Doctrinal Statement

The Scriptures
We believe the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, is the verbal, plenary inspired Word of God (II Tim 3:15-16; II Pet 1:21), that the canon of Scripture is closed, and that there is no extra-Biblical revelation (Joh 20:30-31; Rev 22:18-19). We believe the Scriptures are eternal, complete, inerrant, and infallible; they are the final authority for faith and life (Mat 5:18; Psa 12:6-7; I Pet 1:23; II Tim 3:17).

We believe that the Authorized King James Version is the preserved, inspired, and inerrant Word of God for the English language; it is the only English Bible that we accept and use. The Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus are the texts of the original languages that we accept and use.

The Godhead
We believe in the one true God, eternally existent in three persons—The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are one; they are co-equal, and they share the same attributes, power, and glory (I Joh 5:7; Deu 6:4-5; I Tim 1:17).

We believe that God the Father is the giver of life and every good gift (Gen 2:7; Jam 1:17). He gave His only begotten Son to redeem mankind from sin, and He desires that every lost person be saved (Joh 3:16; II Pet 3:9). He is the Father of all those who have been born again (Joh 1:12; Joh 3:3).

We believe that Jesus Christ is both God the Son and the Son of God (Mat 3:17; Heb 1:8). He is the living Word of God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe (Joh 1:1-3, 14). We believe in His eternal deity and His two natures—He is fully God and fully man (Phi 2:5-8). He was born of a miraculous virgin birth, lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death on the cross, rose bodily from the grave on the third day, appeared alive to five-hundred witnesses, and ascended back to heaven (Luk 1:27; Mat 1:25; Rom 5:8; I Cor 15:3-8; Acts 1:9). He now sits on the right hand of the throne of God and makes intercession for the saints (Rom 8:34; Heb 4:14-16).

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son, and of the same nature (I John 5:7). He restrains the wicked one’s work in this world (II Thes 2:7). He convicts the lost of their sin and their need for the Saviour (Joh 16:7-11). He indwells, seals, and comforts the believer; He bears witness with the believer’s spirit; He teaches and sanctifies the believer; He fills (empowers) the believer (Joh 14:16-17; Joh 20:22; Eph 4:30; Rom 8:16; Joh 16:13; Act 1:8; Act 2:4).

Creation
We believe that God created the heavens, the earth, angels, and mankind in six literal twenty-four-hour days as recorded in Genesis (Gen 1:1-2:7; Exo 20:11; Heb 11:3).

Man
We believe that mankind was created perfect by God in God’s own image (Gen 1:26-27), and that man voluntarily chose to sin against God; thus, the entire human race was plunged into sin (Gen 3). All men are born with a sin nature, and all men have chosen to sin against God (Rom 5:12).

We believe in God’s condemnation of the human race because of their sin and God’s righteous judgment of eternal death in hell as the just retribution for their sin (Gen 2:16-17; Joh 3:16) and that every man is accountable to God and has the personal responsibility to believe on Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life (Heb 9:27-28; Rev 20:11-15; Joh 3:16; I Joh 5:12).

Salvation
We believe that salvation is the act of God whereby a lost sinner is forgiven of his sin, delivered from the just condemnation of God (eternal punishment of hell), and given eternal life. (Joh 3:16-18). Salvation was purchased through the shed blood of Jesus Christ who died a substitutionary death on the cross for the sins of mankind (I Pet 3:18; I Pet 1:18-19). Salvation is a free gift of God available to all men, and it can only be obtained by God’s grace through a decision of faith in Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8-9; Rom 6:23; Rom 10:9; I Joh 2:2).

Eternal Security
We believe that God, by His own power, keeps the believer saved for all eternity (Joh 10:28-30; I Pet 1:5). Salvation is wholly of grace; just as a person cannot be saved by good works, a believer cannot maintain his salvation by good works (Gal 2:21; Gal 3:3; Eph 2:8-9; Rom 11:6).

The Church
We believe that the New Testament church is a local, visible, autonomous congregation of saved and baptized believers who have been brought together by the Holy Spirit and who have chosen to covenant together for the purpose of fulfilling the great commission. Jesus Christ is the head, and the church is His body with every member having a specific role in the work of the ministry (Act 2:41, 47; I Cor 12:11-27; Col 1:18-19; Eph 5:23; Eph 4:11-12).

We believe that the purpose of every New Testament church is to glorify Jesus Christ and to fulfill His great commission (Eph 3:21; Mat 28:18-20; I Cor 15:1-4). The church accomplishes its purpose by corporate worship, Bible preaching and teaching, prayer, fellowship, personal evangelism, missionary endeavors, and the spiritual growth and Godly testimony of the membership (Act 2:44-47; Act 8:4; Act 13:1-4; Eph 4:11-16).

We believe that there are only two offices of the local New Testament church: pastor and deacon (I Tim 3:1-13: Tit 1:5-9; Act 20:28; Eph 4:11-13; I Pet 5:2-3; Act 6:1-4).

We believe that the local New Testament church has two ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The local church is the only God-ordained authority to administer these ordinances (Mat 28:19-20; Luk 22:19-20). The only mode of Biblical baptism is by total immersion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; baptism is only to follow salvation (Act 8:36-38). The members of the church are to observe the Lord’s Supper as a memorial of our Lord’s death by partaking of unleavened bread and unfermented grape juice (I Cor 11:23-34).

Separation
We believe that those who are saved are called by God to live a holy life that is different from the lifestyle of the world, not to keep their salvation, but to glorify God and draw others to the Jesus Christ (II Cor 6:14-17; Tit 3:8; I Pet 1:16).

We believe that the local New Testament church must be separate from and refuse to compromise with any form of liberalism, ecumenicism, neo-evangelicalism, neo-orthodoxy, or the charismatic movement (I Joh 4:1-3).

Satan
We believe in the existence of Satan who was once a sinless angel but later fell through pride and rebellion against God (Isa 14:12-15; Eze 28:11-19).

Eternal State
We believe in the eternal bliss of heaven for all those who are saved through faith in Jesus Christ and in the eternal damnation in a literal hell for all those who are lost (Joh 5:28-30; Joh 14:1-3; Luk 16:19-31; Heb 9:27-28; Rev 20:11-21:6).

Eschatology
We believe in the imminent return of Jesus Christ in the sky to take all believers back to heaven in resurrected bodies (Rev 4:1-2; I Thes 4:13-18; Phi 3:20-21), followed by the rise of the Antichrist and seven year tribulation (II Thes 2:7-8; Dan 9:27), followed by the return and reign of Jesus Christ on earth for one-thousand years (Rev 19:11-16; Rev 20:4-6), followed by a new heaven and new earth for all eternity (II Pet 3:10-12; Rev 21:1-4).