What We Belive
1. The Scriptures
The Holy Scriptures are the inspired, infallible Words of God, the all sufficient source of our faith.
2. The Godhead
The Lord our God is one God; God is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being.
3. Man
Man was created good and upright for God's pleasure, for God said "let us make man in our image after our likeness". but man, by voluntary transgression fell. Since that time man has been born with a depraved nature. Man's only hope of redemption is Jesus Christ, Son of God.
(Genesis 1:26-31, Romans 5:19, Galatians 4:4-5, Revelation 4:11)
4. Redemption
Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary, lived a spotless, sinless life on earth, teaching the truth of God to men. He suffered under Pontious Pilate, was crucified on Calvary, died and was buried.
On the third day he arouse from the dead, lived 40 days on earth, then ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of the throne of God and lives forever and ever.
(Luke 1:30-33, Luke 19:10, Cor. 15:4-7)
Man must be born again to enter into the Kingdom of God.
(John 3:5, Acts 10:44-46, Acts1:14-16, Acts 15:7-9)
5. Christ's Ministry
1. He is the Savior, saving us from sin, having offered Himself on the cross as a ransom for all. (1 John 2:2)
We receive His salvation through faith. (John 1:12-13, Titus 3:5)
Salvation is evidenced by the witness of the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 8:16)
And by the transformation of our lives. (1 Cor.6:9-11)
2. He is our Healer from sickness. (Isaiah 53:5, Matt 8:16-17, James, 5:14)
3. He is the Baptiser in the Holy Spirit. (Luke 24:49, Mark 1:7-8)
4. He is our Justifier. We are not saved by any works of righteousness which may have been done, but by faith in Christ, who has been raised from the dead for our justification. (Rom.8:30, Rom. 5:9, Rom. 4:24-26)
5. He is our Sanctifier. God expects his people to live holy lives. (Matt. 5:48)
He purchased holiness for us on the cross. (Heb. 10:14)
Our own experience of sanctification is not only by complete surrender to His will. (Rom. 12:1,2)
But also by a process of His working within us. (Eph.4:12-13, Heb.12:14)
6. He is the fulfiller of the law. The law is no longer binding as a means of salvation. (Col. 2:13-17, Gal.3:10-13)
The law of love is now binding upon the Church. (John 13:34-35)
7. He is the coming King. He will come and rapture us to meet him in the air. Then there will be seven years of tribulation upon the earth, Jesus Christ will return at the end of the 7 years of tribulation and set up His millennial reign. (Acts 1:11, 1Thess.4:16-17, Rev. 20:1-7)
6. Baptism in Water
The ordinance of baptism should be observed as commanded in the scriptures, by all who have really repented of their sin and all who have truly believed on Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:4)
We believe in baptism as an act of obedience. Our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized, the disciples were baptized and the early church practiced baptism as an ordinance of the church. We do not believe that baptism saves a soul. We believe in baptizing in the name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
7. The Lord's Supper
The ordinance of communion is to be observed by all believers, UNTIL HE COMES.(1Cor. 11:26) It consists of the elements of bread, which is a symbol of His body broken for us; and the fruit of the vine, which is a symbol of Christ's blood that was shed for the remission of our sins (Luke 22:17-20)
8. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit
All believers are entitled to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. They should ardently accept and earnestly seek the Baptism in the Holy Spirit according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of the early church. With it comes the imparting of power for life and service, the giving freely of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and their uses in the work of the ministry.(Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4-8, 1Cor. 12:1-31)
9. The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
The initial physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.(Acts 2:4, Acts 10:46, Acts 19:5)
10. Good Works
While we believe that we are saved by faith and not saved by any good works we have done, yet we acknowledge that we are new men in Jesus Christ, and created in Him for good works.
We therefore mean to be active in every good work, to remember the poor and to try by all actions to bring glory to the Lord. (Matt.5:16)
11. Sanctification
The Scriptures teach us to live a holy life; a life separated from the world and consecrated to God, without which no man shall see the Lord. By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey the command "Be ye holy for I am holy"
Sanctification is the will of God for all believers, and should be earnestly pursued by walking in obedience to God's Word.
(Heb.12:14, 1Thess. 5:23-24, 1John 2:6, Rom. 8:3-4)
12. The Church
We believe that the church is both universal and local. The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with Divine appointment of fulfilling God's purposes in salvation by responding to the Great Commission.
We believe that every believer should be submitted to and have a relationship with a local visible assembly under one pastor.
(1 Cor. 11:29-32,Eph. 4:16)
Each believer born of the Spirit is an integral part of the general assembly, the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in Heaven in the Lamb's Book of Life.
(Eph. 1:22, Eph. 2:19-22, Heb. 12:23)
13. The Ministry and Evangelism
A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for a two-fold purpose
The evangelization of the world before Jesus Christ returns
The edifying of the body of Christ. (Mark 16:15-20, Eph. 4:11-13)
14. Divine Healing
Deliverance from sickness is provided in the atonement and is the privilege of all believers. Sickness is from Hell and Healing is from Heaven. (Is. 3:4-5, Matt. 8:16,17, Mark 16:18)
15. The Blessed Hope
The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, is imminent and is the blessed hope of the church. (1Thess. 4:16-18, Titus 2:13, 1 Cor.15:51-52)
16. The Lake of Fire
The devil, his angels, the beast and the false prophet and whosoever is not found written in the Lamb's Book of Life, shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the Lake of Fire, that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
(Rev.19:20, Rev.20:10-15)
17. The New Heavens and the New Earth
We, according to the promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells. (2Pet. 3:13, Rev. 21:1)
