DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

A. The Holy Scriptures

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official translation used by the Church. (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21)

B. Dispensationalism

We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense, revealing divinely determined dispensations, are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these dispensations: the Law, the Church, and the Kingdom – are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture. (1 Cor. 9:17; 2 Cor. 3:9; Gal. 3:13-25; Eph. 1:10; 3:2-10; Col. 1:24-25, 27; Rev. 3:20:2-6)

C. The Godhead

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfection’s. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26)

D. The Person and Work of Christ

1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became a man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8).

2. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the crosses as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; Eph. 1:7; 2 Peter 1:3-5).

3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2).

E. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

1. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person, (Acts 13:2) who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14).

2. We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Eph. 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27).

3. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelist, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28; Eph. 4:7-12).

4. We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in unknown tongues and the gifts of dramatic supernatural apostolic healing were for the most part, temporary. We believe that the modern day charismatic practice of speaking in unknown tongues with no interpreter present and which do not result in the salvation of souls, or in providing “signs” for the nation of Israel (as directly opposed to the known, understandable national languages as clearly evidenced on the Day of Pentecost, Acts 2:4-12) was at times a sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit. We do not endorse the so-called modern day “healing lines” though we believe that God Almighty frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. (1 Cor.13:8; 14:21-22; James 5:13-15).
We believe that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer.

F. The Total Depravity of Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:25-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19).

G. Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ forever. (John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

H. The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

1. We believe that all the redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:4,5).

2. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their
salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Rom. 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).

I. Of the Fall of Man

We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state. Consequently, all of mankind is now in a state of sin, not by constraint, but by choice; and therefore under just condemnation, being separated from God and without defense or excuse. (Gen. 3:1-6, 24; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 5:19; Rom. 3:10-19; Rom. 1:28; Gal. 3:22).

J. Of the Virgin Birth

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit, in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son. (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14; Psa. 2:7; Gal. 4:4; 1 John 5:20; 1 Cor. 15:47).

K. Of the Atonement for Sin

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the just dying for the unjust. Christ the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Saviour. (Eph. 2:8; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24; John 3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Isa. 53:4-7; Rom. 3:25; I John 4:10; I Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:21; John 10:18; Phil. 2:8; Gal. 1:4; I Pet. 2:24; I Pet. 3;18; Isa. 53:11; Heb. 12:2; I Cor. 15:20; Isa. 53: 12; Heb. 9:12-15; Heb. 7:25; I John 2:2)

L. Of Grace in the New Creation

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creature in Christ Jesus; that is instantaneous and not a process; (Eph. 2:8-9) that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, nor character, not by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. (John 3:3; II Cor. 5:17; I John 5:1; John 3:6-7; Acts 2:31; II Pet. 1:4; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1; II Cor. 5:19; Col. 2:13; John 1:12-13; Gal. 5:22).

M. Of the Freeness of Salvation

We believe in God’s electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith; and nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel; which rejection places him in a condition of separation from God and under condemnation. (I Thess. 1:4; Col. 3:12; I Pet. 1:2; Titus 1:1).

N. Of Justification

We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is imputed unto us. (Isa. 53;11; Zech. 13:1; Rom. 8:1; Rom. 5:9; Tit. 3:5-7; Rom. 1:17; Hab. 2:4; Gal. 3:11; Rom. 4:1-8; Heb. 10:38)

O. Of Repentance and Faith

We believe that Repentance and Faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable grace, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted or our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation of Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Savior. (Acts 20:21; Mark 1:15; Acts 2;37-38; Luke 18:13; Rom. 10:13; Psa. 51:1-4; Psa. 51:;7; Isa. 55:6-7; Luke 12:8; Rom. 10)

P. Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer; in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church, to show forth in solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord’s Supper; in which the members of the church, by the use of unleavened bread and the unfermented fruit of the vine, are to commemorate together, the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination. (Acts 8:36-39; Matt. 3:6; John 3:23; Rom. 6:4-5; Matt. 3:16; Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; Acts 2:41-42; Matt. 28:19, 20; I Cor. 11:23-28)

Q. The Church

1. We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ,
is solely made up born-again persons. (I Cor. 12:12-14; II Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:17-25).

2. We believe that the establishment of continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).

3. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; I Peter 5:1-4).

4. We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances for the church in this age. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; I Cor. 11:23-26).

R. Separation

We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God. (Rom. 12:1-2; 14:3; II Cor. 6:14-7; II Tim. 3:1-5; I John 2:16; II John 9-11).

S. The Second Advent of Christ

We believe in “blessed hope,” the personal, imminent return of Christ who will rapture His Church, prior to the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel. (Ps. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; I Thess. 1:10; 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10; 19:11:11-16; 20:1-6).

T. The Eternal State

1. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29).

2. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43;II Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; I Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6).

3. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great white Throne of Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting punishment and torment. (Matt. 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; II Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15).

U. The Personality of Satan

We believe that Satan is a fallen angel, the author of sin and the cause of the fall of man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10).

V. Creation

We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, Day-Age Theory and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. (Gen. 1-2; Ex. 20:11).

W. Civil Government

We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: (1) the home; (2) the church; and (3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblical assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (Rom. 13: 1-7; Eph. 5:22-24; Heb. 13:17; I Peter 2:13-14).

X. Human Sexuality

1. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in, outside of marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography is sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. Any employee of the church becoming pregnant or causing pregnancy as a result of consensual intercourse, outside of the marriage relationship, shall be terminated from employment. (Gen. 2:24; 19:5,13; 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; I Cor. 5:1; 6:9; I Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4)

2. We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; I Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23)

3. We believe that man and woman are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to be leaders. (Pastors and deacons) of the church. (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; I Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12)

Y. Divorce and Remarriage

We believe that God loathes divorce and intends marriage to last until one spouse dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon. (Mal. 2:14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; I Tim. 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6).

Z. Abortion

We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that aborted pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother, are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Luke 1:44).

AA. Missions

We believe that God has given to the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; II Cor. 5:20).

BB. Lawsuits between Believers

We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the Church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the Church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek, for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company, as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (I Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:31-32).

CC. Giving

We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his Church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings, sacrificially and cheerfully, to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made, with the exception of those offerings given to a designated, approved and established fund. (Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; I Cor. 16:2; II Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; I Tim. 5:17-18; I John 3:17).