom He graciously regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies. God’s election of sinners is not based on anything they do but according to the sovereign purpose of his will to the praise of his glory. We believe that sovereign election does not contradict or negate the responsibility of sinful humans to respond to the Gospel in repentance and faith. Nor do we believe that election negates our responsibility to evangelize and take the Gospel to the nations. God’s election utterly excludes boasting, and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, & trust in God.
Mk 1:15; Rom 8:28-30; 10:14-17; Eph 1:4-11; 2 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 2:10; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Pet 1:1-5; 2 Pet 1:1
We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual, and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners and therefore under condemnation. We believe that those who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit repent, forsake sin, trust in Jesus Christ as Savior, and are made new creatures delivered from condemnation, inheriting eternal life.
Gn 1:26; 2:17; 3; 5:2; Ps 51; Prov 28:13; Ecc 2:11; Jer 17:9; Jn 1:13; 3:14-16; 5:24-25; 8:12; 10:25-30; Rom 3:19; 5:19; 8:1; 9:22; 2 Cor 5:17; 2 Thess 1:9; Jas 1:14-15; 1 Jn 1:9; Rev 19:3; 20:10-15
We believe that regeneration is manifested by fruits consistent with repentance as demonstrated in righteous attitudes and conduct. Good works done in faith and love will be the proper evidence and fruit of genuine repentance and will be experienced to the extent that the believer submits to the control of the Holy Spirit in his life through faithful obedience to the Word of God. This obedience causes the believer to be increasingly conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such a conformity is climaxed in the believer's glorification at Christ's coming. Therefore, we believe that one's claim to spiritual life in Christ is verified by living for the glory of God and that faith without works is dead.
Mt 7:18-21; Rom 8:17; 12; 1 Cor 6:19-20; 2 Cor 3:18; Gal 5:16-24; Eph 2:10; 5:17-21; Phil 2:12-13; Col 3:16-17; Heb 12:1-2; Jas 2:14-26; 2 Pet 1:4-10; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 3:2-3
We believe that justification is the act of God by which He declares righteous those who, through faith in Christ, repent of their sins and confess Him as sovereign Lord. This righteousness is apart from any virtue or work of man and involves the imputation of our sins to Christ and the imputation (a transfer or crediting of benefit to one's account) of Christ's righteousness to us. By this means, God is able to be just, and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Is 55:6-7; Lk 13:3; Acts 2:38-40; 3:19; 11:18; Rom 2:4; 3:20, 26; 4:6; 8:33; 10:9-10; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:20-21; 7:10; Eph 2:1-10; Col 2:13-15; 1 Pet 2:24-25
We believe that those who have been regenerated will also be sanctified by God's Word and Spirit dwelling in them. We believe that sanctification is the evidence of true regeneration. This sanctification is life long and progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in obedience to all Christ's commands.
Jer 31:31-34; Ezek 36:27; Mt. 28:20; Rom 8:1-17; Gal 5:13-25; Eph 3:14-21; Phil 2:12-13; Col 3:1-17; 2 Pet 1:3-11
We believe that all those regenerated by the Spirit of God will be likewise kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ.
Jn 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom 5:9-10; 8:1, 31-39; 1 Cor 1:4-8; Phil 1:6; Heb 7:25; 13:5; 1 Pet 1:5; Jud 24
Paralleling the clear teachings concerning the security of the true believer, we believe that the true children of God, will stand firm for Christ to the end, because they are kept in Christ by the Holy Spirit. We believe that it is the privilege of all genuine believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word, but we also teach that God's Word clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion for sinful living and carnality. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall renew their repentance and be preserved through faith in Christ Jesus to the end.
Ps. 51:10, 12; Lk. 22:32; Rom 6; 13:13-14; Gal 5:13, 16-26; Eph 4:30; Tit 2:11-14; Jas 2:14-26; Jud 24
We believe a church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ (baptism & the Lord’s Supper), governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth, giving freely and cheerfully to support the local and global work of Christ on earth. We believe that the one supreme authority for the church is Christ and that church leadership, gifts, order, discipline, and worship are all appointed through His sovereignty as found in the Scriptures. The biblically designated officers serving under Christ and over the assembly are elders (also called pastors or overseers) The local congregation is to submit to their leadership. The biblically designated officers serving the assembly under the direction of the elders are deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the offices of elder and deacon are limited to men meeting the biblical qualifications. The New Testament speaks also of the church as the body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
Mt 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42, 47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23, 27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Eph 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11, 21; 4:1; 5:22-32; Phil 1:1; Col 1:18; 1 Tim 2:9-14; 3:1-15; 4:14; Tit 1:5-9; Heb 11:39-40; 13:7, 17; 1 Pet 5:1-4; Rev 2-3; 21:2-3
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: Baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism, in the name of the triune God, is the visual representation by immersion in water of the believer's union with Christ. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. Being a church ordinance, we believe baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord’s Supper. We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death, and to represent the oneness of his church. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Mt 3:13-17, 26:26-30, 28:18-20; Mk 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Lk 3:21-22; 22:19-20; Jn 3:23; Acts 2:38-42, 8:36-39, 16:30-33; Rom 6:3-5; 1 Cor 10:16-17; 11:23-32; Col 2:12
We believe God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His word or not contained in it. Although all legitimate human authority is ordained by God’s decree, such human authority is also limited by God’s ultimate authority. Therefore, though Christians have a duty to submit to the civil magistrate, when Christians are compelled by any human authority to disobey God, Christians must, with a clear conscience, obey God rather than man.
Mt 15:9; Rm 13:1-7; 14:4; Acts 5:29; Col 2:20-23
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and in His eternal kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of the righteous, and the eternal damnation of the wicked in the lake of fire.
Mt 16:27; Mk 14:62; Jn 14:3; Acts 1:11; Phil 3:20; 1 Thess 4:15; 2 Tim 4:1; Tit 2:13; 1 Cor4:5; 1 Cor 15; 2 Thess 1:7-10; Rev 20:4-6; 11-15
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