Statement of Faith
The One True God
There is one living and true God, the eternal Spirit. The one true God is infinite in power, wisdom, justice, goodness and love; the maker of all things, both visible and invisible. With Christians throughout the ages, we affirm the eternal unity of God in three persons, of one substance, power and eternity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The Lord Jesus Christ
We affirm that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. He is fully God, possessing all the powers and prerogatives of the sovereign God. He is also fully human, possessing all the capacities of human life. We affirm that He is the eternal Word made flesh, the only begotten of the Father, born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. As a ministering Servant, He lived a sinless life, suffered and died for our sins on the Cross. He was buried, raised from the dead by His Father, ascended into heaven to be with His Father. He shall return to the earth to establish an eternal Kingdom.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and the Son. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. Through the ministry of regeneration and sanctification, He applies salvation to the repentant sinner, guides and comforts the children of God, and directs and empowers the church in fulfillment of the Great Commission. Believers receive power when they are baptized in the Holy Spirit. The ministry of the Holy Spirit occurs through prayer, the ministry of the Word, teaching and the manifestation of spiritual gifts.
The Bible
The books which form the canon of the Old and New testaments as originally given are God inspired and free from all error. These books constitute the written word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.
Creation
We affirm that the world was created by the Sovereign God through the Word and the Spirit. The created order is good and was created for the well-being of all creatures as the place of human dwelling in covenant with God.
Humanity
We affirm that human beings were created in the image of God. God placed man and woman on this planet to walk in fellowship with Him and to cultivate and manage the earth. As beings created in God’s image, every human being has destiny and worth and is to be treated with dignity and respect.
Salvation
Salvation consists of the remission of sins, the impartation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, the gift of eternal life and all of the Biblical blessings that salvation implies. These are a free gift of God, and received by grace through faith alone, apart from human works of merit. This faith enables men and women to fulfill their responsibility to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are then to publicly proclaim our identity with Christ by immersion in water baptism.
Ordinances of the Church
There are two ordinances ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels: Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We affirm that Water Baptism symbolizes our being buried with Christ and rising in the newness of life. We also affirm that the Lord’s Supper serves to remind us of the finished work and power of the cross. These ordinances are not badges of Christian profession, but signs of God’s grace by which He works in us by His Spirit.
Sanctification and Holiness
We believe that sanctification is a work of God’s grace through the Word and the Spirit, through which those who have been born again are cleansed from their sins in thought, word and actions, so that they become whole persons, able to live in accordance with God’s will. Sanctification is both an event and process.
The Church
We affirm that there is one church established by Jesus Christ and built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, composed of believers from all ages. The church is the community of God’s people rather than an institution, and must not be identified with any particular culture, social or political system, or human ideology. The church is a community of committed relationships in which personal faith is nurtured by mutual responsiveness and accountability.
Ministry
We believe that the ascended Lord has given gifts of ministry to His church, including apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These ministries exist to build up the body of Christ and to equip men and women for ministry. A person is set apart by the Holy Spirit through calling and gifting, and subsequently recognized by the leadership of the local congregation.
Mission and Service
Personal faith involves mission and service to the world. We are determined by His grace to obey Christ’s commission to proclaim to all people and to make disciples of every nation. Therefore we maintain that unity and partnership are essential for the fulfillment of the evangelistic and cultural mandates of God’s people.
The Return of Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly for His Church, in power and glory, to consummate his salvation and his judgment.
The Resurrection of the Dead
We affirm that there will be a resurrection of the dead at the end of history. Jesus Christ will raise believers of all ages to everlasting life, and those who reject his plan of salvation to judgment and eternal damnation.
The Restoration of All Things
We affirm that Jesus Christ shall reign over all creation and restore the created order. We look forward with eager anticipation to that day, and to the new heaven and earth in which righteousness will dwell and God will reign forever.