What We Believe

We believe that the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired and without error in their original writings and are, therefore, our final authority in faith and life. We believe in the literal, historical, and grammatical interpretation of Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21.

We believe in one God, who exists eternally in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe that Jesus Christ, who was God from eternity, was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary and thus is true man and true God. Jesus performed miracles while here on earth as proof to the children of Israel that He was the Son of God, their Messiah, but they rejected and crucified Him. But the grave could not hold Him, and in three days, He arose from the dead and, in 40 days, went up into Heaven to prepare a place for His children. Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 1:20-23; Matthew 28:5-8; John 1:14; John 14:2-3; John 20:30-31; Hebrews 1:1-3.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is given to believers as our Comforter and as the guarantee or pledge of our faith. Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit shortly after his conversion on the road to Damascus. New Gentile believers received the Holy Spirit as they believed. We believe that God has given all His children certain gifts, and it is our responsibility to make use of them in building up the body of Christ. John 16:7; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:44-48; Romans 12:5-8; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 4:12; John 14:26.

We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts sinners of their need for Christ as Savior and regenerates those who place faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit indwells all true believers. As believers yield to His control He enables them to obey the will of God for them and to lead godly lives, separate from the sins of the world. John 7:37-39; John 14:16-17; John 16:7-15; Romans 8:1-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 1 John 1:9; 2:1.

We believe that Adam was created without sin but through his sin fell from his original innocence. Descendants of Adam are born in sin and are subject to death and judgment, apart from divine grace. Genesis 1:26-27; Jeremiah 7:19; Romans 3:10-19; Ephesians 2:1-3.

We believe that Christ died for our sins and rose bodily from the grave. We believe in His bodily ascension, in His present work for believers as High Priest and Advocate in Heaven, and in the "blessed hope" of His personal, bodily return to receive His saints unto Himself and establish His millennial reign on earth. We believe in the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church. Luke 23:46-49; Luke 24:1-53; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 3:23-26; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-24; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10; Hebrews 1:2-7:25; Revelation 3:10.

We believe that men can be saved from sin and come into possession of eternal life by realizing they are sinners, believing that the Lord Jesus Christ loves them and has provided salvation through His own shed blood upon Calvary. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ as personal savior and sin-bearer and is entirely a free gift of God. Salvation cannot possibly be achieved by man's works. We believe in the eternal security of the believer. John 1:12-13; John 3:14-18; John 5:24; John 10:28-29; Acts 4:12; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; 2 Peter 1:18-19.

We believe that at death, the saved enter into the presence of God immediately to spend eternity with him. At death, the unsaved go immediately into eternal conscious punishment. We believe in the future bodily resurrection of the dead. Daniel 12:2-3; Luke 16:19-31; John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 20:4-6; Revelation 20:10-15.

We believe in the spiritual unity of true believers in Christ and that all believers are members of the Church, which is Christ's body and of which He is the head. Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:13-27; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 2:13-22; Ephesians 5:23-32.

We believe that all Christians are called and commissioned by the Lord to live to the glory of God and to win others to Christ through personal evangelism. Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 15:16; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 5:20-21; Philippians 1:20-21.