This doctrinal statement reflects the broad, mainstream, conservative, evangelical tradition which is consistent with the teachings of the Bible and which has stood the test of history and experience. We specifically affirm the following doctrinal truths:
We believe that the entire bible is the inspired Word of God and that men of God “were moved by the Holy Spirit” to write the very words of the scripture. The Bible is therefore without any error (inerrant) in its original manuscripts. God has supernaturally preserved the Bible and it is the sole and final authority for faith and life providing encouragement, guidance, comfort and instruction for training in righteousness. (2Tim 3:16-17; 2Pet 1:20-21).
We believe in one true God eternally existing in three distinct persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) each of whom is fully and equally God; possessing all of the divine nature and attributes, and is totally worthy of our worship and service (Deut 6:4; Matt 28:19; John 10:30; 2Cor 13:14, 1John 5:7).
We believe that God the father is the first person of the trinity and is the eternal unchanging, all powerful, and all knowing, all wise, all loving, completely and perfectly holy, sovereign Ruler and sustainer of the universe. He is the father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Father of all true believers (Gen1:1; Eph 4:6, John 5:19-21, 17:1-5; Isa 40:21-28, 43:10-13, 46:8-11; Rom 8:14-16).
We believe that Jesus Christ is the second person of the trinity and is the only begotten son of God who became flesh to reveal God to man, to fulfill prophecy and to become the Savior of the lost world. In becoming man Jesus did not cease in any way to be God so that he was fully God and fully man inseparably united in one person forever.
Jesus was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit; born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life; died on the cross as the substitutionary, all sufficient atoning sacrifice for all the sins of all men of all time; was buried; bodily rose from the dead; physically ascended into heaven in a glorified, resurrected body; is seated in the right hand of the father performing his ministry of intercession; will return in the air to claim His bride the church; and will come to earth again in bodily form, personally and visibly to conclude human history and consummate God’s eternal plan by executing judgment and ushering in His millennial Kingdom reign to be followed by eternal state. (John 1:1, 14, 18, 29, 3:16, 20:20; Luke 1:30-35; Phil 2:5-8, 3:20-21; Col 2:3,9 Mark 10:45; Acts 2:22-24; Rom 3:25-26; 8:34, Heb 1:3;10:5-14; 1Pet 2:24,3:18)
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity Who specially came into the world on the day of Pentecost to glorify Christ and to enable men to appropriate the salvation wrought by Christ. He is the primary agent for the conviction of sin and for regeneration. Simultaneously with salvation, the Holy Spirit imparts new life, baptizes the believer unto the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit fills (directs and controls) the believers who are yielded to Him, enables the believer to bear fruit, and empowers believers to live a life free from sin’s dominion. We also believe the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers for the purpose of edifying the church in accordance with the teachings of the scripture. (1Cor 2:12; 6:19, 12:1-19; John 16:7-15; Eph 1:13-14; Gal 5:16-18, 22-26; Romans 8:10-17).
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God by direct act and did not come into being as a result of evolution. Man was created to glorify God, worship and serve Him, and have fellowship with Him. Man fell through sin by disobeying God, thus incurring both spiritual and physical death, which alienated Him from God. Man’s nature was thus corrupted and he is utterly lost, “dead in trespasses and sins,” and totally incapable of saving himself and coming back into a right relationship by his own merit or effort (Gen 1:26,2:6,17,3:17-24; Psa 139:13-14; Isa 59:1-2; Jeremiah 29:11; Rom 3:9-19,23, 5:6-8; 8:1-10; Romans 10:9-13; Eph 2:1-3).
We believe that Satan is the instigator of evil and a real spirit being, not simply the personification of evil. He is a fallen angel who under the sovereign permission of God has been given temporary ruler ship of the earth. He was utterly defeated at the cross, but the execution of his judgment has been postponed by God until after the millennial kingdom when he will be cast into the eternal lake of fire. In the meantime, he deceives the world and seeks to establish his counterfeit kingdom on earth to discredit and blaspheme God and to tempt, accuse, attack and destroy believers. He can be resisted by the believer through faith and reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit (Gen 3:1-5; Isa 14:12-17; Eze 28:11-19; Job 1-2; 2Cor 11:14; 1Tim 3:6; 1Pet 5:8-9; James 4:7; Rev 12:9, 20:1-3, 7-10).
We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross provides the sole basis for forgiveness of sins and salvation, which is the free gift of God’s grace. Salvation is affected by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit and cannot be secured by man’s work or personal merit. “The Gospel is the power of God through which a man is brought under conviction by the Holy Spirit and realizes the separation from God thereby getting an opportunity to receive the free gift of God. And those who receive Jesus Christ by faith are born again, have their sins forgiven, become children of God, are a new creation in Christ and “are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption” being kept by the power of God (Eph 1:7, 13-14; John 1:12-13, 3:1-7, 14-16; 2Cor 5:17; Rom 1:16, 10:9-10; Eph 2:8-10; Rom 8:14-17, 31-39; John 10:27-29, 14:6; Acts 26:20; 1Pet 1:3-5).
We believe that every Christian should live for Christ and not himself and should, by the power of the indwelling Spirit, allow Christ to manifest His life through him to God’s glory. By the increasing obedience to the word of God, each believer should
(Gal 2:20; 1Pet 1:15-16, 2:11; 2Cor 5:14-15; Rom 6:11-13; Eph 2:10, 4:1, 11-12, 4:22-24; 1Pet 4:10-11; Acts 1:8; Matt 28:18-20; Col 1:10; John 15:8,16).
We believe that the church is the body of Christ of which Jesus is the head and whose members are those who have truly received Christ by Faith. The local church is a tangible expression of the body of Christ in a particular location. Since all the members of the body of Christ are united in Christ by the same Spirit, they should live in love, harmony and unity, being intent on the same purpose and accepting those sectarian or denominational practices which are based on a sincere interpretation of the bible, The purpose of the church is to make Christ known to lost men, to make disciples and glorify God on earth. (Acts 1:8; 1Cor 12:12-27; Eph 1:20-23, 4:1-6, 4:12-16; Matt 28:18-20; John 17; Col 1:24-29).
We believe that marriage is good and that it is God’s idea Gen 2:18. We believe that marriage is the coming together of single (male) man and a single (female) woman in agreement to start a family Gen 2:18-24, Amos 3:3. We believe that a good wife/husband comes from God Prov 19:14. We believe that initially a Christian should only marry or get married to a fellow Christian 2Cor 6:14. We believe that a Christian woman can choose to remain married to an unbeliever if they had gotten married before salvation and she got born again while they were together, but the unbeliever is not bound if he desires to depart, the same applies to a Christian man. 1Cor 7:12-16. We believe that separation is permitted but divorce is unscriptural 1 Cor 7:10-11.
We believe that one can remain a eunuch (unmarried) if they so desire or they can be born eunuchs by divine appointment Mat 19:12.
We believe that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night (especially to the non-believer, but as for the day or night, no one knows). 1 Thess 5:2, Rev 3:3. We believe that no one knows the day or the hour of the rapture Math 24:36. We believe that only those have received Christ and are ready will be caught up and meet Christ in the air. 1Thes 5:2