The gospel is the hope of the world. As we read the Scriptures, we see the overarching themes of God’s providence, power and provision to reconcile mankind and the created world to Himself through the Person and work of Jesus Christ. In light of this, we aim to be explicitly gospel-centered in all that we preach, teach and practice.

 

We believe…

 

  • There is only one true God (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:5-6, 46:9-10; Jn. 17:3).
    • He is Creator of heaven and earth (Col. 1:15-20).
    • Who eternally exists in three distinct Persons (Gen. 1:26; Matt. 3:13-17, 28:17-20; 1Cor. 12:4-6):
      • Father (Jn. 14:7)
      • Son (Jn. 3:16-18, 11:27)
      • and Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 3:17)
    • All things exist for the glory of God (Ps. 148; Pr. 16:4; Isa. 61:3; Rom. 11:33-36; 1 Cor. 10:31; 2 Cor. 5:15; Eph. 1:3-14).

  • All humanity, Christ excluded, is sinful by both nature and action (Gen. 6:5; Ps. 51:5; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:23, 5:8, 12-21, 7:18; Eph. 2:1-3).
  • The deserved penalty for sin is physical and spiritual death (Gen. 2:15-7, 3:19; Rom. 5:12, 6:23; Jam. 1:14-15).

  • Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, was born of a virgin and is both fully God and fully human (Matt. 1:20; Lk. 2:52; Jn. 1:1-4, 14; Col. 1:15-20; Heb. 1:1-3).
  • Jesus Christ died as the sacrificial substitute to pay the penalty for sin (Jn. 1:29, 10:1-18; Rom. 5:8; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 1:4; 1 Pet. 3:18).
  • Jesus Christ:
    • Physically rose from the dead (Matt. 28:1-20; Mk. 16:1-8; Lk. 24:1-53; Jn. 20:21-28).
    • Ascended into heaven (Acts 1:11; Eph. 4:9-10; Col.3:1).
    • Will one day physically return (1Thes. 4:16; Heb. 9:28; 1Jn. 3:2; Rev. 1:7).

  • Only through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ and repentance from sin can one be reconciled to God and experience true life and joy (Jn. 3:18, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 3:21-26; 1 Tim. 2:5-6).

  • We believe that the universal church is the body of which Christ is the head and to which all who are saved belong. It is made visible in local churches, which are congregations of believers who are committed to each other for the worship of God, the preaching of the Word, the administering of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, for pastoral care and discipline, and for evangelism (Matthew 16:18; John 10:11; 15:1-8; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16-17; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16; 11:2; Ephesians 1:22; 2:20-22; 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18; 2:7; 1 Peter 2:5, 25).

  • There are two ordinances that should be practiced by believers. These ordinances are a remembrance and not a sacrament.
    • Water baptism is an outward physical picture of an inward spiritual baptism by the Holy Spirit. Water baptism is not a means of salvation, nor is it a necessity for salvation; it is simply a testimony of salvation. We believe that water baptism should be full immersion (Matt. 28:19-20).
    • The Lord's Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ; this remembrance is to be administered with the elements of bread and the fruit of the vine, and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death and to be a bond, pledge and renewal of a believer’s communion with Him, preceded always by solemn self-examination. We celebrate the Lord’s Supper each Sunday and is open to all believers (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-29).

  • That all believers are called to a life separated from worldly and sinful practices (Rom. 13:13-14; Eph. 4: 17-32; Titus 2:11-15).

  • God created male and female, a divinely ordained biological distinction of the human race and is integral to God’s design and therefore not possible to sever the connection between one’s gender and one’s biological sex.
  • Marriage is the covenantal union of one man and one woman, before God, in an exclusive, lifelong, public relationship, meant to reflect the beauty of Christ’s love for his redeemed church and God’s ordained means for procreation (Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 15:18-20; Mark 7:21-22; Rom. 1:21-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 6:18; 7:2-5; Eph. 5:21-33; 1 Tim. 1:9-10; Heb. 13:4; Jude 7).

  • There will be a future physical resurrection of the dead. Only those who turn from sin and to Jesus in faith and repentance will be raised to eternal reward. Those who do not turn from sin and to Jesus will be raised to eternal punishment (Jn. 5:28-29; Acts 24:15).