what we teach

The Scriptures

We believe the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments to be the full record of God’s self-disclosure to mankind. Different men, while writing according to their own styles and personalities, were supernaturally moved along by the Holy Spirit to record God’s very words, inerrant in the original writings. Therefore, those applying themselves to study its literal, historical-grammatical context can accurately understand God’s word. Scripture is fully trustworthy as our final and sufficient authority for all of life.

2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31–32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32

The Triune God

We believe in the one living and true God, eternally existing in perfect unity as three equally and fully divine persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each member of the Godhead, while executing distinct but complementary roles in redemptive history, has precisely the same nature, attributes, and being, and is equally worthy of the same glory, honor, and obedience.

Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:21b–22; John 17:3; Matthew 3:13–17; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1–4; Acts 5:3–4; Colossians 2:9

God the Father

We believe God the Father eternally exists as the first person of the Trinity. In this role and relationship, he has planned, directed, and is absolutely sovereign over all of creation and redemption, having decreed for his own glory all things that come to pass. God the Father is an invisible spirit, yet personal and relational. He is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, purposes, and promises. He is perfect in knowledge, wisdom, truthfulness, faithfulness, goodness, love, holiness, justice, and wrath. Each of his attributes, in their perfection and fullness, are eternally true of his character and exist in complete and beautiful harmony with one another. As Father of his redeemed people, God has chosen from eternity past those whom he would call his own and, as a gift of his grace, sent his Son to save them from sin and death. All who come to him through faith in Jesus Christ are adopted as his children, making them fellow heirs with Christ and recipients of his fatherly love and discipline.

Psalm 90:2; Genesis 1:1–31; Psalm 24:1; 103:19; Romans 11:36; Revelation 4:11; Isaiah 46:9–10; John 1:18; 4:24; 1 John 4:7–12; Psalm 102:25–27; Job 37:16; Romans 16:27; Isaiah 45:19; Numbers 23:19; Psalm 36:5; Psalm 100:5; 1 John 4:8; Romans 5:8; Leviticus 19:2; Isaiah 6:3; Deuteronomy 32:4; Romans 1:18; Isaiah 63:16; Romans 8:14; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Ephesians 1:3–6; Romans 3:24–25; John 1:12; Romans 8:15–17; Hebrews 12:5–9

God the Son

We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, moved by love in accordance with the will of the Father, took on human flesh. Conceived through the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the virgin Mary. He, being fully God and fully man, lived a sinless life and sacrificially shed his blood and died on the cross in our place accomplishing redemption for all who place their faith in him. He arose visibly and bodily from the dead three days later and ascended into heaven, where, at the Father’s right hand, he is now head of his body, the Church, the only Savior and Mediator between God and man, and will return to earth in power and glory to consummate his redemptive mission.

John 1:1, 14, 18; Luke 1:35; John 14:8–9; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; John 10:15; Romans 3:24–25; 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24; Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:38–39; Acts 2:30–31; Romans 1:4; 4:25; 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:20; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1; Acts 1:9–11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 1 Timothy 3:16

God the Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that he does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ during this age. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He draws the unredeemed to repentance and faith, and at salvation imparts new spiritual life to the believer, bringing that person into union with Christ and the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit sanctifies, seals, fills, guides, instructs, comforts, equips, empowers, permanently indwells at salvation, and bestows spiritual gifts to the believer for Christ-like living and service.

John 16:8, 14; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:13–14; Romans 8:9–17; 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 3:16; 12:4–5, 11–13; Galatians 5:25; Hebrews 2:1–4; 2 Corinthians 12:12

Mankind

We believe that God created mankind—male and female—in his own image and likeness, free of sin, to glorify himself and enjoy his fellowship. Tempted by Satan, but in the sovereign plan of God, man freely chose to disobey God, bringing sin, death, and condemnation to all mankind. All human beings, therefore, are totally depraved by nature and by choice. Alienated from God without defense or excuse, and subject to God’s righteous wrath, all of mankind is in desperate need of the Savior.

Genesis 1:26–27; Isaiah 43:6; Psalm 16:11; Genesis 3:1–6; Romans 3:10–19; 6:23; Jeremiah 17:9; Ephesians 2:1–3; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 1:18, 32

Salvation

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as the substitutionary atonement in our place, and that salvation is found in none other than Jesus Christ. Before creation, God chose those who would be saved and granted this unearned grace solely based on his sovereign good pleasure. Jesus Christʼs death on the cross was the sole and complete payment for sins, fully satisfying Godʼs righteous wrath, for each person that turns from sin in repentance and places their faith in Christ alone by grace alone. At salvation, each person is made a new creation by the Holy Spirit, declared righteous before God, and secured as an adopted child of God forever. Genuine faith continues in obedience and love for Jesus Christ with a life eager to glorify God and persevere to the end.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:29–30; Ephesians 1:3–14; Isaiah 55:7; Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8–9; Romans 8:37–39

The Church

We believe that, upon placing one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, the believer is made part of the body of Christ, the one universal Church, of which Jesus Christ is the head. The Scriptures command believers to gather locally in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the word, fellowship, the ordinances of baptism and communion, service to the local body through the development and use of talents and spiritual gifts, and outreach to the world to make disciples. Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the Church under the watchful care of a plurality of pastors. A church’s members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12–13; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:24–25; Ephesians 1:22–23; Acts 2:42–46; 20:17; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Matthew 28:18–20; Ephesians 4:16

Baptism and Communion

We believe that Christian baptism is a public declaration of the believer’s salvation in Christ, identifying with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection symbolized by immersion in water. The Lord’s Supper is the united commemoration by believers of Christ’s death until he comes and should be preceded by a careful self-examination.

Acts 2:41; Romans 6:3–6; Acts 8:26–40; 1 Corinthians 11:17–34

Missions

We believe it is the aim, duty, and privilege of every believer and local church fellowship to glorify God by responding as active participants in the Great Commission call of Jesus Christ to go and make disciples of all nations. We believe the primary focus and priority of this call is centered on efforts that establish, strengthen, and reproduce biblically-based churches, which will then plant churches that plant churches for future generations and God’s glory.

Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; Titus 1:5

Things to Come

We believe in and expectantly await the glorious, visible, personal, premillennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The blessed hope of his return has a vital bearing on the personal life, service, and mission of the believer. We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost. The lost will be raised to judgment and experience eternal wrath in hell. The saved will be raised to eternal joy in the new heaven and new earth in the manifested presence of God.

Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 1 Corinthians 15:51–53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15–5:11; John 5:28–29; Matthew 25:31–46; Romans 8:10–11; Revelation 20:15