Doctrine

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally inspired word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Matthew  5:18; John 16:12,13).

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-co-eternal in being, co-eternal in nature, co-equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man (John 1:1-2,14; Luke 1:35). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9, 10; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2).

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18).

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and that man is totally depraved, and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27, Romans 3:22-23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12).

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians  2:8-10; John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

We believe that those who are truly redeemed are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. We don't believe in "once saved, always saved", we believe in "if saved, always saved". (John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38, 39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:5). We believe it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word which clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Romans 13:13, 14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).

We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowing of spiritual gifts. It is, however, the believer's responsibility to attempt to develop their sovereignly given spiritual gift(s). The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at conversion and is the placing of the believer into the Body of Christ. We also believe that particular spiritual gift(s) are neither essential (proving the presence of the Holy Spirit), nor an indication of deep spiritual experience (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, 13; Ephesians 4:7-8). We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; 1 John 5:14, 15). We believe it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to minister according to the gift(s) and grace of God given to him (Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Peter 4:10-11).

We believe that the church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age (Ephesians 1:22,23, 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2). We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament scriptures (Acts 14:27, 18:22, 20:17; 1 Timothy 3:1-3; Titus 1:5-11). We believe in the autonomy of the local churches, free of any external authority and control (Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31, 20:28; Romans 16:1,4; 1 Corinthians 3:9, 16, 1 Corinthians 5: 4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4). We recognize believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper as scriptural means of testimony for the church in this age (Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 18:8; I Corinthians 11:23-26).

God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.  We also affirm the statement on family and children found in The 2000 Baptist Faith and Message of the Southern Baptist Convention (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Deuteronomy 6:4-9;  Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12;  Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21;  Hebrews 13:4).

We believe in the personal, visible and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His Kingdom (Matthew 24:27-31; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-28).

The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God; the righteous to rest with Him, the wicked are cast into Hades where they remain in torment and darkness until the judgment (John 5:28-29, 1 Corinthians 15:12-28, 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, Philippians 1:23). 

We believe God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone will receive according to his deeds; the wicked shall go into everlasting and conscious punishment, the righteous into everlasting life. The righteous, in glorious bodies, shall live and reign with Him forever, giving Him unending praise and glory. Then shall the eager expectation of creation be fulfilled, and the whole earth shall proclaim the glory of God, who makes all things new (Matthew 25:46; John 5:22,27-29; Acts 17:31; Rom 2:6-11; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 7:13-17, 14:9-11, 21:1-4).