What We Believe

We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, perfect, and eternal, who lives in a loving unity of three equally divine and eternal Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He is infinitely brilliant, powerful, creative, and good, a God who loves beauty and order. Out of his limitless knowledge and sovereign power, he has chosen from eternity to rescue and redeem a people for Himself and to make all creation new for His glory. (Genesis 1:1-31, 14:19; Exodus 34:5-7; Leviticus 11:45; Deuteronomy 6:4; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Isaiah 6:3, 33:17, 40:21-31; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 17:24; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Corinthians 8:6, 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:3-14; 1 Timothy 1:17; Titus 2:11-14; Revelation 4:11, 21–22) 

We believe that God has spoken in the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority for all of life. The Word reveals the path of life and the truth that sets us free. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9, 8:1-6; Psalm 19:7-8, 119:1-176; Matthew 4:4, 5:18-19; Luke 24:44-45; John 8:31-32, 10:35, 15:3, 17:17; Romans 1:2, 3:2, 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11, 15:3-4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1, 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21, 3:15-16) 

We believe God created our first parents, Adam and Eve, in his image–to be like him, to experience relationship with him, and to rule over creation for him. However, when they rebelled and followed Satan, the result was death at every level: spiritual, psychological, moral, social, and physical. On top of this, all creation became subject to bondage and decay.

Because of our union with Adam, every human being is a sinner by nature and choice, alienated from God and under his judgment. Only through God’s saving work in Christ and the supernatural work of the Spirit can we be rescued, reconciled, renewed, and transformed. (Genesis 1:27-28, 3:1-19; John 8:44; Romans 1:18-32, 3:9-26, 5:1-19, 8:1-22; 2 Corinthians 3:3-6 & 16-18; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 2:1-10, 4:17-19; Colossians 1:13-14; 1 John 3:8, 5:19-20) 

We believe every person is created in the image of God, wonderfully and immutably, as male or female. These two distinct and complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God. Sexual intimacy is designed only for a man and a woman who are committed to one another in the covenant of marriage. All sexual relationships outside of this marriage relationship are both contrary to God’s will and ultimately destructive for both the individuals and human society. This relationship of marriage is also a unique reflection of Christ’s relationship with His church. (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:18-24; Matthew 19:3-9; Mark 7:20-23; Romans 1:18-27; 1 Corinthians6:9-11, 6:18-20, 7:2-5; Ephesians 5:21-33; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; 1 Timothy 1:8-10; Hebrews 13:4)

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person with two natures. Jesus–Israel’s promised Messiah–was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father where he now rules over all creation and serves as our High Priest and Advocate. Jesus came to give us new life, life to the full–to show us how to live, love, and thrive. (Genesis 3:15, 12:1-3; 1 Chronicles 17:10-14; Is. 11:1-3, 52:13-53:12; Matthew 1:1-25; Luke 1:28-35, 23-24; John 1:1, 14, 18, 5:16-18, 10:10, 10:30-33, 14:6-11; Acts 1:9-11, 2:22-36; 1 Corinthians 15:3-19; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-20, 2:9, 3:1-4; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:18, 2:24; 1 John 2:1-2) 

We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation. United with Christ in his death and resurrection, we now have the power to put to death old actions, attitudes, and emotions–and rise with him to the new lives we were created to live. When Christ died, he stripped Satan and his demonic forces of their power and authority over the lives of Christ-followers. (Mark 10:45; Romans 3:21-26, 5:1-21, 6:1-23; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Ephesians 2:1-10, 4:17-5:14; Colossians 2:9-15; Titus 3:4-17; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 2:1-2, 3:7-10, 5:18-20) 

We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God and that his work is to manifest the presence of God in the world and especially in the church. He hovered over the waters at the beginning of creation, and he continues to renew it with his power and presence. The Holy Spirit indwells, fills, reveals, guides, equips, gifts, and empowers believers to follow Jesus, to be transformed to be like Him, and to live a life of love worthy of their high calling. The Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ, convicts the world of its sin and opens our eyes to see who Christ is. He regenerates sinners, and through Him we are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. As a result, we are a new creation in Christ and have the power to rise with him to a new life. (Genesis 1:2; Exodus 31:1-5, 35:30-35; Psalm 104:30, 139:7; Isaiah 44:3, 63:10-11; Ezekiel 35:25-27; Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 28:18-20; John 3:5-8, 7:38-39, 14:15-26, 16:7-11, 13-15, 20:21-22; Acts 1:4-5, 2:1-4, 5:3-4; Romans 7:8:1-16; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 14, 3:16-17, 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 3:1-6, 16-18, 13:14; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 1:13-14, 17-23, 3:16-18; 1 Thessalonians 7:7-8; 2 Timothy 1.7; Titus 3:4-7; Revelation 2:7) 

We believe that the true church is comprised of all who have been saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus prescribed two ordinances, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ceremonies confirm, strengthen, and nourish the believer. (Matthew 16:13-18, 28:18-20; Luke 22:13-22; Acts 2:1-47; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 11:23-26, 12:1-31; Ephesians 2:1-22, 4:11-16, 5:23-32; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Revelation 1:5-6, 1:18-2:1) 

We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him above all else and to live out a life of love by pursuing God, loving others, serving sacrificially, and sharing Christ. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil and advance the Kingdom of God while growing in righteousness. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always living out the gospel in word and deed. (Matthew 5:13-16, 6:33, 7:21-27, 22:36-40, 28:9-10; Luke 10:25-37, 14:25-27; John 14:13-27, 15:1-8, 16:7-10, 9-15, 13-14; Acts 1:8; Romans 6:1-14, 8:1-13, 10:8-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 15:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:15-2; Gal. 5:16-26; Ephesians 4:11-16, 5:1-2, 6:10-18; Philippians 1:6, 2:12-13; Colossians 3:17; 1 Peter 1:22-25; 1 John 2:1-6, 3:14-18; Revelation 12:10-11)

We believe in the personal, bodily, and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, requires constant expectancy and motivates Christ-followers to righteous living, sacrificial service, and passionate mission. (Matthew 24-25; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:8-11; 1 Corinthians 15:21-28; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 3:1-4; 1 Peter 1:3-7; 1 John 3:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Titus 2:13; Revelation 1:7, 19:1-21) 

We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to repent and believe the gospel by turning to Him and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to eternal separation from God and conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heavens and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen. (Matthew 5:22, 29, 30, 23:33, 25:30-48; Mark 1:15; Luke 12:5, 24:45-47; John 5:24-29, 6:44, 14:1-3; Acts 2:36-38; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15: 20-28, 45-55; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 20:11-15, 21-22)