What We Believe

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The Bible -  

The Bible is the holy, written Word of God, written by humans as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. All matters of doctrine, conduct, right and wrong, and truth are found in the Bible and we use God’s Word as the pattern and roadmap for our lives. We believe the word of God is perfect to accomplish God's intended purposes. 

About The Godhead - 

God is one divine being. In Scripture, we see God the Father, we see the eternal word emanating from the Father (the Son), and we see the Spirit of God. These three are not each other. There is sameness, yet a degree of distinction. Father, Son and Spirit are equally and perfectly God. These three compose the divine Godhead. They share the same divine nature, and essence. Jesus Christ The Son is the Word made flesh and has existed with God the Father from the beginning. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and He proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son and is eternal. 

Within the Godhead, there is perfect harmony, agreement, unity, and love. We are not poly-theist, but we do see the divine nature of God has having multiple dimensions that are incomprehensible from our current limited perspective.

About The Father - 

God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, yet they are both equally divine along with God's Spirit. God is a loving Father to all who are adopted into His family through the work of Jesus Christ. The Father desires all people to come to Him by faith in the Lord Jesus. 

About The Son (Jesus)- 

Jesus is the only-begotten Son of the Father. He is fully God and fully man. He is the eternal word emanating from the Father who has been alongside the Father for all eternity. Jesus did not set aside His deity when He was born into our world as a man. He has always been God and can never stop being God. He is the only method of salvation and the only way to the Father. Jesus alone accomplished our salvation completely. He came to earth as an actual human being in the flesh, He was born of the virgin Mary, He lived a perfect, sinless life, He met the Law we could not, He paid our sin-debt on the cross, He endured the wrath and consequences of the world’s sins, He was crucified in our place, He took our death, and raised back to life three days later in power. He actually rose to life bodily and conquered death through His resurrection. 

About The Holy Spirit - 

The Holy Spirit is God's very Spirit. He applies the work of salvation to the believer and delivers to us the blessings of God that come through faith in Christ. His presence assures us of our relationship with Christ. He guides believers into all truth and exalts Jesus. He is our helper. He convicts people of their sin, God’s righteousness, and the coming judgment. He comforts us, gives us spiritual gifts, and makes us more like Christ. Evidence of the Holy Spirit is seen in the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, and His activity of our life. 

About Creation - 

God created the universe and everything in it, by the power of His word. God alone is credited with the creation of all things. Creation was deemed good by God, but through Adam and Eve, sin plagued and corrupted God’s good creation. Our universe is not an accident, nor is humanity the product of evolution. God intentionally created this universe and everything in it with unique purpose. Creation will be made brand new when Jesus comes back to establish His Kingdom. Jesus will bring about a new heaven and a new earth. He will unite Heaven and Earth under His reign. Creation might be broken now, but it will be restored at the second coming of our King. 

Mankind’s Fall and Redemption -  

Mankind is made in the likeness and image of God. Through the transgression and fall of Adam, the first man, sin came into the world. The Bible says that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,”. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to this earth and was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. Jesus Christ gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore mankind back to God. 

About Sin- 

Sin came into the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God in the Garden of Eden. Sin has corrupted this world. Sin is simply missing the mark of perfection. It is falling short of God’s perfect standard seen in the Law. One sin keeps us from entering the Kingdom of Heaven. One sin makes us miss the entire Law of God and sin must be paid for. Death comes through sin. There is a penalty for sin and it is death. This spiritual death is eternal separation from our loving God. And, all sin has been paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ. But, if we refuse His gift of salvation, we will pay for our sin by eternal separation from God. 

Salvation- 

Salvation is only found through confessing with the mouth Jesus Christ as Lord and believing with the heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. Salvation is the free gift of God to mankind, and this gift cannot be earned with works. The gift of salvation is only through God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. This salvation in Jesus Christ should produce fruit including but not limited to works acceptable to God the Father. Every person desperately needs to be saved from their sin. The wages of sin is spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God. We need our sins to be forgiven by God because God alone has the power to save and declare us forgiven. This salvation and forgiveness only comes through faith in Jesus and by God’s grace. We must trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus for salvation and turn from our sins as proof of true faith. There is no other way for a person to receive an eternal friendship with God. Jesus alone has brought the sufficient payment for humanity's sin. Salvation isn’t a reward but a free gift. It isn’t earned by good works, but it is validated by the witness of a transformed life. We are saved through faith, by grace, and in Jesus Christ ALONE. 

The New Birth and Eternal Life -  

The new birth is necessary to all mankind, and when experienced, produces eternal life. Eternal life not only includes our eternal home after we leave this earth, but also includes our life here on earth. New birth and eternal life can only be achieved through confessing with the mouth Jesus Christ as Lord and believing with the heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. The new birth and salvation are free gifts. 

Sanctification -  

Sanctification is a work of God’s grace. Sanctification is a continual work of God’s grace in our lives as we grow and mature in Christ. Sanctification begins at the time of the new birth/salvation and will continue until the return of Jesus Christ. 

About Repentance - 

We believe that a true Christian will experience a change of heart (and mind) that results in a transformed life over time. Saving faith and repentance go hand in hand. They can't be separated. There is no genuine, saving faith without repentance. Repentance is turning away from sin, in order to turn back to God and His Laws. When we repent, we forsake our old, sinful way of life when we come to Jesus in faith. This doesn’t mean we live perfectly but we are progressively transforming into Christ’s image. Repentance is not a meritorious work that earns us salvation. It is part of true, saving faith. 

Exclusivity of Christ - 

Jesus is exclusive. He is the only possible way for us to be saved from our sins and restored back to friendship with God. There is only one way back to the Father and it is through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Not all roads lead to Heaven. There is only one way, because only one person has fulfilled the law, paid our debt, suffered our death and resurrected from the dead. His name alone grants forgiveness of sins. 

About The Law-  

We believe that the entire Law of God has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God’s general law has been written into the conscience of every person and His specific law has been revealed in His word. The Law is good but cannot save us. It can only expose our sin and point us to Jesus. Jesus met the Law perfectly on our behalf. We obey God’s moral law out of love, and not to be saved. Through faith in Jesus, we can meet the requirements of God's Law because He extends to us His own perfection. And, this law gets written on our hearts when we come to faith so that our new hearts are sensitive to God's ways and we can walk in obedience to God's Laws.  

About The Church-  

Jesus Christ has a body which is composed of every single Christian across time. This is His church. Every Christian plays a necessary part in accomplishing God’s perfect plan alongside the rest of His church. We are gifted by Christ to play our part in His body, because He moves through His church to accomplish things. Christ’s church is His bride. We will be presented as spotless and blameless to Christ in His glorious Kingdom. Every Christian is a part of a local community of believers unified through faith in Christ. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ. We don’t simply go to church. We are the church. 

Water Baptism -  

Biblical baptism in water is by full immersion and is a direct commandment of our Lord. Water baptism is for believers in Christ only. Water baptism is an outward symbol of our salvation in Jesus Christ and is the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Water baptism does not bring salvation in and of itself. One must confess with their mouth Jesus Christ as Lord and believe in their heart that God has raised Him from the dead. 

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit -  

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit can only be received after the salvation experience, which is the only requirement to receive this gift. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues and many times comes with other gifts of the Spirit as the Holy Spirit wills.  

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit -  

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are given as the Holy Spirit wills. These gifts include power gifts, speaking gifts, and revelatory gifts. One cannot make these gifts operate in their lives as they only operate as the Holy Spirit wills. 

Jesus Christ’s Return and the Resurrection of the Righteous -  

Jesus Christ, who ascended into Heaven after His resurrection, will return in the same manner. Jesus Christ’s return is imminent and He will rapture His bride, the Body of Christ. Although there is debate whether the rapture of the church will take place prior to, during, or post a seven year tribulation, without question Jesus Christ will rapture His church. Following the Tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords, and together with His saints, He shall reign a thousand years. 

Sufficiency of Christ - 

Jesus Christ fully satisfied the wrath of God against the sins of humanity. He has provided full payment for all sin across all time. As Christians, there is no debt left for us to pay. There’s no punishment left for us to experience. Jesus took every ounce of punishment and every last drop of God’s righteous wrath against sin. He became sin on the cross, and in His flesh, sin itself was dealt with fully and perfectly. His sacrifice was completely sufficient for us to be made perfect in the sight of God. We just receive His work through faith by trusting in God’s grace. Jesus’ atonement is more than sufficient to make us acceptable in God's sight as beloved children. 

Divine Healing -  

Diving healing refers to the healing of the human physical body and mind. Healing is brought about through the power of God through the prayer of faith, and by the laying on of hands. Jesus Christ provided for our physical healing (body and mind) through His atonement and through His stripes and is a benefit of our salvation. 

Hell -  

A person who dies physically in his or her sins without accepting Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the lake of fire and has no further opportunity of returning or repenting. The lake of fire is a literal place. The lake of fire is eternal and everlasting. This is the same duration that references the eternal joy the born again saints of God will experience throughout eternity in the Presence of God. 

About Communion - 

We believe in partaking of the Lord’s supper. Jesus tells His disciples to share a communion meal in remembrance of His finished work on the cross. The bread represents His broken body and the wine represents His spilled blood for our sins. We believe it is honorable to the Lord and helps us to continually remember all He has done for us as we gather together in His name.