BELIEFS

Scripture

We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. The 66 books of the Bible are sufficient, inspired, and without error.  It is God’s revelation, a true testimony of Jesus Christ and the redemption that He brings.

God

We believe there is only one living and true God who is the Creator, Ruler, Sustainer and Redeemer of the universe. He is perfect and all powerful. God reveals Himself through a triune relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Mankind

Man is created in the image of God as the crowning act of creation. God created humanity as part of the goodness of creation. Man sinned against God and brought sin upon all humanity. When mankind fell, they lost communion with God and were separated from Him. Man is now under God’s wrath and curse and made liable to go through all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and the pains of hell forever. Since the fall, no mere man is able, in this life, to perfectly keep God’s commandments but does break them daily in word, thought and deed.  Every one of man’s sins deserve God’s wrath and curse both in this life and the life to come. Man is totally depraved and unable to do anything good, outside the common grace of God.  Without God’s saving grace, man will never seek God, understand, or do anything but rebel against God all the days of his life. All men inherit a nature inclined toward sin, and are born as condemned transgressors. Only by God’s grace can we be reconciled back to God and fulfill his creative purpose. 

Salvation

Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man. It’s offered freely to all who trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Christ obtained eternal redemption for all believers. Salvation includes election, the gospel call, regeneration, conversion, justification, adoption, sanctification, perseverance and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. Salvation is God’s work in redeeming man

The Church

The Church is an autonomous body of believers who have professed faith in Jesus Christ and have been baptized. Each local church operates under the Lordship of Christ, understanding each member as accountable to the Lord. Each church’s purpose is to fulfill the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. The Church observes the holy ordinances instituted by Christ, which are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  The Church is governed by God’s laws, and exercises the gifts, rights, and privileges according to His Word. Its scriptural offices are elders and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles of Timothy and Titus.  The office of elder is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.  A biblical church is distinguished by the preaching of the Word, the observing of the ordinances, and the administering of church discipline when needed.

Baptism and the Lord's Supper

We believe there are only two ordinances that are to be observed by the local church. Baptism is by immersion for all believers. It symbolizes death to sin and being raised by Christ to obediently walk in new life. It also echoes Christ’s own death, burial, and resurrection. The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act where believers memorialize the death of Christ and look forward to the day that He returns.

Last Things

God, in His own time and way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return in glory to the earth and judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous will receive their reward and dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.

Evangelism and Missions

We believe it is a privilege and responsibility of all believers to carry out the Great Commission—to make disciples of all nations. Missionary effort, both next door and across the globe, comes as a spiritual necessity of the new life in Christ.

The Family

The family is a God ordained institution composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood or adoption. Marriage is the union of one man and one woman under God’s framework. Marriage models the way in which God relates to His people. Also, children are a blessing from the moment of conception.

Gender

God created mankind male and female both created in the image of God. As such, they are equal in value, dignity and worth, but different in function. God instituted monogamous marriage as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. We perform marriages in accordance with the Bible consistent with the Old and New Testament.