OUR BELIEFS
The Trinity
We believe in one God who eternally exists in three equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each has the same nature and attributes but is distinct in office and activity.
(Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14)
The Person and the Work of Christ
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary, so that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. He accomplished our redemption by shedding His blood on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice. Redemption and salvation are guaranteed by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead.
(John 1:1, 14, 18; Luke 1:35; Romans 3:24-26; 4:25)
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, exalted to the right hand of God where, as High Priest to His people, He intercedes and advocates for His own.
(Hebrews 1:3; 3:1; I John 2:1-2)
The Person and the Work of The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit restrains evil in the world and convicts men of sin. He also regenerates or restores those who receive Christ as Savior, baptizes or "places" them into the Church (the Body of Christ), indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of redemption, and bestows spiritual gifts on them.
(John 16:7-11; John 3:8; I Corinthians 12:4-11,13; Ephesians 4:30; 5:18)
Scripture
We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God, is without error in the original writings, and is the supreme and final authority in doctrine and practice.
(II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21; John 17:17)
Creation
We believe that God created all things in heaven and earth in a literal seven-day (twenty-four-hour) process and that they exist by His power.
(Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16-17)
Mankind
Humanity is the highest creation of God, the object of His love. God made humanity in His own image, giving them dominion over creation. We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, to be innocent. When he sinned, he brought both physical and spiritual death to himself, his world, and his posterity. We believe that man has inherited a sinful nature, is alienated from God, and is in need of salvation.
(Genesis 1:27; 2:17; 3:19; Ephesians 2:1-3)
As a result of Adam's sin, humans inherit a nature that is (1) guilty of Adam's original sin (2) unable and unwilling to come to God, and (3) guilty of personal sins, which are the fruit of this depraved nature. Thus, all of fallen humanity is guilty before God. A person's fallen condition is remedied only by the Holy Spirit drawing that person to put his faith in Jesus Christ. Those who have faith in Jesus Christ are forgiven, adopted as children of God, and have an eternal destiny with Him.
(Genesis 1:27; Psalms 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6; 59:1, 2; Romans 3:23; 5:12-21)
Salvation
We believe salvation is a sovereign gift of God and is received by man through personal faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sin. We believe man is justified by grace through faith apart from works.
(Acts 13:38-39; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 1:4-5 & 2:8-10)
We believe that once saved, true believers are kept secure in Christ forever as the elect of God.
(Romans 8:1; 29-30; John 10:27-30)
Eternity
We believe that the souls of believers in Jesus Christ do, at death, immediately pass into His presence. They will remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body when Christ comes for His Church, a point where soul and body shall reunited and be associated with Him forever in glory. We believe the souls of unbelievers remain in constant misery in Hades after death, until the final judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the millennium, when reunited soul and body shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting separation from the presence of the Lord.
(Luke 16:19-26; 23:43; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:11-15)
The Church
We believe the Church, the Body and Bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism, made up of all born-again people of this present age. We believe the Church began at Pentecost and that each believer is placed into the Church by the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit.
(Ephesians 1:22-23; I Corinthians 12-13; 10:32)
We believe the local church is an assembly of people who profess to believe in Jesus Christ and are voluntarily joined together in one locality to worship, study the Word of God, observe the ordinances, fellowship, become equipped for and practice Kingdom service, and steward life, to fulfill the Great Commission.
(Acts 2:42-47; I Corinthians 1:1-2; Ephesians 4:11-13; Matthew 16:18 ; 28:19-20)
Baptism & The Lord's Supper
We believe Christ instituted the ordinances of Baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, both of which are to be observed by believers until He returns.
(Matthew 28:19-20; I Cor. 11:23-26)
We believe that each Christian publicly identifies with his Savior by water baptism. Therefore, an infant of believing parents may be dedicated to the Lord but should not be baptized until they can personally articulate their faith and the purpose of baptism.
We believe the Lord's Supper portrays a memorial of Christ's death, the elements being symbols of His body and blood. We believe every Christian has a right to partake of the elements of the Lord's Supper but must always solemnly self-examine himself prior to consuming them.
(I Cor. 11:23-29)
The Second Coming of Christ
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
(Matthew 24)
Evangelism & Missions
It is the duty and privilege of every follower and of every church of Christ, to endeavor to make disciples of all men and every nation. When a man's spirit is reborn by God's Holy Spirit, a new love for others is also born. He may bring others to Christ by verbal witness, by a Christ-like lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.
(Matt. 28:18-20)