Our Beliefs

What Anchors Us

About God

We believe there is one God, the creator and ruler of the universe. We believe God has existed eternally as the Trinity–the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe these three persons are co-equal and are one God.

Genesis 1:1,26-27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14

About The Bible

We believe the Bible is God’s inspired, written word to all men, without error in its original form, and the final authority for Christian beliefs and living. We believe it was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,160; Psalm 12:6; Proverbs 30:5

About Humanity

We believe that humanity is made in the image of God, to be like him in character. We believe that humanity is the supreme object of God’s creation. We believe that while humankind has tremendous potential for good, we are marred by noncompliant attitudes and actions toward God called “sin.” We believe that sin separates humanity from God. We believe that all people are utterly unable to save themselves or please God, except by his mercy and grace.

Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2

About Eternity

We believe in the personal, bodily, visible, and imminent return of Christ from heaven to judge all humanity and to take his people to their eternal home. We believe all humans are appointed to die once. We believe humankind was created to exist forever. We believe that hell is to be eternally separated from God and eternal life is to be eternally in union with him in Christ. We believe that Jesus atoned for the sins of all who will trust in him alone for salvation. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all humanity on a cross. We believe the new heavens and the new earth and hell are real places of eternal existence.

John 3:16; 1 John 2:25; 1 John 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:15; Matthew 25:31-46

About Jesus Christ

We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. We believe he is co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We believe Jesus atoned for the sins of all who will trust in him alone for salvation by living a sinless human life and by offering himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men on a cross. We believe he arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate his power over sin and death. We believe he ascended to heaven’s glory, intercedes for us as our Great High Priest at God’s right hand, and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15;  1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11;  1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13

About Salvation

We believe that salvation is a free, unmerited gift from God to humankind. We believe that we can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. We believe that Jesus dying on the cross provided substitutionary atonement for our sins. We believe that we can be saved from sin’s penalty only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness.

Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; John 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1

About Endurance & Eternal Security

We believe those who have truly trusted Jesus for salvation endure in their faith to the end. We believe those who endure by grace through faith to the end are secure in salvation for eternity. We believe salvation and sanctification are maintained by God’s grace and power from the Spirit through union with Christ.

John 10:29; John 15:1-11; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 10:10,14; 1 Peter 1:3-5

About The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. We believe he is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every Christian from the moment of salvation. We believe he provides God’s people strength and wisdom to trust Christ and follow him in doing what is right. The Christian seeks to walk in step with the Holy Spirit daily.

2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 5:1

About the Church

We believe the universal Church to be the Body of Christ composed of all true believers. We believe every believer in Christ is a priest with the right to carry out the work of the church according to God’s gifting and Scripture’s guidelines. We believe the universal Church is expressed through the assembly of local churches. We believe the ultimate purpose of the local church is to glorify God in the everlasting and ever-increasing gladness of worship. We believe the local church’s penultimate purpose is to continue the servant ministry of Christ in the church and to the world through the great commision and the preaching of the gospel to all people. We believe the local church and her good deeds create a spiritual new city within the existing city. We believe the church as a new city points to a hope in the ultimate New City, the eternal city of God.

Acts 8:1; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 3:10; Matthew 5:14-16; Revelation 5:9-12

About Baptism and Communion

We believe baptism and communion are the two sacraments ordained by Christ himself as signs of his new covenant. We believe these two signs are outward visible reminders of an inward work of grace.

We believe baptism publicly signifies our identification with and belief in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection as our personal salvation. We believe while baptism is not required for salvation, it is a biblical command and demonstrates love and obedience to Christ.

Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:41; Ephesians 2:8-9; Matthew 28:19-20

We believe communion, or the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist, is a sacrament given to all believers by Jesus Christ to remember his sacrifice for us, to signify and remind us of the new covenant and God’s great promises to us in Christ, and to look forward to the great marriage supper of the Lamb in eternity. We believe the elements of bread and wine or juice are symbols of Christ’s crucified body and shed blood. We believe communion is not a means of salvation.

Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:19-20;  1 Corinthians 11:23-29