Our Beliefs

1. The Word of God: We Believe that the Authorized Version of the Bible (King James Version, 1611), is the inspired, inerrant Word of God preserved for the English speaking people (Psalm 12:6-7). We believe it is the supreme authority for man, and that according to its precepts all men will one day be judged (II Timothy 3:16-17; Rev 20:11-15). We believe all other English Translations of the Bible are false and untrustworthy and will not allow the use of any other English Translation in this church.

2. The God of the Bible: We Believe that there is but one God who is in three persons; Father, Son, Holy Spirit  (I John 5:7); that their purposes are one and their offices and actions are completely harmonious. Among the attributes of God these characteristics are found in the super­lative degree: Holiness (Psalm 99:9), Love (I John 4:8), Mercy, Righteousness (Psalm 116:5), Righteous Anger (Ezekiel 5:15), Omnipotence (Job 42:2), Omniscience (Job 37:16), Omnipresence (Psalm 139:7-12), Eternity (Revelation 1:8), Immutability (Malachi 3:6), Truth (Psalm 86:15). We know by his Word and by personal experience that, “He doeth all things well.

3. Bible Salvation: We Believe that all men are fallen and sinful by nature, by choice, and by practice (Romans 3:10-12, 23; 5:12); that all are lost and under the condemnation of God’s Law (Romans 6:23). We believe that to be saved and become righteous, it is necessary to repent, to forsake sin and turn to God – accepting Christ’s vicarious sacrifice by faith to wash away sin’s stain (II Peter 3:9; Isaiah 55:7); to receive a new nature within (II Peter 1:4; II Corinthians 5:17); to follow the leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14). Further, we realize that to enter God’s heavenly home we must fulfill His requirements and accept His invitation (Ephesians 2:8-9) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

4. Eternal Security of the Believer: We Believe and accept as unchangeable truth the statement of God’s Word that having once received Christ as personal Saviour, “there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1 a), and that having received “Eternal Life” from God there is no possibility of God allowing His Word to be broken and us to become lost again (John 10:27-29).

5. The Local Church: We Believe that the Church is the only organization Christ left behind to carry on his work in the world, and that it is incumbent upon every Christian to join the local church and to enthusiastically enter its program (Acts 2:41-47), winning souls to Christ (Proverbs 11:30; Mark 16:15). We believe that the Church in this world is always a local church and is comprised of properly baptized believers (Acts 2:41). We believe Christ gave us two ordinances, baptism (Matthew 28:18-20) and the Lord’s Supper (I Corinthians 11:20-34). We believe that baptism is an ordinance which every man should observe upon salvation in obedience to Him as a testimony before the world and as the door into the Church (Acts 2:41); and that upon becoming a church member; one should observe the Lord’s Supper with his church only. Though there is no saving merit in either, both are sobering ceremonies which should draw us closer to our Saviour, and none can call himself a good Christian who refuses to obey these commands. Therefore, we exclude from membership in this local church any who refuse to observe these ordinances exactly as Christ commanded us.

6. Stewardship of the Believer: We Believe in the stewardship of our lives: that our minds, talents, time, money, health, loved ones, and all things belong to the Lord (I Peter 4:10-11). We believe that we will each be called upon to give account of our stewardship for God’s glory (I Corinthians 4:1-2) and that all of our material wealth is His and that He has established the principle in His Word that we give back at least a tenth, which should be brought each week to His storehouse (which is the House of God) (Malachi 3:8-11; I Timothy 3:15). We believe that we have not given an offering until we have paid the tithe and given above it from the nine-tenths that remain.

7. Pre-Tribulation: We Believe that in the pre-tribulation coming again of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to receive His saints, raising from the grave those who sleep in death (I Thessalonians 4:13-18); that He will personally and literally reign over all the earth for 1,000 glorious years; that all men will be judged; that those who have accepted Christ as Saviour during this life will live forever with God in prepared mansions in heaven; that those who refuse the salvation Christ offers will spend eternity in the awful punishment of hell, prepared for Satan and his angels (Revelation 20; John 14:1-3; Matthew 25: 41).

8. Dispensationalism: We Believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life, which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of the dispensations – the Mosaic Law dispensation, the Church Age, and the Kingdom – are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture (Genesis 1:28; 1 Corinthians 9:17; 2 Corinthians 3:9-18; Galations 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10; 3:2-10; Colossians 1:24-25, 27; Revelation 20: 2-6).

9. The Person and Work of Christ:

a. We Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the enternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Sirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that he might reveal God and redeem sinful men (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Galations 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8)

b. We Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemtion through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24-25; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5).

c. We Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, personally, visibly, and bodily ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of the Father, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 9:24; 7:25; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2).

10. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

a. We Believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, indwelling and sealing unto the day of redemption those who come to Christ (John 16:8-11; 1 Corintihians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14).

b. We Believe that He is the Divine Teacher Who assisst believer to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and this is is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27).

c. We Believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses gifted men to equip believers in the assmbly in order that they can do the work of the ministry (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12)

d. We Believe that the sign gifts (including, but not limited to, tongues, healing, miracles) of the Holy Spirit are not presently bestowed upon believers. We believe that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing (1 Corinthians 1:22; 13:8-10; 14:21-22; James 5:14-16)

11. Separation: We Believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful preasures, practices, and associations is commanded of God (Romans 12:1-2; 14:13; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 5:19; 2 John 9-11).

12. The Personality of Satan: We Believe that Satan is an angel, a person, a created being, the author of sin and the cause of the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; Revelation 20:10).

13. Creation: We Believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Thesistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of orgin (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11).

14. Civil Government: We Believe that all legitimate authority is granted by the God, and that God has granted authority to three basic institutions: 1) the home; 2) the Chruch; and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answereable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilties with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the Church, and the state in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God are equal and sovereign (Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:1-14).

15. Human Sexuality:

a. 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. The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the Chruch. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the Chruch (Galations 3:28; Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12).

b. We Believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. Any other form of marriage or sexual initmacy is immoral and a perversion of God’s gracious will. This includes, but is not limited to: homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiaity, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography. These are all sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. Any employee or office holder of the Chruch becoming pregnant or causing pregnancy as a result of consensual intercourse, outside of the marriage relationship, or who commits any of the above sins shall be terminated from employment or released from office. Any Church member guilty of any of the above sins will be subject to immediate church discipline. (Genesis 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thesalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)

c. We Believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23).

16. Divorce and Remarriage: We Believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the Chruch and be greatly used of God for Christian service, no person who has divorced or without Scriptural grounds for remarriage may be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon (Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 19:3-12; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Timothy 3:2; 12; Titus 1:6.)

17. Abortion: We Believe that humn life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion contitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. We reject any teaching as acceptable that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother (Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).

18. Missions: We Believe that God has given this Church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from ever nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors for Christ we must use all available scriptural means to go to all the nations and not wait for them to come to us (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:20)

19. Lawsuits between Chruch Members: We Believe that Church members are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against this Church or other members of this Church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the Chruch possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a member may seek compensation for injuries from another member’s insurance companay as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. We believe that once the instructions of Matthew 18:15-17 have been exhausted, that the one who refused to follow the decision of the Church in the matter at hand is then treated as a “publican and sinner” thus allowing the other party to pursue the matter in a court of law (1 Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32).