What We Believe
The Bible
The Bible, consisting of sixty-six books, is divinely inspired by God's Spirit and not the result of human invention or cleverness (2 Peter 1:20-21). Each word within the original manuscripts is breathed out by God and carries His authority (2 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 5:18). Without error, the original texts of the Bible are wholly accurate in all they proclaim (John 17:17; Psalm 19:7). Interpretation of Scripture should take into account its literal, grammatical, and historical context to fully grasp its meaning.
God the Father
There exists only one true and living God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; 1 Corinthians 8:4), who is singular in essence yet manifests in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). God reigns supreme (Psalm 115:3), transcends time (Isaiah 44:6), possesses infinite knowledge (Psalm 139:4), wields limitless power (Job 42:2), embodies perfect holiness (Isaiah 6:1-7), remains unchanging (Malachi 3:6), dispenses justice (Psalm 97:2), and epitomizes love (1 John 4:8).
Jesus Christ
Jesus, being God Himself, existed in divine glory before His earthly manifestation (John 8:57-58; Philippians 2:6-7). He took on human form through a virgin birth (Matthew 1:23), embracing essential human qualities without compromising His divine nature (Hebrews 2:14-15; Philippians 2:5-8). Jesus sacrificially died on the cross to atone for our sins (John 10:15; Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24), rose physically from the dead (Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:16-20), ascended to the Father (Acts 1:9; Romans 8:34), and will return to gather His followers (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
Humanity
The human race originated through God's immediate and deliberate creation (Genesis 1:26-27), bearing His image and designed to bring Him glory (Isaiah 43:7). However, humanity severed its intended relationship with God (Isaiah 59:2), facing the consequences of spiritual and physical death (Genesis 2:16-17; Romans 5:12), and coming under His righteous judgment (John 3:36). Through Adam's disobedience, humanity lost its ability to stand blameless before God (Romans 5:6-10), existing in a state of relational separation from Him and exhibiting sinfulness through various transgressions (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:10-18). Our separation from God is an eternal division that is impossible to bridge without Christ.
Salvation
The Salvation of individuals is solely a result of God's grace, rooted in the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and is not earned through personal merit or effort (Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19). Those who repent and place their faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins are justified by God (Romans 3:21-22; 8:33). Salvation begins with hearing the gospel message, experiencing conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit, and making a conscious decision to turn from sin and trust in Jesus as the sole payment for sin (Romans 10:14; John 16:8-9; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11; John 3:14-15). Through this process, initiated by God, the Holy Spirit indwells individuals, experience a spiritual rebirth, often termed conversion, and begin to exhibit the fruits of this inward transformation (Romans 8:9; John 3:3; Matthew 18:3; Acts 15:3; Romans 16:5). Each step in this journey of Salvation is a divine gift from God, including repentance and faith (Acts 11:18; Ephesians 2:8). The transformed individual naturally produces fruit consistent with their new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Matthew 3:8; 7:17-23; John 3:36).
The Church
The universal church comprises all believers from Acts 2 until the rapture, representing the complete body of Christ (Ephesians 5:22-33; Matthew 16:18; John 1:12-13). Christians gather in various locations globally with a commitment to biblical purposes (Acts 2:42-47; Philippians 3:3; Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 1:8), under biblical leadership (Titus 1:5; 1 Timothy 3; 1 Peter 5:1-3), and observe biblical ordinances (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The term 'church' in the Bible predominantly refers to local assemblies of believers (1 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1), demonstrating these characteristics.
Baptism
We see baptism as a step of obedience within the church community, symbolizing the transformative impact of Jesus Christ in a new believer's life. Following Jesus' example, baptism serves as a public declaration of faith, showcasing to the world that He is their Savior and Lord. It involves fully immersing the believer underwater. (Matthew 3:13-17; Romans 6; Colossians 2:12)
Communion
We believe that as a community, the church participates in a communal meal to remember Christ. This meal symbolizes the sacrificial love of Christ, whose body was broken and whose blood was shed to forgive our sins, as described in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.
