ABOUT US

We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of his will for the salvation of humanity, and the final authority for all Christian faith and life (Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

We believe that the one true God exists eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that these, being one God, are equal in deity, power, and glory. We believe that God not only created the world but also now upholds, sustains, and rules over Creation and that he will bring all things to their proper consummation in Christ Jesus to the glory of his name. We believe that God knows all, including the free choices of all moral agents, both angelic and human, that he truly hears and answers prayer, and that he saves from sin and death all who come to him through Jesus Christ (Isaiah 40:1-48:22; Psalm 104:1-35; Psalm 139:1-24; Matthew 10:29-31; 28:19; Acts 17:24-28; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:9-12; 4:4-6; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6).

We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and offered himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners. By the blood of his cross he satisfied the wrath of God, obtained for us eternal redemption, the forgiveness of sins, spiritual adoption as sons and daughters, life everlasting, and defeated the powers of darkness. He was raised bodily on the third day and ascended to the right hand of the Father, there to make intercession for the saints. By looking at Jesus, we see God and God’s desire for us perfectly revealed (Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-18; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:1- 28; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:10-14; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-23; 2:15; Hebrews 7:25; 9:13-15; 10:19; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 1 John 2:1-2; 3:1-8).

We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God, equal with the Father and Son. The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus and brings us to the Father. The Holy Spirit reveals God’s love, convicts unbelievers of their need for Christ and imparts spiritual life through regeneration (the new birth). The Spirit indwells, sanctifies, leads, illumines, and graciously empowers for godly living and service all who come to faith in Christ. We believe that Jesus baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit, empowering them for supernatural ministry, allowing his Body to do even greater works than His own. The Holy Spirit is our greatest gift, in whom also we are sealed for the day of redemption. Apart from his supernatural power at work in us, the Church has very little to give to the world. Subsequent to conversion the Spirit desires to fill, empower, and anoint believers for ministry and witness (Matthew 3:11; John 1:12-13; 3:1-15; 14:12; 15:26-27; 16:7-15; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14; 5:18).

We believe that the gospel is the good news of what God has accomplished for sinners through the life, death, and resurrection of his Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, ushering the Kingdom of God into the world and making war on the Kingdom of Satan. The gospel is centered in Christ and is not proclaimed if his life, death and resurrection are not the focus of our message. The church is responsible for the declaration of this good news and the defense of it against all who would seek to distort or re-define its core truths. The Gospel is the foundation for the life of the Church and our only hope for eternal life. The Gospel is not only the means by which people are saved, but also the means by which people are sanctified. The truth of the Gospel enables us to genuinely and joyfully do that which is pleasing to God and to grow in progressive conformity to the image of Christ. Likewise, we believe the Gospel is never fully communicated in words alone. The Gospel must also be demonstrated in power, just as Jesus and the early Church modeled for us. (Mark 1:1; Luke 24:46-47; John 3:16-18; Romans 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; 2:2; 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 4:1-6; 9:13; Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Timothy 1:8-14; Jude 3-4).

We believe that the ministry of the Spirit in signs and wonders continues to be as broad, tangible, and powerful among believers today as it was in the early church. We also believe that all the biblical gifts of the Spirit continue to be distributed by the Spirit today; that these gifts are divine provisions central to spiritual growth and effective ministry; and that these gifts are to be eagerly desired, faithfully developed, and lovingly exercised according to biblical guidelines. It is the responsibility of every church to equip people to activate and operate in these gifts (John 14:12; Acts 2:14-21; 4:29-30; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; 12:28-31; 14:1-33; Galatians 3:1-5; Ephesians 4:11-16).

We believe that Adam and Eve were created in the image of God, righteous and without sin. In consequence of his disobedience, their posterity are born subject to sin and moral corruption, and are therefore by nature and choice the children of wrath, justly condemned in the sight of God, wholly unable to save themselves or to contribute in any way to their acceptance with God (Genesis 1:1-3:24; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:9-18; 5:12-21; Ephesians 2:1-3).

We believe that, before the world’s foundation, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit determined to adopt people into their eternal community of life and love. They chose to do this by an act of sheer grace, allowing us to witness God’s perfect justice and relentless love in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Even more, united with Christ through faith, we are given an entirely new identity, no longer rebels, but citizens of his Kingdom and children in his family. Our old, sinful nature has been buried with Christ. Our new self, inclined towards loving obedience and capable of responding to the Holy Spirit, has been raised with him. The powerful Holy Spirit works in the hearts of each person, giving them new life and drawing them into faith. All of this happens by grace, through faith and not because of our performance of any ritual or work. It is a miraculous gift of grace that only God could give! This saving grace of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, also sanctifies us by empowering us to please him and become more and more like Jesus. All who have been saved by faith in Christ Jesus are preserved and protected by God and can live in the security of their new identity as God’s children (John 1:12-13; 6:37-44; 10:25-30; Acts 13:48; 16:30-31; Romans 3:1-31; 4:1-25; 5:6-11; 8:1-17,31-39; 9:1-23; 10:8-10; 1 Corinthians 1:7-9; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:4-5; 2:8-10; Philippians 1:6; 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:19; Titus 3:3-7; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 1:7,9; Jude 1; Revelation 13:8).

We believe that Satan, originally a great and good angel, rebelled against God, taking a multitude of angels with him. He was cast out of God’s presence and is at work with his demonic hosts to establish his counter-kingdom of darkness and evil on the earth. Satan was judged and defeated at the cross of Christ and will, at the end of the age, be cast forever into the lake of fire which has been prepared for him and his angels (Matthew 12:25-29; 25:41; John 12:31; 16:11; Ephesians 6:10-20; Colossians 2:15; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 12:7-9; 20:10).

We believe that the Church is the Bride of Christ and is comprised of all believers in every age. The Church is also God’s primary instrument through which he is fulfilling his redemptive purposes in the earth. We believe that God has called the Church to preach the gospel to all nations, and especially to remember the poor and to minister to their needs through sacrificial giving and practical service. We also affirm the priesthood of all believers and the importance of every Christian being joined with and actively involved in a local community of the saints (Isaiah 58:6-12; 61:1; Matthew 16:17-19; 28:18-20; Luke 4:18; 21:1-4; Acts 2:17-18,42; Galatians 2:10; Ephesians 3:14-21; 4:11-16; 1 Timothy 6:8; Hebrews 10:23-25; 1 Peter 2:4-5,9-10).

We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two sacraments of the church to be observed until the time of Christ’s return, visible signs and seals of the Gospel. They are not a means of salvation but are channels of God’s sanctifying grace and blessing to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Only those who have personally and consciously placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are qualified to receive the Lord’s Supper. Baptism, a sign of salvation and inclusion in God’s covenant community, is only efficacious for those who have true faith in Jesus Christ. Our normal practice in corporate worship is believer’s baptism. As a diverse and growing community, we honor and recognize those who believe their baptism as infants was valid, truly activated when they embraced the Good News in faith (we do, however, encourage receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit). (Matthew 3:11; 26:26-29; 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:29-24; Acts 1:5; 2:38; 11:16; Romans 6:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; 1 Peter 3:21).

We believe that both men and women are created in God’s image and are therefore equal before God as persons, possessing the same moral dignity and value, and have equal access to God through faith in Christ. We also believe that men and women are together the recipients of spiritual gifts designed to equip and empower them for ministry in the local church and beyond. We also recognize that the Scriptures teach that men are called to serve as elders in the church and sacrificial leaders in their homes. Each marriage will express these creation-realities in different ways. Every church, while embracing Scripture’s teaching on role-distinctions, should be a place that honors, develops and benefits from the spiritual gifting and leadership of every member, male and female. We joyfully receive Scripture’s teaching on these topics, knowing our Creator is also a Good Father who knows what is best. We do not believe this teaching leads us into traditionalism or guarding the status quo of our culture’s values. We also refuse to use His Word to sanction or tolerate any minimization of the gifts of women and men (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:18; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 3:1-7; 1 Peter 3:1-7).

We believe that God’s original creative design, as set forth in Scripture, is for complete fidelity (physically, emotionally, and spiritually) within heterosexual and monogamous marriage. Regardless of one’s marital status, we believe the Christian should pursue purity and abstain from sexually immoral practices such as adultery, premarital sex, and pornography. (Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:18-32, 13:13-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20, 10:8; Ephesians 5:3-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; 1 Timothy 1:8-10; Hebrews 13:4).

We joyfully affirm that God has created all of humanity in His image, as male and female, and as such, every person possesses equal moral and spiritual value and deserves to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect. We believe that life begins at conception, and that every life is precious in God's sight. We also recognize that, like all sins, the sin of abortion can be forgiven through Christ’s redemptive work on the cross. We celebrate that all ethnicities and races reflect God's to image and should be honored and loved, regardless of nationality, language, skin color, or gender. Any form of racism or racial supremacy contradicts Scripture and is not in alignment with God’s love for all people. Abortion and racism, as denials of God’s creative design, fall short of the truth of Scripture regarding the sacredness and value of all human life. As a community, we are committed to safeguarding and celebrating all life, living out God’s values through love and respect for one another, and sharing His truth with compassion and grace (Genesis 1:27-28; Psalm 139; Acts 17:22-31; Galatians 3:25-29; Ephesians 2:11-22; James 2:1; Revelation 5).

We believe that when Christians die they pass immediately into the blessed presence of Christ, there to enjoy conscious fellowship with the Savior until the day of the resurrection and glorious transformation of the body. The saved will then forever dwell in blissful fellowship with their great Triune God. We also believe that when unbelievers die they are consigned to hell, there to await the day of judgment when they shall be punished with eternal separation from the presence of God (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:19-31; John 5:25-29; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Philippians 1:19-26; 3:20-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:1-22:15).

We believe that the Kingdom of God came in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, that it continues to expand by the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Church, and that it will be consummated in the glorious, visible, and triumphant appearing of Christ when he returns to the earth as King. We believe that after Christ returns, he will bring about the ultimate defeat of Satan, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the eternal blessing of the righteous. At that time, the Kingdom of God will be completely fulfilled in the new heavens and the new earth, in which righteousness dwells and in which he will be worshiped forever (1 Corinthians 15:20-28,50-58; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12; Revelation 19:1-21).