BELIEFS

We believe a healthy church family is unified in issues that matter most (Acts 4, 2 Tim. 4). Below is a summary of our basic beliefs.

There is only one God. He has eternally existed in relationship with Himself as one substance in three unique persons: The Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. He is the Creator of all things. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9‑11; Luke 1:35; John 5:21-23).

God created humans in His image to have fellowship with Him. Yet, all willfully sin and are, thus, separated from God both physically and spiritually.  As a result, no one can attain a right relationship with God through one’s effort (Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7, 18-22; 3:19; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 17:26‑31; Romans 1:19- 32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6, 12; 6:6, 23; 7:15-25; James 1:14-15).

Jesus Christ was born of a virgin and is both fully God and fully human. He is the only plan for bringing people back into a right relationship with God. He lived a perfect life. Died a perfect death. And defeated Satan, sin and death for us by being physically raised to life on the third day.  Jesus’ work guarantees that we have a living hope through His resurrection from the dead (Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 14:33; 16:16; 1 Peter 1:3-6).

All humans are created to exist forever. We will exist either 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 Heaven. (John 3:16; Romans 6:23; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13; Revelation 20:15).

Salvation is the free gift of God found only through faith in Jesus Christ. All people are invited to accept God’s forgiveness by confessing their sin, trusting Jesus as their Lord and following Jesus’ example of water baptism.  Salvation confers the complete forgiveness of sins – past, present, and future – and the gift of God’s Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28‑32; Acts 2:37-39; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 1:3-14; 2:1-10).

God’s Holy Spirit lives inside every Christ-follower and thus assures us of our relationship with God. He guides believers into all truth and exalts Jesus. He convicts people of their sin, God’s righteousness, and the coming judgment. He comforts us, gives us spiritual gifts, and makes us more like Christ (Genesis 1:2; Joel 2:28-32; Mark 1:10; Luke 1:35; 4:1; 11:13; 12:12; John 15:26; 16:7‑14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 13:2).

Human gender and sexuality is a gift from God. God defines and assigns our gender as biologically male or female at birth so that we may reflect His creative genius. Although creation is twisted by sin (causing gender and sexual confusion), God's Holy Spirit empowers the Christian to choose to live as God designed as an act of worship and an example of hope to others (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:8,18-23; Psalm 139:13-16; Matthew 19:4-5).

We believe God gave us marriage as a beautiful gift for our enjoyment, to provide companionship, to produce children and ultimately to serve as an example of God's love for us - as a perfect husband loves and protects his wife. Marriage is to be enjoyed between one man and one woman for life. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one true, biblical meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman, each being in their gender as created by God, in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. For this reason, we only recognize and officiate marriages between a man and woman, each being in their gender as created by God. (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:8,18-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5:22-33).

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition of human existence. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value human life (Psalm 139).