Articles of Faith

I. The Scriptures

We believe the Holy Bible, comprised of the Old and New Testaments, is the verbally inspired Word of God, entirely truthful and without any mixture of error (2 Tim. 3:16; Ps. 19:7). As God’s written revelation to humanity, it is the supreme and final authority for all matters of faith and practice and is the only sufficient rule for Christian life and doctrine (2 Pet. 1:20-21; Heb. 4:12).

II. God

We believe in one true and living God, who is the Creator, Sustainer, and Supreme Ruler of all things. He is a perfectly holy and just God who is worthy of all honor, confidence, and love (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:5; Ps. 145:17). We believe this one God eternally subsists in three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. These three are one in essence and perfection, and though they execute different but harmonious offices in the great work of human redemption, they are co-equal in power and glory (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2).

III. Man and Sin

We believe that man was created by God in His own image, but through the temptation of Satan, Adam willfully transgressed the command of God and fell from his original innocence (Gen. 3:6-7; Rom. 5:12). As a result, the guilt of his sin was imputed to all of his descendants, and a corrupted nature was conveyed to all mankind, resulting in a state of spiritual death and separation from God. All human beings are now sinners by nature and by choice, and are therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse (Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:1-3). We believe that because of the Fall, human nature is spiritually corrupted and separated from God. As a result, man is entirely unable to recover himself or earn salvation by his own free will or ability (Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:10-18).

IV. Salvation

We believe that salvation is a gift of God’s grace and is offered freely to all who believe. Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, made a full and complete atonement for sin by shedding His blood and dying on the cross (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8). We believe that justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification is a legal declaration of righteousness, freely granted by the grace of God and received through faith alone in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24; Eph. 2:8-9). Upon this truth, we stand firm and rejoice in the hope of God’s glory (Rom. 5:1-2). We believe that all who are truly saved are kept by God’s power and will persevere in faith to the end of their lives. Those whom God has called and regenerated by His Spirit will never fall away from the state of grace but shall be kept by His preserving power until they are eternally glorified (John 10:28-29; Phil. 1:6; Jude 24).

V. The Church

We believe that a New Testament church is a local, autonomous body of baptized believers who are regenerated and united in the faith, and who have voluntarily covenanted together for worship, mutual edification, and the spread of the Gospel. Membership in the church is limited to those who have been genuinely converted by the Spirit and Word of God and who publicly profess their faith through baptism (Acts 2:41; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:19-22). We believe that Jesus Christ is the sole Head of the Church, which is His body, and that He has invested the government of the church in the local congregation, empowering it as a self-governing and autonomous body to conduct all its affairs according to His Word and through the collective action of its members (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18; Matt. 18:17-18).

The mission of the church is to glorify God by being a faithful steward of His truth and by fulfilling the Great Commission. This mission is accomplished through the preservation and proclamation of the Gospel, the edification of believers, and the evangelism of all people (1 Tim. 3:15; Eph. 4:11-13; Matt. 28:19-20). We believe it is the duty of every member to contribute financially to the church’s work and to participate in its mission through the use of their gifts, resources, and prayers, thereby supporting the advancement of Christ’s kingdom on earth (1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7-8).

We believe that the New Testament establishes two primary offices within the local church: elders (also called pastors or bishops) and deacons (Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1). The calling, qualifications, and responsibilities for those serving in these offices are fully and explicitly set forth in the Holy Scriptures, and their appointment is a solemn act of the congregation.

VI. The Ordinances

We believe that the two ordinances of the church are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:23-26). We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a regenerate believer in water, administered in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience and a public testimony to a believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior. We believe that baptism is a prerequisite for church membership and should precede participation in the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:41-42; Rom. 6:3-5). The Lord’s Supper should be perpetually observed as a memorial of the dying love of Christ, reminding us of His sacrifice until He returns (1 Cor. 11:24-25; Lk. 22:19).

VII. Last Things

We believe that at death, the souls of men and women, being immaterial and immortal, immediately return to God who gave them (Eccl. 12:7; Lk. 16:22-24). The souls of the redeemed, made perfect in holiness, enter a conscious state of happiness in the presence of the Lord, while the souls of the unredeemed are sent to a state of conscious suffering (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23). We believe in the bodily resurrection of all people, both the righteous and the unrighteous. We believe in a final judgment where Christ will render justice to all, and that the punishment of the wicked and the joy of the saints will be eternal (Jn. 5:28-29; Matt. 25:46).