Statement of Faith

As a body of believers, the faith of this membership is based upon the revelation of God found in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. The Scripture stands alone as the sole authority in all matters of faith, doctrine and conduct, the Session of Elders is the Church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application. Therefore, the following statement does not in any way replace the Scriptures or claim to be an exhaustive statement of Biblical truth. It is intended to relate us to that continuing body of historic Christianity which finds its basis in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

We believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.  And in Jesus Christ. His only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.

All Scripture is self-attesting and being Truth, requires our unreserved submission in all areas of life.  The infallible Word of God, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is a complete and unified witness to God’s redemptive acts culminating in the incarnation of the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Bible, uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks.  On this sure foundation we affirm these additional essentials of our faith:

1. We believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  To Him be all honor, glory, and praise forever!

2. Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever.  He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures.  On the third day He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Mediator.

3. The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior, indwelling our hearts.  He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service.  He instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of redemption.

4. Being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God’s free grace.  God credits His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, and thereby justifies them in His sight.  Only such as are born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.

5. The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ.  The Church finds her visible yet imperfect expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity, where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained.  For her perfecting, she awaits the return of her Lord.

6. Jesus Christ will come again to the earth personally, visibly, and bodily – to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:30)

7. The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations.  Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to “Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.”  He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service.  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:10)

8.  ORDINANCES
We believe water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during this age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation.

     Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, as well as the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the covenant of church membership.

     The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby followers of Christ through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.

9.  THE CHURCH
We believe in one true Church, universally existing and consisting of all those persons who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit through saving faith in Jesus Christ. All such persons are members of the true Church which is called “the Body of Christ” in Scripture. Christ as Lord and Head of this church has commissioned the members of His Church to go forth into the world to proclaim the gospel to every person. Only those who are members of the true Church are eligible for membership in the local church.

10. THE LAST THINGS
We believe in the personal, bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ to judge the living and the dead and to establish His eternal kingdom.  We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, and of the unbeliever to judgment and eternal separation from God.

11. MARRIAGE AND HUMAN SEXUALITY
We believe God designed marriage to reveal the union between Christ and the Church.  Marriage is the life-long, covenantal union between and only between one man and one woman.  It is the exclusive setting for the exercise of God’s good gift of sexual intimacy.  All other forms of sexual activity violate God’s law and pervert His gift. We believe that the term marriage has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one’s sex, or disagreement with one’s biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God. We believe that in order to preserve the function and  integrity of the church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the church  in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, should abide by and agree to this Statement on marriage and sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of the church. Under no circumstances is the pastor to officiate, participate, or endorse any wedding ceremony that violates the belief and teaching of this church body in accordance with the Bible. The facilities may only be used for weddings that adhere to the Biblical definition of marriage. These facilities may not be used by any individual, group, or organization that advocate, endorse, or promote homosexuality as an alternative or acceptable lifestyle. This policy also applies to birthday parties, reunions, anniversaries, weddings, or baby showers, etc.