WHAT WE BELIEVE
If you would like to know more about God's amazing love, we would like to have someone go through the four week Exchange Bible class with you. Contact us to receive a free book and set up your personal class.
The Gospel
God made it very clear in His Word, the Bible, that we can know for certain that when we meet death, we will live in the presence of God in Heaven.
Jesus teaches us in His Word, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” (John 14:6).
Furthermore, “For by grace [undeserved favor] are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). When we die, we will enter Heaven only because of what Christ has accomplished for us.
In His death on the cross, Jesus actually carried on Himself the penalty for our sins. He took our penalty because He loves us and wants us to receive total forgiveness and eternal life.
The gospel’s message of hope is that you can receive Christ today and be certain of your eternal destiny. This is done by:
Admitting that you are separated from the love of a holy God by sin: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Believing that Jesus Christ died for your sins: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Receiving Him into your life and trusting Him as your Savior. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).
Doctrines
Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and is the product of Spirit-controlled men; the Holy Bible therefore, has truth without any admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried. II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21.
True God
We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the God-head there are three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. Exodus 21:2-3; I Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11; I John 5:7.
Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; that with God the Father and God the Son, and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil One until judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. John 14:16-17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26.
Devil or Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire. Matthew 4:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:4
Creation
We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution. Genesis 1 & 2; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3
Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker but by voluntary transgression, fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but of choice, and are therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 5:19; Romans 5:12; Romans 5:10-19; Romans 1:18; Romans 1:32
Virgin Birth
We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin; as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman; and that He is the only begotten Son of God. Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:4; John 3:16
Atonement for Sin
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; that through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God who, by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law of His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust; that Christ the Lord bore our sin in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and is uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior. Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11.
Grace in the new Creation
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth, the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 5:1; John 3:6-7
Justification
We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification. Justification includes the pardon of sin and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness. It is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood; His righteousness is imputed to us. Acts 13:39; Isaiah 51:11; Zechariah 13:1
Faith and Salvation
We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. Acts 16:31
Local Church
We believe that the local church is a congregation of immersed believers associated by covenant of faith and fellowship in the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are Pastors and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties, are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; that on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. Acts 2:41-42; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a prerequisite to the privileges of a church creation. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. Acts 8:26-39; John 3:23
Security of the Saints
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:35-39; John 10:28-29
Righteous and the Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God and are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse; that this distinction holds among men both in after death in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23, Romans 6:17-18
Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ–who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth. Romans 13:1-7; II Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21-22; Acts 23:5
Resurrection and Return of Christ and Related Events
We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value. We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ rose bodily from the tomb on the third day; that He ascended into Heaven; that He is now at the right hand of God the Father as our only sufficient mediator and advocate; in the personal, imminent, pre-millennial coming of Christ for the Church; the resurrection and physical glorification of the saints; the great tribulation; after which He will return with His saints to this earth where He will sit on the Throne of David and shall subdue all enemies and reign in righteousness for a thousand years; after this shall be the judgment of the Great White Throne when the unsaved dead shall be raised and judged, that this will result for them in eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire which is the second death; that the saved shall then enjoy eternal glory with God.
Marriage and Sexual Purity
We believe that God has designed the marriage relationship to portray the profound mystery of Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:31-32), to produce godly offspring (Genesis 1:28), to provide helpful companionship (Genesis 2:18), and to promote sexual purity and fulfillment (1 Corinthians 7:2-5). We believe that marriage is designed by God to join one man and one woman in a lifetime covenant of love (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:3-9; 1 Corinthians 7:10-11).
We believe that God forbids intimate sexual activity outside of marriage. We believe any form of adultery, fornication, incest, polygamy, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, pedophilia, abortion and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex (Genesis 2:24; Genesis 19:5,13; Genesis 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Psalm 139:13-16; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that attempts to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance reflect a heart that does not submit to God’s good and sovereign right to determine our gender and thus are disapproved of and forbidden by God (Genesis 1:27; Jeremiah 1:5; 1 Corinthians 6:9).