HOME ABOUT US OUR MISSION WHAT WE BELIEVE MINISTRIES MISSIONS CONTACT
WHAT WE BELIEVE
I. The Bible is inspired of God, inerrant in the original documents, and the official authority in all matters of faith and practice.
[2 Tim. 3:16-17]
II. There is one God, eternally existent in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
[Deut. 6:4; Matt. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 13:14]
III. The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God, born of a virgin, sinlessly perfect. His sacrifice is substitutionary and representative. He rose bodily from the dead and ascended to His Father's right hand, where He now ministers as our Great high Priest. He will come to rapture His Church and subsequently return to reign on the earth.
[Jn. 1:1; Matt. 1:23; Heb. 7:26; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4-9; Jn. 17]
IV. Each member of the human race is fallen, sinful and lost, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the salvation of man. Redemption is wholly by the blood of Christ, and salvation is by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
[Rom. 3:23; Jn. 3:3; 5:12; 5:1-11]
V. The Holy Spirit indwells the believer, who is sealed until the day of redemption and is empowered to live a godly life.
[Jn. 14:17; Eph. 1:13; 4:30]
VI. There will be separate resurrections of the saved and of the lost. On the one hand, the saved will be raised unto eternal life, while on the other hand, the lost unto eternal damnation.
[Jn. 5:29; Dan. 12:2; Rev. 20:4-15]
VII. The church began with the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and is composed of all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. These believers are united to Him and to one another by the indwelling Spirit. This means that the Church, as a whole, is not an organization, but a living organism, known as the Body of Christ.
[Acts 2; 1 Cor. 12:13]
VIII. Christ, our risen Head, is the Giver of gifts, such as evangelists, pastors and teachers, and these men are responsible to Him for their service. They are given "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ".
[Eph. 4:11-16]
IX. There are two Christian ordinances:
** Baptism by immersion signifies that the believer, having died with Christ,
    is buried with Him in baptism and also is risen with Christ to walk in
    newness of life.
    [Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:41]
** The Lord's Supper is a memorial feast, instituted by the Lord Himself exclusively
    for His own. In the observance of this supper, believers remember Him, they
    show His death until He comes.
    [Lk. 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-32]
X. Every true child of God possesses eternal life and being justified, sanctified and sealed by the Holy Spirit is secure for all eternity [Rom. 8:31-39]. However, a Christian can, through sin, lose his fellowship, joy, power, testimony and reward, and incur the Father's chastisement [1 Cor. 11:29f].

Relationship is eternal, being established by new birth [Jn. 3:3-8; 1:12]; fellowship, however, is dependent upon obedience [Jn. 15:1 –11].
XI. The personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ to translate His Church is imminent, an event which concludes the present age of grace. This will be followed by the outpouring of God's wrath on the earth, known as the Tribulation. After this, Christ's Millennial Kingdom will be established, and the "glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea". At the conclusion of His Millennial Reign, Christ will deliver up the Kingdom to God, the Father, that the Triune "God may be all in all" [1 Thess. 4:13-17; Matt. 24:1-28; Rev. 19:11-20:10; 1 Cor. 15:20-28].
WATER BAPTISM

The Necessity of Water Baptism
We believe that water baptism is one of two ordinances that everyone who professes faith in the Lord must observe. There are two basic reasons why water baptism must be obeyed:
  • It was prescribed by Christ [Matt. 28:19]
  • It was practiced by the early church [Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12, 36-38; 9:18; 10:47; 16:14-15, 33; 18:8; 19:5]
The Mode of Water Baptism
The mode as reflected in Scripture is immersion
  • It is the primary meaning of the Greek word baptizw (baptizo)
  • Biblical example [Acts 8:36-39]
  • Immersion best demonstrates the significance of Spirit Baptism [Rom. 6:1-4]
  • Etc.
Significance of Water Baptism
Water baptism is often described as 'the outward manifestation of an inward grace." In other words, it is the public declaration [Matt. 28:19] that one has been identified with Christ and the church through the baptism of the Holy Spirit [1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 6:1-10]. We do not believe that water baptism has any saving effect.

Subjects of Water Baptism
We believe that water baptism is reserved for those who have genuinely professed faith in Christ. In other words, it is for those who have been born again [Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:37-38; 16:14-15, 34].


THE LORD'S SUPPER

The Necessity of the Lord's Supper
We believe that communion or the Lord's Supper is the second and last of the two ordinances prescribed by Christ.
  • It was prescribed by Christ [Lk. 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-32; 10:16, 21]
  • It was practiced by the early church [Acts 2:42; 20:7]
The Significance of the Lord's Supper
  • It is a memorial of Christ [1 Cor. 11:24]. The bread symbolizes His body. The cup symbolizes His blood.
  • It is a message of Christ's death [1 Cor. 11:26]
We believe that the Lord's Supper is reserved for believers who are in good standing with the Lord [1 Cor. 11:28-32]. Therefore, this qualification excludes believers who are out of fellowship with the Lord (unknown or known by the local church but is not under church discipline and those that are under church discipline [1 Cor. 11:28; 5:11-13; 2 Thess. 3:6, 11-15]).

There is no specific command as to the frequency of its observance. However, certain passages suggest that it was observed on a regular basis; probably at least once a week [Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:26]. There is evidence that shortly after the apostolic era (New Testament times) the church observed it weekly (every Sunday).

"Shortly after New Testament times a weekly observance is clearly seen in the injunction of the didache (14:1) to come together every 'Lord's Day' to break bread, as well as the similar testimony in Barnabas (15:9) and Justin Apol. 1., 67.3)." [Robert Saucy, The Church in God's Program, Chicago: Moody Press, 234]


GUIDELINES FOR MEMBERSHIP RECEPTION

General Guidelines
The church shall receive into fellowship only individuals who give testimony, by words and deeds, of having accepted Jesus Christ as personal savior and having been baptized [Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41].
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BLOG
Stay up to date with our BLOG.
> click here
Donations
Make a tax-deductible donation.
> click here
Calendar of Events
What is happening at our Church.
> click here
Forms
Download important forms/documents.
> click here
HOME
ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
WHAT WE BELIEVE
MINISTRIES
MISSIONS
CONTACT
BLOG
DONATIONS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
FORMS