Beliefs
A summary of our Biblical beliefs.
A summary of our Biblical beliefs.
The following comprise the Scriptural beliefs of this church and its members.
We believe the Bible to be the word of God. We believe the Bible is inspired and preserved by God, and that it is perfect and true. We use the King James Version of the Bible in all of our ministries. (Psalm 12:6–7; 2 Timothy 3:15–17; 1 Peter 1:23–25; 2 Peter 1:19–21)
We believe in one holy and loving God—eternal, self-existent, infinite, and immutable—and that He has one nature, essence, and substance; yet He manifests Himself to man in the Trinity as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Timothy 1:17; James 1:17; 1 John 4:4)
We believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh and the only Saviour of mankind. We believe He came to earth, lived a sinless life, and offered Himself on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. We believe He resurrected bodily and ascended into Heaven where He now dwells until His return. (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, 43:11; John 1:1, 3, 14, 18, 29; Romans 3:19–25; Romans 5:6–15; Philippians 2:5–11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 1 Timothy 2:5, 3:16; Titus 2:10–15; Hebrews 7:26, 9:24–28; 1 Peter 1:19, 2:2; 1 John 1:3; Revelation 20:1–6)
We believe the Holy Spirit of God is a person of the Godhead who is presently indwelling and directing the development of believers and advancement of the gospel in the world. The Holy Spirit is sent to regenerate, sanctify, seal, and indwell all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. (Genesis 1:2; John 3:5–6, 14:16; Acts 1:5, 11:15; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19–20; 1 Corinthians 12:13)
We believe that all men are sinners by nature and are therefore separated from God. Faith in Jesus Christ is the only hope of salvation and redemption from this broken and fallen condition. Those who reject Jesus Christ as personal Saviour are separated from God for eternity, but those who receive Jesus as Saviour are adopted into God’s family and given His gift of eternal life. (Genesis 5:1–5; Acts 4:19, 16:31; Romans 3:10–23, 5:6–12, 6:23, 10:9–10; Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5–6; Revelation 20:11–14)
We believe the local church is Jesus’ institution for advancing His gospel and doing His work in the world. The church is made up of those who have been saved and biblically baptized—uniting and faithfully gathering together for the purposes of Bible teaching, worship, prayer, fellowship, service, and observance of baptism and communion. (Matthew 16:16–18; Acts 1:15, 2:41–43, 11:15, 20:28; 1 Corinthians 15: 51–58; Ephesians 1:12–14, 5:25–30; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 1 Timothy 3:4–15)
We believe in the literal interpretation of the Scriptures in context and with a dispensational view of biblical prophecy. This literal approach provides the following most likely timeline of future events: first, the rapture of the church, followed by a seven-year tribulation and the return of Jesus to the earth, followed by His literal rule of one thousand years ending with the Great White Throne Judgment, culminating with the creation of a new Heaven and new earth. (1 Corinthians 15:51–58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, 5:1–9; Revelation 19–22)
We believe that a Christian should grow in grace, learning a lifestyle that is becoming of the gospel and honoring to Jesus Christ—properly reflecting His love and holiness. We believe in separating from biblical heresy and from sinful, self-destructive, and immoral behavior. (Romans 12:1–2, 14:13; 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1; 2 Timothy 3:1–5; 1 John 2:15–17; 2 John 9–11; Leviticus 19:28; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20)
We believe that God supernaturally created the universe in six literal days, and therefore we reject any theories of evolution, theistic evolution, creation gaps, or intelligent design not attributed to the narrative of scripture and the power of God. (Genesis 1–2; Exodus 20:11)
We believe that God has created structures of authority for the blessing of mankind, existing in three basic institutions: (1) the home, (2) the church, and (3) the state. God has given each institution specific biblical responsibilities and balanced these responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other, but that all should work in harmony under God’s word and His authority. (Romans 13:1–7; Ephesians 5:22–24; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13–14)
We believe that God, for humanity’s flourishing, has designed the sexual relationship to exist exclusively within the bounds of lifetime marriage between a man and a woman. Therefore, any deviation from the biblical pattern of sexuality (homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography) are harmful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We respect gender distinction as created by God, we and do not endorse the altering of one’s gender by surgery or appearance. (Genesis 2:24, 19:5, 13, 26:8–9; Leviticus 18:1–30; Romans 1: 26–29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8; Hebrews 13:4
We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and in the church. We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society, and that husbands and wives should grow in the biblical pattern of marriage and parenting. (Genesis 1:26–28; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4–9; Psalm 127:3–5; Proverbs 19:18, 22:15, 23:13–14; Mark 10:6–12; 1 Corinthians 7:1–16; Ephesians 5:21–33, 6:1–4; Colossians 3:18–21; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1–7)
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being, and therefore the life of the unborn should be valued as the life of any other human being. (Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5, 139:14–16; Isaiah 44:24, 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5, 20:15–18; Luke 1:44)
We believe that we should demonstrate love for others—believers and unbelievers alike. We respond graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly to those who oppose the gospel. The church should be an environment where unconditional love flows from God’s grace at work in every heart. (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:44–48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34–35; Romans 12:9–10, 17–21, 13:8–10; Philippians 2:2–4; 2 Timothy 2:24–26; Titus 3:2; 1 John 3:17–18)
We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the gospel to all nations, and that salvation is made available to anyone who will believe on Jesus, regardless of nation, tribe, ethnic group, language, or culture. As co-laborers together with God, we desire to actively, generously, and faithfully engage in worldwide missions and church planting until Jesus returns. (Matthew 28:19–20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46–48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:20)
We believe that every Christian is a steward of the material gifts of God entrusted to him. Every Christian should grow in grace—understanding the generous heart of God and learning to reflect that heart with generosity toward God’s church and toward those in need. This generosity should be driven by grace (not obligation), empowered by gratitude, and should flow from a willing and cheerful heart for the development of the church and advancement of the gospel. (Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9–10; Acts 4:34–37; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6–7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 5:17–18; 1 John 3:17)