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Doctrinal Statement
We Believe:
THE WORD
OF GOD
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
THE
TRINITY
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption (Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14).
GOD
THE
FATHER
We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of each person, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ (Acts 17:24-28).
JESUS
CHRIST
We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth (John 1:1-3, Philippians 2:5-8, 1 Timothy 3:16).
THE
HOLY
SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide (John 16:5-15).
REGENERATION
We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:1-10).
THE
CHURCH
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
CHRISTIAN
CONDUCT
We believe that Christians should live for the glory of God and the well-being of others; that their conduct should be blameless before the world; that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions; and that they should seek to realize for themselves and others the full stature of maturity in Christ (Romans 12:1-2, James 1:19-27).
THE
ORDINANCES
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19, Acts 8:35-38, Romans 6:3-7, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
RELIGIOUS
LIBERTY
We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other (Ephesians 2:13-18).
CHURCH
COOPERATION
We believe that local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in a denominational organization. Such an organization, whether it is the Conference or a district conference, exists and functions by the will of the churches. Cooperation in a conference is voluntary and may be terminated at any time. Churches may likewise cooperate with interdenominational fellowships on a voluntary independent basis (Romans 15:26-27).
THE
LAST
THINGS
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked (Matthew 24:29-31, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, Mark 9:43-48).
HUMAN
SEXUALITY
We believe that God designed intimate sexual activity to be engaged in only within the covenant of marriage which is between one man and one woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery, appearance or choice. (Gen 2;24; Gen 19:5,13; Gen 26:8-9; Lev 18:1-30; Rom 1:26-29; 1 Cor 5:1: 6:9, 1 Thess 4:1-8; Heb 13:4). We believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one biological man and one biological woman. (Gen 2:24; Rom 7:2; 1 Cor 7:10; Eph 5:22-23).
THE
FAMILY
We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be leaders and shepherds within the household of God. Accordingly, only men are called to be elders/pastors and are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. (Gal 3:28; Col 3:18, 1 Tim 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12)
We believe the family is the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. The wife is to submit herself to the scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values by leading them, through consistent lifestyle examples in appropriate discipline, including scriptural corporal correction. (Gen 1:26-28; E 20:12; Deut 6:4-9; Ps 127:3-5; Prov 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mk 10:6-12; 1 Cor 7:1-16; Eph 5:21-33; 6:1-4, Col 3:18-21; Heb 13:4; 1 Pet 3:1-7).