We believe the Bible to be the divinely inspired, infallible (absolutely trustworthy), inerrant (free from error), and authoritative Word of God.

This belief is important because without it we have no dependable standard of truth on which to base our lives.

God

We believe there is one God eternally existent in the three Persons of the Holy Trinity (Deut 6:4, 1Tim 1:17, Matt 28:19, Eph 4:4-6, John 15:26, Eph 1:13-14)

This belief is important because to say that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three gods or three "modes" in which the one God has revealed Himself is contrary to the meaning and teaching of the Scriptures.

Jesus Christ

We believe in the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, His deity (the fact that He is God), His sinless humanity and perfect life, the eternal and sufficiency of His death, His bodily resurrection, His literal ascension back to heaven, and His personal coming again at some point in the future. (Matt 1:18-25, Luke 1:35, John 1:18, Phil 2:6, Heb 4:15, John 19:1)

This doctrine is important because if Jesus Christ is any less than the Scriptures clearly state, we have an insufficient Savior, and the basis for our own salvation is taken away.

Man's Fall and Salvation

We believe that man was created in innocence, but by his voluntary actions fell from his sinless and happy state and now all men are sinful by nature and choice and therefore just as condemned without defense or excuse.

We believe that justification (to be put in right standing with God) is a judicial act of God on the believer's behalf solely on the merits of Christ, and the regeneration (receiving spiritual life) by the power of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal salvation (assurance of forgiveness of sin and the gift of eternal life with God). (Gen 3:1-6,24; Rom 8:7, 1 Cor 2:14, John 6:44, 2 Cor 5:21, Gal 3:13, Heb 2:3, Rom 3:25)

This doctrine is important because if our eternal salvation rests on anything but what Christ has done, we will forever wonder if we are doing enough to be accepted by God. Without the experience of God's grace one's life is empty and without real meaning.

Holy Living

We believe in holy living, that every believer is baptized into the body of Christ and indwelt at conversion by the Holy Spirit and is Spirit filled as control is yielded to Christ. The evidence of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 8:9, 1 Cor 3:16, 1 Cor 12:13, Matt 3:11, Eph 5:18, Rom 8:1-8, Gal 5:22-23)

This doctrine is important because salvation is not the end of a Christian's spiritual journey. God's desire is that we become like Christ in our character.

The Church

We believe in Christ's Lordship of the Church, that its mission is to evangelize, baptize and teach believers to observe all that the Lord commanded, and to equip the congregation in the use of its God given gifts in order to build up the Body of Christ. (Matt 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, 1 Cor 12:7, 2 Tim 3:16-17)

This doctrine is important because it is as weuse our gifts to edify and care for one anotherthat we stand out in the community as a church and as individual members drawing others to Christ and fulfilling the Great Commission.

Heaven and Hell

We believe in a literal heaven, where those who have received Christ will spend eternity with God, and in a literal hell where those who, sadly, have rejected Christ will spend eternity.

This doctrine is important because in the struggles of life it is encouraging for the believer to know that the promise of heaven awaits them (John 14:2-3). God is a loving God, and He is also a jsut and holy God. He cannot allow sin to go unpunished. The doctrine of hell reminds us that the "wages of sin is death" - Romans 6:23, and eternal seperation from God for all who have not accepted God's gracious provision of salvation.

The Lord's Day

We believe that Sunday is the Lord's Day commemorating Christ's resurrection, and that this is the day we keep for congregational worship. (Matt 28:1, John 20:19-26, Acts 20:7, 1 Cor 16:2)