beliefs & values
In core beliefs we have unity. In non-core beliefs we have harmony. In everything, we show love.
The bible
The basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. We believe the Scripture originated with God, was written and recorded by men divinely inspired by God, and is infallible and without error.
god
We believe there is one only true, holy God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – each of Whom equally possesses all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality.
jesus
Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, is both fully God and fully human. He was united with true human nature by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily atoned for the sins of all by dying on the cross, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him.
He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father, where He is the only Mediator between God and humanity. He will come again to earth, personally and visibly, to fulfill God’s eternal plan and conclude human history.
the holy spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. He was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to humanity the saving work of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit awakens in us an awareness of our sin and our need for the Savior. At the point of salvation, He permanently indwells every believer and becomes the source of comfort, strength, wisdom, and assurance of salvation. The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the scripture. His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christ-like character and to bring glory to God the father. He also gives every believer at least one spiritual gift for the building-up of the body of Christ.
salvation
The central purpose of God’s revelation in Scripture is to call all people into fellowship with Him. Originally created to have fellowship with God, mankind voluntarily chose to defy God and go their own way. They were separated from God and suffered the corruption of their nature from the original sin of Adam and Eve to the latest person born today. Sin entered the world at the beginning of human history and all individuals since have suffered the broken fellowship with God and, thus, are in need of the saving grace of God. Our inability to re-establish our relationship with God through our own power leaves us dependent upon God’s mercy. God graciously provides the means to reconcile ourselves to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.
baptism & communion
Jesus Christ established two ordinances for the church – baptism and communion. Once a person becomes a Christian (repented from sin and turned to Christ for salvation), the Bible says the watching world needs to know. Baptism has always stood as a kind of public test for people who have accepted God’s salvation. Just as a bride and groom tell of their love for one another through the symbol of rings, so should the Christian demonstrate to the world, through Baptism, their union with Christ. Being baptized is the means by which Christ’s followers are identified. The process of baptism by immersion identifies the believer with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, is a solemn assembly where believers take time for self-examination. It should not be approached lightly or haphazardly. Believers partake of the bread and juice, representing the body and blood of Jesus, and reflect on the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for them on the cross. Matthew 28:19-20; John 3:22-23; Acts 2:41; 8:12; 8:36,39; 10:47-48; Romans 6:1-11: 1 Corinthians 11:26.