| Ministry Statement of Faith | |
| Sec. A. Scriptures.
The Bible includes both the Old and New Testaments (66 books total) which in the original writings is the inerrant, infallible, and verbal plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20 & 21) Sec. B. God. There is only one true and living God eternally existing as a trinity in unity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit — three persons but yet still one God. (Deut. 6:4; Mt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 8:6) Sec. C. Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is eternal and God. He became truly man while remaining truly God through His virgin birth as conceived by the Holy Spirit. After living a sinless life, He died on the cross for the sins of the world, shedding His perfect blood for our atonement. On the third day of being in the tomb, He was bodily resurrected from the grave, and forty (40) days later ascended back to Heaven. (John 1:1 & 2, 10:30, 1:14; Isa. 7:14; Mt. 1:20-23; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Cor. 15:3 & 4; Acts 1:4-9) Sec. D. Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God and indwells each believer. He convicts of sin, regenerates the sinner, and seals the saint. God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. The sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. (1 Cor. 6:19, 7:20, 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 13:8, 14:21-22; Rom. 8:9, 12:3-8; Jn. 16:8, 3:5 &6; Eph. 4:7-12, 30; 1 Jn. 1:6 & 7) Sec. E. Satan. Satan is a real being who is the father of lies and god of this present world. All unbelievers are under his sway. He is in rebellion against God and at war with all Christians. He shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Jn. 8:44; Eph. 6:10-18; Rev. 20:10) Sec. F. Creation. God created the world and all that is in it in six (6) literal, twenty-four (24) hour periods as recorded in Genesis. Evolution cannot be reconciled with the Scriptures. (Gen. 1-3) Sec. G. Fall of Man. Man was created in the image and likeness of God, but he deliberately chose to rebel against God through his fall in Eden. Everyone is born a sinner and is a sinner by choice. All deserve condemnation because of sin. (Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 3:10 & 23, 6:23) Sec. H. Heaven and Hell. Heaven is a literal place, containing literal and eternal rewards for truly born-again believers. Unbelievers shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment. (Jn. 14:1 & 2, 3:16; Mt. 25:46; Lk. 16:19-31; Rev. 20:11-15) Sec. I. Salvation. The only way man can gain eternal life is by repenting of his sins and asking Christ, in faith, to forgive him of and save him from his sins thus giving him eternal life. Eternal salvation is available to everyone through personal faith in Christ’s death and resurrection for sin. Good works are in no way effectual for salvation but are the result of the new birth. Eternal security of salvation is guaranteed by Christ’s resurrection and intercession. (Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:10-13; Eph. 2:8 & 9;1 Jn. 5:13) Sec. J. Local Church. The local church is a group of baptized believers uniting together to serve Christ through fulfilling the Great Commission. Therefore, they strive to win the lost, see them baptized, and then come into the church to learn more and become involved in service. The church has two ordinances given by Christ to be practiced: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. (Mt. 28:19 & 20; Acts 2:41-47) Baptism. Baptism is the symbol of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and is an open testimony of the believer’s saving faith in the sacrifice of Christ. The only Scriptural mode of baptism is by immersion. (Rom. 6:3-5) The Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial to the death of Christ for our sins. The bread only symbolizes the broken body of Christ as the grape juice only symbolizes the shed blood of our Savior. (1 Cor. 11:23-34) Sec. K. Second Coming of Christ. Christ has not only returned to Heaven but will bodily return to rapture out all believers living and dead. This coming is imminent; and will be a premillenial, pretribulational, personal meeting in the air. (Acts 1:11; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thes. 4:14-18) Sec. L. Human Sexuality God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. Any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, transexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom 1: 26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thes. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4). We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23) Men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12) Sec. M. Abortion Human life begins at conception and the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the taking of unborn human life. (Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16: Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44) Sec. N. Missions God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20) Sec. O. Lawsuits Between Believers Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. The church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (1 Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:31-32) |