WHAT WE BELIEVE

While we are an independent, non-denominational church with our own distinctives, when it comes to our core beliefs, we stand united with all other evangelical churches. Here are some specific core beliefs that serve as our foundation:

• We believe that The Bible is inspired by God and that it is both trustworthy and authoritative. We believe that it is our responsibility to study the whole Bible and submit to all its teachings. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)


• We believe in one eternal, infinite and unchanging God who reveals Himself to us in three Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19)


• We believe that Jesus Christ is both 100% God and 100% human. We believe that He was born of a virgin, that He lived a perfect life, that He died on a cross for the sins of all people, and that He rose from the dead physically and ascended into heaven. We believe that one day He will return to earth and will reign over it (Matthew 1:23; John 8:58; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 3:18; Revelation 11:15)


• We believe that all people were created in the image of God but have a sinful nature, resulting in wrong actions. We believe that all of us deserve eternal separation from God and that none of us is able to save ourselves from this fate through our own efforts. (Genesis 1:27; Romans 3:10-12, 23,6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3, 8-9).


• We believe that we can be rescued from death and given the gift of an eternal relationship with God only by believing in Jesus Christ—that is, by trusting in His death as full payment for all our sins and in His resurrection as proof that He is the Lord of all. Eternal life is a free and irrevocable gift. (John 3:16; Romans 8:29-30; 10:9; Ephesians 2:1-3,8-9).


• We believe that all Christians are baptized and indwelt with the Holy Spirit at the moment they believe in Christ, and that they are empowered, guided and instructed by the Spirit as they yield their lives to Him. (Acts 2:38; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13, 5:18)


• We believe that Jesus instituted baptism as the means of publicly professing faith in Him, and that, although baptism has no power to save, it is the first step of obedience expected of all believers in Christ. We believe that Jesus instituted the practice of communion (or the Lord's Supper) to help us vividly remember His death for us, and that the Church should participate in this memorial regularly. (Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:38; 16:30-33; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).


• We believe that followers of Jesus are called to a life of Spirit-empowered obedience, and that, when we disobey, we will experience God's loving discipline (which may be carried out through the Church). We also believe that God gives all Christians spiritual gifts as He wills, which they are to use to help others in the Church grow. (Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, 18; Galatians 5:16-25; Hebrews 12:7-11)


• We believe that the Church is Christ's "body" in today's world and that it is comprised of all true Christians. Each local church is to be shepherded by Jesus Himself through a group of spiritually qualified elders. We believe that every Christian is called to become involved in a local church. (John 10:11; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; 1 Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:5; Hebrews 10:25; 1 Peter 5:4).


• We believe that both heaven and hell are real, and that every person will spend eternity either in joyful fellowship with God or agonizing separation from God, based on their response to Christ. (Luke 12:5; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Philippians 3:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; 1 Peter 1:4)