The Scriptures
The 66 books that comprise the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible are the divinely inbreathed word of God and are profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness. The Scriptures are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. (2 Timothy 3:16) The Scriptures accurately reveal the will, law and redemptive purposes of the only one true God.
Furthermore, we believe that all of the Scriptures point to and testify of the coming work and person of the Lord Jesus Christ. We take an unabashedly Christ-Centered approach to the Scriptures and believe He is the central point in it all. (John 5:39, Luke 24:13-32)
God
There is only one true God, all others are lifeless idols or spirits of wickedness. (Jeremiah 10:1-11, 2 Corinthians 11:14) He is Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things in heaven and on earth. (Genesis 1:1, Daniel 4:3, Colossians 1:16,17) He has a personal name which is in the Hebrew tongue יהוה, YHWH, commonly pronounced Yahweh. (Exodus 3:15, Isaiah 42:8) He has in and of Himself all perfections, these are infinite, and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience. (Revelation 5:12) God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being, yet there is only one God–not three gods–and not one person who took three modes, offices, or forms. (Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5; Genesis 1:26-27; 3:22; Matthew 3:17; 28:19;Luke 9:35; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Jesus Christ of Nazareth
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, (Matthew 16:16) born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:27) and prophesied of old to be the Messiah and Savior of His people (Acts 18:28). We affirm the Deity and Hypostatic union of Christ which teaches that Jesus was both fully man and fully God at one and the same time. (Colossians 1:19, John 1:1,14)
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God. (Acts 5:3) He is a person with a will, (1 Corinthians 12:11) not just a mere “force” like electricity. He is the Spirit of truth (John 16:13), He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8) and He reveals Christ to people for personal salvation. (John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:10) He indwells each believer (1 Corinthians 3:6) and is the presence of Christ on Earth. (John 14:15-18) The Holy Spirit gives gifts to the Church (1 Corinthians 12:1) for the up-building of God’s people. (1 Corinthians 14:12) We believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit have not ceased, but will remain active until the coming of Christ (1 Corinthians 13:10)
Mankind
God originally created man in His own image, and free from sin. However, Satan tempted man, and man transgressed the command of God. Subsequently man fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity [descendants] inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors. (Genesis 3, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 5:12,19, Mark 7:21-23)
While all men and women are totally depraved sinners in need of the grace of God in Jesus Christ, they still bear the image of God and are thus due dignity and respect as God’s crowning creation. (Genesis 1:27) To violate the image of God in any person is sin, therefore we reject any corruption that would dehumanize image bearers of God (abortion, human trafficking, pornography, prostitution, any physical, mental, emotional or spiritual abuse etc). (Exodus 20:13, Revelation 22:15, Ephesians 5:5, Psalm 139:13)
Salvation
Salvation is by God’s Grace alone through faith in the works and merit of Jesus Christ alone. (Ephesians 2:8) Jesus Christ, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. (1 Timothy 2:5) He perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered and died upon a Roman cross for the salvation of sinners. (1 Peter 2:24) He was buried, physically rose again on the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He lives forever to make intercession for His people. (Acts 1:9-11) He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest, and King of the church, and Sovereign of the Universe. Regeneration is essential in salvation and is a change of heart, initiated by the Holy Spirit, who makes alive those who are dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness through the ongoing act of sanctification, in which God will bring to completion on the day of Jesus Christ when all Saints will be finally and gloriously perfected. (John 3:3, Colossians 2:13, Ephesians 2:4-5, )It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone. Repentance is another grace, wherein the Holy Spirit makes a person aware of the exceeding evil of his sin, so that he humbles himself with godly sorrow, detesting sin, and abhorring self, with a purpose to walk before God so as to please Him in all things. Saving faith is the belief, on God’s authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is worked in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving grace, and leads to a life of holiness. (2 Corinthians 7:10, Philippians 1:6)
The Church
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. (Colossians 1:18) According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular societies or churches; and to each of these churches He has given needful authority for administering the order, discipline and worship which He has appointed. (Matthew 16:18)
Elders/Pastors of each local church have been granted authority under the headship of Jesus Christ to provide oversight and to teach/preach the Word of God in corporate assembly for the building up of the body. The office of Elder/Pastor is restricted to men. (1 Timothy 2:12, 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1:5-9)
The biblical role of Deacons is to serve the needs of the church in physical and administrative ways so that the elders can concentrate on their primary calling of the ministry of prayer and the Word. (Acts 6:1-6, 1 Timothy 3)
Baptism
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of his giving himself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life. (Colossians 2:12, Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 3:11-17)
The Lord’s Supper (Communion)
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with bread and wine (or grape juice), and to be observed by His churches until He comes again. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge, and renewal of their communion with Him, and of their church fellowship. (1 Corinthians 11:26, Luke 22:19-20, Acts 2:42)
The Resurrection of the Body
The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God – the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked, to be reserved under darkness to judgment. At the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised. (Genesis 3:19, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Daniel 12:2)
The Final Judgment
God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when every one shall receive according to his deeds: the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life. (Hebrews 9:27, Daniel 12:2)
Statement on Marriage and Sexuality