| Statement of Faith |
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Though we do not mandate that all who participate hold to the following statement of faith, we want you to be aware of where we are coming from! We understand that there may be differences of opinion on some of these beliefs. If you have any questions about this statement of faith, please Contact Us. __________________________________________________________ This doctrinal statement is a brief attempt to summarize our beliefs in a page. These statements are adapted from various sources and were written by men more eloquent than ourselves. They have been modified and condensed to summarize what we believe. When wondering about other doctrinal issues not covered here, see our Teaching Guidelines. We believe the Bible is God's written revelation to man. From the literal Genesis account of creation to the fortelling of Christ's return in Revelation it is verbally inspired in every word, and absolutely inerrant in the original documents. We affirm the infallibility, sufficiency, and authority of Scripture. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Heb 4:12) We believe that there is one and only one Living and true God, an infinite, all-knowing Spirit, perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eternally existing in three Persons -- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit equal in nature but differing in function. (Exodus 20:2-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11; John 14:16-17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Genesis 1:1-3; John 16:3-11) We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His Virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal return in power and glory. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Isaiah 53:4-5; Jonah 2:9; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 2:17; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 3:3; ) We believe that the salvation of man, who is sinful and lost, is instantaneous and accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God when the repentant sinner -- enabled by the Holy Spirit -- responds in faith. This salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Isaiah 53:4-5; Jonah 2:9; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; John 3:3; 1 John 5:1; John 3:6-7; Acts 16:30-33; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-12; 1Peter 1:5) We believe in the Spirit-filled life. As the supernatural and sovereign Agent in regeneration, the Holy Spirit baptizes all believers into the Body of Christ at the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit also indwells, sanctifies, instructs, empowers them for service, and seals them unto the day of redemption. (Acts 13:52; Ephesians 3:16, 5:18; Romans 8:14; 1Peter 1:5; Hebrews 3:1; John 17:17; 2Corinthians 3:18; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 5:25-26; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; Philippians 1:6) We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the unsaved; the saved unto the resurrection of life and the unsaved unto the resurrection of damnation. (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2:16; 5:1-11; Matthew 3:7; 24:30-31; Romans 9:14-24; Prov 16:4; 1 Peter 2:8; Revelation 20:10-15) We believe that all who put their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual Body, the church, of which Christ is the head. The purpose of the church is to glorify God by building its members up in the faith, by instruction of the word, by fellowship, by keeping the ordinances, and by advancing and communicating the gospel to the entire world. (Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:1-16, 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12:11-13; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 20:28; Colossians 1:18) |