What We Believe
- The Bible is the inspired Word of God and the ultimate authority for faith and conduct. (Psalms 12:6, 7; 119:89; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21)
- There is one God, the Creator of all things, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deut 6:4; John 14:7, 10,11; 2 Cor 3:17)
- All have sinned and are in need of God’s gift of salvation. (Rom 3:10-19, 23; 6:23)
- God is love and that He has provided forgiveness of sins for all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work of salvation on the cross of Calvary. (1 John 4:7, 8; Col 1:14; Rom 10:9)
- Jesus Christ, who is the eternally begotten Son of the Father, was born of the virgin, lived a sinless life and suffered and died on the cross for our sins. (John 1:1; Matt 1:18-23; 1 Peter 2:22)
- Jesus rose bodily from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God the Father, there to make intercession for believers in this present age. (2 Cor 5:15; 1 Cor 15:1-4; Heb 1; 3; 7:25)
- The Church is made up of all who by faith have received the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, and… (1 Cor 12:12, 13; Eph 1: 22, 23; Acts 2:42; John 4:24; John 16:13, 14)
- The function of the Church is expressed by a local assembly of believers who are gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus for the purpose of teaching, fellowship, worship and prayer, as led by the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor 12:12, 13; Eph 1: 22, 23; Acts 2:42; John 4:24; John 16:13, 14)
- The hope of the Church is the personal, imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ to take home the Church. (John 14:23; 1 Cor 15:51,52; 1 Thess 4:13-17)
- Christ will return to the earth in glory to establish His millennial kingdom. (2 Thess 1:7-10; Phil 2:9-11; Rev 11:15)
Our Guiding Principles
Submission to the Word
Our final authority for faith and conduct is the Bible. We believe it to be God’s guide, showing us how to honor God and how to relate to other people. Therefore, we are committed to teaching the Bible and applying it in our lives. God’s Word says of itself that, “all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
Leadership by elders
Churches, like families, must have leadership. In the New Testament, spiritual leadership was always by a group of men called elders, overseers, or bishops. We follow the Biblical pattern of a plurality of spiritual leaders, rather than a single minister or pastor having that responsibility. “In a multitude of counselors there is safety”. (Proverbs 11:14)
Glorification of God
Scripture teaches that the church is to bring glory to God. We believe this is done in a local setting by a group of believers living lives of faith and obedience to God in an atmosphere of loving concern for one another. Individual believers are told, “whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God”. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
The Lord’s Supper
Acts chapter two and verse forty-two states, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers”. In the early church the Lord’s Supper (i.e. the Breaking of Bread) was a high and holy point in the meetings. In continued obedience to our Lord and Savior, we meet every Sunday to worship and remember Him by breaking bread and sharing the cup, symbols of His broken body and shed blood.
Multiple ministry
Every believer is a minister of God. God has given all believers at least one spiritual gift by which to minister within the body. We encourage each believer to discover, develop and use his or her gift. “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit.” (1 Corinthians 12:7)
Sharing the Good News
We believe that all who know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior should take seriously the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 18-20) by sharing the Good News of salvation with others as opportunity allows. God’s Word reminds us to, “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you”. (1 Peter 3:15)