Statement of Faith
THE SCRIPTURES
We believe the Bible, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments in the original autographs, is completely inspired in every word, and is totally inerrant and infallible. We hold these Sciptures as the final Authority in all matters of Christian faith and conduct.
References: 2 Tim. 3:16,17; Heb. 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:20,21
THE ONE TRUE GOD
We believe there is only one true and living God, inexpressibly glorious and infinite in all His attributes and worthy of all honour, love, and obedience. We believe God is triune in His headship; eternally existent and unified in the three uncreated Persons of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. These three are one God, perfectly equal in their divinity; being one in essence, but harmoniusly distinct in person and function.
References: Deu. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; Jn. 1:1; Jn. 14:16,17;
THE FATHER - We believe in God the Father, a Spirit who is absolutely perfect in all His attributes, in whom all things have their beginning, their sustenance, and their end. We believe He accepts All those who come to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.
References: Psa. 139; Isa. 44:24; Mal. 3:6; Jn. 14:6; Rev. 4:11.
THE SON , JESUS CHRIST - We believe Jesus Christ is the eternally existent and only begotten Son of God, who became a man through the virgin birth, lived a sinless life, was crucified for sinful men, bodily rose from the dead, and imminently will visibly return for his bride, the church, and will set up His millennial reign on earth.
References: Lu. 1;30-35; Jn. 1:1-15; Phil. 2:5-8; Col. 1:15 1 Thess. 4:13-18
THE HOLY SPIRIT - We believe in the personality of God the Holy Spirit who is coequal with God the Father and God the Son. He is the agent of conviction, regeneration, and baptism into the body of Christ. He indwells, seals, fills and empowers believers for Christian Service.
References: Jn. 14:16-17; Jn. 16:7-14; Matt. 28:19; Eph. 1:13, 5:18; Titus 3:5; Heb. 9:14
THE CREATION
We believe in the Biblical Genesis Creation account as opposed to evolutionary theory; That God created, out of nothing, the entire universe and all that it contains in six literal days, and that man was the crowning act of God's creation, being created in the image of God, and thus all human life is sacred (even in the womb). We believe that the Doctrine of Creation is fundamental to all other doctrines and beliefs of the Christian Faith.
References: Gen. 1 & 2; Jn. 1:3; Psa. 33:6-10; Psa. 139; Col. 1:16-17
THE ANGELS
We believe that God created angels as His ministers, that they are personal beings, yet distinctly different from man, both in their nature and activity. Angels were also created to minister to believers (those who have trusted Christ as Savior). We believe in the personality of Satan and the devils (demonic angels), who were created for God's service, but rebelled against God and now make up an evil force in this present world, opposing God and His work. They were defeated by Christ at the cross, and will ultimately be judged by Him and cast into the Lake of Fire to suffer everlasting punishment.
References: Ezk. 28:12-19; Psa. 91:11, 104:4; Matt. 4:11; Heb. 1:6, 14; Rev. 12:10, 20:10
THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man (in Adam), even though created in the image of God, fell from fellowship with God through willful disobedience bringing not only eventual physical death, but spiritual death also. Consequently every man is born with a totally depraved and corrupt nature and is personally guilty before God, coming under divinely decreed condemnation because of his sin.
References: Gen. 1:26,27; 3:17-24; Psa. 51:5; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 5:12
SALVATION (The New Birth)
We believe that salvation is a free gift of God given to every person who humbly acknowledges his own sinfulness
and exercises personal faith in Jesus Christ by fully trusting in Christ's finished work on the cross. We believe Christ purchased man's salvation by his vicarious, redemptive death and shed blood on the cross of calvary. We further acknowledge that man cannot be saved by any meritorious work of his own or personal act of reformation.
References: Jn. 1:12; 3:3-7, 16; Jn. 10:28; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7
PERSEVERENCE AND SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER
We believe that a person who is truly born again has the gift of eternal life and will, through God's grace, persevere to the end; being kept secure in Christ by God's power forever.
References: Matt. 24:13; Jn. 10:27-30; Rom. 8:31-39; 1 Jn. 5:11-13;
SANCTIFICATION
We believe sanctification is a maturing process of every believer that begins at salvation and continues through this life until we receive our glorified body. The believer is positionally righteous before God in Christ and is completely set apart unto God, but he remains in his sin nature (the old man). This old sin nature is not eradicated in this life, thereby necessitating the believers continual dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit for progress in sanctification (growth in Christlikeness). We believe sanctification can only take place through submission to the Holy Spirit, in continual obedience to the Word of God.
References: Jn. 17:17; Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:21; Heb. 10:10; 2 Pet. 3:18
SEPARATION
We believe that in the process of sanctification, every Christian should live in a manner that honors and glorifies Christ, separating himself from the world and the things of the world, while setting his affections on the the things of God. We believe God's Word instructs us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, and to be separated from religious liberalism, apostasy, and major doctrinal compromise. We also should not have close fellowship with other believers who choose to tolerate or condone liberalism and doctrinal compromise, rather than separating from it. Separation should be practiced in our personal Christian walk, as well as the local church body as a unified whole.
References: Ezra 10:11-12; Rom. 16:17; 2 Cor. 6:14-17; 1 Jn. 2:15-16; 2 Jn. 10,11
THE CHURCH
We Believe in the ministry of the local church, a called out assembly of immersed believers, as the major institution for the prepetuation of the Truth and the advancement of the Lord's Work and Kingdom in this age. We believe it is the local churches responsibility to glorify God, to edify its members, to carry out the Great Commission, and to observe the ordinances of believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper. We hold to a plurality of Elders (Bishops) and Deacons as the leadership positions of the church, whose scriptural qualifications and responsibiliteis are defined in Acts 6, 1 Timothy 3, and Titus 1. We believe the local church is an autonomous body, free form the mandates of any heirarchy and directly responsible to her Lord. We hold to a household approach of church worship and ministry with entire families worshiping, learning, and serving together, as opposed to an age segregated learning environment. We do understand, there may be certain instances where segregating male & females and/or age groups is appropriate. We believe the church is most effective in carrying out the mandates of Scripture and the Commands of Christ by teaching individuals and families how to live Godly in Christ Jesus, strengthening and eqipping them to carry on the work of the ministry, by practicing New Testament forms of evangelism, and supporting Christian laborers throughout the world through Missions.
References: 2 Chron. 20:13; Ezra 8:21; Neh. 8:2, 6, 8; Josh. 8:35; Matt. 21:15, 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 46, 47, 18:24-28; Rom. 16:10-11; 1 Cor. 1:16, 11:2; 2 Cor. 8:1-24; Gal. 6:10; Eph. 1:22-23, 2:19, 4:11-16; 1 Pet. 2:5
BAPTISM - We believe baptism is for believers only, and should be carried out through immersion in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism provides no merit toward salvation, but is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ. It also constitutes the believer's testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Because it is a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and the the Lord's Supper.
References: Matt. 3:13-17; Acts 2:41, 8:12, 35-39; Rom. 6:1-11; 1 Cor. 1:12; Gal. 3:27
THE LORD'S SUPPER - We believe the Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience commemorating the the death of our Lord on Calvary through the breaking and partaking of the Bread and drinking of of the fruit of the vine (unfermented grape juice). These sacrement elements only represent the body of blood of Christ. Observing this ordinance should also involve a time of self-examination making sure our hearts are right before God, and anticipating the second comig of our Lord Jesus Christ.
References: Matt. 26:26-30; 1 Cor. 11:17-34
STEWARDSHIP
We believe that God is the source of all temporal and spiritual blessings, and all that we have and are we owe to Him. We are therefore under obligation to serve Him with our time, talents & spiritual gifts, and our treasures (material possessions). We believe all these are entrusted to us for the glory of God and for helping others for the advancement of His Kingdom. We believe God's Word encourages all Christians to contribute of their means, cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionaltely, and liberally for the advancement of the cause of Christ on this earth. We believe the tithe (10% of the first fruits) is considered the minimum, and a starting place of Christian Stewardship.
References: Lev. 27:30-32; Mal. 3:8-12; Prov. 3:9; Matt. 6:19-21, 23:23; 1 Cor. 4:1-2; 2 Cor. 9:5-8; 1 Pet. 4:10
CHRISTIAN PRACTICE AND EDUCATION
We believe the primary responsibility of education was given by God to Parents and to the church (local assemblty). Since all knowledge comes from our Divine Creator, we believe Christ and God's Word should be the focal point all of our Christian and Academic learning; instilling in our children a Christian World View that they, in turn, would teach to their children to establish future Godly generations. We also encourage Academic Excellence, but believe that the parents and the church have failed if we produce young people with Academic Exellence but lack Christian Character and Godly Conduct. We believe the church should be instrumental to teach and encourage fathers to be heads of their homes and leaders in the church and community The church shall be careful to guard against undermining decisions by fathers to protect their families from evil influences, and shall support parents in teaching children to honor and obey their father and mother.
References: Deu. 11:19-20; Psa. 127:3-5, 128:3; Prov. 6:20, 22:6, 15, 23:24, 27:11; Isa. 28:9; Eph. 6:1-4; 2 Tim. 1:5, 2:2;
CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe civil government is divinely appointed only for the protection, interest and good of human society. Thus, we the church shall instruct fathers, and others, to teach those under their authority to honor and pray for civil authorities and to conscientiously obey them, except in matters opposed to the Will of God. We do not believe God instituted civil government for the purpose of educating our children. However, parents who have their children in public education will not be excluded from church membership for that reason alone.
References: Ezra 7:26, 8:2; Prov. 24:21; Matt. 17:27, 22:21, 23:10; Acts 5:29; Rom. 13:7; 1 Tim. 2:1-3; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13-14, 17; Rev. 19:16
FUTURE EVENTS
We believe that at death spirit and soul of the believer pass instantly into the presence of Christ and remain in conscious joy until the resurrection of the body when Christ comes for His Bride, the Church, prior to the Millennium. This is the ressurection of the just and that blessed hope which is the imminent, personal appearance of Christ to receive His own. We believe in a Tribulation period where Christ's righteous judgements will be poured out upon the world, climaxing with the glorious physical return of Chirst to the earth to introduce His Messianic Kingdom when He will reign with His Church for 1000 years. Following the Millennium, the Great White Throne Judgement will occur, at which time the ressurection of the unjust will take place when the bodies and souls of the wicked (unsaved) shall be reunited and cast into the Lake of Fire. The righteous shall enjoy eternal conscious blessedness with the Lord.
References: Jn. 14:1-3; Acts 1:9,11, 24:15: 1 Cor. 15:51-57; 2 Cor. 5:8; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11; Titus 2:13; Rev. 19:11-16, 20:11-15