Our Beliefs

The Scriptures

We believe the bible was written by human authors who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.  It is God’s revelation of Himself to humankind, a perfect treasure of divine instruction.  It reveals the principles of God’s judgment and grace and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. It is complete truth that is applicable to our everyday lives and leads to the best life possible.  

Psalm 119:105 | John 17:17 | 2 Timothy 3:16

God

We believe in one God who has existed for all time in three persons or “Trinity”: the Father, his son Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit. God created men and women, the Heavens and the Earth, all living things and the entire universe and continues to watch over all of it today. He is the source of all life, love, faith and truth.

Genesis 1:1 | Psalm 90:2 | Matthew 28:19 | Ephesians 4:4-6 | 2 Corinthians 13:14

Jesus

We believe that Jesus is fully human and is fully God, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life on earth, but willingly died on a cross, the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.  He was buried and resurrected to demonstrate His power over sin and death. Fully alive, He ascended to heaven where He is now seated at the right hand of God the Father.  One day He will return to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords!

John 3:16 | Luke 1:35 | 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 | Philippians 2:5-8 | Colossians 2:9 | Hebrews 4:15 | Revelation 17:14

Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. His presence causes people to become aware of their need for Jesus.  He lives inside all believers to lead, guide, teach, and bring understanding and insight about the Scriptures and the ways of God on a daily basis. His power equips and strengthens us to live the fruitful lives God created us for. 

John 14:16-17 | John 16:7-13 | Ephesians 1:13

Church

We believe that the church is not merely a building, but a community of believers unified by their faith in Jesus Christ. The local church is the community of faith where every Christian participates and serves as an integral part of the body of believers. It is where worship, teaching, service and relationships come together to glorify God; it is the body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit to make God known throughout the world.   Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22, 4:11-16 | John 17 :11, 20-23 | Matthew 28:18-20

Baptism + Gifts of the Holy Spirit

We believe in the baptism of, or “in”, the Holy Spirit and believe it to be a second baptism (the first being water baptism).  The purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to enable & empower the believer for ministry and to be a witness. We believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in scripture are still available & active in the life of a Spirit-filled believer today.  We desire to see spiritual gifts being used regularly in ministry and in our every-day lives throughout the week. Acts 1:5, 8 | Acts 10:44-481 Corinthians 12:4-11

Sin + Salvation

We believe that people were created in God’s image and that all humankind, through rebellion and disobedience (sin), has been separated from God and the life He has planned for us. Without God we are without hope and that only through the forgiveness for our sins can our relationship with God be restored so we may receive eternal life (salvation). We believe that salvation is based solely on Christ’s work on the cross and His grace; not on anything we have done or can do and we respond to that grace by repenting from our sin and living for Jesus as our Lord and Savior. 

Isaiah 59:2 | Acts 2:38 | Romans 3:23 | Romans 5:12 | John 3:3 | John 3:16 | Romans 6:23 | Romans 10:9-13 | Ephesians 2:8-9

Water Baptism

We believe in water baptism as a public declaration of a person’s decision to follow Jesus. We do this to follow the example of Jesus who was baptized before starting his public ministry and in obedience to his command in the great commission. Baptism by immersion is meant to symbolically depict the believer’s real union to Christ in His death and resurrection

Matthew 3:13-17, Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 6:1-14

Communion

Jesus instituted the practice of communion with his disciples on the night before his crucifixion. When we eat the bread and drink the juice, we are remembering Jesus’ sacrificial death, burial and resurrection and looking forward to his final, victorious return. When taken in faith, this sacramental act imparts new grace, healing and strength to the believer.

Matthew 26:26-28, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Unity

We believe the church is one body with many different parts. We are called to be unified in Christ despite racial, economic, political, social and age divides. Oneness, not sameness, is the goal through mutual submission, honor and regard for all people everywhere.

Ephesians 4: 3, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Galatians 3:23

Christ’s Return + Missions

We believe that Jesus is coming back again, though no one is able to determine when. When He does, He will establish His kingdom here on the earth, just as He promised!  Until then, the church exists to display and tell the world of his love and truth that all nations might know and worship him.  

Matthew 24:36, 26:64., 28:18-20 | 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 | Revelation 1:7- | Revelation 22:12-13

Sexuality + Marriage

We believe that God wonderfully and sovereignly creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. We believe that the term “marriage” has a single meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture and that marriage was uniquely created by God for the display of His love and glory to an unredeemed world. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other and that God has commanded that no sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. We believe that it is not a sin to be tempted but it is a sin to act upon these desires.

Genesis 1:26-27, 2:18-25 | Matthew 15:18-20, 19:4-6 | 1 Corinthians 6:9-18, 7:2-5 | Ephesians 5.25-32″

Click here to read our entire Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality.