The Bible
We believe in the verbal and plenary (complete) inspiration of the Bible, that the Bible is the infallible and inerrant Word of God (the Bible is without error of any kind in the original autographs), and the exclusive and sufficient guide for salvation, doctrine (what the Bible teaches on any subject), and the spiritual life of the believer. Men under the direct supervision and supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit wrote the Holy Bible. By this we mean that God superintended human authors so that, using their own personalities, they composed and recorded His revelation without any mixture of error. The canon of Scripture is complete and closed. It consists of the historically accepted thirty-nine Old Testament books and twenty-seven New Testament books and no other book or books either ancient or modern can now or ever be inspired Scripture. We believe that the Bible alone is the source of absolute truth and the Bible defines reality. There is a progression of the revealed truth of God, such as the contrast between the earlier Mosaic Law and the present age of grace so that later revelation in Scripture expands and replaces earlier as the standard of faith and practice without contradicting it.
Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
God
We believe that God is the eternal, uncreated Creator of all things. There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, self-existent, self-sufficient, unchangeable, and personal Being, not an impersonal force. God is absolute in nature, perfect in attributes, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, infinite in holiness, the maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. We believe God exists in one being yet three persons and these three are one and co-equal with distinct personal attributes, yet without division of nature, essence, or being. This is the Triunity of God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, their co-equality and eternality.
Genesis 1:1, 21; Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; Job 38:4-11; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 44:6-8, 45:5, 14, 18, 21-22; Joel 2:27; Matthew 3:16-17, 17:5, 28:19; Luke 1:30-25; John 1:1-3; Acts 17:25; Revelation 4:8-11.
GOD THE FATHER
We believe that the first Person of the Trinity is God the Father who reigns with providential care ordering and directing all things according to His own purpose, pleasure, grace and for His glory. God is Father in truth only to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.
GOD THE SON
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), the second Person of the Trinity, is God the Son from all eternity and He is without beginning or end. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He became fully man without ceasing to be fully God. Jesus lived a sinless life. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience and sinlessness. In His substitutionary death on the cross, bearing our judgment, He made provision for the redemption of man from sin. He made the unique, once and for all substitutionary sacrifice for the personal sins of all mankind. Three days after His death and burial, He rose from the dead with a glorified body, demonstrating His power over sin and death and signifying the acceptable completion of His salvific work by God the Father. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of the Father. There He is the one Mediator between God and man as the believer’s High Priest, fully God and fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and Man. He will return some day for His Church to gather them as promised (the rapture of the Church), and later He will reign on the earth as King of King and Lord of Lords. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever-present Lord.
Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalms 2:7ff.; 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27; 28:1-6,19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 2:26-38, 22:70; 24:46; John 1:1-18,29; 3:16, 36, 10:30,38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16,28; 17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5,20; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28; 9:12-15,24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 1:18-19, 2:21-25; 3:22; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:2, 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine, the third Person of the Trinity, not merely a principle, force, or power, as He possesses all the qualities of personhood. He inspired men of old to write the Scriptures. He exalts and glorifies Christ and not Himself and so should the Church. When Jesus Christ is emphasized, magnified, and glorified then the Spirit of God is at work. He calls individuals to the Savior and effects regeneration. It is by the means of the Holy Spirit that Jesus baptizes into the body of Christ (positional truth), indwells, and seals all believers when He is given to them at the moment of salvation. We believe in the universal full indwelling of the Holy Spirit in every believer at the moment of salvation. This is the only Spirit baptism. The Holy Spirit seals the believer until the day of redemption. He guides and teaches the willing believer to godly living and He comes alongside the in-fellowship believer to influence the believer to live pleasing to God. His goal is to bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ; He gives gifts to every believer to serve in the building up of the body of Christ. These gifts are to be used in accordance to biblical guidelines and priorities. The miraculous sign gifts were for the time period of the founding of the church before the completion of the written Scriptures and are no longer functioning in the church today. This includes the sign gift of spontaneously spoken unlearned human languages or tongues. The other sign gifts no longer in effect today are: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, prophecy, discerning of spirits, interpretation of tongues, Apostles, individuals with the gifts of healing (although the Lord still can and does heal today according to His will), and workers of miracles. The filling of the Holy Spirit occurs as the individual believer confesses sin in accordance with 1 John 1:9. The believer matures in the faith with the learning and application of Bible Doctrine under the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,6-11, 38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 6:19, 12:3-11,13, 13:8-10, 14:9, 20-23; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:7-12, 30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John1:9, 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17.
Creation
We believe the Genesis record of creation is literal, and not allegorical or figurative. God personally created the heavens and the earth with Jesus Christ the One through whom all things came to be and through whom they continue to exist. He created all things from nothing. We believe that God is the creator of all things and that He did not work through any form of evolution. God personally created the heavens and the earth with Jesus Christ the One through whom all things came to be and through whom they continue to exist. He created all things from nothing. He created the world as we know it today in six, literal, twenty-four-hour days, and rested on the seventh day as an example to all mankind. He actually fashioned all organic forms as specific creations subject to limited changes within species. He ordained each species to bring forth after its kind. Not one of His creations was conditioned upon antecedent changes naturally occurring during interminable periods of time. Everything He made was exceedingly good and the death of man or animal did not exist until after the sin of mankind. We believe that the creation from Genesis 1:2 on is about 6,000 years ago.
Genesis 1 and 2; Exodus 20:11; Job 38:4-7; Isaiah 40:26, 42:5, 45:18; Matthew 25:41; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2-3, 11:3
We believe there is a biblical “gap” between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 and that the condition of the earth in 1:2 is the result of divine judgment following the fall of Satan. From Genesis 1:3 and on is the restoration work of God to prepare the world for the habitation of mankind. This “gap” absolutely does not allow for any evolution ideology or the existence of man or any other living being listed in Genesis 1 before the restoration.
Genesis 1:1-3; Exodus 20:11; Job 38:4-7; Isaiah 45:18; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 25:41
The Universal Flood
We believe that God destroyed the entire world with a universal flood. This happened because mankind had not only become evil in their every thought and action, but also because of the assault on the human genetic line by the demons in an attempt to thwart the promise of the woman’s seed that would destroy the serpent, Satan. Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives (eight people), along with representative animals, entered an ark, built under God’s directions, and were saved. All of both humanity and animals are descendants of these who were saved from the flood. A careful study of the Biblical data reveals the fact that the Flood lasted for 371 days.
Genesis 6-9; Matthew 24:38-39; Luke 17:25; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5, 3:6
THE DEVIL OR SATAN
We believe that Satan is, as a created angel, an actual person not an imaginary influence or principle. He is in no manner related to Jesus Christ who is God the Creator. Satan was not created evil but he was created with free will, just as mankind was later in creation, having the ability to choose between obedience or disobedience to God his Creator and Lord. He once enjoyed heavenly honor and privileges, but through pride, ambition, and self-will, he rebelled against God and became the head of the fallen angels who joined him in rebellion and who form the demonic world. This brought the judgment of God upon his head. As the enemy of God, he is also the enemy of all true believers and he desires to hinder God’s good purpose in the life of all believers. Satan has no power over the believer who resists him, for Satan will flee from the believer who resists. No child of God can ever have his body invaded by unholy demons as the believer is kept by the power of God. Nor should any believer attempt to interact with the demonic world for any reason. This includes a prohibition against, but not limited to, sorcery, magic, witchcraft, necromancy, fortune telling (divination), astrology (including horoscopes), the occult in any form, sexual perversion, drug abuse, new age philosophies, and all false religions. Yet Satan is a defeated foe and will eventually be cast into the lake of fire, the eternal place of punishment prepared for the Devil and his angels.
Genesis 3:1-7, 15, 24; 19:1-3, 10-16; Job 1:6-12, 38:4-7; Isaiah 6:1-7; 14:12-15; Ezekiel 1:4-14, 22-25; 28:12-19; Daniel 10:12-13; Matthew 13:41-42, 25:41, 46; Luke 1:26-38; 2:8-15,16:19-26; Ephesians 5:12, 6:10-18;1 Peter 5:8-9; Revelation 4:5-11; 5:8-11; 12:7-9; 20:1-3, 11-15
Angels, Demons, and the Angelic Conflict
We believe that God created angels first and then the material universe. Lucifer was created good and then, through the negative exercise of his free will led a rebellion against God. The angels who did not follow him are those that served God today; those that followed Lucifer, now called Satan, are the demons. We believe in the angelic conflict as a spiritual reality and that, because of this, all believers are in spiritual warfare.
Genesis 3:1-7, 15, 24; 19:1-3, 10-16; Job 1:6-12, 38:4-7; Isaiah 6:1-7; 14:12-15; Ezekiel 1:4-14, 22-25; 28:12-19; Daniel 10:12-13; Luke 1:26-38; 2:8-15; Revelation 4:5-11; 5:8-11; 12:7-9; 20:1-3; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Ephesians 5:12, 6:10-18
Dispensations
We believe that God has and is managing the world though seven different dispensations. The dispensations are: Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, Promise, Law, Grace, the Kingdom. We believe that we are in the dispensation of the Church Age (also called the Age of Grace), and are believer-priests each with direct access to God.
John 1:17; Ephesians 1:10 (NKVJ), 3:2 (NKJV); 1 Peter 2:5-9; Hebrews 4:14-16
We believe that the underlying and unifying theme of all history is the glory of God, not simply the salvation of man. Everything He does is simply a reflection of His glory. Hence, His plan for the ages will reflect His greatness and glory.
Psalm 19:1, 57:5; Romans 16:27; Ephesians 1:11; Philippians 2:9-11
Covenants
We believe that God has given eight different covenants in the Bible. The first three of which cover all of mankind, while five more are with the nation of Israel exclusively, the most significant of which is the Abrahamic Covenant. 1) Edenic - Genesis 1:28-30; 2) Adamic - 3:14-19; 3) Noahic - 9:1-17; 4) Abrahamic - Genesis 12:1-3, 7, 13:14-17, 22:15-18; 5) Mosaic - Exodus 19:3-8, 20:1 – Deuteronomy 28:68; 6) Land – Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20; 7) Davidic – 2 Samuel 7:11b-17; 1 Chronicles 17:10b-14; 8) New – Jeremiah 31:31-34
Man
We believe man is the supernatural special creation of God wherein He formed man Himself out of the dust of the ground, in a single action, not using any process of evolution or any other method. He made in His own image. 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 skin color and ethnic background possesses full dignity from conception and is worthy of respect and Christian love. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation (there are only two genders). The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God's creation. Sexual relations between individuals of the same gender is a rebellion against God’s gift. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin and death into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan, man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. We believe person is born in sin, spiritually dead, and needs personal spiritual life from a Savior who is, and only is, Jesus Christ (Messiah).
Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 13:41-42, 16:26; 25:41, 46; Luke 16:19-26; John 14:6; Acts 4:12, 17:26-31, 26:18; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29 ;Ephesians 2:-221; Colossians 1:21-22, 3:9-11; 1 John 5:11-12; Revelation 20:11-15
Eternal Life
We believe that the free gift of eternal life is freely offered to all and is not limited only to a select few. Salvation is made possible only by the action of Jesus Christ, who by His own blood (His substitutionary death on the cross), made atonement for sin and obtained eternal redemption for all who will believe. The free gift of salvation is the work of God based wholly on His grace and is the freely offered, unconditional, unearned, gift of God. Any individual can exercise their God-given free will to believe in Jesus for unconditional eternal life. Jesus Christ and He alone is the only One who can grant eternal life to all who believe Him for it. He alone is the One qualified to do this because He died for their sin and rose again. By placing their belief in Christ alone for unconditional eternal life, they are immediately given that life. To believe simply means “to be convinced it is true.” To believe and receive eternal life is to be convinced it is true that Jesus Christ freely gives eternal life to all who believe in Him alone as their only means of being made right with God. Justification happens at the moment of faith alone in Christ alone and cannot be either increased or decreased. Justification means: “to be declared right with God” and it is forensic (legal). All who so believe are “born again,” and become a new creation in Christ Jesus, possessors of a new human spirit. Man is not saved through human good works or merit, self-improvement, rituals, or ceremonies of any kind; the church is not the means whereby one receives eternal life. There is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ as He and He alone is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” If people do not have eternal life it is because they do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for eternal life. The reason why anyone goes to the Lake of Fire is because they do not have eternal life. This excludes all boasting and promotes humility. We believe that a person receives eternal salvation through faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone as a gift and that this gift is absolutely, unconditional, and free.
John 1:12, 5:24, 6:47, 11:25-27, 20:30-31; Acts 4:12, 16:31; Romans 3:21-26, 4:4-5, Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Timothy 1:16; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; Titus 3:5; Revelation 22:17
We believe the focus of faith necessary to receive eternal life is Jesus Himself, the One who promises unconditional eternal life which is given freely to all who believe in His promise.
John 6:47, 11:25-27; 1 Timothy 1:16
We believe that phase one salvation is eternal – it is unconditional eternal life. The believer is eternally secure and it can be stated as this. "unconditional once saved, always saved." We believe that the individuals assurance comes from the promise of Jesus, as clearly seen in the Word of God, to give eternal life to all who will believe in Him alone for that life. Assurance comes when we simply rest on His promise; assurance never comes from some self-evaluation or inspection of the believer’s works.
John 5:24, 10:28-29, 11:25-27; 2 Timothy 2:13; 1 John 5:9-13
We believe that the salvation of man is seen in the Scriptures in three phases:
Phase one: “You are saved.” One believes and receives the unconditional free gift of eternal life and is saved (delivered) from the penalty of sin which is being separated from God forever in the Lake of Fire. With phase one the human spirit is regenerated, that is, given life (born-again).
John 3:6, 16, 36, 5:24, 6:37, 11:25-27, 20:30-31; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 5:24
Phase two: “You are being saved.” The believer grows and advances to spiritual maturity and is saved (delivered) from the power of sin over their life in time. This is an on-going process that is never fully completed in time as the believer will always have a sin nature and will still sin. This is also called sanctification and is also referred to in Scripture as the salvation of the soul. Soul-salvation is costly. The price is denying self, taking up one’s cross, and following Jesus.
Matthew 16:24-28; Luke 9:23-26; James 1:21; 1 Peter 1:9, 2:11; Hebrews 10:39
Phase three: “You will be saved.” All believers go to be with God upon death (unless they are raptured out at the end of the Church Age). The believer is now free from the presence of sin. All believers, who overcome (not all believers will be overcomers) will be given a new glorified and eternal body in accordance with the timing of God. This is called glorification.
Luke 16:23; 2 Corinthians 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 6:9-11
ETERNAL SECURITY
We believe that eternal life is exactly that: eternal; it is the only kind of life that Jesus offers thus eternal security is of the essence of salvation. Jesus is the one who promises to give eternal life to the believer and He will forever keep His promise. Because salvation is God’s gift to all that believe, the believer is eternally secure in His phase one gift of salvation. Salvation is about Who and what Jesus is and what He did, not who and what we are and what we do. All believers will go to heaven because salvation is unto everlasting life and is a present possession as well as a future reality. A believer can do nothing to diminish or lose his or her everlasting life. Since individuals can do nothing in performance to be saved, security in phase one salvation is based solely upon the performance of Jesus Christ. However, believers may sin through failure to advance in the spiritual life, neglect their call to spiritual growth, and follow temptations to their sin nature and sin. Through sin they grieve the Holy Spirit and, though the relationship is enduring, the joyful fellowship can be interrupted. Such believers impair their grace and comforts and may bring reproach on the cause of Christ and bring loving discipline upon themselves from God; yet, they shall be kept in God’s family by the power of God.
John 1:11-14, 3:3-18, 36, 5:24, 6:47, 10:9, 27-30, 11:25-26, 20:30-31; Acts 4:12, 16:30-31; Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 5:9-13
The Judgment Seat of Christ
We believe that all Church Age believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to be evaluated in reference to their life. Those with a positive evaluation (approval) will receive eternal rewards, inheritance, praise, and a fullness of joy; those with a negative evaluation (disapproval) will suffer loss of reward, be disinherited, rebuked, and ashamed before Him. The highest reward of all is to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.” This will result in the believer reigning with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom and on into eternity. The believer never loses their eternal life for any reason even if they are unfaithful in time. The unfaithful in time will not reign with Him.
Matthew 19:27-30; Luke 19:15-27; Romans 8:17; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; Colossians 3:23-25; 1 John 2:28; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28, 3:5, 12, 21.
Israel
We believe that God specially selected the Jewish people, though Abraham, to be the ones through whom the Word of God was given and to be the ones through whom the Savior of the World would come: Messiah Jesus. These things have happened. We believe that even though the Jewish nation rejected their Messiah Jesus at His first coming, the promises of God to Israel have not been abrogated. We believe Israel has a special plan from God as a nation, based on the Abrahamic Covenant, and after the Second Coming they will receive all the promises of the Covenants in the literal, earthly, Messianic Kingdom ruled for 1,000 years by the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) from Jerusalem. The church has not replaced Israel in the plan of God for the ages.
Genesis 12:1-3,15:17-18, 17:1-8, 26:3-5; Exodus 6:2-8, 19:6; Leviticus 26:40-42; Deuteronomy 4:37, 7:6-8, 10:15-16, 14:2, 26:18; Isaiah 43:10-12; 62:1-12; Jeremiah 23:3-4, 31:31-34; Ezekiel 28:25-26; Matthew 19:28; Luke 1:32-33, 68-73; Romans 9:5; Hebrews 2:16-17, 7:13-14; Revelation 20:4
Unbelievers in Eternity
We believe in the eternal condemnation in the Lake of Fire from which there is no escape of those who have never believed in Jesus alone for eternal life.
Matthew 13:41-42, 25:41, 46; Luke 16:19-26; Revelation 20:11-15
The Church
We believe the New Testament Church is the living body of Christ on earth, the visible representation of Christ to the world, and includes all of the redeemed that have believed in Jesus Christ and received eternal life. A local church is a congregation of baptized believers associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. We believe a New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers. The church began on the Day of Pentecost. The church is organized under the authority of Jesus Christ who alone is the head and Chief Shepherd of the church. The Pastor-teacher is the under-shepherd and as such holds the primary responsibility for oversight of the church and the spiritual development of the believers through the careful teaching of the Word of God. Any Christian who is not a functioning, learning, serving member of a local church is outside the will of God. It is God’s intention that all believers publicly identify with a local assembly and be faithful to that assembly through attendance, financial support, and helping the congregation to achieve the purposes of the church. Such a congregation seeks to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. They cultivate personal spiritual growth in themselves by the learning of Bible Doctrine followed by loving obedience to the Word of God. Each believer is to lovingly encourage others to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through the learning and application of Bible Doctrine. They joyfully worship and celebrate God together making Jesus Christ the center of such celebratory worship. They minister to the needs of others, but especially to those who are of the household of faith. The only two offices of the church are those of pastor-teachers and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the offices of pastor-teacher and deacon are limited to men only, as qualified by Scripture.
Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42,47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 10-17; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21; 4:11-16; 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 2:9-14; 3:1-15; 4:14; Hebrews 11:39-40; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2-3; 21:2-3.
We believe in the literal, historical, and grammatical interpretation of Scripture. We practice the categorical and exegetical teaching of Scripture (Bible Doctrinal teaching) using the literal, grammatical, historical method of interpretation.
We believe the church is primarily a place for the teaching of sound Bible doctrine, under a spiritually gifted Pastor-teacher, and its main goal is to bring believers to spiritual maturity through the learning and application of Bible doctrine. This is the objective of the pastoral ministry.
Acts 2:1-4, 42; Ephesians 4:11-13; Colossians 1:28-2:2; 2 Timothy 4:1-5
Church Ordinances
We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper (communion) are the ordinances set in the church by the Lord Jesus Christ. Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism does not save. As such it follows one’s personal trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. The Lord’s Supper (communion) is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the body of Christ, through the partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the broken body and shed blood of the Redeemer, Jesus Christ and celebrates His victory over sin and death. It is not in any manner a sacrifice for sin nor does it make present the sacrifice of the cross. It is a time of special fellowship for the family of God and is open to all born-again believers. While its observance points backward to the crucified Lord on Calvary, it also points forward to the returning Lord in glory.
Matthew 26:26-29, 2830-31; Mark 14:12-31; Luke 22:14-20; Acts 2:41-42; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
Church Cooperation
We believe that Christ’s people can, as the occasion requires, organize such associations and conventions as may best secure cooperation for the good of church ministry. Such organizations have no authority over one another or over the churches. Christian unity in the New Testament sense is spiritual harmony and voluntary cooperation for common ends by various groups of God's people but under no circumstances are doctrinally sound churches to work together with those who are not. Cooperation is desirable between various Christian churches, when the end to be obtained is itself consistent with Bible Doctrine, and when such cooperation involves no violation of conscience or compromise of loyalty to Christ and His Word as revealed in the New Testament.
Acts 11:19-30; Romans 15:24-29; 2 Corinthians 8-9
The Believer’s Spiritual Life
We believe that spiritual rebound (the technique of 1 John 1:9 - the believer's confession of sin to God the Father) is absolutely all that is necessary to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Spiritual maturity comes as the believer progressively advances in the faith through the learning and application through obedience of Bible Doctrine. This is called sanctification. The believer is transformed into what God desires them to be by the renewing of the mind which is simply Bible Doctrine learned and believed; transformation is Bible Doctrine obediently lived out in daily life.
Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:16-17; Ephesians 4:22-24, 5:18; 2 Peter 5:17-18; 1 John 1:9
We believe that the Christian is free from the Mosaic Law in its entirety. This reality applies both the justification and to sanctification.
Galatians 2:16, 5:18
Evangelism and Missions
We believe that every believer is to actively share the good news of eternal life (the Message of Life) to those who are unbelievers and then to guide those who believe into a life of discipleship. The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations. Therefore, the church must make every effort to support foreign missions as part of its evangelistic mandate. Since there is no other way of coming to the Father except through Christ, to proclaim this absolute truth, it is not “intolerance.” Instead it is the height of Christian love.
Matthew 28:19-20; John 15:16; Acts 13:1-3
Separation
We believe in separation from those groups, churches, and organizations which violate or teach against sound (correct) Biblical doctrines. Cooperation is desirable between various Christian churches, when such is consistent with Bible Doctrine, and when such cooperation involves no violation of conscience or compromise of loyalty to Christ and His Word as revealed in the New Testament.
Acts 13:2-3, 15:1-35; Romans 16:17; Galatians 1:6-10; Ephesians 4:1-16
Society
We believe that God has established five divine institutions that are God has given to protect and to provide for humanity in society. These have been established for all of human society, believer and unbeliever alike. The divine institutions are (1) to protect human society in the angelic conflict, (2) to protect human individual freedom, (3) to insure population expansion, (4) to provide for the orderly functioning of society, (5) to guard the training of future generations, and (6) to demonstrate human responsibility to established authority – first and foremost to divine authority. God created man to operate within these divine institutions and thus bears a serious responsibility to support these institutions as part of his managing the earth under the authority of his Creator-God.
We believe the five Divine Institutions are:
1. RESPONSIBLE DOMINION MANDATE: Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8; Hebrews 2:5-8
2. MARRIAGE Genesis 2:18-25; Mark 10:6-9
3. FAMILY Genesis 2:28, 9:1, 7; Psalm 127:3-4
4. CIVIL GOVERNMENT Genesis 9:5-6
5. TRIBAL DIVERSITY (NATIONS) Genesis 10:1-32, 11:1-9
Marriage
We believe that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. Marriage is never between two individuals of the same gender. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and as the means for procreation of the human race. Born-again believers are only to marry other believers. The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both were created in God’s image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. There is a distinction of function and order for the Christian home. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the Church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation. Wives are to be the primary keepers of the home.
Genesis 2:18-25; Proverbs 12:4, 14:1, 18:22, 31:10, 30; Ecclesiastes 9:9; Mark 10:7-9; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Corinthians 7:1-5; 1 Timothy 5:9-10, 14; Titus 2:3-5; 1 Peter 3:1-12
DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE
We believe marriage is a life-long commitment to one another and weddings will include that life-long vow. If a separation occurs for any reason the persons involved should seek reconciliation and restoration of the marital relationship. God hates divorce. However, divorce is a possibility even for a one-flesh union. But it’s a possibility in the same way that amputating your arm or leg is a possibility. Amputation isn’t normal. Isn’t desired. But in an extreme situation, it can be necessary. You can cut off your arm or your leg if you absolutely must. But that won’t be your first choice, or your second, or your third. You’ll do everything you can before it comes to that.
We believe Scripture permits the remarriage of divorced believers to another believer when: 1) The divorce occurred prior to conversion, 2) the divorce occurred when one’s mate was guilty of sexual immorality and is unwilling to repent and live faithfully with his/her partner, and 3) the divorce occurred when one mate was an unbeliever and willfully and permanently deserted the believing mate. 4) One partner divorces and has a relationship with another person. This is sexual immorality. The remaining partner is free to remarry.
We believe that every attempt at reconciliation should be made before divorce. A person biblically divorced, including those who have remarried under the conditions listed above, shall have no limitations on ministry or church position. If a person’s spouse leaves and initiates a divorce under conditions other than those above, the remaining partner (if not guilty of sexual immorality) is also free to serve without limitation as long as they remain unmarried.
Malachi 2:16; Matthew 5:32, 19:6-9; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, 27-28, 39; 1 Timothy 5:6, 14
THE FAMILY
We believe that the Divine Institution of marriage is to result in the Divine Institution of family – the married couple is to have children! The first main purpose of marriage is to “fill the earth” as a result of children being born into the family. We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to each other by marriage, blood, or adoption. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage. Parents are the ones primarily responsible for the training of their children in Bible Doctrine. Parents are to teach their children the spiritual and moral values of God’s Word. They are to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents. Parent should be the ones who take their children to Bible Class at every possible opportunity. Abortion is a terrible evil and is not an option: women were created to be life-bearers and their womb must not be a voluntary tomb! Abortion is a result of a lack of biblical love and a complete rejection of God’s Word.
Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20, 18:17-19; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 51:5; 78:1-8; 1273-4; 128; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 10:1, 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 20:7, 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.
We believe that negative parental discipline, as required, is necessary not optional.
Proverbs 13:1, 24, 19:18, 22:15, 23:13-14, 29:15, 17; Ephesians 6:4.
Gender
We believe that in the creation event God made only two genders and there are still only two genders: male and female. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God's creation. All children born into this world are born either male or female (with extremely rare genetic mutations being the exception). Gender is biological and is not determined by society or personal preferences.
Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6; 1 Corinthians 11:8-12.
The Church Gathering on the First Day of the Week
We believe Sunday, the first day of the week, is a Christian institution for regular coming together as a church body and this institution began in New Testament times with the disciples. The first churches, who were primarily Jewish, would have meet on Saturday evening after sunset which, according to Jewish reckoning, was the beginning of the first day of the week. The Sabbath is Friday sunset to Saturday sunset and was given to Israel under Mosaic Law and does not apply to the Church. A church is free to meet on whatever day of the week they so choose. However, the first day of the week commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead. All church meetings should include: serious Bible Class for the learning of Bible Doctrine with exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, fellowship with other believers, Scripture reading and prayer. Christians are commanded to meet for worship when the church has decided to meet and are not to forsake such meetings. This church meets on Sunday mornings as well as other times so designated.
Matthew 12:1-12; 28:1ff.; Mark 2:27-28; 16:1-7; Luke 24:1-3,33-36; John 4:21-24; 20:1,19-28; Acts 20:7; Romans 14:5-10; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Colossians 2:16; 3:16; 1 Timothy 4:13.
THE KINGDOM
We believe the Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over the universe as Creator (the universal kingdom) and His particular future kingship over the earth in the coming literal, physical kingdom (the mediatorial kingdom). The biblical terms “Kingdom of God” and “Kingdom of Heaven” for the most part refer to the coming millennial reign of Christ on earth. This kingdom then goes on into eternity. Christians ought to pray that the Kingdom will come and God’s will be done on earth. Jesus Christ did not inaugurate the David Kingdom in any form and does not now sit on the promised throne of David. The Church is not the kingdom of God and Jesus is not now seated on the Throne of David as prophesied.
Psalm 2:4-12; Isaiah 2:1-5, 9:6-7, 33:20-24, 65:17-25; Ezekiel 36:24-38; Daniel 2:44, 7:13-14, 26-27; Joel 1:15ff, 2:1-32, 3:9-18; Micah 4:6-8; Zephaniah 1:14ff, 3:15ff; Zechariah 14:1-4, 9, 16; Matthew 16:27, 25:31-32; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 20:25, 28:23, 30-31; Revelation 5:8-10, 20:4
Future Things
We believe Jesus Christ will return personally to take up all true believers, the church; this event could occur at any moment. The dead in Christ shall rise first, and those that are alive shall be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air. At that moment all believers in the Church Age shall all receive a glorified body that is like that of Christ’s. The believers are then taken to heaven. This event is called the “rapture” and it is the “blessed hope” of the church. We believe in the pre-tribulation, premillennial rapture of the church and the physical resurrection of all church age believers at this time.
1 Corinthians 15:50-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 3:10
We believe that God will enact a seven-year tribulation on planet after the rapture of the church. On the earth will come a terrible time of tribulation, which will come upon all earth dwellers for seven years. The Antichrist, or man of sin, shall dominate world history during these years.
John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; Revelation 6-18
We believe in the literal Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth. He will at that time defeat all enemies and will establish His millennial/ messianic kingdom upon the earth.
Matthew 24:29-30; John 14:1-3; Titus 2:13; Revelation 19:11-16
We believe in the literal reign of Christ on planet earth for 1,000 years after the Second Coming. He will at this time fulfill all His promises to the nation of Israel. Believers will rule with Him under His Lordship. Isaiah 2:2-4, Micah 4:1-5; Revelation 20:4
We believe that at the end of the millennium those who are dead out of Christ, those still dead in trespasses and sins, shall rise and be brought before Christ at the Great White Throne judgment. Since all men were created to live forever all will spend eternity somewhere. The unrighteous, those without a saving relationship to Christ will have a body suited for eternal punishment and will be consigned to the lake of fire, the place of everlasting separation from God. There is no annihilation of the unrighteous nor is there a purging or second chance for those who die without Christ. The righteous, those with a saving relationship to Christ, will dwell with the Lord God forever in a new heaven and a new earth.
Revelation 19:11-20:4
EDUCATION
We believe that Biblical Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence. In Jesus Christ abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. All sound learning is, therefore, a part of our Christian heritage. All true learning begins with the Scriptures, not man’s ideas or experiences. God’s Word is absolute truth; and no true education, scientific, historical, or otherwise will be in contradiction to the literal and historical-grammatical method of interpretation which this church will follow. The pre-eminence of Jesus Christ and the absolute truth and authority of the Scriptures necessarily limit the academic freedom of a teacher in a church, Christian school, college, or seminary. All believers are called to the careful and regular study of God’s Word and to bring all knowledge, experience, and behavior under the authority of His divinely inspired Word. All believers are called to educate their children in the Word of God as an act of primary importance. The cause of Christian education is co-ordinate with the causes of missions and general benevolence, and should receive along with these the financial support of the churches.
Deuteronomy 4:1,5,9,14; 6:1-10; 31:12-13; Nehemiah 8:1-8; Job 28:28; Psalms 19:7ff.; 119:11; Proverbs 3:13ff.; 4:1-10; 8:1-7,11; 15:14; Ecclesiastes 7:19; Matthew 5:2; 7:24ff.; 28:19-20; Luke 2:40; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 2:3,8-9; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17; Hebrews 5:12-6:3; James 1:5; 3:17.
The Sufficiency of Scripture for Life Challenges
We believe that Christian ministry to the believing individual, and their discipleship, is part of Christian education. God’s Word alone must be at the heart of all such ministry. By His Word and power God has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness, including not only salvation from sin in phase one salvation but instruction in righteousness for present sanctification and victorious Christian living in phase two salvation. Medical help for true medical problems is encouraged. However, this does not justify the use of secular psychological theories and techniques for the challenges of life which are essentially spiritual problems. Psychotherapy can only properly be called a pseudoscience. The church must not turn from God's Word to man's bankrupt theories in attempting to resolve mental, emotional, and behavioral problems. We are to look at life from God’s perspective, His view, not from our way, experiences, ideas, opinions, what others say, the world’s philosophy or its psychology. The best counsel anyone can ever give is that from the Word of God! Only a biblical perspective will properly identify non-medical problems and solutions in the life of any individual. The Christian life is Christ living His resurrected life in and through those who have trusted Him. The Bible alone is sufficient for Christian living. Psychotherapeutic techniques are to be rejected and not necessary (and even dangerous) for the Christian to live the abundant Christian life.
Psalm 119; Proverbs 14:12; Mark 7:18-23; John 8:12, 31-32, 17:17; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Romans 12:1-3; Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossian 2:6-10; 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 4:1-5; Hebrews 4:12, 12:1-3; 2 Peter 1:2-4
STEWARDSHIP
We believe that God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him. Christians have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are therefore under obligation to serve him with all that they have: their time, talents, and material possessions. They should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and this includes helping others. Giving is to voluntarily come out of the best and out of the first of what we have before any other use. We are not commanded to give any specific percentage but we are commanded to “abound,” in the love-grace of financial giving, to give in great excessive measure, so that the work of the Lord has more than enough to do the work necessary. All financial giving to the local church and the work of the Lord is to be done in thankful response to the grace of God. The local church is to be the first recipient of the Christian’s giving. According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer’s cause on earth.
Genesis 14:18-20; Leviticus 27:30-32; Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 3:9; Haggai 1:2-11; Malachi 3:8-12; Matthew 6:1-4,19-21, 25-34; 19:21; 23:23; 25:14-29; Mark 12:41-44; Luke 12:16-21,42; 16:1-13; Acts 2:44-47; 5:1-11; 17:24-25; 20:35; Romans 6:6-22; 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; 6:19-20; 12; 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9; 12:15; Galatians 6:6-9; Philippians 4:10-19; 1 Peter 1:18-19.
THE CHRISTIAN AND THE SOCIAL ORDER
We believe that every Christian is under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in his own life and in human society. In the Spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of greed, selfishness, vice and all forms of sexual immorality including sex outside of marriage, adultery, homosexuality, gender change medical procedures, and pornography. We should work to provide for the widowed, the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless and the sick. We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. Every Christian should oppose suicide and euthanasia.
Exodus 20:3-17; Leviticus 6:2-5; Deuteronomy 10:12; 27:17; Psalm 101:5; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 8:16; Matthew 5:13-16,43-48; 22:36-40; 25:35; Mark 1:29-34; 2:3ff.; 10:21; Luke 4:18-21; 10:27-37; 20:25; John 15:12; 17:15; Romans 12–14; 1Corinthians 5:9-10; 6:1-7; 7:20-24; 10:23-11:1; Galatians 3:26-28; Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; Philemon; James 1:27; 2:8.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
We believe that God alone is the Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the teachings and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. Church and state should be separate and there should be complete freedom of religion but this does not mean freedom from religion. America was founded as a Christian nation and the ideals of freedom, liberty, and the rule of law are rooted in a biblical moral order. Christian values and moral character are crucial to the strength and freedom of a nation. The church is to be separate from any state interference. The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be favored by the state more than others. However, this does not mean that religious practices are to be ousted from the secular realm of the state. Since civil government is ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to render loyal obedience thereunto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God. The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work. The gospel contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of its ends. The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal. This implies then right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all people, young or old, in any place public or private, and the right to form and propagate opinions about religion without interference by the civil power. Furthermore, public schools should not hinder the free expression of faith nor should they teach as truth philosophies, theories, or moral values that establish an anti-God, anti-Biblical worldview.
Genesis 1:1, 27; 2:7; Matthew 6:6-7,24; 16:26; 22:21; John 8:36; Acts 4:19-20; Romans 6:1-2; 13:1-7; Galatians 5:1,13; Philippians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; James 4:12; 1 Peter 2:12-17; 3:11-17; 4:12-19.