Our Statement of Faith
GOD
We believe that there is but one true God, Creator of all things, Who manifests Himself in three distinct personalities - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This God is perfect, infinite, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, immutable, and eternal. God created the world in six literal 24-hour days and rested on the seventh day.
GOD THE SON
We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was virgin born, becoming deity in human form: 100% God and 100% man. We believe He lived a perfect and sinless life, died on the cross for the sins of the whole world, rose again the third day, and ascended back to Heaven. We believe He had a bodily resurrection, a bodily ascension, and He will have a bodily return one day. We believe that He is in Heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for those who are saved.
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Spirit of God convicts men of sin, draws them to the Father, and indwells the believer. We believe that He intercedes for us in prayer, guides us into all truth, and empowers us to accomplish God's will.
SATAN
We believe that Satan is a created being that is not equal with God. He rebelled against God by trying to exalt himself above God. He, along with one-third of the angels, was kicked out of Heaven. He is the original source of sin in the world, tempting Eve to sin against God. He is still active in the world today, influencing mankind to rebel against God. His powers, limited by the permissive will of God, are vast; he even has the ability to counterfeit the works of God. He is the leader of all fallen angels (demons) and evil spirits in this world. He was defeated when Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, and raised again. He has already been judged, and his punishment awaits him. Believers can successfully resist him by submitting to God, putting on the armor of God, and drawing strength from the Holy Spirit of God.
MAN
We believe that man was created by God in His own image, making man a triune being like Himself (body, soul, and spirit). Though man was created perfect, he became a sinful creature by willful disobedience to the revealed will of God. Adam, as a sinful creature, has passed this sinful nature on to the entire human race. Man, because of sin, is separated from God, is under God's judgment, is facing the wrath of God on his sin, and has no way in or of himself to change his condition before God.
THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God. Originally given to man in the Hebrew and Greek languages, it has been preserved for English-speaking people in the King James Bible.
SALVATION
We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross of Calvary. Salvation cannot be worked for or earned by man himself. To be saved, man must acknowledge his sinfulness and his inability to save himself.. Having done so, he may come to God in repentance and faith. This is the only means of salvation available. There are three tenses to salvation: past--justification (being saved from the penalty of sin), present--sanctification (being saved from the power of sin), and future--glorification (being saved from the presence of sin).
SEPARATION
We believe that the Bible clearly teaches separation from the world system by every believer. The believer is commanded by God not to be conformed to the world's philosophies or standards of living. In all ways, the believer is to act as a child of God, walking in the ways of the Heavenly Father as set forth in the Word of God. Christians are commanded to be the salt of the earth and a bright light in this dark, sinful world.
THE CHURCH
We believe that while Jesus was here on earth, He established His church. The type of church Jesus started was a local assembly of baptized believers who are covenanted together to carry out the Great Commission and to keep the ordinances of the church: baptism and the Lord's Supper. These ordinances are not essential for salvation, but they are essential to our being obedient to the commands Jesus gave to His church. We believe that the authority to administer these ordinances was given to the Lord's church, not to individuals. Baptism is to be by immersion. We believe that the Lord's Supper is to be observed by a local church and is for the members of that church only. The elements of the Lord's Supper are unleavened bread and grape juice, the pure fruit of the vine. There are two offices of ordination in the church: pastor and deacon. The qualifications for holding these offices are clearly defined in Scripture. The Lord's church is to be independent, not governed by any ecclesiastical hierarchy or any man-made organization (conventions, associations, fellowships, etc.). The Head of each local church is Christ, and the pastor is the shepherd or overseer of the affairs of the church. The type of church the Lord built and established is presently known by the distinction of Baptist. The Bible teaches that the local church is to be supported by the tithes and freewill offerings of its members.
MISSIONS
We believe that God calls men to be missionaries to various places around the world. These men are to be called and sent out by the Holy Spirit under the authority of a local church, not a mission board. These men are to be supported by churches of like faith and order, working in cooperation with his sending church.
THE SECOND COMING
We believe that the Second Coming of Christ is imminent. His return will take place in three stages. First, He will come in the clouds to rapture all true believers out of this world. Second, He will pour out God's wrath and judgments on the earth during the seven-year Tribulation Period. Third, He will return to earth with His saints to establish His kingdom over all nations for 1,000 years. We hold to the pre-tribulational and pre-millennial return of Jesus Christ.