Statement of Faith

The precious truths we affirm together.

The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, was written by men under the inspiration of God
It is fully true, complete, sufficient, authoritative, and without error in all that it says
It is and always will be the true center of Christian unity and the highest authority in all matters of faith, conduct, and doctrine

There is one true and living God, the creator and sovereign ruler of heaven and earth
This one God has existed for all of eternity as three distinct yet inseparable persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Each member of the Trinity is equally divine, of the same substance, with distinct but harmonious roles in the great work of redemption

God created Adam & Eve in his image, perfectly holy, as male and female
Therefore, every person of every race and worldview possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love
In choosing to rebel against God, Adam & Eve fell from their sinless state and were corrupted by a sin nature which is passed down to all of humanity
As a result, all people are sinful by nature and choice, fully deserving eternal separation from God in hell

Jesus is both fully human and fully divine, yet without sin
He perfectly fulfilled God’s law by his personal obedience
He made full atonement for our sins by dying on the cross
He rose bodily from the grave in victory over sin, and ascended into heaven
Salvation is entirely on the basis of grace, given through the mediation of Jesus Christ

To be justified is to be declared righteous, or to be made right with God
Justification is granted without consideration of any good works, but by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone
Through justification, Christ’s perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us by God
Justification includes the forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life

To be regenerated is to be spiritually made alive or born again
To be truly redeemed and reconciled with God, we must be regenerated
Regeneration is brought about by the Holy Spirit, in connection with the divine truth of God’s word
Regeneration results in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and secures our voluntary obedience to the gospel
True regeneration is always marked by repentance, faith and newness of life

Repentance and faith are both essential to true conversion
They are brought about within us by the regenerating Spirit of God
Being deeply convinced of our guilt before God, we turn to him, confessing our sin and asking for his mercy
At the very same time, we wholeheartedly receive Jesus Christ as Lord, relying on him alone as our only and all-sufficient Savior

Sanctification is the lifelong process by which a Christian grows up into Christlike holiness
Sanctification is a progressive work that begins at regeneration
Sanctification takes place within us by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit through the ongoing use of ordinary means, especially: the Word of God, self-reflection, self-denial, church fellowship, and prayer

Only those who are true believers will endure to the end
Their persevering faith in Christ is what distinguishes them from false converts
All true believers are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation

The Church is the gathered people of God redeemed by faith in Christ, from all places and all times
This one Church is expressed here on earth as the collection of all true local churches
A true local church is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel
A church’s two biblical officers are elders and deacons, whose qualifications and responsibilities are given in 1 Timothy and Titus
Christ has sent his Church into the world to make disciples of all nations

Baptism is the immersion of a believer into water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Baptism is a public display of a person’s faith in the crucified and risen Christ, as well as their death to sin and resurrection to new life in him
Being commanded by Christ himself, baptism is required for church membership
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience in which the Church eats the bread and drinks the cup, remembering Christ’s death, anticipating his second coming, and celebrating their union in him

God has ordained the family as the social foundation of human society, composed of people related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption
Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime
Husbands and wives are of equal dignity and worth before God, both being created in his image
A husband is to love his wife sacrificially, as Christ loved the church, and has a God-given responsibility to lead and protect his family
A wife is to submit herself graciously and thoughtfully to the servant leadership of her husband, as his essential helper in leading their household and nurturing the next generation
Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord

God has appointed civil government for the interests and good order of society
Government leaders are to be prayed for and respected
Church & state should remain separate, allowing each person to freely practice their faith according to their conscience
All people are ultimately accountable to God and must not be constrained to obey laws that clearly violate his will as revealed in Scripture

In the end, Christ will return bodily, raising the dead to final judgment
This judgment will forever establish the state of all people in either heaven or hell
God will renew his creation, bringing about a new heaven and a new earth where his redeemed people will enjoy eternal life and intimacy with him
God’s glory will be restored to its rightful place for all of eternity, at the very center of all things