What We Believe
The Bible is the inspired Word of God (2 Tim 3:16). It is the final authority for all matters of faith and practice. It reveals the plan, purposes, and will of God for what Christians should believe and how they should live.
The Bible is our ultimate statement of faith. "Where the Bible speaks, we speak; where the Bible is silent, we are silent." Doctrinal creeds and statements of faith , while useful for educational purposes, can be both divisive and misleading, since they are all composed by imperfect human beings.
Therefore, we assert the following:
• In essential beliefs - we have unity.................. (Eph 4:4-6)
• In nonessential beliefs-we have liberty..................(Rom 14:1,4,12,22)
• In all our beliefs-we exhibit charity......... (I Cors 13:2; Eph 4:15)
God
There is only one living, true, holy God, who reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are one God. God is Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, and Ruler of the universe. Gen 1:1,26-27; Deut 6:4;
Jesus Christ
Jesus is God the Son. He was miraculously conceived, born of a virgin, and sinless in life. Christ was fully man and fully God. He offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all, by dying on a cross. He was bodily resurrected demonstrating his power over sin and death. Jn 1:1-5,14; 1 Cor 15:3-4; Col 1:15-20;
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is equal with God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He lives in all Christians from the moment of Salvation, providing them with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in following God’s will. He gives every believer spiritual gifts when they are saved. Jn 16:7-13; Gal 5:22-25
Salvation
1.Humankind was specially created, but is now tragically lost apart from God’s redeeming grace (undeserved favor).
2.Each person can be made new in Christ by the Holy Spirit and thereafter continuously grow in the knowledge of God.
3.Salvation is wholly a work of God’s free grace, received by repentance and faith in Christ’s death and resurrection. Jn 1:12; Rom 5:6-19; 6:23; Titus 3:5
The Church
The church is a group of believers brought together by the Spirit of God to carry out the Great Commandment by practicing the Great Commission. Matt 16:16-18; Rom 12:1-21;
Baptism
Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change that has occurred in the life of the believer.
It is an identification with Christ by picturing his death, burial, and resurrection. Matt 28:19; Rom 6:4
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