Statement of Faith

1. The Word of God
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31- 32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32)  (Sermon on Affirmation #1)
2. The Trinity
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption. (Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:1,3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19-20; Ephesians 4:5-6)  (Sermon on Affirmation #2)
3. God the Father
We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of each person, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Luke 10:21-22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:1,2; 2:5-6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6)  (Sermon on Affirmation #3)
4. Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth. (Matthew 1:18-25; 20:28; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28-31; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9-10; 9:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:4-5; Hebrews 7:25; 9:28; 1 Timothy 3:16; Peter 2:21-23)  (Sermon on Affirmation #4)
5. The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. (John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; 16:7-14; Acts 2:1-21; Romans 8:9-11, 16-17; Corinthians 2:14-16; 3:16; 6:19; 12:4-11; Galatians 5:22-26)  (Sermon on Affirmation #5)
6. Humanity 
We believe that human beings are the crowning work of creation, and that each person is immutably and biologically created as male or female, together reflecting the image of God. In the beginning, Adam and Eve were innocent of sin and were endowed by their Creator with responsible choice. By their choice they freely sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. The sacredness of humanity is evident in God’s creative work and in Christ’s gracious act of dying for fallen humanity and raising us to newness of life. (Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5-7,18-22; 3:1-24; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; 147:10-11 Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19- 32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1 -22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11)
7. Regeneration
We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26; 2:17; 3:14-19; 5:2; Psalm 51:7; Proverbs 28:13; Ecclesiastes 2:11; Jeremiah 17:9; John 1:13; 3:14-16; 5:24, 30; 8:12; 10:26; Romans 3:19; 5:19; 8:1; 9:22; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; James 1:14; I John 1:9; Revelation 3:20; 20:10,14-15)  (Sermon on Affirmation #6)
8. The Church
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. (Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:36-42; Hebrews 10:23-25)  (Sermon on Affirmation #7)
9. Christian Conduct
We believe that Christians should live for the glory of God and the well-being of others; that their conduct should be blameless before the world; that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions; and that they should seek to realize for themselves and others the full stature of maturity in Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15,23-24; 1 John 2:3-6; 2 Corinthians 9:6-9; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Colossians 1:9-10)  (Sermon on Affirmation #8)
10. Christian Marriage
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female and that these two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen 1:27). We believe that God created marriage to be exclusively the union of one man and one woman, and that intimate sexual activity is to occur exclusively within that union. (Genesis 1:27; 2:24; Exodus 20:14,17; Leviticus 18:22-23; Hosea 2:16; Matthew 5:27-28, 19:4-9; John 2:1-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:21-6:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7; Jude 7; Revelation 21:1-9) (Sermon on Affirmation #9)
11. Sanctity of Human Life
We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Genesis 1:26-27; Job 10:11- 12; Psalm 139; Proverbs 31:8)
12. The Ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)  (Sermons on Affirmation #11: Lord's Supper  / Baptism)
13. Religious Liberty
We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other.  (Acts 4:18-20, 5:29; Galatians 5:1,13; 1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 14:7-9,12) (Sermon on Affirmation #12)
14. Church Cooperation
We believe that local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in a denominational organization. Such an organization, whether it is the Conference or a district conference, exists and functions by the will of the churches. Cooperation in a conference is voluntary and may be terminated at any time. Churches may likewise cooperate with interdenominational fellowships on a voluntary independent basis. (Acts 8; 15; 16:1-5, 20:6; Romans 15:26; 1 Corinthians 16:1; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4,10-11)  (Sermon on Affirmation #13)
15. The Last Things
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked. (Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15; Philippians 3:20; 1Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; Revelation 20:4-6,11-15) (Sermon on Affirmation #14)
16. Final Authority
This statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of the church's faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Elder Board is the church's final interpretive authority on the Bible's meaning and application. (Psalm 119:142, 160; Isaiah 55:11; Matthew 4:4, 24:35; Luke 21:33; John 10:35, Acts 14:23; Romans 11:29; 2 Timothy 3:15-16, 1 Peter 5:5; 2 Peter 1:20-21, Revelation 22:18-19)