Doctrinal Statement

The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are breathed out by God (inspired) and comprise his inerrant, infallible word. The Bible is sufficient, clear, true, and the final authority in all matters of faith and life. When properly interpreted according to the grammatical-historical method and internalized through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, it convicts, instructs, informs, and sanctifies.

There is one true and living God, eternally existent in three persons (The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit). He is the sovereign creator and ruler of all things. He is holy, righteous, loving, just, good, eternal in nature, infinite in power, and independent in existence. He has revealed Himself through His creation, His word, and the incarnation of His Son, Jesus Christ. He is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise.

Mankind was created by God in His image and likeness for the purpose of glorifying, serving, and enjoying Him. It is the image of God in mankind that sets humanity apart from the rest of creation and grants man intrinsic value at all stages of life. From the beginning, mankind was created by God as male and female with distinct purposes and roles but equal value, worth, and status as image bearers of God.

Sin is any lack of conformity to God’s will in attitude, thought, or action. As an act of rebellion against a holy God, sin brings the righteous punishment of God’s wrath. This is described in Scripture as both physical and spiritual death. Humanity has inherited a sinful nature from Adam and has sinned both actively and passively. In this sinful state, man is unable to please God on his own, is naturally hostile towards Him, and is utterly incapable of saving himself.

Salvation from sin is wholly a work of God, accomplished by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and not on the basis of human merit or works. Out of His great love for rebellious, sinful mankind, God sent his own Son, Jesus Christ, to act as a perfect, substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of His people and to raise them to new life, that they too might live through Him. This work is applied to the life of the believer through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit which enables repentance and belief in the gospel and adoption into the family of God.

The Church is the universal community of spirit-indwelled believers who have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ. It is manifested in local congregations that assemble under the biblically-defined authority of elders and deacons. Its purpose is to glorify God through the preaching of the Word, the observance of communion and believer’s baptism, and the exercise of discipleship, worship, and spiritual gifts for the edification of the body.

Holy angels are spiritual beings and messengers of God that worship and serve Him but are not themselves to be worshipped. Satan and his demons are also spiritual beings. They have rebelled against God and are the open and declared enemies of God and man.

The end of this age will be marked by the sudden, personal, visible, bodily, and premillennial return of Christ in His glory. At that time, He will establish His millennial kingdom. This will be followed by the bodily resurrection of all men: the saved to blessed eternal life with God in the new heavens and the new earth and the unsaved to eternal punishment in hell. This promised end is the source of ultimate hope and encouragement for the Christian as well as an urgent call to the evangelism of the lost.