-What We Believe-
1. In the Trinity of God.
There is one and only one true and living God, infinitely perfect and eternally existent in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
2. In the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures.
The whole Bible from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 as found in the King James Bible and not including any other sources, was written by men supernaturally and verbally inspired, and is the very Word of God, wholly without error.
3. In the Divine origin of all things.
God created the Heavens and the Earth, all that therein is, and man was created in God’s image, distinct from and eminently higher than all forms of lower life.
4. In the depravity of man.
Man, by voluntary transgression, fell from the high and happy state in which he was created, became totally depraved through sin, and brought himself and all mankind under the condemnation of God.
5. In the reality of Satan.
Satan is an actual person, not an imaginary influence; he operates today as the god of this world (age) and the prince of the power of the air; and he shall eventually be cast into the lake of fire, the eternal place of punishment.
6. In blood atonement.
Redemption is through the blood of Christ; Christ died for the whole world, and offers salvation to all mankind; all will not be saved, because they will not accept His offered mercy.
7. In the incarnation of Christ through the Virgin Birth.
God, the Creator, literally became a man, a part of the creation, through the virgin birth of Jesus Christ; God the Father through the Holy Spirit is actually and eternally the Father of Jesus Christ; Mary, the virgin, is actually and innocently the mother of His humanity; for the purpose of redeeming fallen humanity who could not redeem themselves.
8. In the priesthood of Jesus.
Jesus Christ only is the great High Priest through which men approach God, and He ever lives to intercede for God’s children.
9. In the necessity of the new birth.
Salvation is on a personal basis; in order to be saved, one must be born again (born from above); essential to the new birth is repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ; salvation is the grace wholly apart from any mixture of man’s works.
10. In eternal security for the believer in Christ.
Those who have actually trusted Christ in a personal experience of saving grace will never depart from Him so far as to be finally lost for eternity. Salvation is a work of God wholly of His grace, and He has promised and is able to keep His children secure.
11. In the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
Sanctification is a divine work of grace by which the believer is separated unto God and dedicated unto His righteous purpose; that it is not a second work of grace, neither a state of sinless perfection, but rather a progressive work beginning at the time of regeneration, and carried on in the life of every believer by the indwelling presence of power of the Holy Spirit working out the plan of God.
12. In the local, visible church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The church was organized by Jesus Christ during his personal ministry on earth; it is a local body of Christ composed of believers associated together by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His New Testament commandments, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges granted to her by His Word. The only Scriptural offices of the church being that of bishops (pastors or elders) and deacons, whose qualifications, privileges, and duties are clearly defined in the New Testament.
13. In the succession and authority of the Lord’s churches.
The Lord’s churches have had a continuous existence from the time of His personal ministry until the present; they are the pillar and ground OF the truth, having been commissioned by Christ, Himself, to preach the gospel, baptize believers, and teach the observance of the commands of Christ.
14. In observing the church ordinances.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two (and only two) church ordinances; these ordinances were personally ordained in the church by the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. Baptism symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a public testimony of the new convert’s identity with Jesus Christ through the death, burial, and resurrection. The Biblical method of baptism is complete submersion, and is to be administered by the authority of the local church. The Lord’s Supper symbolizes the broken body and shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
15. The Lord’s Supper.
We believe that the Lord's Supper consists of unleavened bread, and unfermented fruit of the vine, and that they are symbolic of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, broken and poured out on the cross for our sins. The prerequisites to Scriptural observance of the Lord’s Supper are the new birth, and Scriptural baptism. Those receiving the Lord’s Supper should either be members of the local church where being administered (Closed Communion), or if the church desires to invite guests, those who are members of a church of like precious faith (Close Communion). There are no scriptural grounds for the practice of Open Communion, whereby anyone is invited to take of the elements.
16. That the end of the age is approaching.
I Peter 4:7. We believe in “that blessed hope” the personal, imminent return of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Acts 1:11, I Thessalonians 4:13-18) We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost.
17. In missions.
Because all men everywhere without Christ are lost and bound for the eternal punishment (Romans 1:18-20), we believe that we are debtors to all men and have the responsibility of giving them the gospel. Jesus left us the command that we should all be witnesses for Him (Acts 1:8) and should take the good news of the gospel to every place where men are to be found (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-48, John 20:21). We believe that to carry out this command, we must ourselves be witnesses by our life, and work to tell all lost men about Christ. We must support, by prayer and financial aid, those who are scripturally sent out by churches of like faith.
18. In voluntary cooperation with churches of like faith and order.
There is one and only one true and living God, infinitely perfect and eternally existent in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
2. In the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures.
The whole Bible from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 as found in the King James Bible and not including any other sources, was written by men supernaturally and verbally inspired, and is the very Word of God, wholly without error.
3. In the Divine origin of all things.
God created the Heavens and the Earth, all that therein is, and man was created in God’s image, distinct from and eminently higher than all forms of lower life.
4. In the depravity of man.
Man, by voluntary transgression, fell from the high and happy state in which he was created, became totally depraved through sin, and brought himself and all mankind under the condemnation of God.
5. In the reality of Satan.
Satan is an actual person, not an imaginary influence; he operates today as the god of this world (age) and the prince of the power of the air; and he shall eventually be cast into the lake of fire, the eternal place of punishment.
6. In blood atonement.
Redemption is through the blood of Christ; Christ died for the whole world, and offers salvation to all mankind; all will not be saved, because they will not accept His offered mercy.
7. In the incarnation of Christ through the Virgin Birth.
God, the Creator, literally became a man, a part of the creation, through the virgin birth of Jesus Christ; God the Father through the Holy Spirit is actually and eternally the Father of Jesus Christ; Mary, the virgin, is actually and innocently the mother of His humanity; for the purpose of redeeming fallen humanity who could not redeem themselves.
8. In the priesthood of Jesus.
Jesus Christ only is the great High Priest through which men approach God, and He ever lives to intercede for God’s children.
9. In the necessity of the new birth.
Salvation is on a personal basis; in order to be saved, one must be born again (born from above); essential to the new birth is repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ; salvation is the grace wholly apart from any mixture of man’s works.
10. In eternal security for the believer in Christ.
Those who have actually trusted Christ in a personal experience of saving grace will never depart from Him so far as to be finally lost for eternity. Salvation is a work of God wholly of His grace, and He has promised and is able to keep His children secure.
11. In the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
Sanctification is a divine work of grace by which the believer is separated unto God and dedicated unto His righteous purpose; that it is not a second work of grace, neither a state of sinless perfection, but rather a progressive work beginning at the time of regeneration, and carried on in the life of every believer by the indwelling presence of power of the Holy Spirit working out the plan of God.
12. In the local, visible church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The church was organized by Jesus Christ during his personal ministry on earth; it is a local body of Christ composed of believers associated together by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His New Testament commandments, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges granted to her by His Word. The only Scriptural offices of the church being that of bishops (pastors or elders) and deacons, whose qualifications, privileges, and duties are clearly defined in the New Testament.
13. In the succession and authority of the Lord’s churches.
The Lord’s churches have had a continuous existence from the time of His personal ministry until the present; they are the pillar and ground OF the truth, having been commissioned by Christ, Himself, to preach the gospel, baptize believers, and teach the observance of the commands of Christ.
14. In observing the church ordinances.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two (and only two) church ordinances; these ordinances were personally ordained in the church by the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. Baptism symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a public testimony of the new convert’s identity with Jesus Christ through the death, burial, and resurrection. The Biblical method of baptism is complete submersion, and is to be administered by the authority of the local church. The Lord’s Supper symbolizes the broken body and shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
15. The Lord’s Supper.
We believe that the Lord's Supper consists of unleavened bread, and unfermented fruit of the vine, and that they are symbolic of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, broken and poured out on the cross for our sins. The prerequisites to Scriptural observance of the Lord’s Supper are the new birth, and Scriptural baptism. Those receiving the Lord’s Supper should either be members of the local church where being administered (Closed Communion), or if the church desires to invite guests, those who are members of a church of like precious faith (Close Communion). There are no scriptural grounds for the practice of Open Communion, whereby anyone is invited to take of the elements.
16. That the end of the age is approaching.
I Peter 4:7. We believe in “that blessed hope” the personal, imminent return of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Acts 1:11, I Thessalonians 4:13-18) We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost.
17. In missions.
Because all men everywhere without Christ are lost and bound for the eternal punishment (Romans 1:18-20), we believe that we are debtors to all men and have the responsibility of giving them the gospel. Jesus left us the command that we should all be witnesses for Him (Acts 1:8) and should take the good news of the gospel to every place where men are to be found (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-48, John 20:21). We believe that to carry out this command, we must ourselves be witnesses by our life, and work to tell all lost men about Christ. We must support, by prayer and financial aid, those who are scripturally sent out by churches of like faith.
18. In voluntary cooperation with churches of like faith and order.