Statement Of Faith

Doctrinal Statement

Concerning The Scriptures

We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments alone as verbally and plenarily inspired of God, without error, and the sole authority of faith and practice. By inspiration, we mean the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. We believe that the King James Bible is the only Word of God for English speaking people today.

(Galatians 3:16, 11 Timothy 3:16, 11 Peter 1:19-21)

Concerning The True God

We believe in one God, the creator of heaven and earth; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory and executing distinct and harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

(Genesis 1:1, Exodus 20:2,3, John 1:1-3, Romans 1:1-6)

Concerning The Lord Jesus Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary as no other man was ever nor can be born of a woman. He is very God of very God, being God manifest in the flesh. He lived a life of absolute sinlessness and in His death made a full and vicarious atonement (redemption) for our sins, dying not as a martyr, but as voluntary substitute in the sinners place. He rose from the dead on the third day and ascended bodily into heaven. He is coming again to rapture His saints, and to set up the throne of David and establish His kingdom. This rapture coming is imminent and will be personal, pre-tribulational and pre-millennial. The rapture will occur prior to the start of the 70th week of Daniel.

(Isaiah 7:14, John 1:1; 14:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Peter 2:22; 3:18)

Concerning The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person possessing all the attributes of personality and of deity. He is equal with the Father and the Son and is of the same nature. His relation to the unbelieving world is that He convictsof sin, righteousness and judgment. He is the agent of the new birth, and His work among believers is that He seals, indwells, in fills, guides and teaches them the ways of righteousness. We believe there is a distinction between the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and His ministry in the New Testament. There is a new and unique work of the Holy Spirit in relation to the Body of Christ. Spiritual gifts are an integral part of the function of the local church. Specific gifts are given by God to edify His Body of believers, so that it grows, matures, duplicates and disciples. The Spirit imparts these gifts as He sees fit to individual believers in the Body, and thru these gifts we yield our service to the Lord. The Body of Christ is an organism, not an organization. We believe there were certain Apostolic gifts that were given to the Apostles as a sign of their authority and identifcation with Jesus the Messiah, that have ceased and are no longer used by the Spirit of God in the Local Church.

(1 Corinthians 12-14; Eph 4:11-13 ; Romans 12:6-8)

Concerning Man

We believe the Scriptures teach that man was created by a direct act of God and not from any previously existing form of life. By voluntary transgression Adam fell from his state of innocence, in consequence of which all men are now sinners by nature and by choice, utterly devoid of the holiness required by law, positively inclined to evil, and therefore under just condemnation to eternal punishment and everlasting existence separated from God without defense or excuse.

(Genesis 1:27, Isaiah 53:6, Romans 3:23; 5:12-19)

Concerning Salvation

We believe the Scriptures teach that salvation of sinners is divinely initiated, wholly of grace, and accomplished only through the mediatorial work of the Son of God; that it is wholly apart from works and is upon the sole condition of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and never without genuine repentance; that in order to be saved the sinner must be born again, being regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit through faith in God’s Word and becoming the recipient of a new nature; that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification, that judicial act of God accompanied by the pardon of sin and the imputation of divine righteousness, not because of any works of righteousness on our part, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood; that the believer who has exercised personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is completely justified and in possession of a salvation which is eternally secure.

(John 3:3-6; 3:16; 10:28,29, Acts 13:39)

Concerning The Church

The church “The Body of Christ” (Romans 12:5;Ephesians 1:23 came into being by the institution of the “New Covenant”, that is, Christ’s finished work on the cross, His burial, and His literal resurrection for our justification according to the Scriptures. There can be no fulfillment of the operation of this prophetic mystery of “Christ in you” and the Redeeming efficacy that only our Saviors blood purchases before this central event of Gods’ eternal plan, the substitutionary death, burial and resurrection of Christ. This is the “New Testament” in His Body and Blood. There can be no “new creature”, “new man” “new and living way”, “new name”, or a new Jerusalem without the fulfilled operation of the New Covenant. We believe that this “Mystery” was brought into being by the giving of the indwelling Holy Spirit according to the promise of the Old Covenant Scripture, that at the rapture the Church, His body of believers will be caught up to be united with Christ as His “Bride” (2 Cor 11:2) before the 70th week of Daniel begins, never to be separated from Him.

(1Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 1:22-23;Ephesians 3:1-6;4:11;5:23; Colosians 1:18; Acts 15:13-18)

Church Mandates And Practices

Sole authority of the Scriptures for faith and practice;
Autonomy of the local church;
Believers baptism by immersion before church members;
Two offices, pastor and deacon;
Two symbolic ordinances, baptism and the Lords supper;;
Individual priesthood of the believer and soul liberty;
Separation of church and state.

The Family of God is the entire company of believers in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile.

(Acts 1:5, 2:1-4 2:41,42, Titus 1, Hebrews 12:23)

Concerning Baptism And The Lords Supper

We believe the Scriptures teach that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem his identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, thus illustrating the believers death to sin and his resurrection to a new life. It is a prerequisite to membership and privileges in a local church. We believe that the Lords Supper is the commemoration of Christ’s death until He comes and should be preceded by solemn self-examination. Observance of the Lords Supper is for believers only. The ordinances of Baptism and the Lords Supper must be observed under the discipline of the local church.

( Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5, 1 Corinthians 11:23-28)

Concerning The Nation Of Israel

The physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with whom Jehovah God made an unconditional, national Covenant (Gen 12:15-18). They are the vessel which God chose manifest Himself as a literal, perfect, sinless man to offer His own life for the redemption for the sin of mankind (Gen 3:16; 22). The Covenants God made to Israel will be fulfilled literally to Israel, and unless otherwise indicated, should be applied specifically to them. God has determined a specific, prophetic portion of time in which to accomplish His plan for His covenant people, and while they did reject His prophesied coming, and are currently “blinded in part”, so as to take out of the Gentiles a “People for His Name”(Rom 11:25;Acts 15:13-17), after which He will regather for the last time and finish His work and redemption of His people. This will fulfill the “New Covenant” writings of the prophets (Ezek 11:19; 36:26; Jer 31:30-32). While the Church (the Body of Christ), are partakers of the blessings of the root (Jn 15:1-6), They do not replace Israel. We believe that “Covenant Theology” is in error, the Church has not replaced Israel, nor is it itself “spiritual Israel”. God’s covenant with the Nation of Israel thru Abraham is eternal and unconditional.

Concerning The Eternal State

We believe the Scriptures teach the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust. All those who through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will spend eternity in full enjoyment of Gods presence and those who through impenitence and unbelief refuse to accept Gods offer of mercy will spend eternity in everlasting punishment.

Psalm 1611, John 5:28, 29; 14-2, Matthew 25:46, Revelation 20:14, 15; 21:4

Concerning Satan

We believe the Scriptures teach that there is a personal devil who is the god of this age and the prince of the power of the air, who is full of all subtlety, who seeks continually to frustrate the purposes of God and to ensnare the sons of men, and who was conquered by Christ on the cross and condemned to everlasting punishment.

11 Corinthians 4:4, Hebrews 2:14, Ephesians 2:2, Revelation 12:9

Concerning Personal Separation

We believe the Scriptures teach that every believer should be separated unto God from the world, and by the aid of the Holy Spirit, should walk in Christian love and holiness, exhibiting qualities of honest, integrity, forgiveness and loving-kindness. We further believe that any achievement in these characteristics will be evidenced by sincere humility and genuine zeal for the advancement of the cause of Christ. We also believe the Scriptures admonish every believer not to love the world or the things in the world, but rather flee evil desires, avoid every kind of evil, and refrain from questionable practices which destroy ones testimony, offend ones brother and fail to glorify God.

Proverbs 15:33, Galatians 5:22-25, Romans 14:19-21, Ephesians 4:32; 5:1, 2;

Concerning Ecclesiastical Separation