STATEMENT OF FAITH

ULTIMATELY:


The Doctrine of Jesus (John 18:19)



CENTRALITY:


Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2)



PARTICULARLY:


THE SCRIPTURES


We believe the Bible is the inspired and authoritative Word of God, the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved on by the Holy Spirit.  We accept the New Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, as our infallible guide in conduct and doctrine (2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:21).



THE GODHEAD


We believe there is one, true Godhead comprised of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  All are co-equal and co-eternal (John 1:1, 14, 18, 10:30, 12:44-45, 15:26, 16:7-16, 27-28; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 1 John 5:5-7).



MAN, HIS FALL, AND REDEMPTION


We believe that each person is a created being, made in the likeness and image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).  But through Adam's transgression and fall, sin came into the world.  The Bible say, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" and "As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one."  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo and destroy the works of the devil and gave His life and shed His holy blood to redeem and restore each person back to God (Romans 3:23-26, 5:12-21; 1 John 3:8).  Salvation is the gift of God to each man and woman, separate from works and the law, and is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to God (Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5-7).



THE VIRGIN BIRTH & THE SINLESS SON


We believe that Jesus Christ is God's Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin, Mary (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:30-35, 2:21).  Jesus was, is, and remains the Perfect One, the Holy One, and the Worthy One; sinless and perfect in every way (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 3:5, 1 Peter 2:22-25, Hebrews 4:15). 



THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST


We believe that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses all who believe on Him from sin and that it is by His blood that they are redeemed no longer sinners but saints (Ephesians 2:13; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 John 1:7).



THE NEW BIRTH AND ETERNAL LIFE


We believe that a person's first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that works repentance.  It is necessary that every man and woman be born again, and when the new birth is fulfilled, eternal life is produced (John 3:3-5; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 1 John 5:11-13).



COMMUNION


We believe that communion, The Lord's Supper, is the ordinance given by the Lord to commemorate the new covenant relationship between God and man or woman, made possible through the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Mark 14:22-24; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-31).



WATER BAPTISM


We believe that baptism in water is an ordinance and a direct commandment of our Lord and is for believers only.  This ordinance is prophetic, mystical, and symbolic of the believer's identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.  In addition, we believe this ordinance is a symbol of a believer's commitment to the body of Christ.  Our scriptural method, as found in the New Testament, is by complete immersion (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:35-39, 10:47-48; Romans 6:4; 1 Corinthians 12:13).



BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT


We believe that all believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and receive the promise of the Father, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:9-13), according to the command of Jesus Christ.  With this comes endowment of power for life and service and the bestowment of gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8).  This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth, salvation (Act 8:12, 14-17, 9:17, 19:1-6; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31).  The full consummation of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and by the subsequent manifestation of spiritual power in public testimony and service (Mark 16:17; Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-47, 19:6; 1 Corinthians 14:1-4, 14-15, 18, 39-40).  Although the initial evidence is speaking with other tongues (Heavenly language) the most important evidence of being full of the Holy Spirit is possessing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-26).



SANCTIFICATION


We believe that the Scripture teaches a life of sanctification and holiness without which no person will see the Lord.  By the power of the Holy Spirit we are enable and able to obey the command, "Be holy, for I am holy."  Entire sanctification is the will of God for all believers and should be earnestly pursued by walking in obedience to God's Word and boasting in His finished work (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:14-19; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 1 John 2:3-6, 3:1-3; Galatians 2:20, 6:14).



DIVINE HEALING


We believe that healing of the physical body and the emotional soul is provided for though the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and is the privilege of every member of the body of Christ today.  Healing is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of faith and/or by the laying on of hands (Psalms 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 16:17-18; 1 Peter 2:24; James 5:14-15; 3 John 1:2-4).



GREATER WORKS


We believe we have been empowered and commandment by the Lord Jesus to display and manifest His Kingdom upon the earth through signs, wonders, and miracles.  Radical faith and holy boldness is normal Christianity.  We must demonstrate the Kingdom as we preach the Kingdom (John 14:12-16; Mark 16:15-20; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5; Luke 9:1-2).



THE BLESSED HOPE


We believe Jesus is coming again to gather His overcoming, victorious bride-- the Church (Matthew 24:36-44; Matthew 25; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1).



HELL AND ETERNAL RETRIBUTION


We believe the one who physically dies in his or her sins without Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the Lake of Fire, and therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting.  The Lake of Fire is literal.  The terms "eternal" and "everlasting" used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the Lake of Fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of the saints in the presence of God (Hebrew 9:27; Revelation 20:10-15, 21:1-8). 



MARRIAGE


We believe family is the foundation of all things Kingdom.  Marriage was created, ordained, and given by God as a sacred institution between one man and one woman. This has always been God's desire and design for marriage as it is clearly written in Scripture.  God's Word is the highest authority and will be what we will remain anchored to regardless of popular opinion or the ever-changing laws of the land or the courts of man (Genesis 1:26-31, Genesis 2:18-25, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:5-9, Ephesians 5:22-33, Romas 7:1-3, 1 Corinthians 7:39-40, 1 Corinthians 7:1-7).