SECTION 1. STATEMENT OF FAITH
(A) SCRIPTURES
We believe in the verbal inspiration of the Old and New Testaments having God as their author and being completely without error.We believe the King James Version is the preserved Word of God for the English Speaking people and is the only acceptable translation to be used in this church and is of the supreme and final authority in faith and life (practice). (II Peter 1:21; II Timothy 3:16-17; Matthew 24:35; Psalm 12:6-7, 119:89)
(B) CREATION
We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour days and is roughly six thousand years old, not millions or billions. Wereject Evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day Age Theory, Theistic Evolution and the Revelation Theory as unscriptural. (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11).
(C) GODHEAD
We believe in one God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; one in substance, perfect in every divine attribute, yet varied in office (Matthew 28:19; John 14:7-12, 16:7)
(D) JESUS CHRIST
(1) We believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God who lived a sinless life, and is true God and true man. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35; Hebrews 4:15).
(2) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a substitutionary sacrifice, and that all whoreceive Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood (I Corinthians 15:3-4; II Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:21-26).
(3) We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ; in His ascension into heaven; and in His present life there for us as High Priest and Intercessor (Matthew 28:5-6; Acts 1:9; Hebrews 7:25-26).
(4) We believe in that “blessed hope”, the personal, visible, pretribulational, premillennial, and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (I John 3:2-3; I Thessalonians 4:14-17; I Corinthians 15:51-52; Titus 2:13).
(E) HOLY SPIRIT
(A) We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with the Father and the Son and of the same essence. We believe that the HolySpirit is true God and that He convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment; bears witness to the truth; is the agent of the new birth; and that He seals, guides, teaches, sanctifies, and empowers the believer (Acts 5:1-4; John 16:7-11).
(B) We believe that the Holy Spirit takes up His abode within the believer at the time of regeneration, and thus indwells every born-again believer. We believe that the Holy Spirit testifies concerning Christ and never leads any person at any time contrary to the Bible (Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 5:22-23).
(F) SIN
We believe all men were born with an inherited sin nature received from our common ancestor, Adam. We believe that because of his nature, man is a sinner by choice, and he is totally incapable of reforming himself from his sin by his own power. We believe sin is the reason wickedness is upon the earth, people become ill, and why people die. (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:6-19; 6:5-7; Romans 3:10-23, 5:6-7,12;)
(G) MAN
We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and, in the case of those who reach moral responsibility become sinners in thought, word, and deed (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-6).
(H) SALVATION
(1) We believe that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, and that all who repent of sin and by faith receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior are born again of the Holy Spirit, and thereby become the children of God (Acts 20:20-21; Ephesians 2:8-9; I John 5:11-12).
(2) We believe that all who are truly saved are kept by God’s power and are secure in Christ forever (John 3:16, 10:27-30; Romans 8:31-39; ICorinthians 1:8).
(3) We believe that all those who reject Jesus Christ as their Saviour are already condemned to an eternity in the lake of fire. (John 3:18, 36; Luke 16:23-31; Revelation 21:8).
(I) THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
(1) We believe in the local, visible church as a called out assembly of believers in the Lord, baptized by immersion, and associated for the purpose of worship, evangelism, indoctrination, the observance of the ordinances, and fellowship. We also believe that all born again believers are members of the body of Christ. ( Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-47; Romans 12:5).
(2) We believe that the local church is an independent, self-governing body, responsible only to Christ, who is the Head of the Church, and that the task of reaching the world for Christ is the responsibility of the local church (Acts 2:41-47; I Timothy 3:15).
(J) SEPARATION
We believe in the biblical doctrine of separation which includes the separation of the local church from all affiliation and fellowship with those who deny the truths of the “faith once delivered to the saints”; and the separation of the individual believer from all worldly practices that may dishonor the Savior (II Timothy 3:1-5; II Corinthians 6:11-7:1; Romans 12:1-2, 14:13; I John 2:15-17).
(K) ORDINANCES
We believe that there are two church ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
(1) Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water. Baptism by immersion is the only mode of baptism revealed and commanded in the Scriptures. We believe that baptism is in no way connected to the eternal salvation of a believer, but is rather an outward expression of an inward experience of salvation and union with Christ. The believer’s immersion in water symbolizes death, burial and resurrection and is a call to live a new life in Christ. We believe baptism unites a new convert with this church (makes them a member) at the time of baptism, as the new converts united with the church at Jerusalem at the time of their baptism in Acts 2. We, furthermore, believe that no person should be baptized until they show fruits meet of repentance (no person living in open public sin shall be baptized until they repent of such actions.)(Matthew 3:6-8; Romans 6:3-4; II Corinthians 5:17; Acts 2:38-41, 8:35-37).
(2) The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s death, to be observed only by obedient, baptized believers, and to be preceded always bycareful self-examination. This ordinance is to be observed in remembrance of Christ’s suffering, and in expectation of His return. (ICorinthians 11:23-30).
(L) END TIMES
(1) We believe in the imminent return of Christ to rapture His church by raising the bodies of the dead in Christ and translating His church, followed by a seven-year period of tribulation upon all the earth, after which He shall return with His saints to establish the promised Millennial Kingdom (I Thessalonians 4:14-18; Daniel 9:24-27; Revelation 3:10; Revelation 19-21).
(2) Christ shall reign for a thousand years during which peace and righteousness will cover the earth; Satan shall be bound and Israel shall be established in her own land, and following the one thousand year reign of Christ, Satan shall lead a rebellion against Christ, only to be forever banished to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-11; Zechariah 14:9-11).
(3) The wicked dead shall be raised to the Great White Throne Judgment and condemned to everlasting, conscious punishment in thelake of fire. The righteous shall enjoy eternal, conscious, blessedness with the Lord (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:3-4, 8).
(M) MARRIAGE
(1) We believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; 1st Corinthians7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23)
(2) We believe that any form of sexual perversions such as homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, transsexuality, and incest are sinful practices, and are deemed sinful by God Almighty. (Leviticus 18:6 -18, 18:22, 18:23 20:13, Romans 1:26-29, I Corinthians 6:9-10;)
(3) We believe that we are not to partake in marrying any person that is involved in any of these immoral sinful relationships stated in section M-2. (I Thessalonians 5:22, II Corinthians 6:14-17)
(4) We believe that the Pastor being the shepherd of the flock, may choose whom to marry, according to biblical principles and his own conscience. (Acts 20:28)
(5) We believe that we have a command by God to preach and teach the whole council of the word of God. Which includes preaching and teaching against such sinful practices stated in Section M-2. (Acts 5:29, 20:27, II Timothy 2:24, 4:2)
(N) CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home, 2) the church, and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced these responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective biblically – assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13-14)
(O) FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
We believe men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and in the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be leaders (pastors and deacons) in the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:8-15, 3:4-5, 12)
We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are an heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. (Genesis 1:26 -28; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18, 22:15, 23:13-14; Mark 10:6-12; 1 Corinthians7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33,6:1-4, Colossians 3:18-21; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7)
(P) DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE
We believe that God disapproves of and forbids divorce and intends marriages to last until one of the spouses dies. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon or those administrative positions in the church that would consist of pastoral duties (such as assistant pastor.) (Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 19:3-12; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6)
(Q) ABORTION
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject the teachings that abortion of pregnancies due to not wanting to take responsibility for actions, rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, or population control are acceptable. (Exodus 1:17-20; Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5; 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24, 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5, 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)
(R) LAWSUITS BETWEEN BELIEVERS
We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian's insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (1 Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32)
(S) MISSIONS
We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ, we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:20)
(T) Giving
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made. We believe the tithe and offering shall not be returned to a individual once the gift has been made. We believe that only giving members of this church shall have a vote on financial issues of this church. (If a member does not give financially faithfully, they will have no vote on how finances are distributed.)(Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9-10; Malachi 3:8-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; 1Timothy 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17)
SECTION 2 - AUTHORITY OF STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Bible King James Version itself is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice of what we believe. The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. We do believe, however, that the foregoing Statement of Faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible and, therefore, is binding upon all members.
