IN THE LETTERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, THE APOSTLES OF CHRIST FOCUSED ON THE VERY REAL DANGER THAT FALSE TEACHERS AND FALSE TEACHING CREATED FOR THE CHURCH. THE LEADERS OF ANY LOCAL CHURCH ARE REQUIRED TO PROTECT THE FLOCK FROM TEACHINGS WHICH WOULD DEVIATE FROM THAT WHICH THE APOSTLES THEMSELVES PROCLAIMED AND DO HARM TO THEIR PEOPLE. WITH THIS IN MIND, HERE IS WHAT WE BELIEVE.
We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the verbally inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original languages, and of final authority in all matters of faith and life.
We believe in one God eternally existing in three equal persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each of whom is possessed of all the distinctive attributes of deity.
We believe that man was the crown of God’s creative work in Genesis 1 and 2, being made in the image of God. However, man sinned and brought not only physical death but also spiritual death (separation from God) and that this reality causes all human beings to be born with a sinful nature.
We believe that Jesus Christ is God the Son who became incarnate. He was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and that He is fully God and fully man united forever in one person.
We believe that Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross, made possible salvation for all men. His death was a complete payment for all sin. After He died and was buried, He rose bodily from the grave and ascended into heaven where He now acts for us as High Priest, Intercessor and Advocate, awaiting the day of His return to this present earth to rule.
We believe that a man is saved by faith alone in Christ alone. Eternal life is received by simply placing ones faith (trust) in Jesus Christ the one and only savior, apart from works of any kind. This salvation is made eternally secure through the work of the Trinity.
We believe that although all born-again believers still possess the sinful Adamic (old) nature in this life, they are also a new creation and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit regenerates, seals, anoints, baptizes and indwells every believer and desires to fill (control) every believer. Sin affects the fellowship of a believer but not their salvation and fellowship is restored with God by confession of sin. The Holy Spirit sovereignly distributes spiritual gifts (capacities/abilities) to every believer for the benefit of other believers.
We believe that all regenerated people are part of the Church the Body of Christ. Christ is the Head of the Church which was formed on the Day of Pentecost and we believe that the Church and Israel are distinct in God’s program. Local churches have been established by Christ to strengthen and build up believers through the teaching of the Word of God, through fellowship, through worship, through prayer and through the mutual using of spiritual gifts. The Church is to fulfill the “Great Commission” of Christ by spreading the gospel throughout their local community as well as to the whole world.
We believe in the imminent return of Jesus Christ who will suddenly, supernaturally and without any signs, remove the Church from this world (the “rapture”) prior to the Tribulation (Daniel’s 70th week). After this 7 year period of tribulation, Jesus Christ will return, defeating all the enemies of God and will rule on this present earth for a period of 1,000 years. According to scripture, all judgment has been committed to the Son of God by the Father, and He will therefore be involved in the evaluation of all believers as well as the judgment of all men and angels. The consequences of these judgments are eternal; the unending blessedness of the saved and the unending punishment of the lost.