What We Believe

STATEMENT OF FAITH

1. We believe the Bible to be the only inspired, infallible, and authoritative word of God.
2. We believe that there is one Holy God, perfect in all his attributes, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate, in his virgin birth, in his sinless life, in his miracles, in his vicarious and atoning death through his shed blood, in his bodily resurrection, in his ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in his personal return in power and glory.
4. We believe that human beings, though created in the image of God, are sinful and lost without Christ, and in need of regeneration by the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life, in unity with other believers in the church, the body of Christ.
6. We believe in the resurrection of all: those who are saved unto the resurrection of life and those who are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

CORE VALUES

1.  The Word of God is our source of truth for living and ministry.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. . .  (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)

2.  Expectant faith is to be our consistent means of operation.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.  (Hebrews 11:6 NASB)

3.  Prayer is our constant practice.

.…pray without ceasing . . .  (1Thes 5:17 NASB)

4.  Evangelism is of highest priority since knowledge of Christ is the deciding factor for eternity, and all other ministry proceeds from its fruit.

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. (1Cor 9:16-17 NASB)

5. The Holy Spirit is the source of power for holy living and ministry and we trust his work in the lives of all true believers.

For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (Romans 8:13-14 NASB)

6. The church is the body of Christ and all ministries are to grow from and build toward local expressions of assemblies of believers.

…I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. (1Timothy 3:15 NASB)

7. The call of Christ demands that each Christian become a disciple, denying self, taking up the cross daily and following Jesus.

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23 NASB)

8. We are called to serve the body of Christ, humbly and diligently, following Jesus example.

If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. (John 13:14-15 NASB)

9. The surpassing greatness of God compels us to excellence in all we do, as an expression of our worship.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. (Rom 12:1 NASB) Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.  (1Peter 4:11 NASB)