What We Believe

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter. It reveals the principles by which God will judge us and will remain to the end of the world the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tested.

We affirm that there is one true God who is holy, all powerful, all knowing, present everywhere, eternal, sovereign, and perfectly righteous. He is the creator and sustainer of all things, and we can know Him as He reveals Himself. God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person is fully God, yet there is one God. God, not man, must be at the center of our theology.

We affirm the deity of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation He who was fully God also became fully man and will continue to be so forever. He lived a perfect life, died a willing and substitutionary death on the cross to redeem believers, rose from the grave, ascended into Heaven, and will return in power to judge all creation.

We affirm that the Holy Spirit is fully personal and fully divine. He calls people to salvation and indwells all believers as the revealer of truth, comforter, counselor, and giver of spiritual gifts. We deny any claim that denies His full personhood or full divinity. We further deny that the Holy Spirit ever reveals anything to believers through private revelation that contradicts Scripture.

We affirm that the gospel confronts our complete depravity, sin, and separation from God and announces God's provision of reconciliation through the work of Christ on the cross. Salvation is a free gift of God's grace, received through faith, and not dependent on works. There is no salvation apart from true repentance and personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

We believe that to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again. Regeneration gives a holy disposition to the mind. It is accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth and leads to our willing obedience to the gospel. Its evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life.

The primary purpose of this saving work is the display of the glory of God.

• Sola Scriptura — By Scripture alone. The Bible is the sole written divine revelation and our only infallible rule for faith and life. It alone can bind the conscience of believers absolutely. (Matt. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:16)
• Sola Fide — Through faith alone. Justification is by faith alone. By God's free grace, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is credited to us by faith and is the sole ground of our acceptance by God, by which our sins are pardoned. (Rom. 5:1; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8–10)
• Solus Christus — In Christ alone. Jesus Christ is the only mediator by whose work we are redeemed. (John 14:6; John 3:16)
• Sola Gratia — By grace alone. Our salvation rests solely on the work of God's grace for us. (Rom. 2:4; Eph. 2:8–10)
• Soli Deo Gloria — For God's glory alone. Salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, therefore to God alone belongs the glory. (Isa. 42:8; Col. 3:17)

We believe that sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of His holiness. It is a progressive work that begins in regeneration and continues in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, our Sealer and Comforter. God uses His appointed means, especially the Word of God, self examination, self denial, watchfulness, and prayer.

We believe that those who are truly believers will endure and will make it through every circumstance in order to reach the end. Their persevering attachment to Christ is the clear mark that distinguishes them from superficial professors. A special providence watches over their welfare and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. God will preserve His people until the end.

We affirm that the local church is the visible display of God's glory on earth, revealing His wisdom, holiness, and redemptive work through Christ. Membership in a local church is a critical part of a Christian's life for ministry, accountability, and encouragement. The church is composed of true believers, called to be distinct from the world and set apart as a reflection of God's holiness.

Each member plays a vital role in displaying His glory by contributing their gifts, time, and resources to the ministry of the church.

We deny that a believer can pursue Christ in the most healthy and beneficial way while neglecting consistent and committed fellowship with a local church. We also deny that membership in the universal church is an adequate substitute for active participation in a particular local church, since God most clearly displays His glory through the gathered body.

We affirm that the two biblical offices in the local church are Pastor (also called Elder or Overseer) and Deacon. Christ has entrusted the spiritual leadership of the church to a plurality of biblically qualified Pastors, who share the responsibility of shepherding, teaching, and overseeing the flock. Deacons serve the church by meeting practical needs, supporting the ministry of the Word, and protecting the unity of the body, enabling the Pastors to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

We deny that ordination grants any special spiritual status or creates a higher class of Christian. Church officers are servants who must meet biblical qualifications and lead by example. We further deny that Scripture permits women to hold the office of Pastor/Elder or Deacon, as these roles are reserved for qualified men according to Scripture.

We affirm the importance of biblical congregationalism. Under Christ and His Word, the gathered church bears final responsibility for recognizing and affirming Pastors, selecting and commissioning Deacons, receiving and removing members, guarding the gospel and maintaining sound doctrine, and practicing church discipline. The congregation exercises these responsibilities while joyfully following the leadership of its Pastors and benefiting from the service of its Deacons.

We affirm that immersion baptism of a confessing believer is the practice most clearly supported in Scripture. We also affirm that the Lord's Supper should be regularly celebrated by the church as a means of remembering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sake of our redemption. We deny any definition of baptism that suggests that it in any way contributes to salvation.

We affirm that the most important task of every believer is to make disciples of all nations. Christians should strive to share the gospel locally with the people they see every day, and should have a burden to see other nations and people groups transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.