What we believe

The Bible 

 The Bible, consisting of the 66 books of Scripture, is God’s written revelation of Himself to all people. Though written by human authors, it was composed under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, making its inspiration both verbal and plenary—equally inspired in every part. As God-breathed, the Bible is infallible and inerrant in the original autographs, wholly sufficient for every aspect of life for both the individual believer and the corporate body of Christ (2 Timothy 3:16; John 17:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13). Because it is inspired by God, the Bible is truth without any error and remains completely relevant to our daily lives. 

We believe God's word has the final say and that our opinion does not matter.  If God said it, then we believe it and that settles it.      2 Timothy 3:16-17, James 1:21-22, Hebrews 4:12 

Hermeneutics

Though there may be multiple applications of a given passage of Scripture, there can only be one proper interpretation. Undoubtedly, many interpretations of various texts have been proposed, but if they contradict one another, they cannot, obviously and logically, be true. We follow the literal grammatical-historical approach to biblical interpretation or hermeneutics. This approach intends to get at the meaning or intent of the author writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit rather than subjecting the passage to how it is perceived by the reader

Creation

…in keeping with proper hermeneutics, the Bible clearly teaches that God created the world in 6 literal 24 hour days. Adam and Eve were two literal, historical people handmade by God. We completely reject the fallacious arguments of both Darwinistic macro-evolution and theistic evolution, the latter of which is a woefully misguided attempt to make the Bible fit within the parameters of predominant scientific theories. True science always supports the biblical narrative and never contradicts it.
 

Trinity - One God- 3 Distinct Persons

We teach in the only true God (John 17:3), the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20).  He created all things (Revelation 4:11) and upholds all things by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3).  In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).  He is a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He (Deuteronomy 32:4) and He shall judge the world (Psalm 9:8).

We teach that the Godhead eternally exists in three distinct persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and that these three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfection, and worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience (Mark 12:29; John 1:1-4; Matthew 28:19-20 Acts 5:3-4).

God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity, is the omnipotent Ruler and Creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1-31; Psalm 146:6) and is sovereign in both creation and redemption (Romans 11:36). He does as He pleases (Psalm 115:3; 135:6) and is limited by no one. His sovereignty does not abrogate the responsibility of man (1 Peter 1:17).

…Jesus Christ, God the Son, is co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit and yet eternally begotten of the Father. He possesses all of the divine attributes and is coequal and consubstantial with the Father (John 10:30; 14:9). Jesus secured our redemption by voluntarily offering His life on the cross. His sacrifice was substitutionary, propitiatory[i], and redemptive (John 10:15; Romans 3:24-25; 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2). After His crucifixion, Jesus was bodily (not merely spiritually or metaphorically) raised from the dead and thereby proved Himself to be God in human flesh (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20-21; Acts 1; 9; 1 Corinthians 15).

…the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Triune God and, as is the Son, co-eternal and co-equal with the Father.  He is not an “it” and is not a “force;” He is a Person. He has intellect (1 Corinthians 2:9-11), emotions (Ephesians 4:30; Romans 15:30), and volition (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). He speaks (Acts 8:26-29), He commands (John 14:26), He teaches and prays (Romans 8:26-28). He is lied to (Acts 5:1-3), He is blasphemed (Matthew 12:31-32), He is resisted (Acts 7:51), and is insulted (Hebrews 10:28-29). All of these are characteristics and qualities of a Person. Though not the same Person as God the Father, He is of the same essence and nature. He convicts men of sin, righteousness, and the certainty of judgment unless they repent (John 16:7-11). He grants regeneration (John 3:1-5; Titus 3:5-6) and repentance (Acts 5:31; 11:18; 2 Timothy 2:23-25) to the elect. He indwells every believer (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20), intercedes for every believer (Romans 8:26), and seals every believer for eternity (Ephesians 1:13-14).

 

Eternity

Man was created to exist forever. He will exist either eternally separated from God by sin or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is Heaven. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence.

(Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7, 18-22; 3; Psalms 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6; 6:6; 7:14-25; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22; Ephesians 2; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11)


 

Man

Man is made in the image of God and is the supreme object of His creation. Man was created to have fellowship with God but became separated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, man cannot attain a right relationship with God through his own effort. Every human personality is uniquely created, possesses dignity, and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

(Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7, 18-22; 3; Psalms 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6; 6:6; 7:14-25; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22; Ephesians 2; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11)

Salvation

…salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as recorded in Scripture alone for the glory of God alone. Sinners are totally depraved, meaning, that left to his own fallen nature man has no inherent ability to save himself or even to seek after God (Romans 3:10-11). Salvation, then, is instigated and completed solely by the convicting and regenerative power of His Holy Spirit (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:5) Who grants both genuine faith (Hebrews 12:2) and genuine repentance (Acts 5:31; 2 Timothy 2:23-25). He accomplishes this through the instrumentality of the Word of God (John 5:24) as it is read and preached. Though works are wholly unmeritorious for salvation (Isaiah 64:6; Ephesians 2:8-9), when regeneration has been wrought in a person he will exhibit works, or, fruit, of that regeneration (Acts 26:20; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 2:10).

 

BAPTISM

Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the  Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a  crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life,  and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead.  

(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38)

 
Statement on Marriage, Gender and Sexuality 

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:18-25.) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4.) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt 15:18-20; 1 Cor 6:9-10.)