We Believe the Bible

• The Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God.

  We believe the Bible is the final authority in every area it addresses for every individual Christian, as well as for the church collectively. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:21, John 10:35)

• There is one God who eternally exists as three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

  We believe that all things were created by Him and for Him. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 45:21-22, Matthew 28:19, Colossians 1:16)

• That God the Son became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ.

  That He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life (for He was without sin), died a substitutionary death for all mankind, was raised from the dead the third day, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God until His enemies are made His footstool. (John 1:1, 14, Matthew 1:18-25, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Hebrews 10:12-13)

• The Holy Spirit was sent by the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.

  We believe the Holy Spirit regenerates and indwells and seals every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that He empowers us to live as witnesses for Christ. We believe that all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to His church today. (John 14:16-17, John 16:7-11, Titus 3:5-6, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Ephesians 1:13-14, Acts 1:8, Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12-14, 1 Peter 4:10-11)

• That God created human beings, male and female, in His own image.

  He created them sinless, equal in value, dignity, and worth. According to His purpose and design, men and women are created to fulfill distinct but complementary roles in the contexts of marriage, family, and the local church. (Genesis 1:26-28, Ephesians 5:22-6:4, 1 Timothy 3:1-7)

• As a result of the Fall, all people are sinners by nature and in need of a Savior, and that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior of the world.

  That salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Him. We believe that all who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved eternally. (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:18-19, Matthew 1:21, 1 John 4:14, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9)

• There is one church, the body of Christ, consisting of men and women from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation.

  We believe that each local congregation is an expression of that universal church. (Ephesians 4:4, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Revelation 5:9, Acts 2:42-47)

• The church will be delivered.

  Specifically from the "hour of trial," the Great Tribulation which will come upon all who dwell on the earth, being "caught up" in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (the Rapture). (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, Revelation 3:10)

• The Return of Jesus

  The saints will return with Christ to the earth, at His Second Coming, to rule and reign with Him for a period before the final Judgment (Jude 1:14, Revelation 19:11-16, Revelation 20:4)

• The pre-millennial return of Christ

  When He will sit upon the throne of David and rule over the house of Jacob (Israel), and the entire cosmos, forever. (Revelation 20:1-6, Luke 1:31-33, Isaiah 9:6-7)

• In the resurrection of the dead.

  Some will be raised to life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt (hell). We believe that God will create a new heaven and earth in which righteousness will dwell. We believe that the throne of God and the Lamb (Jesus Christ) will be established in the New Jerusalem and new heavens and earth forever. (Daniel 12:2, John 5:25-29, Revelation 21:1-22:5)

• All people are made in His image

  Men and women are equal in God's sight. The same goes for all people groups. Heaven will be full of men and women from every nation, tribe, tongue and time period. Hatred, bigotry or prejudice treatment has no place in God's Kingdom. We may have cultural or physical differences, but we are all equally loved by God and should love each other. After all, it is what comes out of our heart that defiles us, not what we look like. The solution to these problems is dealing with the root of them all: sin. (Genesis 1:27, Matthew 15:18, Galatians 3:28, Revelation 7:9)