Statement of Faith

The Word of God — We believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God in its entirety, written by men as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, and that it is the sole authority for the Christian’s faith and conduct. We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures and that God has preserved His Word for every generation. We believe that the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) is the preserved Word of God for the English-speaking people of the world and that the Reina-Valera Gómez Version of the Bible (RVG) is the preserved Word of God for the Spanish-speaking people of the world. (Psalm 12:6–7; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21)

 

The Godhead — We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe that these three Persons are equal in every divine perfection and that they fulfill distinct but harmonious roles in the great work of redemption. (Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16–17; 28:19)

 

God the Son — We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death for the sins of mankind, rose bodily from the grave, ascended into heaven, and will personally return. We believe that He is presently seated at the right hand of the Father, where He serves as our High Priest and Advocate. (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:26–35; John 1:1–3, 14; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:14–15; 1 John 2:1)

 

God the Holy Spirit — We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature. It is He who convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel and is the agent of the new birth, indwelling all true believers and working in their lives to accomplish the purposes of God. (John 3:5–8; 14:16–17; 16:7–13; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20)

 

Creation — We believe that the Genesis account of creation is neither allegory nor myth but a historical account of God's creation of the universe in six literal, 24-hour days. We believe that God created the universe and everything in it from nothing. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. (Genesis 1–2; Exodus 20:11)

 

Man — We believe that mankind was created in the image and likeness of God but that, through Adam's voluntary transgression, humanity fell from its original sinless state. As a result of the Fall, sin and death entered the world, and all mankind possesses a sinful nature and stands in need of redemption. All have sinned and are therefore under the just condemnation of God, without excuse or defense. (Genesis 1:26–27; 3:1–6; Romans 3:10, 23; 5:12, 19)

 

Satan — We believe in the personality and reality of Satan, a created being who rebelled against God and is the enemy of God and man. He actively opposes the work of God, seeks to deceive mankind, and will ultimately face eternal judgment in the lake of fire. (Job 1:6–7; Matthew 4:1–11; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 20:10)

 

Atonement — We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe in Him are justified by His shed blood. His death upon the cross provided the sufficient payment for the sins of mankind, and salvation is freely offered to all who will come to Him by faith. (Isaiah 53:5–6; John 3:16; Romans 5:8–9; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; 1 John 2:2)

 

Salvation — We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ and cannot be earned through good works, religious ceremonies, baptism, or human merit. Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. We believe that salvation is freely offered to all through the Gospel and that any sinner who repents and places his faith in Jesus Christ will be saved. (John 3:16; 14:6; Acts 20:21; Romans 10:9–13; Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5)

 

Eternal Security — We believe that those who receive Jesus Christ as Saviour are eternally secure. Their security rests in the finished work of Jesus Christ and not in their own ability to maintain their salvation. All of the redeemed are kept by God’s power and are therefore secure in Christ forever. (John 10:27–29; Romans 8:38–39; 1 Peter 1:3–5; 1 John 5:11–13)

 

The Church — We believe that a New Testament church is a local congregation of baptized believers, with Jesus Christ as its Head, practicing New Testament principles, believing its doctrines, observing its ordinances, and exercising its autonomy under the authority of Scripture. We believe that the local church is responsible for preaching the Gospel, making disciples, baptizing believers, teaching the Word of God, and carrying out the Great Commission. We believe that the two scriptural offices of the local church are pastor and deacon. (Matthew 18:15–20; Acts 2:41–47; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:1–13)

 

Scriptural Ordinances — We believe that the two scriptural ordinances of the church are baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is to be administered to believers after salvation as a testimony of their faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and of their identification with Him. Baptism has no part in obtaining salvation. We believe that the Lord's Supper is a symbolic ordinance to be observed by believers in remembrance of Christ and to show forth His death “till He come.” (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:41; 8:36–39; Romans 6:3–5; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26)

 

Missions and the Great Commission — We believe that Jesus Christ has given His churches the responsibility to carry the Gospel to the entire world. This Great Commission includes proclaiming the Gospel, leading people to faith in Christ, baptizing believers, teaching them the Word of God, and establishing local New Testament churches. We believe that every Christian should have a part in fulfilling the Great Commission through prayer, giving, witnessing, and faithful service as the Lord leads. (Matthew 28:18–20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13–15)

 

Israel — We believe that God has not cast away Israel and that Israel and the Church are distinct in God's prophetic plan. We believe in the literal fulfillment of the prophecies and promises of Scripture that foretell and assure the future regeneration and restoration of Israel as a nation. (Micah 4:6–7; Romans 11:1–2, 25–27)

 

Second Coming — We believe in the “Blessed Hope”: the personal, imminent, and pretribulational return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, to gather believers unto Himself. We further believe that Christ will return to earth following the Tribulation to establish His literal millennial kingdom. (John 14:1–3; 1 Corinthians 15:51–52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 19:11–16; 20:1–6)

 

Bodily Resurrection and Final Judgment — We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the just and the unjust. We believe that believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and that unbelievers will face the Great White Throne Judgment. God will judge in perfect righteousness according to His Word. (John 5:28–29; Acts 24:15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:11–15)

 

Heaven and Hell — We believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell. Those who have received Jesus Christ as Saviour will enjoy everlasting life in the presence of God, while those who die without Christ will face everlasting punishment and separation from God. The eternal destiny of every person depends upon whether he or she has received Jesus Christ as personal Saviour. (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:19–31; John 3:16–18, 36; Revelation 20:11–15; 21:1–4)

 

Biblical Separation — We believe that Christians are called to live holy lives, separate from sinful practices, and conduct themselves in ways that honor Jesus Christ. We further believe that local churches are responsible for maintaining doctrinal purity and separating from false teaching and religious partnerships that compromise biblical truth. (Romans 12:1–2; 16:17; 2 Corinthians 6:14–18; Ephesians 5:11; 1 Peter 1:15–16)

 

Marriage, Family, and Human Sexuality — We believe that God created mankind male and female and that both are created in the image of God. We believe that God established marriage as the lifelong covenant union of one man and one woman and that the family is a God-ordained institution. We believe that sexual intimacy was designed by God to be expressed within the covenant of marriage and that Christians should seek to honor God in their relationships, homes, and conduct while demonstrating both truth and grace toward others. (Genesis 1:27–28; 2:18–24; Matthew 19:4–6; Ephesians 5:22–33; Hebrews 13:4)