Statement of Faith

Bible:  We believe the Holy Bible to be the inspired Word of God and our standard for faith and practice.  We believe it is the standard by which all subsequent revelation is evaluated.

God: We believe in the one triune God revealed in the Bible.  He is Creator, Redeemer, and the Sovereign Ruler of creation.  He is the Author of truth, love and faith. 

Sin: We believe man’s salvation is through renouncing his own self-determination, taking responsibility for his disobedience, and seeking forgiveness from God.  Further, we believe such a penitent person must put his faith in Jesus Christ – whom we believe to be the incarnate Son of God, who died substitutional for man’s transgressions, who was raised from the dead on the third day, and ascended back to the Father.  The scriptural evidence that one has repented and put his faith in Jesus Christ includes public confession, baptism in water, and coming under the pastoral instruction of the Church to walk in the ways of God.

Covenant Life: We believe God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God.  That is, He has made certain commitments to those who respond to His love and who make certain commitments to Him. 

His promise of forgiveness and eternal life begins the moment one commits himself to Him.  (From His sovereign perspective He knows who are His.)  He is the source of life and all necessary provision to the one believing.  This provision, including both spiritual and natural resources, is available in abundance. 

We believe those who accept his lordship would commit themselves to His will for their lives, and to His appointed pastoral care for them, to love the Church as He does.  Thus, all those who are in covenant with God are also in covenant with one another. 

God made the New Covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ.  When one accepts Jesus as Lord, he pledges his life also to the will of God.  Jesus then sends the Holy Spirit to abide in the one believing, thus sealing the covenant, and writing it in his heart.

We believe that all who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and King are part of His kingdom and should live in covenant loyalty with one another.  This means laying down their lives for one another, if necessary.  On a daily basis, it means learning to love one another in practical ways, forgiving one another, serving one another, and correcting one another in a brotherly fashion when necessary.

Church: We believe the very nature and purpose of God is revealed in His Church.  Jesus came and established it as His body in the earth.  We believe the Church Universal consists of all who live under Jesus’ lordship, while the Church local is a body of believing people, baptized and joined together, practicing the New Covenant.  Since the Church is one; as God is one, the Church Local must seek to walk in harmony with the Church Universal. 

We believe that Jesus Christ, who is Lord of the Church, has established government and ministry in the Church on earth; apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are set in the Church by the Lord to mature it and inspire it to do His word in the earth. 

We believe the scriptural norm calls for each local Church to have a plurality of Elders or Pastors with one Pastor presiding.  We recognize, however, the validity for variety in Church governments as the Lord may lead other Christian groups. 

We believe the Lord sets His people in Churches, under personal pastoral care for the maturing of character and development of their ministry.

 

Holy Spirit: We believe there are many experiences that are valid encounters with God, the Holy Spirit.  “Baptism with the Holy Spirit,” “Filled with the Holy Spirit,” “Anointed with the Holy Spirit” are among those scriptural terms used to describe such encounters with the Holy Spirit.  These experiences should produce greater commitment to God’s will, greater realization of His power, and greater edification of His Church. 

We further believe the Holy Spirit imparts gifts or abilities greater than our own to accomplish God’s will.  These gifts include miraculous healings, revelations and utterances.  These gifts ought to be operative in the Church, supervised by mature leaders, and ministered in love by Christians whose lives reflect godly character.

 

Prayer: We believe in prayer as a means of communication with God.  (God through His Son and the Son through the Holy Spirit.)

Priesthood of Believers: We believe in the priesthood of the believer.  By the shedding of His blood, Jesus has become the believer’s high priest and has made it possible for each Christian to have free access to the presence of the Father.  In His presence, each one can come to know God and to receive from Him.  Each Christian, likewise, is responsible to come to the Father in confidence and faith as a priest unto Him under the New Covenant and there to minister both the worship of his lips and the worship of his life sacrificially presented to God.

Freedom of Conscience: We believe in the freedom of conscience.  One is responsible for his own choices and behavior.  While God has ordained both civil and spiritual government, we believe each person is still directly accountable to Him.  Therefore, Pastors can give strong direction, and the Churches can make strong demands, but all services must be rendered voluntarily, joyfully and from a free conscience. 

We see this reflected in the history of God’s dealings with man.  God has always given strong direction, but has accepted only voluntary sacrifice and service.  His people are characterized by service, not slavery.

 

Evangelism: We believe in world evangelism.  We accept the commission of Jesus Christ, who is Lord, to make disciples to Him in all nations, to baptize them and teach them to observe His commandments.  We join with all those believing in Him to accomplish this urgent task.  We accept this as a personal commission, as well as a Church commission.

Civil Authority: We believe God is the author of all authority.  He has ordained civil government for the establishment of order and peace in the nations.  He has ordained government in His Church to bring it to righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  We believe there should be mutual respect between civil and spiritual authority. 

We believe it is the task of civil authority to maintain order and freedom among those responsible to it.  We believe it the task of the Church to speak prophetically to the nations, both by its proclamations and it’s lifestyle.  The Church must faithfully proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord until every knee bows and tongue confesses that He is Lord to the glory of God.  Meanwhile, the Church is admonished to pray for and honor civil government. 

We believe history shows that a Church supported by the state tends to lose its ability to represent God’s will to that nation, and Christians of other persuasions tend to lose their freedom to worship after the dictates of their own conscience. 

We believe the Church should be supported by the tithes and offerings of those committed to its mission.  We further believe that when people serve God with a free spirit there is financial abundance to accomplish God’s purpose.

Christ’s Return: We believe Jesus Christ will return to the earth in a visible way.  His purpose will be to manifest His government on the earth.  Christians are exhorted to be watchful and obedient until His appearing.  While there are many viewpoints concerning His second coming, we believe Christians should lovingly look for His appearing, giving full attention to obedience while He tarries.  We believe His appearing will occasion the resurrection of the righteous who have died and are now with Him. 

Judgement: We believe in the final judgment at the end of the age.  We believe the righteousness and the wicked shall stand before Him and be judged.  Those who have a faith-producing righteousness will be rewarded with the privilege of ruling with Him and enjoying His eternal blessings.  Those who were wicket in relationship to God and man will be eternally punished.

 Ordinances: We believe in baptism by immersion in water (Matthew 28:19 or Acts 2:23) and it shall be administered to all those who have repented of their sins and who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of their souls, and who give clear evidence of their salvation.  Romans 6:3-5, Colossians 2:12

We believe in the Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper and it shall be observed regularly.  Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

Conclusion: These principles of our faith are foundations for God’s ongoing leadership in our lives.  We realize that our statement of faith does not relieve us of the responsibility to live by faith.  We gratefully acknowledge those who have served Him in ages past and bless them in their eternal state for their faithfulness.  We acknowledge those who serve Jesus Christ now, whose doctrinal expressions are different from our own.  We desire to walk with them as brothers and sisters.  Our statements are not to be construed as walls, but as doors through which others may communicate with us and we with them.