The Gospel
The message from God regarding what He has done on behalf of sinners by His life, atoning death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. (see 1 Corinthians 15).
Holy Bible
The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority for determining all doctrinal truths. The Bible is inspired, infallible and inerrant (see Prov. 30:5; Rom. 16:25,26; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20,21).
Trinity
There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and co-eternal (see Gen. 1:26; Isa. 9:6; Matt. 3:16,17; 28:19; Luke 1:35; Heb. 3:7-1 1; I John 5:7).
Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100 percent God and 100 percent man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for humankind and, thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory (see Isa. 9:6; John 1: 1, 14; 20:28; Phil. 2:5,6; 1 Tim. 2:5; 3:16).
Virgin Birth
Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the virgin Mary’s womb; therefore, He is the Son of God (see Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18,23-25; Luke 1:27-35).
Redemption: Humanity was created good and upright, but by the voluntary transgression of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, all humanity fell. Humanity’s only hope for redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (see Gen. 1:26-31; 3:1-7; Rom. 5:12-21).
Regeneration
For anyone to know God, being regenerated by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. This process is known as being born-again (see John 6:44,65; Jn. 3:3).
Repentance
Repentance is a change of mind which produces a desire to turn away from sin and follow Christ in every area of our lives which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance and faith in Christ, we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation (see Acts 2:21; 3:19; 1 John 1:9).
Salvation
God’s main purpose as found throughout Scripture is to call all people into fellowship with Himself. Man was originally created to have fellowship with God but instead chose his own independent way and became alienated from God, suffering the corruption of his nature, leaving him unable to please God. The fall of man happened at the beginning of human history and all individuals since have suffered these consequences and are therefore in need of God’s grace. Since God’s grace is given freely, it cannot be earned and must be appropriated by repentance and faith in the blood that Jesus shed on the cross (see Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 16:31; Gal. 2:16; 3:8; Eph. 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; Heb. 9:22).
Sanctification
Sanctification is the ongoing process of being delivered from the power of sin in every area of our lives. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. This process is not completed until we are with Christ eternally (see Rom. 8:29; 12:1,2; 2 Cor. 3:18; 6:14-18; 1 Thess. 4:3; 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:1-3; Heb. 2:11).
Justification
Justification is the act of God declaring a believing sinner to be righteous and acceptable before Him because of what Christ did in bearing the sinner’s sin on the cross and becoming righteousness to them. (1 Corinthians 1:30 ; Romans 3:24). It is given from God’s mercy (Titus 3:4-5). It is the result of the redemptive, sacrifice of Christ (Romans 3:24-25 ; 5:9). Justification is on the basis of faith and not by human merit or works (Romans 3:28-30 ; 4:5 ; 5:1 ; Galatians 2:16). In this act of mercy, God declares righteous the one who believes in Jesus (Romans 8:31-34).
Lordship
Lordship is the position of surrender in which the follower of Christ relinquishes the authority of their lives over to Him, thus making Jesus the Lord or director of their lives as well as Savior (see Matt. 22:41-45; Mark 12:23; Acts 10:36; Luke 6:46; Romans 10:12).
Jesus’ Blood
The blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross of Calvary was sinless and is 100 percent sufficient to cleanse humankind from all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death (see John 1: 29; Rom. 3:10-12,23; 5:9; Col. 1:20; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5; 5:9).
Jesus Christ Indwells All Believers
Christians are people who have invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by His Holy Spirit (see John 1: 12; 14:17,23; 15:4; Rom. 8:1 1; Rev 3:20).
Holy Spirit Baptism
Given at Pentecost, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father. It was sent by Jesus after His Ascension to empower the Church to preach the gospel throughout the whole earth. While there may or may not be an initial evidence of this baptism witnessed through the manifestation of the gift of tongues, bearing spiritual fruit should be the result of a spirit-filled life. Scripture encourages us to continually be filled with the Spirit (see Joel 2:28,29; Matt. 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5; 2:1-4,17,38,39; 8:14-17; 10:38,44-47; 11:15-17; 19:1-6).
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the Church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection and confirm the power of the gospel. The lists of these gifts in the Bible are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of biblical parameters (see Rom. 1:11; 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; 14:1-40; Eph. 4:16; 1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:5-16; Heb. 2:4; 1 Pet. 4:10).
The Church
The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus’ Great Commission. Every person born of the Spirit is an integral part of the Church as a member of the Body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ (see John 17:11,20-23; Eph. 1:22; 2:19-22; Heb. 12:23).
Water Baptism
Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus name (see Matt. 28: 1 9; Acts 2:38).
The Lord’s Supper
A time of communion in the presence of God when believers gather together to remember the sacrifice of Jesus’ body and blood on the cross. We practice this remembrance when we share a meal in small groups together or symbolically with bread and juice in a large gathering (See Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12,36-38; 10:47,48; 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:23-26).
Marriage
God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God’s design within that person. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25). Any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor 6:9-10.)
Church Discipline
We believe in the Biblical practice of disciplining members of the church when their lives are being lived contradictory to the scriptures and are causing division within the church. The procedures provided in this section are based on Matt. 18:15-20; Rom. 16:17-18; I Cor. 5:1-13; 2 Cor. 2:2-11; Gal. 6:1; IThess. 5:14; 2 Thess. 3:6, 10-15; 1 Tim. 5:19-20; and Titus 3:10-11.
Healing of the Sick
Healing of the sick is illustrated in the life and ministry of Jesus, and included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples. It is given as a sign that is to follow believers. It is also a part of Jesus’ work on the cross and one of the gifts of the Spirit (see Ps. 103:2,3; Isa. 53:5; Matt. 8:16,17; Mark 16:17,18; Acts 8:6,7; Rom. 11:29; 1 Cor. 12:9,28; Jas. 5:14-16).
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