What We Teach

God:

We believe in one eternal, knowable, sovereign God (Deut. 6:4; 1 Tim. 1:17; Dan. 4:34-35). He knows all things (Psalm 139:1-4), and providentially oversees all things (Mt. 10:29-31). He is merciful (Exod. 34:6), just (Acts 17:31), loving (1 John 4:8), holy (Rev. 4:8), great in power (Psalm 147:5), and good in purpose (Rom. 8:28). His glory is our chief concern (1 Cor. 10:31).

Trinity:

We believe in one God who exists in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19). All three are uncreated, co-eternal, and equal in power, glory, and honor.

Scripture:

We believe that God, while having revealed himself in his creation, has spoken to us most clearly in his word (Psalm 19; Rom. 1:18-20). The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are breathed out by God, holy, complete, and entirely without error in the original manuscripts (2 Tim. 3:16; John 10:35; 2 Peter 1:20-21). The Bible is our final authority in life, doctrine, and godliness (Mt. 4:4; 2 Peter 1:3-4).

Creation:

We believe that God created the entire universe out of nothing (Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:3). Man and woman were the crown of His good creation, being created in his own image (Gen. 1:26-27). As image-bearers, we were created to worship God and reflect him in true knowledge, righteousness, and holiness (Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:9-10).

Fall:

We believe that Adam and Eve, our first parents, rebelled against God and plunged themselves and all their offspring into ruin (Gen. 3). Because of Adam’s sin, we are all guilty sinners (Rom. 5:12-21). We come into the world with thoroughly corrupt natures (Psalm 51:5). We are unable to turn to God unless he first turns to us (John 6:44; Rom. 3:10-18; Eph. 2:1-5).

Jesus Christ:

We believe Jesus of Nazareth was and is the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. We believe he is also the Son of the Living God (Mt. 16:16). He is fully man and fully God (1 Tim 2:5;Titus 2:13). He was born of the virgin Mary, lived a perfect life, taught the way of God’s kingdom, worked miracles, suffered, died, and (bodily) rose again (1 Cor. 15:1-8).

We believe Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and died a shameful death that we might be counted righteous by faith and forgiven of all our sins (2 Cor. 5:21). He was our sacrificial substitute (1 Peter 3:18). He redeemed us from the curse of the law, removed all our guilt, and suffered all the wrath of God due our sin (Gal. 3:13; 1 John 1:8-2:2).

Salvation:

We believe that we are justified–declared righteous before God–through faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone, and not by our works (Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-10). The only way to be adopted into God’s family is through union with his Son, Jesus Christ by faith alone (Eph. 1:5).

Holy Spirit:

We believe that the Holy Spirit, working through the gospel, supernaturally converts (regenerates) the hearts of God’s people by making alive those who were spiritually dead (Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23; Eph. 2:1-5). The Spirit causes us to grow in holiness (2 Cor. 3:18), seals us for the day of redemption that we might be assured of our salvation (Eph. 1:13-14), and equips us with spiritual gifts for the building up of the body (1 Cor. 12:7).

Church:

We believe the church is the communion of God’s people drawn from every tribe, language, people, and nation (Eph. 2:11-22; Rev. 5:9-10). This invisible body, of which Christ Jesus is the head, exists locally, and imperfectly, as the visible church.

We believe that Jesus Christ has given his church two ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Mt. 28:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

We believe that God’s people should be marked by Christlikeness (Eph. 5:1-2), prayerfulness (Rom. 12:12), joyful obedience (John 14:15), love of God and love of neighbor (Mt. 22:37-40).

We believe that the one mission of the church is make disciples of all nations (Mt. 28:19-20).

Last Things:

We believe Jesus Christ will return to earth personally, visibly, and bodily as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Acts 1:11). At his appearing the dead shall be raised, and the living and the dead will be judged (1 Cor. 15). The wicked and unbelieving will be consigned to hell, a place of eternal conscious punishment (Rev. 20:10, 14-15). Those belonging to Jesus will have eternal life in the new heavens and the new earth and live in ever-increasing joy to the glory of God (Mt. 25:21; Rev. 21-22).