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What We Believe
What is the Bible?
We believe the Bible is Holy Scripture, God’s revelation of himself. The Holy Spirit inspired the
biblical authors to write the Bible; therefore, it is the word of God and completely inerrant. Holy
Scripture is the only all sufficient source for faith and practice.
Who is God?
We believe in one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe
God is holy, self-existent, Jealous, immutable, love, and spirit. As God is spirit, we believe God
is all knowing, all powerful, and all present.
Who is the Trinity?
We believe the three persons of God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) are individual persons based on
their eternal relation to one another. God is properly called Father because he alone begat the
Son. The Son is properly called the Son because he was begotten by the Father. The Holy Spirit
is sent out by the Father and Son.
We also believe that through Jesus, the Son of God, we can know the Father. As God
himself said, “this is my Son, my Chosen One, listen to him.” If we know the Son, we know the
Father (John 14:7). If we listen to the Son, then we worship the Father through the Son.
Who is Mankind?
Man is made in the image of God. The image of God refers to mankind being the
embodiment of God’s image on earth. All mankind shares equally in the image of God. No
other authorized image of God exists. Genesis 1:26–27 teaches the imago Dei relies on two
factors: mankind’s dominion and relationship to God. Mankind was created with both body
and soul. God’s image exists as only two genders: male and female. The Bible recognizes a
fundamental difference in the creation of male and female (Gen 2:21–22), their roles in
marriage (Gen 2:24), and their roles within the home (Eph 5:22–31, 1 Pet 3:1–7). Outside of
marriage, absolute chastity is the only biblical norm; singleness, in this respect, is approved
by God (1 Cor 7:25–35). Genesis 1:26–27 affirms the full image of God in both male and
female separately; which means neither masculinity nor femininity are perfect
representations of the imago Dei on their own. Marriage is defined by God as a man leaving
his father and mother and cleaving to his wife (Gen 2:24–25). The complementary nature of
marriage is meant to reflect the Trinity (Eph 5:22–33), raise children in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord (Deut 6:7), and sanctify those within the marriage (Eph 5:31–32).
What is Sin?
Sin is rebellion, “missing the mark,” and corruption. against God. The result of sin
is inability to distinguish between what is ethical and unethical. Sin also corrupts creation (Ezek
36:17). The result of this corruption is starvation (Gen 3:17), the flourishing of evil (1 Kgs 14:9,
Isa 5:20), and ultimately death (Gen 3:19, Rom 6:23). Sin is universal. “We all like sheep have
gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way” (Isa 53:6, Rom 3:23). Sin is universal,
because “sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death
came to all people, because all sinned” (Rom 5:12).
What is Salvation?
God redeems mankind. Redemption carries with it the definition of purchase. The Bible
illustrates the payment for mankind’s sins by calling the payment a ransom (1 Pet 1:18, 1 Tim
2:6). The wages of sin is death (Rom 3:23) and therefore the payment for sin is death. God
paying the ransom for sin is properly called atonement. Atonement is the covering over and
removal of sins. Atonement for sins can only be made by providing a ransom for sin.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus is the only begotten Son of God who became flesh to redeem mankind from
sin. Jesus is fully God and fully human. We believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, suffered
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead on the third day by the power
of the Holy Spirit according to the scriptures.
We believe that the scope Jesus’s atonement is unlimited—Jesus died for everyone. However
we also believe that the in order to be saved, one must personally believe that Jesus is the Son of
God who took away the sins of the world.
What is the Church?
The local church refers to “an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated
by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel” (Baptist Faith and Message, 2000). The
Local Church On Mission For Christ. The Great Commission of Matthew 28 sets the church
apart to the mission of God. The local church is to make disciples, baptize, and teach believers to
observe Jesus’s commandments (Matt 28:19, 20). The local church is given ordinances from the
Lord for the continuation of its mission. Since they are given directly from God, the church may
not redefine, add to, or take away from the ordinances. There are two ordinances given to the
local church:
1. Baptism.
Baptism “is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believes faith in a
crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believers death to sin, the burial of the old life, and
the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus” (Baptist Faith and Message 2000).
2. The Lord’s supper.
The Lord’s Supper was instituted by Jesus himself (Luke 22:19–20),
handed down by the apostles (1 Cor 11:23–29), and must be taken with reverence (1 Cor
11:27). It involves two elements: bread (symbolic of his body) and fruit of the vine (symbolic
of his blood). We reject Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation. The believer ought to
approach the Lord’s Supper reverently, understanding failure to treat it as holy is cause for
judgment and even spiritual “illness” (1 Cor 11:28–29).
The Local Church is a priesthood of believers. As a priesthood of royal believers, church
members are to offer spiritual sacrifices to God. These sacrifices include but are not limited to:
offering one’s entire life, engaging in good deeds, sharing material wealth, worshiping,
proclaiming God’s Word, seeing people believe and accepting martyrdom. Therefore, our church
is led congregationally. The congregation is responsible is for determining the theology,
covenant, and direction of the church. Our members work in a Spirit-led democratic process for
Christ’s evangelistic mission, by which one may only vote after having prayed, sought the will of
God, and set aside any personal agenda.
Who is Pastor of the Church?
The only head pastor of the local church is Jesus Christ. He is the promised shepherd of the Old Testament (Isa 40:11, Jer 31:10, Mic 5:2–4). Jesus calls under-shepherds (pastors) to set the example, lead, teach, and care for the local church (Matt 20:25–28, Acts 20:28, 1 Tim 3:1–7, Titus 1:5–9). The under-shepherd job entails equipping, building, unifying, and maturing church members (Eph 4:11–15) and exercising oversight in theological matters (1 Pet 5:1–3).
Who are the Deacons?
Deacon means servant. The true example of service in the church is
Jesus Christ. Deacons are to reflect Jesus and serve like him, as if it were for the Lord himself.
Deacons are not given the authority to define theology for the local church. Deacons ought to be
men of unblemished reputation, ardent piety, and good common sense.