Home  

Statement of faith

What We Teach

We teach that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, is coequal in all of His divine attributes and being with the Father and the Son (Mtt 28:19; Ac 5:3-4; 28:25-26; 1 Cor 12:4-6; 2 Cor 13:14), and He is person with all of the characteristics of personhood, including intellect (1 Cor 2:10-11), emotions (Eph 4:30), and will (1 Cor 12:11).

We teach that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to execute the divine will with relation to all mankind, including the Spirit’s sovereign activity in creation (Gen 1:2), the incarnation (Mtt 1:18), the written Word of God (2 Pet 1:20-21), and the work of salvation (Jhn 3:5-7).

We teach that the work of the Holy Spirit in the church was promised by Jesus before Jesus’ death and resurrection (Jhn 14:26; 16:7) and began at Pentecost (Ac 2:1-4), the Spirit being sent by Jesus from the Father (Jhn 15:26).  The Holy Spirit came to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (Jhn 16:8-11), to give life to those who are in Christ (Rom 8:10-11), to conform them to the image of Christ (2 Cor 3:18), and to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ (Jhn 16:14).

We teach that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural Agent who brings about the new birth (Jhn 3:5-8; 1 Cor 2:10; 2 Cor 3:6), baptizes all believers into the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13), indwells believers (Rom 8:9), sanctifies believers (2 Cor 3:17-18), empowers believers for service (1 Pet 4:11), intercedes for believers (Rom 8:26-27), and seals them until the day of redemption (Eph 1:13).

We teach that the Holy Spirit is the divine author of Scripture, and that He moved in the prophets and apostles to give the Holy Scriptures (1 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:20-21). 

We teach that the Holy Spirit indwells all believers from the moment of salvation (Rom 8:9).  We teach that it is the duty of all those who are indwelt by the Spirit to be constantly filled with (controlled by) the Spirit (Eph 5:18).

We teach that the Holy Spirit has given a variety of gifts, service, and activities to the church for the common good (1 Cor 12:4-7).  All gifts, acts of service, and activities which the Spirit gives are to be used for the common good and ruled by the law of love, which is a more excellent way (1 Cor 13; 14:12).

We teach that the spiritual gifts given to the early church during the lives of the Apostles and New Testament prophets were gifts given as signs to authenticate the early church as the people of God (Heb 2:1-4), and were never intended to be characteristic of the church throughout history (1 Cor 13:8).  While the Spirit empowers, enables, and gifts men and women to glorify Christ in the church (Eph 4:11-14; 1 Pet 4:11), He no longer gifts any individual to do supernatural acts (1 Cor 13:8).  The Holy Spirit, however, is not limited by men and has the power to act supernaturally of His own will today in any way He may so desire (Ps 115:3; 1 Cor 12:11).

[Back to the top]

We teach that the account of creation in Genesis is a literal, historical account of the creation of the heavens and the earth.  We teach that God created the heavens and the earth in six, literal, 24-hour days (Gen 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31; Ex 20:11).  We teach that God directly created all animals and man without any evolutionary process.  He created each tree, plant, and animal after its own kind, and He created man in the image of God (Gen 1:12, 21-22, 24-27).  We teach that Adam and Eve were literal, historical people (Gen 5:3-5; Rom 5:12-21; 1 Tim 2:13-14).

[Back to the top]

[Back to the top]

[Back to the top]

Election

We teach that election is the sovereign act by which God chose certain individuals for salvation in Jesus before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:3-4). 

We teach that God elected all those whom He foreknew (Rom 8:29; 1 Pet 1:2).  We teach that God’s foreknowledge was a willful, sovereign act on the part of God to set His love on certain individuals for salvation (Rom 9:13).  We teach that foreknowledge does not mean or imply that God passively knew who would be saved as He looked into the future, but the foreknowledge of God in relation to a person is God’s determined act to have an intimate, loving, personal relationship with a person and to know him in a special, electing way (Gen 18:19; Ams 3:2; Mtt 7:23; Rom 8:29).

We teach that God’s election of His people was unconditional, meaning that it was not based on their works or any future thing they might or might not do (Rom 9:11-13), but was based solely on God’s purposes to the praise of His glory (Eph 1:5-6, 11-14; 2 Tim 1:9).

We teach that God, before the foundation of the world, predestined all those whom He foreknew to be conformed to the image of Jesus (Eph 1:4-5) so that His purposes might stand (Rom 9:11). 

We teach that God’s act of election does not abridge man’s moral accountability for sin (Rom 3:19).  All those who refuse Christ as Savior will be judged and held accountable for the works they have done (Rev 20:11-15), and no one will be justified by his own works (Rom 3:20). 

We teach that God’s act of election does not remove the responsibility of believers to obey the Great Commission and to serve with the strength that God supplies to make disciples (1 Pet 4:11; Mtt 28:18-20).

We teach that all those whom God has elected will come to faith in Jesus, and all who come to faith in Jesus the Father will receive (Jhn 6:37-40; Ac 13:48).  All those who are predestined are called, and all those who are called are justified.  No one who is predestined to salvation in Jesus resists God’s call to salvation because God’s calling is irresistible (Rom 8:29-30).

We teach that God did not elect people apart from His other attributes, including His love, mercy, grace, justice, holiness, and wisdom, but that God’s election of those whom He saves is consistent with all of His divine attributes and character (Deu 6:4; Rom 9:14-25; 1 Cor 1:26-31; Php 2:11; 2 Tim 1:9).

[Back to the top]

Regeneration

We teach that regeneration is the sovereign act of God by which He imparts spiritual life to a person (Ezk 36:26-27; Jhn 1:13; 3:3-8; Tit 3:5; Jas 1:18) through the Word of God (Jas 1:18; 1 Pet 1:23). 

We teach that regeneration (which is synonymous with being born again) is a one-time event that is instantaneous (Jhn 1:13; Col 2:13; Jas 1:18).  We teach that regeneration enables the sinner to respond in faith and ensures the sinner’s response of faith (Ac 13:48; 16:14).  We teach that regeneration necessarily precedes saving faith because regeneration is necessary to enable saving faith (Jhn 3:3; Ac 16:14).

We teach that regeneration will produce obedience to God’s Word, beginning immediately with faith in Jesus (Ac 16:14; 1 Jhn 5:1).  Regeneration will be seen in a person’s life by the faith that is the immediate response of regeneration and the works that faith produces (Gal 5:6; Jas 2:14-26).

[Back to the top]

We teach that justification is God’s act of declaring a sinner righteous through the sinner’s faith in Jesus (Rom 3:28). 

We teach that justification is by faith alone apart from any works (Rom 3:28).  We teach that justification is a gift of God’s grace (Rom 3:24; Eph 2:8), so that no one may boast before God for contributing anything to his own salvation (Rom 3:27; Eph 2:9).

We teach that God justifies a person by imputing (i.e. counting, charging, or crediting) that person’s sins to Jesus Christ on the cross (2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 2:24) and by imputing Jesus Christ’s righteousness to the sinner who believes (1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21).  This act of justification allows God to “be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:26 NASB).

[Back to the top]

Sanctification 

We teach that sanctification is the process by which the believer is conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29).  We teach that, while the believer is declared righteous in Christ (justification), he still battles temptation, sin, and the flesh (Rom 7:25; 1 Cor 10:12-13).  We teach that every believer is in the process of sanctification, which is learning to overcome temptation, sin, and the flesh by faith, and being transformed into the image of the Lord (2 Cor 3:18).

We teach that sanctification is a work performed in the believer by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9-13; 2 Cor 3:18; Php 2:13).  We teach that the Spirit works sanctification in believers by faith and not by works (Gal 3:1-5).

We teach that sanctification will result in practical holiness in the believer.  All believers are being sanctified, and therefore they increasingly are putting to death the flesh and its deeds (immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, &c.) and manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in their daily lives (Gal 5:16-25).

We teach that all believers who are living in their mortal bodies will constantly be engaged in the process of sanctification until death or the coming of Jesus.  No one reaches a state of perfection in this life in which sin is impossible (Rom 7:21-25; 2 Cor 3:18; Gal 5:17).  We teach that when we see the Lord we will reach perfect sanctification and will no longer be able to sin (1 Jhn 3:2).  We teach that this hope of future, complete sanctification causes every believer to purify himself before the coming of Jesus (1 Jhn 3:3).

Back to the top]

Glorification 

We teach that all believers will someday be glorified with Christ (Rom 8:30).  This glorification will result in receiving a new body which is imperishable, glorified, and spiritual (1 Cor 15:42-44).  We teach that glorification is a future act of God, which He will perform to make us able to inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 15:50-57).

We teach that everyone who has been elected, foreknown, predestined, called, and justified will be glorified (Rom 8:29-30).  God will complete the work of salvation in those who are His own (Php 1:6).  We teach that all believers are eternally secure because they have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for this day of redemption at which all believers will be glorified (Eph 1:13-14).  No one will be lost who has believed on Jesus for salvation, and God’s work of redemption in believers will be complete at glorification (Rom 8:29-30; 9:14-25; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 4:17-18; 5:2-10; Eph 1:14; Php 1:6; 1 Jhn 3:2).

Back to the top]

The Church

We teach that the church is the body of Christ (Col 1:24), a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (1 Pet 2:9), a kingdom of people released from their sins by the blood of Christ (Rev 1:5-6), composed of Jews and Gentiles who have been reconciled to God (Eph 2:15-16), the true circumcision made without hands (Php 3:3), the bride of Christ (2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:23-32), which is  built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ being the Cornerstone (Eph 2:20), the Head of the church (Eph 5:23-32; Col 1:18).

We teach that Jesus Christ is the Head of the church with all authority, power, sovereignty, and supremacy over it (Eph 5:23-32; Col 1:18). 

We teach that the members of the body of Christ, the church, are all of those who have received Jesus by faith (Eph 2:11-3:6).

We teach that the purpose of the church is to glorify God (Eph 3:21; Rev 1:6) through worship (Rom 12:1), fulfilling the Great Commission (Mtt 28:18-20; Ac 1:8), keeping the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Ac 2:41-42; 1 Cor 11:23-26), and building itself up in the faith in love (Eph 4:11-16).

We teach that the members of the church are to gather together regularly in local assemblies for the purpose of worship, edification, and stirring one another up to love and good works (1 Cor 11:18-20; Heb 10:23-25).  We teach that this assembly is the local church as described throughout the New Testament (Ac 14:23, 27; 20:7; 1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1; Gal 1:2; Php 1:1; 1 Ths 1:1; 2 Ths 1:1; 1 Tim 3:14; Tit 1:5; Rev 2-3).

We teach the local church has two offices – elders (also called pastors, overseers, and bishops) and deacons (Ac 20:28; Eph 4:11; 1 Tim 3:1-13; Tit 1:5-9; 1 Pet 5:1-4).  Elders and deacons are to lead the church as servants of Christ (1 Tim 5:17-22) and examples to the church (1 Pet 5:1-5).  We teach that elders and deacons must meet biblical qualifications (1 Tim 3:1-13; Tit 1:5-9; 1 Pet 5:1-4).  We teach that the congregation is to willingly follow and submit to the leadership of the church as the leadership follows Christ (Heb 13:7, 17; 1 Pet 5:5).

We teach that the church is to discipline its members who refuse to repent of sin or heresy to preserve the purity of the church and to encourage its members to holiness (Mtt 18:15-22; 1 Cor 5:1-13; 2 Ths 3:14; 1 Tim 5:20).

We teach that Jesus Christ will build His church and that even the gates of Hades will not destroy it (Mtt 16:18).

We teach that the church has two ordinances – baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  We teach that baptism was commanded by Jesus, and that Jesus commanded His disciples to baptize all new converts (Mtt 28:18-20).  We teach that baptism by immersion (Ac 8:36-39) is an outward sign of faith in Christ and of belonging to the church (Ac 2:38-42).  Thus, only those who have entered into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ should be baptized (Rom 6:3; Col 2:12; 1 Pet 3:21). 

We teach that the Lord’s Supper is to be done by partaking of the bread and the cup of the New Covenant (1 Cor 11:24-25).  The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance which proclaims the Lord’s death until He comes again (1 Cor 11:26).  We teach that a man should examine himself before partaking of the Lord’s Supper so that he does not partake in an unworthy manner, which would make him guilty of the body and blood of the Lord (1 Cor 11:27-28).  We teach that the bread and the cup are symbolic elements of the body and blood of the Lord, but they are not themselves the actual body and blood of the Lord, nor do they become the actual body and blood of the Lord as they are used in the Lord’s Supper.

[Back to the top]

Angels

Holy Angels

We teach that holy angels are created beings and therefore not to be worshiped.  They were created by God to serve and worship Him (Lk 2:9-14; Heb 1:6-7, 14; Rev 5:11-14; 19:10; 22:8-9). 

Fallen Angels (Satan and Demons)

We teach that Satan is a created angel who brought sin into existence by rebelling against his Creator (Isa 14:12-17; Ezk 28:11-19).  We teach that some angels followed Satan in his rebellion and also fell into sin (Mtt 25:41; Rev 12:1-12).  We teach that Satan introduced sin into the human race by tempting and deceiving Eve (Gen 3:1-15).

We teach that Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man (Isa 14:13-14; Mtt 4:1-11; Rev 12:9-10) who will ultimately be crushed by God and eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Mtt 25:41; Rev 20:10).

[Back to the top]

[Back to the top]

Sermons on CD