Statement of Faith

Scripture

We believe the Bible to be the only revealed, pure, complete, and preserved Word of God throughout all the ages. Scripture is solely contained within the 66 books, from Genesis to Revelation. We believe the Scriptures to be the inerrant, infallible, unchangeable Word of God and is the final authority for all matters of faith and practice. (Psalm 12:6-7, 2 Timothy 3:16, 1 Peter 1:23, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Revelation 22:18-19).

The Godhead

We believe that the eternal One true God exists in three distinct Persons—God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. They are co-equal yet have distinct characteristics and roles. (Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, John 4:24, 10:30, Ephesians 2:18, 1 John 5:7).

God

We believe in God the Father, Creator, and Sustainer of all things. God is the all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present, unchangeable Sovereign Lord over all things created, both physical and spiritual. God is perfectly holy, ideally just, and therefore has full majesty, dominion, and authority over all time, both now and forever. He is supreme in love, grace, and mercy. As the Supreme law-giver, all humanity will stand before Him in judgment. God will save all who come to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, from being eternally separated from God in Hell (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 145:8, Isaiah 40:28, 43:10-13, 46:9-10, John 3:16, Jude 25, Revelation 4:8).

Jesus Christ

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His signs and wonders, in His sacrifice, in His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His Second Advent to a return in power and glory. He forever sits at the right hand of God in Heaven with all power and victory. Jesus Christ is our Advocate with God the Father and has secured eternally those that are His (Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 1:18-25, John 1:1, 1:14, 20:28-29, Acts 1:11, 1 Corinthians 15:3-7, Galatians 4:4, Colossians 2:9, 1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 1:3, 1:8, 4:15, 1 John 2:1).

Holy Spirit

We believe God the Holy Spirit was sent from God to glorify and disclose the person of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit inspired the original Scripture in its entirety. The Holy Spirit not only brings conviction of sin and judgment but also gives guidance and comfort and intercedes in God's children's lives. The Holy Spirit indwells believers at the moment of salvation, seals believers unto the day of redemption, imparts spiritual gifts, and empowers believers to live in obedience to God (John 3:3-6, 14:16-17, 15:26, 16:8, 16:13, Romans 8:9, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30).

Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God's grace through faith alone, in the blood of Jesus Christ shed for our sins on the cross. Salvation through the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is available to those convicted by the power of the Holy Spirit to repent, receive forgiveness of their sins, and accept the righteousness of Christ's sacrifice on their behalf. There is no other name in heaven or earth by which man can be saved. All true believers are eternally secure, kept by the power of God, and will have eternal life in heaven upon physical death. All who reject the gracious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ will spend eternity in Hell, forever separated from God (John 3:16, 10:27-29, Romans 6:23, 8:38-39, 10:9-13, Ephesians 2:8-9, Colossians 1:14, Acts 4:12, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 2:2, Revelation 20:14, 21:10-27).

Sanctity of Life, Marriage, and Sexuality

We believe in the sanctity of life and that each human being has a soul and spirit that will live beyond the human experience. We believe that every human life was created by God at conception and is intended to flourish and give glory to Him regardless of the gender, circumstances surrounding birth, or any mental or physical prognosis or condition. Life is a gift from God and must be cherished, defended, and protected from conception until natural death. We believe taking an innocent human life for any reason is a moral evil, regardless of intention. Because we are created in God's image, we believe in caring for the pre-born, the aged, the poor, the disabled, the homeless, the orphans, and the widows without partiality.

God is the author and creator of marriage and sexuality. His Word declares the sacred union of one man and one woman (determined by their physical genders at birth) in marriage, designed to be monogamous for a lifetime. The Bible clearly states that any other form of inordinate affection is a sin. Therefore, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, polygamy, pedophilia, fornication, adultery, or other sexual acts outside the bonds of marriage are considered sinful (Genesis 1-3, Psalm 139, Matthew 5:31-32; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:2-12; Romans 1:18-32, 2 Peter 2).

The Church

The church is the Body and Bride of Christ. The church of God consists of all true believers worldwide. We're united as brothers and sisters in Christ. Every believer's personal responsibility is to seek, grow, and mature in the knowledge of Christ through private and corporate worship, bible study, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines. We believe that it is good and right to be actively involved in a local body of believers commanded by Scripture. As a body, we actively love, forgive, encourage, serve, comfort, preach, and bear the burdens for one another. God chooses to work through His church to spread His gospel and bring the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world (Acts 1:8, 2:41, 2:47, 15:22, 20:28, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Ephesians 1:20-23, 3:14-15, Hebrews 10:25, 1 Timothy 3).

Biblical Knowledge

The Bible upholds knowledge, understanding, and wisdom as virtues to be pursued. We are instructed to "get wisdom" and to "get understanding" (Prov. 4:5, 7; 16:16, 19:2; see also Ps. 119:104). Paul prayed that his converts would grow in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding (Eph. 1:16-18; Phil. 1:9; Col. 1:9). The Bible speaks negatively of ignorance (Ps. 73:22; Isa. 56:10; Rom. 10:3; 1 Cor. 14:38; 2 Cor. 2:11; 2 Peter 3:5). Paul frequently made the statement, "I would not have you ignorant" (Rom. 1:13; 11:25; 1 Cor. 10:1; 12:1; 2 Cor. 1:8; 1 Thess. 4:13; See also 2 Peter 3:8), while some Pentecostals extol ignorance! It was ignorance, Paul said, that caused him to kill Christians (1 Tim. 1:13).