Wondering what we believe?
Here’s our Statement of Faith
All Scripture references are from the New Living Translation, unless otherwise noted.
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.
2 Peter 1:20-21 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets themselves or because they wanted to prophesy. It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God. (See also Rom 15:4; Heb 4:12)
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Matt 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. (See also John 14:25-26; 2 Cor 13:13; Gen 1:26; 3:22)
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, in His virgin birth, in His sinless human life, and in His miracles.
John 1:1 In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God.
John 1:14 So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.
Luke 1:34-35 Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
2 Cor 5:21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,
Heb 4:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin.
John 20:30 Jesus’ disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book.
We believe in Christ vicarious and atoning death on the cross. In His shed blood there is forgiveness and cleansing from sin; in His scourging there is healing from sickness; in His death and burial there is release from the old selfish nature.
Rom 3:25 For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times.
Eph 1:7 He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven.
Heb 9:14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.
Ps 103:3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed!
Rom 6:6 Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
We believe in Christ’s bodily resurrection, and in His ascension to the right hand of the Father. In His resurrection and ascension there is new spiritual life for all believers.
1 Cor 15:4-6 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the twelve apostles. After that, he was seen by more than five hundred of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died by now.
Mark 16:19 When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
Rom 6:4-5 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised as he was.
Eph 2:5-6 that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms–all because we are one with Christ Jesus.
We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful mankind, regeneration by the Holy Spirit, being born again through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, is absolutely essential. This joins the believer to Christ, giving him a new spirit within, a new beginning.
John 3:3 Jesus replied, “I assure you, unless you are born again, you can never see the Kingdom of God.”
John 3:6-7 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. So don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again.
Acts 2:38-39 Peter replied, “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles–all who have been called by the Lord our God.”
2 Cor 5:17 What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
Five facts about salvation:
1. Salvation is by His grace (God’s part); it cannot be earned by Law keeping our by good deeds of any kind.
Eph 2:5, 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (Acts 15:11)
2. We participate in salvation by faith.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, (Mark 16:16; Acts 16:31; Rom 10:8-10; 1 Cor 1:21).
John 3:15-17 …For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life… (Jn 3:36; 4:24; 6:40, 47; 11:25-26).
3. Faith doesn’t originate from yourself; it isn’t from your abilities.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God
4. Saving faith is the gift of God.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.Saving faith never comes from self-works.
Gal 2:16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
(Rom 3:20, 27-28; 4:2; 9:11, 16; 11:16; 2 Tim 1:9)
5. We believe in the outpouring from God of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh, beginning with the day of Pentecost and continuing until now. This comes in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, accompanied by speaking in unknown tongues, prophecy and other supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:1-4 the day of Pentecost
On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus’ resurrection, the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Acts 2:37-39 the baptism of the Spirit is for all believers.
Peter’s words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter replied, “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles–all who have been called by the Lord our God.”
(See Acts 2:1-39; 8:1-24; 19:1-7)
1 Cor 12:8-10 listing of the nine gifts of the Spirit
For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. (NASU)
We believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in every believer, and in the need beyond the baptism of the Holy Spirit to be filled with the Spirit in our character and behavior.
Rom 8:9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)
Eph 5:18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.
Gal 5:22-23 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.
We believe in the living Body of Christ, the church universal and local; and in the spiritual unity of all believers under the Head of the Body, Jesus Christ.
Eph 4:4-6 We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.
Eph 2:21-22 We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
We believe in the Kingdom of God, both present and future; that believers must recognize Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords in their hearts now, and eventually all spiritual and earthly authorities must bow to Him.
Matt 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (NASU)
Matt 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (NASU)
Matt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent , for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (NASU)
2 Tim 4:18 Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly Kingdom. To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
2 Peter 1:11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. (NASU)
We believe in Jesus Christ’s personal return to the earth in power and glory.
Acts 1:9-11 It was not long after he said this that he was taken up into the sky while they were watching, and he disappeared into a cloud. As they were straining their eyes to see him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!”
1 Thes 4:15-16 I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto life everlasting, and they that are lost unto everlasting damnation.
Dan 12:2 Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
John 5:28-29 Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to judgment.
Rev 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and I saw the one who was sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to the things written in the books, according to what they had done. The sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead in them. They were all judged according to their deeds. And death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death–the lake of fire. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.