The Holy Scriptures
The Bible, consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is God’s inspired, inerrant, infallible, and authoritative Word. It is without error in the original manuscripts and is the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith, doctrine, and practice for the church and every individual (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:20–21; Matthew 5:18).
The Trinity
There is one God, eternally existing in three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one in nature, co-eternal, co-equal in power and glory, and equally worthy of worship and obedience. Each Person of the Trinity is truly God, yet the three are not three gods but one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
The Father
God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity, is the omnipotent Ruler and Creator of the universe. He has complete sovereign control over creation and redemption. He is free to act as He pleases, and no one limits Him. His sovereignty does not negate human responsibility (Genesis 1:1-31; Psalms 115:3; 135:6; 146:6; Romans 11:36; 1 Peter 1:17).
The Son
Jesus Christ, God the Son, the second Person of the Trinity, is co-eternal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit and yet eternally begotten of the Father. He possesses all the same divine attributes and is co-equal and consubstantial with the Father. We believe in Jesus Christ’s deity, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His atoning death through His shed blood on the cross, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His imminent return in power and glory (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1, 29; Acts 1:11; 2:22–24; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5–11; Hebrews 1:1–4; 4:15).
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, is co-eternal with God the Father and Jesus Christ, God the Son. He is not an “it” nor a “force”; He is a Person. The Holy Spirit restrains evil in the world, convicts humanity of sin, grants regeneration and repentance to those who confess Jesus Christ as Savior, baptizes believers into the body of Christ, indwells them permanently, seals them for the day of redemption, and gives spiritual gifts to each one for the building up of the church. The miraculous sign gifts, however, were specific to the apostolic age and are no longer operative today. He empowers believers to live righteous lives (John 3:8; 14:16–17; 16:7–11; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; 13:8; 14:22–24; Ephesians 4:30; 5:18; Hebrews 2:4; James 5:15–16; 1 John 5:14–15).
Salvation
Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as recorded in Scripture alone, for the glory of God alone. The Bible teaches that all people are totally depraved, lost, face God’s judgment and eternal punishment in hell, and have no inherent ability to save themselves or seek after God. Salvation is only possible through the convicting and regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, who grants genuine faith and repentance through the instrumentality of the Word of God as it is read and preached. Baptism visibly symbolizes this act of rebirth. When the Holy Spirit has regenerated a person, they will exhibit works or fruit of that regeneration (Luke 24:46–47; John 3:3–7; 14:6; Acts 2:38–39; 4:12; 5:31; 26:20; Romans 3:10–11, 23; 6:3–7; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20; 2 Corinthians 5:10–11; Galatians 3:26–28; 5:22–23; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8–10; 2 Timothy 2:23–25; Titus 3:4–7; Hebrews 12:2).
The Church
The church consists of individuals who have repented of sins and placed their trust in Jesus Christ, thus joining the spiritual Body of Christ. The church is the bride of Christ, and Jesus Christ is her Head. All followers of Jesus Christ are responsible for growing in Him, serving Him, living in obedience to Him, helping fellow believers mature in their faith, and sharing the message of salvation through Jesus Christ (Matthew 9:35–38; 22:37–39; 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:9–15; 1 Corinthians 12:12–13; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; 5:23; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 3:15; Revelation 19:7–8).
Humanity
God created humans as biologically male or female, and human sexuality is to be expressed solely within the bounds of monogamous marriage between one man and one woman. This sacred union forms the family’s foundation and serves as the fundamental structure of human society (Genesis 1:27; 2:24; Matthew 19:5–6; Mark 10:6–9; Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9).
We believe in the sacredness of human life from conception to natural death (Psalm 139:13; Isaiah 49:1; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:41).