Statement of Faith: What We Believe

In Essential Beliefs - We Have Unity

"...there is one Body and one Spirit...there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God the Father of all of us."  (Ephesians 4:4-6)

In Non-Essential Beliefs - We Have Liberty

"...accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters... Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls... So then each of us will give an account of himself to God... So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God." (Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22)

In All Our Beliefs - We Show Charity

" if I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains - but have no love, I amount to nothing at all." (1 Corinthians 13:2)

The Essentials We Believe

The sole basis for our belief is the Bible, which is uniquely God-inspired, without error and the final authority on all matters on which it speaks. As the Bible teaches, there is one God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - each possessing all the attributes of deity.

God created humans to have fellowship with Him, but they defied God by sinfully going their own way. As a result, we need God's saving grace to end our alienation from Him. Salvation comes only through God's grace, not human effort, and must be received personally by repentance and faith.

Jesus Christ, second Person of the Trinity, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life on earth and voluntarily paid for our sin by dying on the cross as our substitute. This accomplished salvation for all who receive grace by trusting in Him alone. He rose from the dead and is the only mediator between God and us. He baptizes the believers in the Holy Spirit. He will return to earth to consummate history.

The Holy Spirit draws sinners to Christ and equips believers for personal growth and service to the church. The church's role is to glorify God and serve those in need. At the end, everyone will experience bodily resurrection and the judgment. Only believers will enjoy eternal fellowship with God.

Our Lifestyle Statement: What We Practice

Beliefs are not worth much unless they are translated into actions. Based on what the Bible teaches, we feel very strongly about the following practices.

The Bible is Our Authority

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16)

Since God's word is the only completely reliable and truthful authority, we accept the Bible as our manual for living. Our first question when faced with a decision is "What does the Bible say?" We practice daily Bible reading and Bible study. The Bible is the basis for all we believe.

Christ is the Head of the Church

"...Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior." (Ephesians 5:23)

Christ is the recognized head of our church, not any person, group, or religious organization. While recognizing the value of associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians, we believe every local church should be self-governing and independent from any denominational control.

Every Believer is a Priest

"To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father…" (Revelation 1:6)

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him." (1 Peter 2:9)

The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to "fulltime" Christian service, regardless of his or her vocation. We practice the truth that every believer is a minister by encouraging every member to find a place of service and ministry. Every believer has direct access to God through prayer and Bible reading.

Believers Can Be Spirit-Filled and Spirit-Led.

"you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" (Acts 1:8)

"be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 5:18)

We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God's power within us. Every believer can be filled with the Holy Spirit upon request. We seek to practice a daily dependence on God's Spirit to enable us to do what is right.

We Have Both the Privilege and Responsibility to Share the Good News with Other People.

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15)

Additional reading: John 4

It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the Good News with those God brings us into contact with. We are intentional about developing relationships and in bringing and including friends in the life of the church.