Doctrinal Statement

The Word of God

The Bible is the authoritative, inspired, and inerrant Word of God. It is living and active. It is the lamp to our feet and the light to our path, it will remain forever, and its every word proves true. Therefore, the Bible alone is the final rule and guide for all we believe and for how we are to live.

(Psalm 12:6, Psalm 18:30, Psalm 119:105, Psalm 119:160, Proverbs 30:5, Isaiah 40:8, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 24:35, John 10:35, John 17:17, Acts 17:11, 2 Timothy 3:16–17, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Peter 1:25, 2 Peter 1:20–21)

God

There is one, and only one, true and living God. He has revealed Himself as a Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes but without division of nature, essence, or being. He is the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. He is eternal, unchanging, all-powerful, omni-present, and all-knowing, and the heavens declare His glory! He is infinite in holiness, justice, love, and all other perfections. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience.

(Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 6:4–5, Deuteronomy 10:12, Psalm 19:1, Psalm 90:2, Psalm 139:1–4, Psalm 139:7–10, Psalm 147:5, Isaiah 6:3, Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 43:3, Jeremiah 10:10, Jeremiah 32:17, Malachi 3:6, Matthew 3:16–17, Matthew 22:37, Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 8:4–6, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Colossians 1:17, 1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 13:8, 1 John 4:8)

A. God the Father

There is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist. He reigns with sovereign, providential care over His universe and His creatures, directing the flow of human history according to the purposes of His grace.

(Deuteronomy 32:6, Isaiah 64:8, Psalm 103:19, Proverbs 16:9, Isaiah 46:10, Daniel 4:35, Matthew 6:9, Matthew 7:11, Acts 17:26, Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Ephesians 1:11)

B. God the Son

Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God – he was in the beginning with God. Though he was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God. He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. And God raised him up on the third day, because it was not possible for him to be held by death. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, fully-God and fully-man, and the only mediator between God and man. He is currently at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. He will return in power and glory to judge the living and the dead.

(Isaiah 53:5, Matthew 1:18–23, Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5, Matthew 28:1–6, Luke 1:35, John 1:1–2, John 10:30, Acts 2:22–24, Romans 1:3–4, Romans 3:23–26, Romans 8:34, 1 Corinthians 15:3–8, Philippians 2:6–11, Colossians 1:15–20, Colossians 2:9, 1 Timothy 2:5–6, Hebrews 1:1–3, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 13:8, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18, 2 Timothy 4:1, Revelation 5:9–14)

C. God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the fully divine Spirit of God. He is the Spirit of truth who inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. He was sent from the Father; he indwells believers as our Helper and Counselor. The Holy Spirit convicts humanity of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. At the moment of regeneration, he baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ, sealing them until the day of final redemption. We are to walk by the Spirit, so that we will not gratify the desires of the flesh. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. We as believers are called to use the gifts given by the Spirit: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

(Genesis 1:2, Psalm 51:11, Psalm 139:7, Joel 2:28–32, John 14:16–17, John 14:26, John 15:26, John 16:8, John 16:13, Acts 2:1–4, Acts 5:3–4, Romans 8:9, Romans 12:6–8, 1 Corinthians 6:19, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 12:3–13, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 5:16, Galatians 5:22–23, Ephesians 1:13–14, Ephesians 4:30, Ephesians 5:18, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21)

Humanity

God created mankind in His own image. Though God’s creation was initially very good, sin came into the world through Adam’s disobedience, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. All persons are born spiritually dead, sinners by both nature and choice, and therefore stand justly condemned as children of wrath in the sight of God, alienated and hopelessly lost, wholly unable to save themselves.

(Genesis 1:26–27, Genesis 1:31, Psalm 51:5, Isaiah 53:5, Romans 3:9–20, Romans 5:12, Ephesians 2:1–3, Ephesians 2:12, Colossians 1:21, John 6:44)

Salvation

But God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, and only through Jesus’ finished work on the cross can we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins. And since we have new spiritual life and have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, we are called to walk in newness of life, being transformed by the renewing of our minds, growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, putting to death what is earthly in us, walking in the good works God prepared beforehand for us, and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, living self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.

(John 1:12–13, Acts 4:12, Acts 16:30–31, Romans 5:1, Romans 5:8, Romans 6:4, Romans 8:1–17, Romans 8:31–39, Romans 12:1–2, Galatians 3:13, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:8–10, Colossians 1:14, Colossians 3:5, Titus 2:11–12, Titus 3:3–7, 2 Peter 3:18, 1 John 5:13)

The Church

Jesus Christ is the head of his Body, the Church — for in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body. The saints of Christ are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that we may proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Jesus Christ has given the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Therefore we must consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as we see the Day drawing near.

(Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 1:22–23, Ephesians 4:11–16, Colossians 1:18, Hebrews 10:24–25, 1 Peter 2:9)

Family, Marriage, & Sex

God has ordained the Family as the first and foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. God has tasked fathers and mothers with the training and education of their children, to bring them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord, teaching them to obey all that God has commanded us.

We remember that whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. So with gentleness and respect, we speak the truth in love, calling those living in sexual sin to repentance, restoration, and reconciliation with God. Jesus affirmed this by stating, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” God commands everyone to flee from sexual immorality, to keep the marriage bed undefiled from adultery, homosexuality, or any other sexual activity outside of marriage. Every person is fearfully and wonderfully made, and God calls men to be godly men and women to be godly women, so any attempt to alter one’s sexual identity is sin against God stemming from pride.

(Genesis 1:26–27, Genesis 2:24–25, Exodus 20:14 & 17, Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 18:22–23, Deuteronomy 6:6–7, Deuteronomy 22:5, Psalm 139:14, Proverbs 22:6, Matthew 19:4–6, Mark 10:6–9, Romans 1:18–31, 1 Corinthians 6:9–20, Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 6:4, Hebrews 13:4, James 5:20)

Missions and Service

Believers in Christ Jesus are commanded to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that he commanded us — teaching the whole counsel of God. We are to be Christ’s witnesses to the end of the earth, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

We have a responsibility as believers in Jesus Christ to be salt and light in our culture — letting our light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father who is in heaven. We impact every area of culture because we love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our might — whatever we do, we do all to the glory of God. This includes remembering the poor and ministering to their needs through generous giving and practical service.

(Deuteronomy 6:5, Isaiah 58:6–12, Matthew 5:13–16, Matthew 22:37, Matthew 28:19–20, Acts 1:8, Acts 20:27, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 2 Corinthians 9:6–7, Galatians 2:10, James 1:27)

Last Things

This gospel (good news) of God’s kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

We who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Jesus himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Christ Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.

God will create a new heaven and a new earth. Of the holy city, the New Jerusalem, God says, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Come, Lord Jesus!

(Matthew 16:27, Matthew 24:1–51, John 14:1–3, Acts 17:31, 1 Corinthians 15:12–58, 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10, Revelation 21:1–4, Revelation 21:27, Revelation 22:20)