Tenants Of Faith
Our Standard - The Scriptures
We believe the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God and the product of God-appointed men who spoke and wrote as they were moved upon by the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct. (2 Timothy 3:16, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Peter 1:21)
God - The Godhead
We believe our God is One, but manifested in three persons-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, being co-equal. God the Father is greater than all. The Son, Jesus, is the Word made flesh, the only begotten son of the Father and He has existed with the Father from the beginning. The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son and is our Helper, Comforter, Strengthener, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, and Standby. (Philippians 2:6, John 14:28, John 16:28, John 1:14, John 1:1, John 1:18, John 15:26)
Our Need - Man's Fall and Redemption
We believe man is a created being; made in the likeness and image of God. Through Adam's transgression and fall, sin came into the world, and death was the result. Therefore, man is spiritually dead and separated from God. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sent to give His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God by providing us with salvation. Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the law, and it is by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, that we are saved. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but by Him. (Romans 5:14, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, 1 John 3:8, Ephesians 2:8, John 14:6)
Eternal Life - Being Born of the Spirit
We believe in order to be saved and receive eternal life; Jesus said every person must be born again. The New Birth is necessary to all men, and when experienced, produces eternal life. For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life. (2 Corinthians 7:10, 1 John 5:12, John 3:3-5, John 3:16)
Divine Power - Being Filled with the Spirit
We believe every believer should be "born of" the Spirit and subsequently "filled with" the Holy Spirit. This is also known as: the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, receiving the Spirit or being filled with the Spirit. This is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers and is received by faith, subsequent to the New Birth. Being filled with the Spirit gives a believer power to be a witness for Christ, and is the entry point for the supernatural, victorious life. The Bible teaches that this experience is received by faith and is often evidenced by the accompanying supernatural gifts of the Spirit, including speaking in tongues. (Matt. 3:11, John 14:16,17, Acts 1:8, 2:4,38, 19:1-7, Eph 5:18)
Going Public - Water Baptism
We believe Jesus commanded all believers to go public with their faith through water baptism, by immersion. Water baptism is a public declaration of the internal work of God in the heart and life of a believer. This is a symbol of the Christian's identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. (Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12, Acts 8:36-39)
Real Growth - Sanctification
We believe the true Christian life is evidenced by the godly fruit of the Spirit that is developed and produced in the life of a believer. This process of sanctification leads to a genuine, holy, Christ-like life and is a definite, yet progressive, work of grace. This process begins at the time of the new birth and continues throughout our Christian life. (Hebrews 12:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 2 Peter 3:18, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 3:12-14, 1 Corinthians 1:30)
Blessings - Divine Healing
We believe that Jesus desires the abundant life for all believers who walk in the light of His Word. This includes many blessings- spirit, soul and body. God promises to forgive all our sins and to heal all our diseases. Therefore, we believe that health and healing for the mental, emotional and physical ills of the human mind and body is available by the power of God. (John 10:10, Psalm 103:3, Mark 16:18, James 5:14-25, 1 Peter 2:24, Matthew 8:17, Isaiah 53:4-5)
Things To Come - The Return Of Our Lord
We believe in the physical, bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ. When He comes, the dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds (what we refer to as the Rapture), to meet the Lord in the air. After this rapture event, we believe the Tribulation, a period of 7 years, will take place on earth. Following the Tribulation, Jesus shall return to the Earth as King of kings, the Lord of lords. Believers will return with Him and will reign with Christ on earth for a thousand years during what is known as the Millennial Reign of Christ. (Acts 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17, Revelation 20:6)
Final Destination - Hell and Eternal Retribution
We believe that a person who physically dies without accepting and confessing Jesus Christ as Lord is hopelessly and eternally lost. This person will spend eternity in hell and the Lake of Fire, and therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel and repenting. (Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 19:20)
Christian Marriage
We believe that the Bible describes marriage as involving one man and one woman, and has been instituted by God. We believe God intends sexual intimacy to occur between a man and a woman (Man and Woman as determined by God at birth at the chromosome level) who are married to each other. God loves every person, no matter what their sexual gender, views, experience or orientation may be. His desire is that every person on the planet comes into a personal relationship with Him, continues to grow and be conformed to his image. (Titus 1:6, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13)