Our Doctrinal Beliefs
God's Word
We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible; that it is the supernatural revelation of God to man, and that it is our absolute authority for Christian faith and life (II Tim. 3:16, II Peter 1:21).
God/Trinity
We believe in one God, who exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (I John 5:7; Acts 2:32-33).
Effect of sin (the fall)
We believe that the entire human race, by an act of sin on the part of Adam and Eve, was plunged into ruin and that a new birth is necessary for anyone to be saved (Rom. 5:12-21 with Gen. 3).
Jesus Christ and rescue from sin (evil)
- We believe that the Lord Jesus was born of a virgin (Matt. 1:23).
- We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ (John 10:30, 37, 38).
- We believe that Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that all who believe in him are justified solely on the ground of the blood which he shed on Calvary’s cross (Rom. 5:8-10).
- We believe that those who thus receive Christ by faith have their sins forgiven (Eph. 1:7), their hearts cleansed (Acts 15:9), are born of the Spirit, become children of God (John 1:12, 13), and are made new creatures in Christ Jesus (II Cor. 5:17).
- We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was literally and bodily raised from the dead, that he ascended into heaven and is there now, as our intercessor (Matt. 28:5, 6; Rom. 8:34).
Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, and as such he is our abiding comforter and helper (John 14:16, 17). We believe he convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and judgment, and that it is by his power that the born-again Christian is enabled to live the Christian life.
End of time (future hope)
- We believe that there will be a bodily resurrection of the saved and the unsaved: that the saved will be eternally blessed in heaven, and that the unsaved will be in everlasting and conscious punishment in Hell (I Cor. 13; John 5:28, 29).
- We believe in the blessed hope, the personal, literal, visible, premillennial, and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to receive his own unto himself (John 14:2, 3; Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:13-18).
Local church
- We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by a covenant of faith, and for fellowship in the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by his laws and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by his word; that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures.
- We believe that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations, and the one and only head is Christ; that local churches of true scriptural doctrine are to cooperate with one another in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation. On all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final (Acts 2:41, 42; Acts 20:17, 28; I Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22, 23; Eph. 4:11; Eph. 5:22, 23; I Cor. 11:2; Col. 1:18).
- We believe that the Bible records only two public ordinances and that these should be followed by the local church. They are water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, or Communion.
- Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show his faith in, and identity with Christ in his death, burial, resurrection, and the Spirit-filled life. It is a symbol and demonstration of the conversion experience.
- We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of the atoning death, burial, resurrection, and personal return of Christ and that only born-again believers are to participate in it. We believe that the elements, bread and the juice of the grape, are symbols of Christ’s body and blood and have no merit in themselves.
- We believe that we are under obligation to contend earnestly for the faith once and for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 3).
Our Membership Agreement
Loving God (Matthew 22:37-38)
I will choose to seek a relationship with God and respond to his leading in my life. I will choose to seek God through prayer and his Word and respond to his leading so that my thoughts, attitudes, and actions are changed by God to reflect the character of Jesus (John 15:1-11, 1 Chronicles 16:11, Psalm 51:10).
- Relationship: Loving God I will seek to know and enjoy him through a life of prayer and learning God’s Word so that my life becomes an acceptable act of worship (John 17:3, Romans 12:1, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Psalm 1:1-2, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
- Transformation: Growing in my love for God and responding in obedience to the Spirit’s work will visibly transform my character so that the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) continuously grows in me (Romans 12:2; John 14:15; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 5:17; 1 John 3:2-3).
- Intentionality: Loving God, I will seek to share my walk with Christ with my family and closest relationships (husband, wife, children, parents, siblings, friends, etc.), encouraging them to discover and nurture their own faith journeys (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Acts 16:13-15, 29-34; 2 Timothy 1:5, 3:15).
Loving the Church Family (Colossians 3:12-14)
I will choose to live in loving relationship within this church family by promoting its unity, participating in its mission and goals, and regularly gathering to share my life as a part of this caring community (1 Corinthians 12:12-27, 15:58; 1 Peter 3:8-9; 1 John 4:7-12).
- Unity: Loving the family of God and seeking unity, I will pursue and nurture authentic relationships with this church family. I will discover how God is preparing me to faithfully serve and humbly join in our church’s mission and goals (Philippians 2:5-8, Ephesians 4:11-16, 1 Corinthians 1:10).
- Humility: Recognizing that God places leadership in this church and recognizing their accountability to him and this body, I will endeavor to support and pray for those who serve in various leadership roles of this congregation (Hebrews 13:17, 1 Timothy 5:17, 1 Peter 5:1-7).
- Reconciliation: I will value and protect the relationships in this church family. I will pray regularly for the family and speak well of them, both publicly and privately (Ephesians 4:29-32). I will be careful not to undermine their trust in God, or instigate division (Romans 14:1-23). I will lovingly approach my fellow believers with an attitude of grace when misunderstanding and conflict arise (Colossians 3:12-14). I will be quick to listen, slow to take offense, willing to repent and forgive, and make every effort toward biblical reconciliation (Philippians 2:2-5, James 1:19-20, Matthew 18:15-17).
- Involvement: I will choose to meet regularly with this church family to worship God, engage with the Lord through his Word, encourage my brothers and sisters to live out their faith, and pray for the coming of his kingdom (Hebrews 10:23-25, Ephesians 2:19-21, Matthew 18:20, Acts 2:42).
- Support: I will seek to cheerfully and regularly support this church family, recognizing that my time, abilities, and finances have been entrusted to me by God for the growth of his kingdom and for his glory (Proverbs 3:9, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, Romans 12:6-8).
- Reputation: I will promote and maintain the character of this church in all areas of my life as one that loves well, both inside and outside this church family, being aware of and acting on the needs of others as a true reflection of Jesus’ love (John 13:34-35, Galatians 6:2, Ephesians 5:2, Colossians 4:5-6, Matthew 5:16, Philippians 2:1-8).
Loving the World (John 3:16)
I will choose to share the gospel with those who don’t know Jesus through prayer, acts of kindness, authentic relationships, and gospel conversations leading to a growing church family both here and around the world (1 Peter 3:15, Ephesians 6:15, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
In response to God’s grace and mercy, I will seek to orient my life around the growth of God’s kingdom (Matthew 28:18-20). I will see people around me (family, neighbors, coworkers, friends, and those God brings into my path) and people around the world as people God loves and my responsibility as Jesus’ servant and ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:11-21). Therefore, I will participate in the following ways:
- Prayer: Recognizing the sharing of the gospel and people’s reception of it as a spiritual endeavor, empowered by the Holy Spirit, I will intentionally pray:
- to see those who do not know Jesus as God sees them.
- for opportunities to show love and build relationships.
- for courage to share the gospel.
- for people’s hearts to be receptive.
(Ephesians 6:18-19, 1 Timothy 2:1-3, Romans 10:1)
- Acts of Kindness: Being led by the Holy Spirit as an ambassador of the Lord Jesus, I will intentionally demonstrate his love through acts of kindness that address other’s needs and show hospitality in order to break down barriers and initiate relationships (Luke 6:35-36, 2 Corinthians 6:6, 1 John 4:19-21).
- Authentic Relationships: Because God is relational in nature and pursued a relationship with me, I will pursue genuine relationships with those who need Jesus. I will communicate on a deeper level: listening attentively and building camaraderie (2 Corinthians 6:3-7, John 17:15-21, 1 Corinthians 10:32-33).
- Gospel Conversations: As conversations take place within these relationships, I will include what Jesus is doing in my life. I will talk about how my sin separated me from God and how he rescued me from its consequences (Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:9-10). I will explain how trusting God has changed me, how he guides me in the present, and gives me hope for eternity (Acts 22:14-15, Philippians 2:15, 2 Corinthians 5:9-11).
- Global Mission: Since God loves people deeply and desires a restored relationship with humanity (John 3:16), I will have compassion for the people of the world and participate as a partner with this church family in the spread of the gospel (Acts 1:8, Acts 13:47-48, Psalm 96:3, 1 Chronicles 16:8).
If you have any questions or would like to know more, we would love to talk with you!