WHAT WE BELIEVE

We believe the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and is our rule of faith and practice.

  • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV) 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
    17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

    • We believe in the one and only triune God.  We acknowledge there is one true God consisting of three distinct persons:  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
  • Isaiah 43:10-11 (NKJV) “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me.
    11 I, even I, am the Lord, And besides Me there is no savior.
  • 1 John 5:6-7 (NKJV) For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.
  • 1 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified, died, was buried, and resurrected.  He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, and is true God and true man.

  • Jesus the Christ is only begotten Son of God
    • John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
  • Jesus the Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit
    • Matthew 1:18-20 (NKJV) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
      19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
      20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
  • Jesus the Christ was born of the Virgin Mary
    • Matthew 1:21-23 (NKJV) And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
      22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:
      23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
  • Jesus the Christ died, was buried, and resurrected
    • Acts 2:31-32 (NKJV) he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.
      32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.
  • Jesus the Christ ascended into heaven
    • Acts 1:9-11 (NKJV) Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
      10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
      11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
  • Jesus the Christ is seated at the right hand of God the Father
    • Acts 2:33 (NKJV) Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
  • Jesus the Christ is true God
    • John 8:57-58 (NKJV) Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
      58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
    • John 14:8-11 (NKJV) Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
      9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
      10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.
      11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
  • Jesus the Christ was a man
    • John 1:1 (NKJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 (NKJV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

 We believe that all are born sinners, the Holy Spirit convicts of sin; the Lord Jesus Christ paid the price for sin by shedding His precious blood on the cross as the atonement for sin; those who refuse to accept His sacrifice for their sin are eternally lost.   Those who repent of their sins and personally accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, receives forgiveness of sin, and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

  • Romans 3:23-26 (NKJV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
    24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
    25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
    26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

We believe that God has established marriage as a lifelong, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman and that all intimate sexual activity outside the marriage relationship, whether heterosexual, homosexual, or otherwise, is immoral and therefore sin.

  • Genesis 2:24 (NKJV) Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
  • Exodus 20:14 (NKJV) “You shall not commit adultery.
  • Leviticus 18:22-23 (NKJV) You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.
    23 Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is
  • 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NKJV) Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

We believe that the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ provides healing for our spirit, soul, and body.

  • John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

We believe that we should obey Jesus’ command to preach the gospel to all the world.

  • Mark 16:15 (NKJV) And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

We believe that the members of the Body of Christ is the Church, and that they should regularly fellowship with one another in a local church setting and to participate in the tithing principle described in the Bible.

  • Fellowship with one another
    • Hebrews 10:25 (NKJV) not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

  • Tithing
    • Malachi 3:10 (NKJV) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, according to Acts 2:4, with the evidence of speaking in tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance, that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are valid and operative today. We believe the fruit of the Holy Spirit should be evident in a Christian’s life.

  • Acts 2:4 (NKJV) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
  • Mark 16:17 (NKJV) And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues.

We believe in water baptism by submersion.

  • Mark 16:16-17 (NKJV) He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
  • Acts 8:36-38 (NKJV) Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is What hinders me from being baptized?”
    37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
    38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

We believe in the Second Coming of Christ. No one knows the exact time of His coming. (Matthew 24:36,)  We believe that the second coming of Christ will be accomplished in two events.  The Lords return shall consist of a first advent, where Jesus will descend from heaven, the dead Christians will be resurrected, and the believers will be taken up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). We further believe, at the end of the Tribulation period the second coming of Jesus Christ will transpire when He returns with the armies of heaven and the resurrected saints, and establishes His earthly kingdom for 1000 years (Revelation 19:11-14).

  • No one knows the exact time of His coming
    • Matthew 24:36 (NKJV) But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
    • Matthew 24:44 (NKJV) Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
  • Jesus will descend from heaven, the dead Christian will be resurrected, and the believers will be taken up to meet the Lord in the air: (The rapture)
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NKJV) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
    17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
    18 Therefore comfort one another with these words

 

  • Second coming of Jesus Christ will transpire when He returns with the armies of heaven and the resurrected saints
  • Revelation 19:11-14 (NKJV) Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
    12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
    13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
    14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

 

  • His earthly kingdom for 1000 years: ( The millennium reign)
    • Revelation 20:4 (NKJV) And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

We Believe in the final Judgment of the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works

  • Daniel 7:9-10 (NKJV) “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
    10 A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.
  • Revelation 20:11-15 (NKJV) 11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

We look for a New Heaven and a New Earth where righteousness dwells

  • 2 Peter 3:13 (NKJV) Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
  • Revelation 21:1 (NKJV) Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.