What We Believe

 

THE BIBLE

We believe the Bible is the Word of God, immutable, inspired by the Holy Spirit, inerrant in the original manuscripts, and preserved by God. It is the rule of faith and practice in this church. (2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Peter 1: 19-21)

 

THE TRINITY

There is but one living and true God; the Godhead exists eternally in three distinct persons:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and these three are one in essence. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 28:19; John 14:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

 

JESUS CHRIST

We believe in the eternal Sonship, virgin birth, and deity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. We believe that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. We believe that Jesus Christ is enthroned in heaven ruling and reigning over the nations, and He is interceding on behalf of His people. (John 1:1-4, 14; Matthew 1:23; Ephesians 1:21-23; Hebrews 7:25)

 

SALVATION

We believe salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.  Salvation is entirely apart from good works, baptism, church membership, sacraments, or any effort of man. We believe this is true of the Old Testament and New Testament saints. “The just shall live by faith” (Hab. 2:4). We believe the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection as the only way of salvation through faith. We believe the Lord Jesus Christ made the perfect atonement for sin by shedding His blood on the cross. His death on the cross redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. We believe unless a person be born again he cannot receive the salvific benefits of Christ. (John 3:3, 5; Romans 3:24-25; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7;  Heb. 1:3)

 

THE CHURCH

We believe a Church is a community of baptized believers where the Word of God is rightly preached and heard, the ordinances are rightly distributed, and church discipline is lovingly exercised. The purpose of the Church is to minister to God in worship, to minister to the members in nurture and encouragement, and to proclaim the Gospel to a confused and dying world. It is the mission of the Church to proclaim the Gospel, baptize believers, and teach them to obey all that the Lord has commanded. Its ordinances are baptism of believers by immersion and the Lord's Supper. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:38, 8:36-37; 1 Corinthians 11:24-26).


PRESERVATION OF THE SAINTS

We believe a true believer is eternally secure in Christ. God will empower the true believer to persevere in the faith until the end of their life. A person who has saving faith cannot lose his salvation, but sin may interrupt the joy of his fellowship with God and bring upon him the loving discipline of his heavenly Father. (John 6:37-40, 10:27-29; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 12:5-13;  Romans 5:1-10; 8:30-38)


THE RESURRECTION

We believe, at death, the soul of believers depart to be with Christ and at His return their bodies will be raised in the likeness of His glory and dwell forever in His divine presence. (Philippians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 5:8, 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

 

OUR CONFESSION OF FAITH

The Bible is our inerrant and infallible authority for determining questions of faith and practice.  However, we accept the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 as an excellent, though uninspired, summary of the chief doctrines of God's Word.  We adopt this Confession as expressing those things believed among us (excepting the identity of the antichrist [26:4]).  We adhere to the Confession for a basis of unity, doctrinal correctness, and a confirmation of officers.  Please visit the link below:

 

 

The 1689 Confession