The Bible
The Bible, containing the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, has been supernaturally provided, recorded, and authenticated through the divine messengers of miracle-working Apostles and Prophets. It is here that we find every divine doctrine to believe and every divine command to obey. The Scriptures are words from God. To disbelieve or disobey them is to disbelieve and disobey God Himself.
The Bible’s authority and trustworthiness as a divine revelation far exceeds any other revelations that may be claimed, and no person or church can authoritatively teach or demand anything except that which is contained in Scripture. Accordingly, all of the beliefs described below are derived from our understanding of Scripture. (cf. 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; John 10:35; 16:12 13; 17:17; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Hebrews 4:12)
God
God is the Creator and Sovereign Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three Persons — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who are all equal in divinity but different in roles. God’s ultimate purpose is to be glorified throughout His creation. This occurs both through His merciful love and His holy wrath. (cf. Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 40:12-26; Psalm 90:2; John 1:1; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11)
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the eternally existing Son of God, co-equal with the Father. While Jesus lived on earth, He was fully God and fully human, making Him the only acceptable mediator between God and humanity through His sinless life and sacrificial death on the cross. His resurrection is undeniable proof to all that He was who He claimed to be. Jesus now resides in glory with the Father until He returns again to punish His enemies and reward His followers. (cf. John 1:1-5; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Titus 2:13-14)
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son. It is His convicting, drawing, and regenerating work which enables people who are spiritually dead to be born again and receive the gift of saving faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:1-8; 6:44; Acts 16:14; Ephesians 2:8-9). He then indwells all Christians, sealing them eternally and empowering them to know, love, and serve God. (cf. John 3:1-8; 14:16-17; 16:7-11; Acts 16:14; 1 Timothy 1:14; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 3:16).
While all Christians immediately and equally receive the Person of the Holy Spirit in spiritual baptism upon conversion (cf. Ephesians 1:13; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 12:13), not all are equally controlled by Him, but grow in the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22) as they increasingly submit to Him (cf. Galatians 5:16-18).
Humanity
Humans, both male and female, were supernaturally created by God in His image. Like all creation, every human will glorify their Creator, either by eternally displaying His perfect holiness and eternal wrath in Hell, or by eternally displaying His mercy in Heaven. Since the sin of Adam, the first human, all humans have been born into a state of sin and separation from God that results in an attitude of independence and disobedience toward their Creator. This fallen state brought spiritual death to humanity, making it completely powerless to do anything to please God. (cf. Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Romans 3:23; 5:12; 8:5-8; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-5)
Salvation from Sin
Salvation comes only by God’s unconditional sovereign grace, not our human works, and therefore He is ultimately the One who initiates, accomplishes, and maintains it, and deserves all credit and glory for it (cf. John 6:44; 10:28-30; Romans 3:9-28; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Ephesians 2:8-9).
God “predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will, to the praise of His glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:5-6), indicating that the choice He made “before the creation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4) was not made on the basis of any act or merit of those chosen (cf. Romans 9:10-24). Otherwise, our salvation would ultimately be because of something we have done, instead of by God’s unconditional grace.
Even the supernatural saving faith in Christ that God requires is an unconditional gift from Him (cf. Ephesians 2:8-9), occurring upon our supernatural regeneration which enables us to embrace Christ in the gospel (cf. Acts 16:14; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6).
This salvation grants eternal life from the moment the Holy Spirit recreates us as believing, loving, and obeying followers of Jesus Christ. This new creation is irreversible, and the eternal life promised is just that — eternal — and therefore the believer’s salvation by grace is secure, because it is by God’s grace, not human works (cf. John 10:28-30; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 5:17). While real Christians still sin, our salvation and supernatural regeneration is proven by a lifestyle of love and holiness (cf. 1 John 2:1-6, 15, 29; 3:9-10; 5:13, 18).
Even though God Himself will ensure that every one of his chosen people will be saved from eternal punishment, these lost but future children of God must still hear the Gospel to be saved (cf. Romans 10:8-15). Therefore, God commands us to preach the Gospel and it is our greatest privilege to participate in God’s work of seeking and saving the lost, predestined children of God (cf. Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Tim 2:8-10).
The Sacraments
The Scriptures ordain two sacraments for the church: water baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the biblical way in which a believer publicly professes their saving faith and commitment to Christ (cf. Acts 2:38-41). Christ commanded water baptism for anyone who professes to follow Him (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). While the early Church permitted modes of baptism other than immersion, (cf. The Didache 7) the word “baptism” in the Greek language of the New Testament means immersion, and this mode best symbolizes the spiritual process of salvation where we are buried in death and rise in new life (cf. Romans 6:2-4).
The Lord’s Supper (or Communion) was instituted by Christ as a ceremony in which we remember His sacrificial death on the cross for our sins and look forward to His return to rule the new Earth. The elements of bread and wine are symbolic reminders of His broken body and shed blood (cf. Matthew 26:26-29).
Since only believers can properly recognize the significance of what the Lord’s Supper means, unbelievers are in danger of bringing God’s judgment on themselves if they participate (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:23-32). Accordingly, the church has a responsibility to protect unbelievers. Therefore, we ask that only those who have expressed their faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior through water baptism join the church family in The Lord’s Supper.
While the Bible does not specify the frequency of this sacrament, the early Christians “devoted themselves” (Acts 2:42) to it. Our current practice is to celebrate Communion every week in our Sunday service and periodically in our L.I.F.E. Groups.
Marriage and Gender
We believe that God created marriage and therefore He has the sole authority to define it. The Bible clearly defines and illustrates marriage as being between one man and one woman (cf. Gen 1:27-28; 2:18-25; Eph 5:31), which is why Jesus Christ described marriage in the same way (cf. Matt 19:4-6). Any other union which is called “marriage” is against the Creator’s intentions and desires.
The referenced Scriptures above also make it clear that God has created all humans to be either male or female. Therefore, any desire or action to change one’s gender or not to act in accordance with one’s God-given gender is against God’s desires.
We believe it is the Christian’s duty to never compromise on what is true, but also to love those who do not know the truth. Jesus Christ “came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Likewise we must exercise both. The Bible teaches us the truth about marriage and gender. But we must have compassion and kindness for those who do not believe the truth.