Statement of Faith

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.

Genesis 1:1-2 — In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Additional: Gen. 1:26-27; Gen. 3:22 -23; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-3; John 10:30; Isa. 45:22-23; Php. 2:5-11; Psa. 110:1-2; Rom. 8:28-30

Human beings were made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. Humans are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although people have tremendous potential for good, we are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called sin. This attitude separates human beings from God.

Psalm 8:3-6 – When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,

Isaiah 53:6 – All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Additional: Genesis 2:7, 18, 21; Mark 10:6-9; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 3:10-23

Human beings were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 – … to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

Additional: John 3:16; John 5:24-30; John 17:3; Romans 6:23; Jude 7; Revelation 20:15

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and is co-equal with the Father. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all humanity by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

John 14:6-20 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Additional: Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-18; Hebrews 1: 1-4; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:13-16; Titus 2:11-14

Salvation is a gift from God to humanity. Human beings can never make up for their sin by self-improvement or good deeds. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can people be saved from sin’s penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into their life by faith for the forgiveness of sins, followed by believer’s baptism by immersion in water. That life benefits our whole person – spirit, soul and body. It matures us into the likeness of Jesus Christ. It produces good works through us.

Acts 2:37-38 – Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Additional: Romans 10:9; Acts 8:36-38;Romans 5:1; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9-15; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; John 3:16-17; John 14:6; John 17:3; Acts 4:10-12; Titus 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; John 10:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Ephesians 4:12-13; John 15:4; John 15:8

Because God gave His followers eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, as the believer yields to the in-dwelling Holy Spirit, not by the self-effort of the believer. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security.

John 10:29 – My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Additional: 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 10:10; Hebrews 10:14-16; 1 Peter 1:3-4; Romans 7:18; Romans 8:1

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We are obedient to his laws out of love through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit as the result of becoming new creatures in Christ by faith in His substitutionary work on the cross.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 18-20 — Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God…. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Additional: Jeremiah 31:33 & Hebrews 8:10; Romans 6:22-23; Ephesians 5:3-7; John 13:34; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; 1 John 3:16-23; 1 John 3:20-21; 1 John 2:28

Satan is a created being and he is the enemy of God and the church. He is the deceiver of mankind and the instigator of all false systems of religion; he is a defeated foe and his final destination will be the lake of fire.

Isaiah 14:12-15 — “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.

Additional: Ezekiel 28:13-16; Genesis 3:13-15; Luke 10:18-19; Matthew 4:1,10; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Corinthians 11:1-2, 3-4; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Ephesians 2:2-3; Revelation 20:2, 7-10

The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth and guidance in doing what is right. The Holy Spirit also distributes spiritual gifts as He desires as a means of building up the entire church. The Christian seeks to live under His control daily.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 – But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Additional: 2 Corinthians 3:17; John 14:16-18; John 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38; Acts 5:3; 1 Corinthians 2:12-14; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Romans 8:13-16; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 5:18; Ephesians 4:11-13; Galatians 5:22-23, 25

The Bible is God’s Word to all humanity. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, the Bible is truth without any mixture of error.

2 Peter 1:19-21 — And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Additional: Galatians 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Timothy 3:13; 2 Peter 3:15-16; John 5:39; Exodus 24:4; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 12:6; Psalm 119:11; Psalm 119:105; Psalm 119:160; Proverbs 30:5

The church (also known as the Body of Christ) is made up of everyone who receives Jesus Christ into their life, by faith, as Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ is the head of the body (the church).

Eph. 1:18-23 – (may) the eyes of your understanding (be) enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Additional: 1 Corinthians 12:13-14; 1 Corinthians 12:27-28; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 1:9-22