Our Beliefs

The  Father 

• We believe that the God of heaven and earth exists eternally in three persons in one being; God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19, Gen 1:1-2, 2 Cor 13:14, Jn 1:1-3, Jn 10:30, Jn 14:16-17, Col 1:16-17). He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Gen 1:1, Eph 3:9, Jn 1:1-3, Heb 11:3). He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, and faithfulness, but is holy and just, not leaving the guilty unpunished (Ex 34:6-7). 

Jesus

• Jesus of Nazareth is the unique Son of God, who the Father created all things through and for. He is fully God, yet fully man, conceived in the virgin birth through the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:18, 21:11, John 3:16)  
• It is only through Christ that we can be made right with God again, as he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins (Eph 3:12, John 3:16-18, Jn 14:6, 1 Jn 4:9-10)
• He is the way, the truth, and the life – the King above all kings and the head of the church, His body on earth (Jn 14:6, Ps 2, Rev 19:16, 1 Tim 6:15)
• It is His Words and His Apostles’ teachings that govern the church’s life and practice – the church’s full allegiance goes to Him above all things, people, and agendas (Matt 28:18-20, Acts 2:42, Phil 2:9-11, Col 1:15-18)
• He lived the perfect, sinless life, and suffered and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, died, and physically rose again from the dead on the third day (Luke 23:1-46, 23:44-24:8, John 20:24-29, 1 Cor 15:3-8, 2 Cor 5:21, Heb 4:15, 1 Pet 2:22) 
• He ascended to the right hand of the Father and sits on His throne until he returns to earth again to judge the living and the dead (Matt 25:31-46, Luke 22:69, John 3:16-18, Acts 1:1-9, 5:22-27, Col 3:1, Rev 7:9-17, 20:11-15) 

The Holy Spirit 

• It is through the Holy Spirit – the third person in the Triune God – that God acts in the life of a believer, who convicts everyone who becomes a Christian of their sins and who God fills every Christian with. There is no one that is Christian who does not have the Spirit (John 16:5-15, Acts 1:7-8, Rom 8:26-27, 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19; 2 Tim 1:14) 

• We believe the Bible is God’s inspired Word, without error (Mk 12:36, Jn 14:26, 16:12-15, Acts 1:16, 1 Cor 2:12-13, 2 Tim 3:14-16, 2 Pet 1:20-21) 
• We believe the Bible is the Church’s final authority for all matters of faith and practice – Where Scripture speaks, we speak. Where Scripture is silent or unclear, we are silent. (Deut 4:2, 12:32-13:3, Is 40:8, Mt 5:18, Rom 15:4, Heb 4:12, Rev 22:18-19)
• God’s Word, from Genesis to Revelation reveals His unyielding love for His creation and His plan to redeem it to Himself (Gen 3:15, John 3:16) 
  •  While we learn from the Old Testament, and it is no less God’s word than the New Testament, we are New Covenant People and must interpret the Old Testament accordingly. 

• We believe that all people are equal in value due to being made in God’s image. While this is true, starting with Adam and Eve in the Garden, all people have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and the result of that is physical death and separation from God. The only way for people to connect back with God and live in His presence when creation is restored is through Jesus Christ (Gen 1:26-27, 3, Rom 3:23, 5:12, 6:23) 

• We believe that God’s Word teaches that the only way to be made right with God – to restore right relationship – is through the blood of Jesus. This means that since Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live, and died the death we deserved, we can be made new. It is because of His resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit that we are then able to walk a new life, and are free from the power of sin and death. (Mt 26:28, Rom 5:9, Eph 2:8-9, 1 Pet 1:18-19, 1 Jn 1:7) 
• God did the work, and we are called to respond in faith (salvation is by grace through faith, but faith without a response is not true faith (Eph 2:8-9, James 2:14-26) 
• In the New Testament, these are the responses of a Spirit Led Person (God working in them, while they submit to His rule) 
  • Believe: James 2:19, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 7:1-10
  • Repent: John 8:1-11, Mark 1:15, Acts 2:38, 3:19
  • Baptism: Acts 2:38, Mt 28:19, Rom 6:1-14, Gal 3:27, Col 2:12, 1 Pet 3:21-22
  • Confession: Rom 10:9-10, Lk 9:57-62, Lk 14:25-35 

• The church is Christ’s body. It was initiated on the day of Pentecost, and is to be devoted to following Him in submission to His authority, and being on mission with Him. We are not only saved from punishment, but are renewed in purpose. As such, those in the church are to strive to live as one united body in truth and Spirit, conforming to the Apostles’ teachings, and loving and serving one another. The church, rightly living, bears each other’s burdens, uses gifts for each other’s good, and prays with and for one another, spurring one another on to love and good deeds, and gently holding one another accountable in the character of Christ, as the body strives to live out the Great Commission: Making disciples of King Jesus (Mt 28:18-20, John 13:35, Acts 2:1-13, 42-47, Rom 15:1-2, Phil 2:1-18, 1 Cor 13:1-7, 1 Thess 5:11, Heb 10:24-25).