WHAT WE BELIEVE
ABOUT GOD
God is Creator and Ruler of the universe. There is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is Holy and Righteous. The only way to have an authentic relationship with God is through Jesus Christ. Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14
ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ was with God in the very beginning, and God created the universe through Him. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, took on flesh and blood, and made His dwelling among us. His physical death on the cross saves us from our sin. His bodily resurrection changed the course of history and created the path to eternal life with God. Colossians 1:15-20; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-4; 3:16; 14:6; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He makes us aware of our need to follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. He give us guidance and leadership on a daily basis so we can obey God's Word and do what is right. He gives each of us spiritual gifts for the purpose of serving the Body of Christ. We seek to live under His control in all situations. John 16:8-9; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14, 3:16, 4:30, 5:18; Galatians 5:16, 25; 1 Corinthians 12, 13
ABOUT THE BIBLE
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the final authority for all matters of faith. The Bible is God’s word to all people. Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 119:105, 160
ABOUT HUMANITY
We believe that people, created by God, willfully sinned, and as a result is lost and without hope apart from Jesus Christ. Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 53:6, 59:1-2; Romans 3:23, 5:8
ABOUT SALVATION
Salvation is a free gift of God. The death of Christ on the cross is the only sufficient payment for our sins. Every person has sinned, but every person can also be forgiven and saved by Christ. By placing your faith in Jesus you will have your sins forgiven, you will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and you will receive eternal life. Faith is both internally experienced and externally displayed through belief, repentance, a public confession of faith, and baptism. Romans 3:23, 6:23; John 3:16; Romans 10:9; Acts 2:38; Matthew 28:19; Matthew 3:13-17
ABOUT ETERNITY
God created people to live with Him forever, but we have the choice: we will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through the forgiveness of our sin. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally with God is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places. John 3:16; John 14:17; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15;
1 Corinthians 2:7-9
ABOUT THE CHURCH
The church is the Body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue the task of leading others to faith in Christ and teaching followers of Christ to obey and serve Him. Involvement in a local church is critical to individual growth, fellowship, and support for life’s day-to-day challenges. Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 2:19
ABOUT THE PRIESTHOOD OF EVERY BELIEVER
Every Christian is called to “full-time” Christian service, regardless of his or her vocation. We practice the truth that every believer is a minister by encouraging every member to find a place of service and ministry. Every believer has direct access to God through prayer and Bible reading. Every Christian is an evangelist as they share their faith with those around them by word and by action. Revelation 1:6; 1 Peter 2:9
ABOUT COMMUNION OR THE LORD’S SUPPER
Communion is the remembrance of Christ’s death on the cross. The bread symbolically represents His broken body and the fruit of the vine symbolically represents His shed blood. Communion is offered to all believers upon personal self-examination. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, 27-28
ABOUT STEWARDSHIP
The church exists on the free-will financial offerings of those attending. The New Testament allows one to give as much as they choose without compulsion, but a Biblical standard is tithing. Tithing is the practice of giving 10% of your income for the support of Christ’s body. Giving is critical to Christian stewardship. Numbers 18:6, 21, Malachi 3:7-12, 1 Corinthians 9:3-10, 13-14, 2 Corinthians 9:6-9
ABOUT UNITY
Jesus died so that his followers would be united in humility, not divided over theology. We must strive to find common ground with one another rather than find reasons to break off. Love and freedom must replace judgment and dogma on issues that frequently divide Christians. John 17:20-21, Philippians 2:1-2, John 13:34-35