WHAT WE BELIEVE

The Holy Bible:

We believe and accept the entire Bible as the infallible Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit.  It is the complete and divine revelation of God to man and the final authority on faith and life.  It is the power of God unto Salvation (Peter 1:21;  2 Timothy 3:16,17;  Romans 1:16)

The Nature of God

We believe there is only one true eternal living God, (Deuteronomy 6:4) who is a Spirit and through Him were all things Created.  He is Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, immutable, immanent and transcendent who is coexistent, co-equal and coeternal in three distinct persons , Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (John 4:24:  Revelation. 4:8b; 4:11;  Psalm 23:4a;  115:3; 147:5; 139:7-17; Jeremiah 23:24; Hebrews 13:8; John 14:26; Mark 1:10; John 1:1 Matt 28:19; Acts 5:3,4)

The Lord Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He pre-existed with God the Father before His incarnation (John 8:58)  He is the Word made Flesh, Fully God and Fully man, two natures in one person, divine and Human.  We hold true:

• His Virgin Birth (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31)

• His Sinless life (Hebrews 7:26; 1Peter 2:22)

• His Miracles ( Acts 2:22; 10:38)

• His substitutionary work on the cross (1 Corinthians. 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21

• His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:4)

• His exaltation to the right hand of God. (Acts 1:9, 11: 2:33; Philippians . 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:3)

The Demonic realm

We believe in the reality of the devil and the demonic spirits that oppose the work and people of God (Isaiah 14:12;  1Peter 5:8, Luke 4:2,; 8:12) that Christ conquered them through Calvary and that they will be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire with the unsaved who are condemned at the Great White Throne Judgment. (1 John 3:8; Ephesians 1:20,21;6:11-12, Colossians 2:14,15; James 4:7; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:11-15)

Sin and the fall of Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God.  However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God. (Genesis 1:26,27;  2:17; 3:6; Romans 5:12-19)

Salvation, the New Birth

We believe in the regeneration, or the “New Birth” is received through faith in Jesus Christ alone who was delivered up for our trespasses and was raised for our justification. (1 Timothy 2:5,6; Romans 3:23-25; 4:25; 2 Corinthians 5:17)  Those who are in Christ are those sinners who by means of Christ’s blood have been made new creatures.  Repentance and faith in the precious blood of Jesus Christ is the only means of being cleansed from sin. The believer’s   salvation brought by the grace of God through faith in Jesus.  Though they were condemned, they have been justified, are being sanctified and will ultimately be glorified.  (Romans 3:24-25; 5:16-18; 8:30; 1 Corinthians 1:30 2 Corinthians 5:17)

Water Baptism

We believe in water baptism by single immersion in the name of The Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit according to Christ’s commission. (Matthew 28:18,19; Acts 8:35-39; 10:47,48 Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38)  Salvation by grace through faith should be followed with obedience in water baptism. (Acts 2:38)

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

We believe in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as an experience subsequent to salvation (John 14:17) with Tongues as the initial physical evidence of having received the gift. (Acts 2:4; 10:45,46; 11:15-17; 19:6)  Jesus Christ is the baptizer. (Matthew 3:11) and that all believers are eligible to receive this baptism for the purpose of witnessing, empowerment and ministering. (Acts 1:8; 2:39)  Believers should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and Fire according to the command of the Lord Jesus Christ.  (1 Corinthians 12:1-31)

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

We believe the Gifts of the Holy Spirit enumerated in the New Testament were intended by God to endure throughout the Church Age. (1 Corinthians 1:7; 12:28)  These include the Gifts of Revelation, (word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Discerning of spirits), Gifts of Power, (Faith, Healings, Miracles) the gifts of utterance, (prophesy, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues).  (1 Corinthians 12:8-10)  The purpose of the gifts is for the edification, exhortation and comfort of the Church. (1 Corinthians 14:26)

Sanctification

Sanctification is an act of Separation from that which is evil, and of Dedication to God.  (Romans 12:2;  1 Thessalonians 5:23;  Hebrews 13:12)  The scriptures teach a life of holiness without which no man will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)  By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey the command “Be ye Holy; for I am Holy.” ( 1 Peter 15,16)

The Church and its ministry

1. We believe that the Church is the universal “body” and espoused bride of Christ, which is solely made up of supernaturally born again persons throughout the Church Age of which Christ is the Head (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; John 3:3-7; 1 Peter 1:23)

2. We believe that the primary fourfold mission of the Church is to Glorify God (Romans 15:6), edify and disciple believers (Ephesians 4:11,12), evangelize the world (Luke 24:47) and be an enlightenment and restraining force in the world (Matthew 5:13,14)

3. We believe that Christ left two ordinances for the Church: Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion) We believe in Water baptism by single immersion in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit as an outward symbol of the inward work of regeneration accomplished by God in the life of a believer who has placed his faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Matthew 28:19. Romans 6:3,4). We believe in the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper which Jesus commanded His disciples to observe by partaking of the emblems of bread and wine in remembrance of His sacrificial death. (Luke 22: 19, 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26) The Lord’s Supper is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2Peter 1:4) a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26) and is enjoined on all believers “Till He Come!” Holy Communion will be observed on a regular basis as directed in the scriptures. (Luke 22:19,20: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

4. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is mandated in the New Testament scriptures. (Matthew 28:19,20; Acts 11:19-26; 16:5; Titus 1:5)

Divine Healing

We believe in divine healing, that is the physical healing of our bodies that has been provided for in the sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ as it is written, Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses.” (Isaiah 53:4,5:  Psalm 103:3, Matthew 8:17; Romans 8:11; 2 Corinthians 12:8; James 5:14).  God has revealed Himself as healer and He has not changed. (Exodus 15:16: Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8)  During the Church age healing is provided by Christ in the atonement and is one of the signs that follow believers. (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:17; Mark 16:18)  God may heal directly in answer to unction and prayer by the elders of the church or through spiritual gifts of healing.  (1 Corinthians 12:9; James 5:14-16)

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ and Final Events

We believe in the personal pre-millennial Second Coming of Jesus Christ to raise the dead in Christ and to rapture His Church (first resurrection) to bind Satan, to purge the Earth and to establish His earthly messianic kingdom as was promised in the “Davidic Covenant” to the nation Israel and in the “Blessed Hope “ to the Church (Psalm 89:3,4;  Daniel 2:44, 45:  Zechariah 14:1; Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 19:11-16;  20:1-6)  After the millennium Satan will be loosed, then, along with those of the second resurrection who will be judged before the Great White Throne, they will be cast forever into the Lake of Fire.

The Resurrection and Eternal State

We believe there will be a bodily resurrection of all men- the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:46; John 5:28,29).  We believe that the dead in Christ are absent from the body and present with the Lord, awaiting the first resurrection after which they in their glorified bodies will bypass the Great White Throne Judgment and reign in bliss forever with the Lord  (Luke 23:43; 2Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17;  Revelation 20:4-6; 22:3-5).  We believe the souls of unbelievers remain after physical death, separated from God in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection after which they will be judged before the Great White Throne and be sentenced to the eternal “second death” in the Lake of Fire.  (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48: Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6,7; Revelation 29:6,11-15)

The New Heaven and the New Earth

We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.  (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1)