Our Confession
Evangelize the lost.
Equip the saints.
Encourage the body.
Engage the culture.
All for the glory of God.
Mission Statement
1. The Scriptures
The Scriptures, Old and New Testament, consisting of sixty-six books were given by inspiration of God and, thereby, infallible and inerrant. The Scriptures are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience
(Psalm 19:7; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
2. God
There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself, all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience that springs from faith.
(Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 145:3; John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 1 Timothy 1:17)
3. The Trinity
The Scriptures reveal one God who eternally exists in three persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-equal in glory, honor and power. Each person has distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being
(Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:3-14)
4. Humanity
Humans are the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God's creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin. Through the temptation of Satan man disobeyed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby he inherited nature and an environment inclined toward sin. Only the grace of God can bring man into His Holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
(Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalm 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11)
5. The Mediator
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law; suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe.
(John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:5; Philippians 2:7; John 20:17; Hebrews 7:25; Colossians 1:16–17)
6. Regeneration
Regeneration is a change of heart, brought about by the Holy Spirit, who gives life to those dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone taking you from death to life.
(Ephesians 2:1-6; Titus 3:5; 1 John 5:1)
7. Repentance
Repentance is a gift of God’s grace, where a person convicted and persuaded of the evil of his sin, humbles himself with godly sorrow, and hatred of sin, with a purpose to forsake sin and desires to walk before God, as to please Him in all things. Furthermore, true repentance is a response of the whole person, involving his affections, thoughts, words, and actions.
(Acts 2:37-38; 11:18; 2 Corinthians 7:10-11)
8. Faith
Saving faith is the belief, on God’s authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; saving faith is a gift of God’s grace. It is characterized by belief in and dependence on the redeeming work of Christ, accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification, and everlasting life. It is started and completed in the heart by the Holy Spirit, accompanies all other saving graces, and progressively leads to Christ-like character.
(Romans 3:27-28; 4:1-5; 4:17-25; 10:14, 17; Philippians 1:29; Ephesians 2:8; Jas. 2:14-26)
9. Justification
Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners, who believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made, not by anything done by them; but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith.
(John 14:6; Acts 4:12, 13:38-39; Romans 3:21-26; 8:34; 10:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9)
10. Sanctification
Those who have been brought from death to life are also sanctified by God’s word and Spirit dwelling in them. They are set apart to God's purposes, no longer their own. The process of sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength and a growing appreciation for the Gospel, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in joyful obedience to all Christ’s commands. Lasting biblical change, like all Christian experiences, is fundamentally a work of the Gospel, which is the power of God to convert a sinner in a moment and the power of God to conform a believer to the image of Christ over a lifetime
(Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:26-27; Romans 8:1-17; Gal. 5:13-24; 2 Pet. 1:3-11)
11. Perseverance of the Saints
All those whom God has regenerated will never totally or finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, experiencing earthly consequences, can harm the reputation of the Church and their relationship with Jesus, but they shall be renewed again through repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
(John 6:37-40; 10:28-29; Romans 8:28-39; 1 Corinthians 1:8-9; Philippians 1:6)
12. The Church
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In such a congregation each member is ultimately responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
Its scriptural officers are elders and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of elder is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.
(Matthew 28:18-20; John 10:16; Acts 14:23; 15:24-28, 20:17, 28; Romans 14:1-15, 21; Colossians 2:16-23; Ephesians 1:22; 5:23, 2:11-3:6; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; 5:17-18; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 10:25)
13. Baptism
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, joyfully received by the believer, where immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. It is a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of giving himself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life.
(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 12:13)
14. The Lords Supper
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.
(Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:23-34)
15. The Lord’s Day
The first day of the week is the Lord's Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should include exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private.
(Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Revelation 1:10)
16. Family
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. We embrace a complementarian understanding of these roles, recognizing complete equality of personhood, but also recognizing God given distinctions in roles. Husbands should love their wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. The husband is to be the head of the wife, which entails loving nurture and spiritual leadership. The wife is to respect her husband and to submit to him willingly as unto the Lord. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing from the Lord. They are to obey their parents in the Lord. Parents are to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; not provoking them to anger. The Bible opposes all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, and pornography.
(Genesis 1:26–30; 2:5–7, 15–25; Deuteronomy 6:4–9; Joshua 24:15; Psalm 139:13, Romans 1:24-27, Ephesians 5:21–6:3)
17. Resurrection
The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God—the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked, to be reserved under darkness to judgment. The bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised.
(John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 15:12-28; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Philippians 1:23)
18. Judgement
We believe in the personal, visible return of Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. God has appointed a day, where He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive according to his deeds; the wicked shall go into everlasting and conscious punishment and the righteous into everlasting life.
(Matthew 25:46; John 5:22, 27-29; Acts 17:31; Romans 2:6-11; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 7:13-17; 14:9-11)