What We Believe

"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." - A.W. Tozer

God

We teach that the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - is one God existing in three persons who are identical in essence, holy in character, eternal in being, equal in glory, and having the same attributes with respect to their deity. God is holy, the creator of all things, and completely perfect in all of His attributes.

Matthew 28:19;  Revelation 4:8;  Exodus 3:13;  Isaiah 6:3;  Genesis 1:1; 
Matthew 5:48

Scripture

We teach that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God, infallible, inerrant, and God-breathed, and therefore authoritative in our lives and in the formulation of our doctrine.

2 Tim 3:16-17;  John 10:35;   2 Peter 1:19-20

Man

We teach that human beings were created in the image of God, but subsequently fell into sin, and as a result came under the wrath and justice of the holy Triune God. All human beings are sinners not just through the fall, but also by choice, so they stand condemned before God without defense or excuse. Apart from the work of God, Unregenerate man is separated from God and wholly unable to save Himself.

Genesis 1:27;  Romans 1:18, 3:9-20, 5:12;  Matthew 19:26

JESUS CHRIST

We teach that the Son took on the full nature of humanity in the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ without ceasing to be full deity. Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary in order to reveal the Father and redeem sinful man. He accomplished His mission through:

  • living a sinless life;
  • dying on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice in place of man
  • being buried;
  • being raised again to life;
  • appearing to His followers after His resurrection;
  • ascending into heaven, where He currently intercedes on behalf of the saints.

John 1:1, 14;  Matthew 1:20;  Luke 1:27;  Hebrews 4:15;  1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Hebrews 7:25

THE HOLY Spirit

We teach that the Holy Spirit convicts men of sin, or righteousness and judgment. He regenerates, indwells, baptizes and seals believers at the time of conversion. He guides believers into all truth. He is the source of comfort and power in the Christian walk. Genuine believers walk according to the Spirit, and are thereby sanctified in this life.

John 16:8-11;  Titus 3:5;  John 14:16-17;  Acts 1:5;  1 Corinthians 12:13; 
Ephesians 1:13-14;  John 16:13, 14:16;  Luke 24:49;  Acts 1:8, 
Romans 6:19, 8:4

SALVATION

We teach that the elect are saved in eternity past through the foreknowledge and predestination of God. They are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone at the time of conversion. Anyone who believes in the person and work of Jesus Christ and calls upon the name of the Lord to save them will be saved. A person in Christ is a new creation, with a new heart and a new desire to follow Jesus Christ. Those who God justifies He also glorifies. God will not lose one of His elect, but salvation will be completed in the future with the glorification of their bodies.

Ephesians 1:4-5;  Romans 8:29;  Ephesians 2:8-9;  Romans 10:8-9, 13;
2 Corinthians 5:17;  Romans 5:20;  John 6:39;  Romans 9:30

THE CHURCH

We teach that the church is the body of Jesus Christ, and because of our unity in Christ we are also members of one another. The church is a spiritual organism composed of all born-again believers, destined for unity and the fullness of Christ. It is therefore consistent with this truth to walk in unity, to love one another, and to be of one heart and mind, to worship together, to pray together, to study the word together, and to experience fellowship together. The church is equipped by God with spiritual gifts, and it is essential that every believer discovers, develops and employs their spiritual gift for the accomplishment of the mission. The church leaders are to strive to their greatest ability to equip the saints for the work of the ministry and to teach the disciples to obey everything Jesus commanded both in word and deed. The church body itself is to love, pray for, and submit to the leadership of the local body for discipline and accountability, so it may be better equipped to obey and follow Jesus Christ. It is the responsibility of all born-again believers to pray for the church.

Ephesians 4:4, 4:25, 3:17-19, 4:11-13, 4:3;  1 John 3:23;  Acts 4:23;
Romans 12:16;  Acts 2:42, 46;  1 Corinthians 12:4-28;  Matthew 28:20; 

Hebrews 13:17;  1 Corinthians 16:16;  Titus 2:15;  Colossians 1:9

ORDINANCES

We teach that there are two outward rights which Christ has appointed to be administered in and to His church as vivid and visible expressions of the saving truth of the gospel. The first is Believer's Baptism (baptism subsequent to regeneration). This ordinance has no power to save, and is not necessary for salvation - nevertheless we believe that genuine disciples will seek to obey this command of the Lord. We understand this ordinance as the initiation ceremony of a new believer which represented the nature of the new relationship in which he/she stood through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The second ordinance is the Lord's Supper/Table. We understand the NT to teach that the bread and the cup were administered in the early church to serve as symbols and reminders of the new covenant given through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:19;  Romans 6:4;  Acts 2:38, 41;  1 Corinthians 11:23-26

The Second Coming and Final Judgment

 We teach that Jesus Christ will return bodily to earth to judge and to reign. All individuals will be raised, the saved to eternal life and the lost to eternal condemnation.

John 14:1-3;  Acts 1:11;  Rev 19:11-16;  Dan 12:2;  John 5:28-29;
Matt 25:31-34, 41