WHAT WE TEACH
In unity with Christ's Church through the centuries and around the world, we affirm the historic truths of the Christian faith as summarize in the Apostles' Creed. Specifically, we affirm the following doctrines:
The Scriptures
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original texts and fully accurate in all matters. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the primary source for, and the final authority in, all matters of faith and practice (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21).
God
God is a spiritual being who exists eternally as a Trinity of three distinct persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – each of whom is fully divine, yet there is only one God (Deut. 6:4; Mt. 28:19; Jn. 4:24; 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14). He is the perfect and perfectly good Creator and Sovereign of the universe (Gen. 1-2; Ps. 24:1-2; 115:3).
Jesus Christ
The eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, became incarnate in the Lord Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary, and is fully God and fully human. Having lived a sinless life, he died on the cross as the substitutionary atonement for man's sins and was bodily resurrected three days later. He is currently seated in heaven at the right hand of God the Father, where He makes intercession for His children. He will one day return to defeat Satan and judge the living and the dead (Jn. 1:1-18; 1 Cor. 15:1-5; Col. 1:13-20; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 1:1-9; Heb. 7:25; Rev. 20:11-15).
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity. His activity in the believer's life includes regeneration, conviction of sin, indwelling, baptism, sealing, sanctifying, and empowering (Jn. 3:3-7; 16:8; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 2:12; 6:19; 12:13; Eph. 4:30; Titus 3:5).
Man
Man is created male and female in the image of God and therefore possesses inherent dignity and worth. Because of Adam's disobedience every person is born condemned, corrupted, accursed, and alienated from the holy God. Consequently man can do nothing to merit or contribute to his salvation but rather must receive the gift of salvation by grace through faith in Christ's completed work (Gen. 1:27; Rom. 3:23; 5:12; Eph. 2:1-10).
Salvation
The basis of salvation is Christ's perfect life, substitutionary death and bodily resurrection. The means of receiving this salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Jn. 3:16; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Rom. 3:21-31; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Eph. 1:4-5; 2:8-9). Eternal salvation is assured for all who are in Christ (Jn. 10:27-30; Rom. 8:28-39; Jude 24). The believer's assurance of salvation is based upon the internal witness of the Spirit and the external testimony of a transformed life (Rom. 8:16-17; 1 Jn. 2:3-6; 5:11-13).
Sanctification
Salvation results in positional, progressive, an ultimate sanctification (Jn. 17:15-17; Rom. 8:29; Eph. 5:26-27; Phil. 2:12-13 1 Jn. 3:2). Every believer is called and enabled to live a godly life and is given one or more spiritual gifts for the edification of the body and the proclamation of the gospel (Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12, 14; Eph. 4; 1 Pet. 4).
The Church
The Church is the body and bride of Christ and is comprised of all true believers. Christ created His Church to glorify God by making disciples of all nations. Membership in the universal Church is enjoyed and expressed through full participation in the local assembly (1 Cor. 12:4-13, 27; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:24-30; Heb. 10:24-25).
Ordinances
The Bible sets forth two ordinances, the Lord's Supper and water baptism. The Lord's Supper is to be observed regularly in remembrance of Christ's atoning death, in celebration of His communion with His Church, and in anticipation of His return. Baptism is obligatory for every believer and a prerequisite for local church membership. Baptism is not essential for salvation but rather accompanies conversion as a sign of the believer's salvation and consecration, his identification with the death and resurrection of Christ, and his entrance into the Body of Christ (Mt. 28:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).
The Eternal State
The blessed hope and joyful expectation of the Church is to live forever with her God. Christ will return and bodily raise to life those who have died, judge the living and the dead, and righteously consign every soul to either eternal bliss or eternal condemnation (Dan. 12:2; Mt. 24:29-30; 25:31-46; Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:42-49; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 20:11-15; Rev. 21-22).