We Believe…
the Scriptures are true, authoritative and sufficient. The word of God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. God’s word is relevant today and is a source of life and direction. (Psalm 19:7-11; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
We Believe…
there is only one true God, Creator of heaven and earth, who eternally exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-6; Isaiah 46:9-10; John 17:3; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Genesis 1:26; Psalm 45:6-7; Psalm 110:1; Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:17-20; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
We Believe…
all humanity, Christ excluded, is sinful by both birth and action1 (Genesis 6:5; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23; 5:8, 12-21; 7:18; Ephesians 2:1-3).
We Believe…
the deserved penalty for sin is physical and spiritual death (Genesis 2:15-17; Genesis 3:19; Romans 5:12; 6:23; James 1:14-15).
We Believe…
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, was born of a virgin and is both fully God and fully human (Matthew 1:20; Luke 2:52; John 1:1-4, 14; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:1-3).
We Believe…
Jesus Christ died as the sacrificial substitute to pay the penalty for sin (John 1:29; 10:1-18; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 1:4; 1 Peter 3:18).
We Believe…
Jesus Christ physically rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and will one day physically return (Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-53; John 1:20-21:25; 1 Corinthians 15:12-34; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 9:28; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 1:7).
We Believe…
only through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ and repentance from sin can one be reconciled to God and experience true life and joy (John 3:18, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:21-26; 1 Timothy 2:5-6).
Practices & Teachings
Baptism
Baptism is not a means to salvation, but an act of declaration and testimony of what has taken place in the believers life after accepting Jesus Christ. We practice full submersion water baptism and host baptisms regularly. Each believer desiring to be baptized must be able to communicate clearly the message of the gospel, the work God has done in their lives and a biblical explanation of baptism. We don’t practice infant baptism and will insure that young children are able to meet the requirements above and are individually choosing to be baptized.
Gifts & workings of the Holy Spirit
The gifts of the Holy Spirit that we see exercised in the Scriptures are available today and are to be eagerly desired and practiced in submission to the Spirit speaking through the Scriptures. The working of His gifts are for the edification of the church. The church should never become to ridged, structured or produced that there is no longer room for His Spirit to freely move. The gifts and workings of the Spirit should always bring glory to God and never bring confusion or attention to any person other than Jesus Christ. (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:1-16).
The gospel & Evangelism
The gospel is Good news for our hurting and lost world. God’s love story and redemptive plan can be seen from Genesis to Revelation. We feel that the gospel message should be clearly communicated regularly through our teachings. It’s a message that is to be lived out in our individual lives and one of the soul purposes of the church. We believe and encourage that it’s not just the Pastors, Kid Church volunteer or a small group leaders job to spread the gospel. We all are called to go out with the message of His gospel and the testimony of what He has done in and through us. This can be done in our work places, neighborhoods, schools, families and by being sent out around the world.
Communion
We regularly partake of communion as a church. We follow Jesus interaction to His disciples to do it often and in remembrance of Him and His work upon the cross. This act is not only a time to remember and should never become something that is route or routine. Partaking of communion provided and opportunity for us to sit before our saviors feet and to allow Him to search us. This is also a time to again confess and surrender any sins that His Spirit may reveal. We encourage non-believers to abstain from parking of communion and encourage them to first surest their lives to Jesus Christ. We don’t not use real wine, but grape juice and small pieces of motza bread.
The Church
Jesus Christ is the head of the church and true shepherd. The role of Pastor is to be an under shepherd by pointing people to Jesus the true Shepherd. God has His church in the world today to be His light, love and truth. The church should never became a museum. For some the church is to be a hospital, where they can come as they are. However, the church should never encourage someone to stay as they are, but to come alongside in the process of Jesus making them who He wants them to be. The church should be a gas station for believers where we can come and get filed-up and sent back out. The believer should also find support and accountability within the walls of the church. The church should never waiver on the truth of God’s word, nor compromise in order to gain members. People are hungry for God’s truth, they might not even know it. The church should be solely concentrated on bringing God glory and we can do that by not just doing church, but by being the church.
Prayer
Prayer is essential for the believer and is our life-line to God. We believe prayer should be something that as the word says, should happen without, “ceasing.” We can go to God 24/7 with anything and everything. God wants to hear our prayers individually and corporately as the body of Christ. We like to incorporate prayer into our services and also have regular times of prayer, where there is no teaching, but a time of focused prayer and worship.