Beliefs

We Believe…  The Bible is God’s message to mankind, inspired and trustworthy, our final authority for all matters of faith.  (Psalm 119:105; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)

There is one God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  (Matthew 3:16,17; John 14:9,10, 16, 26)

God is the Creator of all things.  (Gen 1:1; Acts 17:24-28; Heb 11:3) Angels were created as ministering agents, though some, under the leadership of Satan, fell from their sinless state to become agents of evil. (Rev 12:9)

Jesus Christ is God’s only Son and Savior of the world, who died for our sins and rose from the dead.  (John 1:14; 3:16; Matthew 1:18-21; John 20:24-31; 1 Cor 15:1-8; 1 John 4:9)

People were created by God with free will, sinned against God, and are consequently lost and without hope apart from faith in Jesus Christ.  (Acts 4:12; Rom 3:23; 1 John 1:5-10)

Salvation from sin comes by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ (his death on the cross).  (Matthew 26:28; Rom 5:6-11; 1 Peter 1:18,19)

Salvation in Christ can be personally received by faith involving believing in Jesus, turning from sin (repentance), confessing Christ as Lord, and being immersed (baptized) in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  (Matthew 28:18-19, Luke 24:45-47; Acts 2:38,39; Rom 6:1-7; Gal 3:26,27)

The Holy Spirit lives in every Christian and gives us the power to live the Christian life.  (John 16:5-15; 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19,20; 2 Tim 1:14, Romans 8:2)

The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to each believer as He determines. These gifts are all from the same Spirit, and are important for the edification of the church.  (1 Corinthians 12)

The Church of Jesus Christ, the body and bride of Christ, consists of all Christians everywhere. God’s mission of His Church is to make followers of Jesus Christ.  The Church is God's primary means of bringing His people to spiritual maturity and equipping them for the work of ministry. The church is a gathering place for love, support, encouragement, accountability, service, worship, growth, and mission.  (Matthew 22:34-40, Acts 1:8; 2:42-47; Eph. 4:11-16, Matthew 28:16-20, Matt 16:13-18; Acts 2:14-47))

God has established marriage as a covenant commitment to the permanent and monogamous union of one natural-born man and one natural-born woman to provide the couple with intimate companionship, loving help and joy, to populate the earth, to raise and spiritually train children within a family, and to serve as an illustration of the relationship of Jesus Christ to the church.  Behavior such as denial of birth sex by self-identification with a different gender and/or no gender; romantic coupling among persons of the same sex, and sexual relations outside of marriage are sinful acts. Having temptations toward any sin does not exclude someone from the grace of Jesus.  Any sinner having the desire to follow Christ as Lord has the opportunity to repent and receive God's forgiveness.  Also, keeping in mind that no Christian is perfect, anyone can receive the support of other Christians to walk with them and help them in their desire to love and obey Christ.  Christians should encourage those struggling with sin with truth, kindness, and sensitivity.  (Gen 1:27, 28, 2:24, Eph 5:23-33, Rom 1:18-32, Gal 5:19-21, 1 Thess 4:3-5, 1 Peter 3:15, 16, 1 Cor 6:9-11).

God has provided for the leadership of the local church through the oversight of Elders.  (Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:1-7 Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4)

Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. The saved in Christ will receive eternal life. The unsaved will experience eternal separation from God.  (Rom 8:8-10; John 6:47; Daniel 12:2; John 3:18)

Jesus Christ will one day return to earth to receive all those who believe in Him.  (1 Cor 15:23; 1 Thess 4:13-18)