1. THE BIBLE
We believe the sixty-six canonical books of the Bible as originally written were inspired of God and therefore free from error. They constitute the only infallible guide in faith and practice.
2. THE TRIUNE GOD
We believe there is one God, creator and sustainer of all things, infinite in being and perfection. He exists eternally in three Persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who are of one substance and equal in power and glory.
3. HUMANITY AND SIN
We believe humans are created in the image of God and therefore possess intrinsic and eternal value. Through disobedience, God’s beloved children fell from their sinless state and plunged into a state of separation from God, estrangement from neighbor, and spiritual death. This also brought upon the entire race the sentence of eternal death. Humans can only be saved from this condition by the grace of God, through faith in the work of Jesus Christ alone.
4. JESUS CHRIST
We believe in the eternally pre-existent Son who became incarnate without a human father, born of the virgin Mary. In the Lord Jesus Christ, the divine and human natures united in one Person, both natures being whole, perfect, and distinct. To make salvation possible, Jesus lived a sinless life and died on the cross as the sinner’s substitute, shedding His blood for the remission of sins. Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient to cover the sins of all who repent and this salvation shall be preached to all people. On the third day, He rose from the dead in the body which has been laid in the tomb. He ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He performs the ministry of intercession. He shall come again, personally and visibly to complete His saving work and to consummate the eternal plan of God.
5. THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Triune God. He empowers the church and convicts the world of sin. He applies the work of Christ to humans who believe. Through repentance, justification, and adoption humans receive a right standing before God. By regeneration and sanctification, a believer’s nature becomes renewed.
6. SALVATION AND MISSION
We believe that Christian disciples, having turned to God in penitent faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are accountable to God for living a life separated from sin, marked by obedience to Scriptural commandments, and characterized by the fruit of the Spirit. It is their responsibility to contribute by word and deed to the universal spread of the Gospel and the advancement of the kingdom of God.
7. THE END OF THE AGE
At the end of the age, we believe the bodies of the dead shall be raised. The righteous shall enter into full possession of eternal life in God’s presence. The wicked shall be condemned to eternal punishment apart from God and His goodness.
8. SACRAMENTS
We believe that the Sacraments were instituted by God through the ministry of Jesus. They seal us in our redemption, confirm our identity as members of God’s covenant community, and mark us to participate in the church’s mission. In Baptism, we participate in Jesus’ death and resurrection; it is the sign and seal of oneness with Him. It symbolizes the washing and cleansing of sin through Christ. In the Lord’s Supper, we eat and drink in communion with the crucified and risen Lord. This unites us with Christ and fellow believers who gather around the table in the presence of our Lord.
