Statement of
Faith
WE BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER, an infinite, personal Spirit perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love, and that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men. We believe that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30)
WE BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, GOD's only begotten Son, John 10:33); conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:34-35) in His sinless life, (Hebrews 4:15, 7:26); and in His miracles and teaching (John 2:11). We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, (1 Corinthians 15:3; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 2:9) His bodily resurrection, (John 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:4) and His ascension into heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father. (Mark 16:19) We believe in His personal, visible return to earth, and the establishment of His Kingdom. (Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11-16)
WE BELIEVE IN THE HOLY
SPIRIT, who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and
judgment, and who regenerates, sanctifies, and empowers for
ministry all who believe in Christ. We believe the Holy Spirit
indwells every believer in Jesus Christ, and that He is an
abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide. We believe in the present
ministry of the Holy Spirit, and in the exercise of all Biblical
gifts of the Spirit. (Romans 8:13-14; 1 Corinthians 3:16,
6:19-20; Ephesians 4:30, 5:18)
WE BELIEVE That the BIBLE is the only inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of GOD. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:21).
WE BELIEVE in the absolute necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit for salvation and that all PEOPLE are sinners by nature and choice, and therefore regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential. (John 3:3) .We believe that repentance (turning away) from sin and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is the only way to come into relationship with GOD. (john 14:6). We believe that Jesus Christ baptizes the seeking believer with the Holy Spirit to empower the believer for service, and that this often occurs after salvation. (John 3:16-19; 5:24; Romans 3:23, 5:8-9; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5)
WE BELIEVE In the resurrection of all people, both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto eternal life in heaven, and they that are lost unto eternal damnation in hell. (John 5:28-29)
WE BELIEVE It is important to uphold the Scriptural practices of the early church. Therefore, we hold to the practice of water baptism (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:37-39) and the regular taking of communion (Luke 22:19-20, Acts 2:42). We do not believe that either of these practices is essential for salvation, but that they serve as a demonstration of our living faith in Christ.
WE
BELIEVE In the spiritual unity of believers in our
Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13;
Galatians 3:26-28)
WE BELIEVE In the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by Whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (Romans 8:13-14; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19-20; Ephesians 4:30, 5:18)
What is the significance of the Cross?
The cross has always signified death. In ancient times, the cross was used as a means of execution for criminals. It was a way of torturing a person by inflicting the severest pain, and causing them to feel the deepest shame. The convicted person was first physically punished by being beaten and whipped. He was then crucified on a cross, where he was left to die a slow and painful death usually from suffocation. That's why Jesus’ dying on the cross for our sins is so amazing. He offered Himself to be crucified for the sins of the whole world. He died on the cross so we wouldn't have to. Being born into sin, already guilty, it should have been us up there on the cross. It was an unworthy exchange: our guilty lives, for His guiltless one, yet God did it because He loves us. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends” (John 15:13). And so now, we are made free from spiritual death having “…no condemnation in Christ” (Romans 8:1).
As Christians,
we are commanded
to be baptized
as a response to
our faith in
Christ. “Go
therefore and
make disciples
of all the
nations,
baptizing them
in the name of
the Father and
of the Son and
of the Holy
Spirit”
(Matthew
28:19). And He
[Jesus] said to
them, “ ‘Go into
all the world
and preach the
Gospel to every
creature. He
who believes and
is baptized will
be saved; but he
who does not
believe will be
condemned’’”(Mark 16:15,
16).
The word baptize literally means “to dip or immerse.” The act of going under water during baptism, symbolizes being buried in death. It is a symbol of our dying to our old life and resurrecting in our new life (Romans 6:1-4). It demonstrates an outward sign of an inward change. We see baptism as a public testimony of our faith in Christ. Some say that water baptism is necessary for salvation: that's not really true. In Scripture we only see those who were already believers being baptized. It's important to remember that salvation is based upon what Christ has done, not on what we can earn (Ephesians 2:8-9). Since it is only for believers who profess faith in Christ, it would exclude infants since they can’t make their own profession.
Jesus
Himself
described
heaven as
paradise
when
speaking to
the thief on
the cross;
“Assuredly,
I say to
you, today
you will be
with Me in
Paradise"
(Luke
23:43). He
also assures
us in this
verse that
upon our
death we are
immediately
in the
presence of
God. The
original
word for
heaven means
“high or
lofty”, or
“that which
is above”,
which
designates
where heaven
is located.
In heaven,
there will
be no more
pain,
suffering or
tears for
God will
make all
things new;
"And God
will wipe
away every
tear from
their eyes;
there shall
be no more
death, nor
sorrow, nor
crying.
There shall
be no more
pain, for
the former
things have
passed away"
(Revelation
21:4). The
Book of
Revelation
has many
descriptions
of heaven;
including
the throne
room in
Revelation
4, “… and
behold, a
throne set
in heaven,
and One sat
on the
throne. And
He who sat
there was
like a
jasper and a
sardius
stone in
appearance;
and there
was a
rainbow
around the
throne, in
appearance
like an
emerald”
(Revelation
4:2-3);
Jesus at the
throne in
Revelation
5:2-7 and
the angels
worship of
God in
Revelation
5:8-14.
Following
the final
judgment,
the Great
White Throne
Judgment,
there will
be a new
heaven and
new earth,
as the
current
heaven and
earth are
destroyed by
fire
(Revelation
21, 2 Peter
3:10-13).
Also
described is
the New
Jerusalem,
the final
dwelling
place that
Christ has
prepared for
us in which
we have
personal,
intimate
fellowship
with Him
throughout
eternity.
The main
point is
that heaven
is the place
where we
will live in
the
immediate
presence of
God
eternally.