What We Believe

God speaks to us in the creation, but it is only through the Bible that we can know the truth.  The Bible is God's Word, written down by persons who were moved to write what they wrote by God's Spirit.  The Bible contains all that we need to know to have a living relationship with Him.  It is without error in all that it teaches.

2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:16-17

God is Spirit, personal and unlimited.  God is one, and exists in three persons: The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  All three are equal in authority, power and the qualities of divinity.  God created the universe for His own glory and He remains active in all that happens, assuring all of creating moves toward His desired ends.

Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14

God created all mankind, male and female, in His own image to be forever like Himself.  Mankind was made to enjoy and obey God forever.  As a result of the disobedience of Adam and Eve, all persons became sinful and continue to be cut off from the kind of relationship that God intended.  All people stand under God's judgment of death and cannot take away their sin or restore themselves to a right relationship with God.

Genesis 1-3; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23

The eternal Son of God took on our human nature, but through the miracle of the virgin birth was kept from original sin.  By His perfect obedience in this life, He was able to offer the perfect sacrifice for sin.  By His death on the cross He delivers from the punishment and power of sin those who trust in Him, thus restoring us to a right relationship with God.  He rose from the dead, thus confirming that we too will rise from the dead.  He ascended into heaven and now serves as our mediator between God and ourselves.

Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 7:26-27

God invites all sinners to accept the deliverance that is offered through Jesus Christ.  He implants new life in people so that they are able to turn in repentance from their sin, and turn to Him in faith for their forgiveness.  So then, salvation is wholly a work of God's free grace, and not dependent in the whole or in part of human efforts.  When God begins this saving work in the heart of a person, His Word assures us that He will continue that work and will at no time relinquish His commitment to save us.

Romans 3:1-28; Jeremiah 31:3; John 3; Ephesians 1:3-14;
Romans 8:38-39; Philippians 1:3-6; I Peter 1:3-5; John 10:27-29

The necessary sign of true repentance and salvation is a life of faithfulness and obedience on the part of the believer.  Through the working of the Holy Spirit, the believer more and more conforms to the image of Christ Himself.  The same Spirit gives the believer assurance of salvation, power, endurance and wisdom to live that life of faithfulness.  Special gifts are given by God's Spirit so that believers can encourage and build one another up in the process of taking a more Christ-like character.  Those same gifts empower the believer to extend Christ's reign over every are of life.

1 John 3:3; Romans 8:9-17; Romans 12:1-2

All those who profess true faith in Jesus Christ are members of His body, the Church, with Him as its head.  Membership in the church of Jesus Christ stretches across the boundaries of race, gender and time.  The church also comes to expression visibly and locally when God's people gather together.  The visible church functions as community, cause and corporation; as community in believers' lives together, as cause in the task of making disciples, and as corporation in the form of church organization.  Under the watchful care of elders and other gifted individuals, the church gathers regularly to worship: in prayer, instruction in the Word of God, observing the sacraments of baptism and communion, and offering financial gifts of love.

1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 2:42-47; Revelation 7:9-12

Jesus Christ will return physically to mark the end of time.  Every person will stand before God's judgment prior to spending eternity in Heaven or Hell.

1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18