1 - The Bible

The Holy Bible, both Old and New Testament Scriptures, is the Word of God. It was written by human authors who were inspired and carried along by God, the ultimate author. It is perfectly true and authoritative in all that it says, and is the supreme standard for all Christian faith and life. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Prov. 30:5-6; Acts 4:25-26; Matt. 5:18; Rev 22:18-19, 17:17)  

2 - The Trinity

There is one living and true God. He exists eternally as three distinct persons-- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each is fully God, equal in every divine perfection,  executing distinct roles in redemption. The Triune God is the Creator and supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is merciful, just, and loving, and governs all things according to His sovereign will for His glory. He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and is worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love. (Matt. 28:19; Ps. 83:18; Rom. 1:20; Rev. 1:4-5, 4:11; Mark 1:9-11, 12:30; Ex. 15:11, 34:5-7; John 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 2:18; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:1-3)

3 - The State of Humanity

All of the human race is created in the image of God and that through the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, we are now all born in sin. As a result, all mankind are now sinners by nature and choice, being inclined to evil and lacking the holiness required by God. Therefore, all humans are by nature unable to turn to God, incapable of adding to their own salvation, and are under just condemnation to eternal punishment without defense or excuse. (Gen. 1:27; Gen. 3:6-24; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 1:20; 3:19; 5:12,19; Eph. 2:1-3)

4 - The Gospel

The gospel is the good news of God reconciling Himself to sinners, through the Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus is fully God and fully man, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin and lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. He taught the way of God’s kingdom, worked miracles, suffered, died and rose from the dead. In His death He made full atonement for our sins and became our sacrificial substitute, absorbing the wrath of God and purchasing forgiveness of our sins. In His resurrection He defeated sin and death, and frees us from our slavery to sin. This good news is the foundation for the life of the Church and our only hope for salvation and sanctification. (Eph. 2:5; John 3:16; Phil. 2:6-7; 2 Cor. 5:21; Is. 53:4-5; Gal. 4:4-7; Mark 1:1; Rom. 1:16-18; Gal. 1:6-9)

5 - The Gift of Salvation 

The blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel, and there is nothing one can do apart from this free gift of God to obtain merit, favor or standing before God for salvation. The gift is received through faith empowered by the Holy Spirit. Those accepting the gift of salvation receive the blessing of justification, by which sinners are pardoned from their sin and declared righteous solely on the basis of Christ’s righteousness. This perfect righteousness brings them into peace and favor with God. They are united with Christ through the Holy Sprit and adopted into God’s family with Christ, securing for them every eternal blessing. (Rev. 22:17; Eph. 1:13-14, 2:4-8, 4:20-24; Tit. 3:5; John 3:3-7, 12:48; Rom. 5:9, 15; 2 Cor. 5:21)   

6 - The Response of Faith

We believe that faith and repentance are sacred duties, brought about in our souls by the Holy Spirit, Being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with sincere remorse, confession and supplication for mercy. At the same time we heartily receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King, and rely on Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior. (Acts 11:18; Eph. 2:8; Acts 2:37-38; Ps. 51; Rom. 10:12-13; Heb. 4:14)

7 - The Sovereign Work of God

We believe that God chose in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world the elect, those who would respond to the gospel in faith. This choice was made fully on His own gracious initiative and was not on the account of any foreseen merit in those who would receive His great mercy. This does not contradict human responsibility, but is a glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy and unchangeable. It utterly excludes boasting by man and promotes humility, love, prayer and trust in God. This sovereign choice is the foundation of Christian assurance. (2 Tim. 1:8-9; Acts 13:48; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; Eph. 1:4-5, 2:8-9; John 6:37-44, 10:25-30; Rom. 8:28-30)  

8 - The Christian Life

Those who have true faith are being conformed to the image of Christ through the process of sanctification. It is a progressive work of the Holy Spirit that will continue until death or the glorious return of our Lord. It requires our participation by the denial of self and turning from fleshly desire to renew our minds with God’s Word and prayer. It is marked by ongoing confession and repentance, joyful obedience to all of Scripture’s commands, active love for God’s people and identification and fellowship with them, and a growing hope in God’s promises. It is not marked by sinlessness, but by a diligent fight against sin and growth in the fruits of the Spirit. Those who have authentically experienced the saving grace of God and are being kept by God will persevere in Him until the end.(Rom. 8:28-30; Phil 2:12-13; Matt. 7:21-23; 16:24-25; 1 Thess. 4:3; Eph. 4:22-24; Gal. 5:16-25; 1 John 1:8-9; 4:17; John 15:10-11)

9 - The Church

The Church is the Bride of Christ and is comprised of all true believers from every tribe, language, people, and nation throughout all the ages. It is expressed in local churches, which are gatherings of believers committed to one another under the headship of Jesus Christ and the authority of the Word of God. It is God’s primary instrument by which He is fulfilling His redemptive purposes and displaying His glory to the nations through the preaching of the gospel and the making of disciples. God has bestowed spiritual gifts upon all who are in the church for the unity and edification of the church. (Matt. 16:17-19, 28:18-20; Rev. 7:9; Eph. 3:10, 4:11-12; 1 Cor. 11:24-26; 12:4-6; Col. 1:18) 

10 - The Ordinances: Baptism and The Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; to show forth the believer’s faith in our crucified, buried, and risen Savior. It is a solemn and beautiful symbol of our union with Christ in His death and resurrection, by which we have died to sin and been resurrected to a new life. The Lord’s Supper is practiced by believers eating the bread and drinking the cup to commemorate together the dying love of Christ, celebrate their unity in Him, and look forward to joining with Him again when He returns. Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper offer salvation, yet they are a gift of God’s sustaining grace to those who believe and, therefore, are reserved for those who have faith. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:12; Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Luke. 22:14-20; 1 Pet. 3:21)

11 - The Dignity of Man and Woman

We believe that both men and women are together created in the divine image and are therefore equal before God as persons, possessing the same moral dignity and value. Both men and women are recipients of spiritual gifts designed to equip and empower them for ministry in the local church and beyond. We also believe that God in his perfect wisdom has ordained the principle of male headship in the home and in the local church, and that certain governing and teaching roles, namely eldership, should be restricted to men. (Gen. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 11:2-16; Eph. 5:22-33; Col. 3:18-19; I Tim. 2:11-15).

12 - The Judgment and the World to Come

We believe that Jesus Christ will return again in all glory and power, and all persons from all of time will face the final judgment. The wicked, who are apart from Christ, will be judged and sentenced to suffering and eternal separation from God in hell. The righteous, who belong to Jesus, will be granted eternal life in the new heavens and new earth. In this new creation, the saints will live to the glory of God in ever-increasing joy without death, pain, or mourning of any kind; being in the very presence of God and worshipping Him forever. (Rev. 1:7, 20:7-15, 21:1-4; 22:12; Matt. 25:31-41; Acts 1:11; John 5:25-29; 2 Thess. 1:5-10; Phil 3:20-21)