SECTION 1 - STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the
verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant,
infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith
and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and
divine revelation of God to Man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according
to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. The King James Version (1611)
of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by the church (2
Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
Dispensationalism
We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense
reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life, which define man's
responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of
salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs
man according to His purpose. Three of these dispensations-the law, the church,
and the kingdom-are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture (Gen.
1:28; 1 Cor. 9:17; 2 Cor. 3:9-18; Gal. 3:13-25; Eph. 1:10; 3:2-10; Col.
1:24-25, 27; Rev. 20:2-6).
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons-Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit-each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal
in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deut. 6:4;
Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26).
The Person and Work of Christ
- We believe that the Lord
Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be
God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary,
in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (Isa. 7:14; 9:6;
Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8).
- We believe that the Lord
Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross as
a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our
justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the
dead (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Peter 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5).
- We believe that the Lord
Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of
God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of
Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts l: 9-l0; Heb. 9:24; 7:25;
Rom. 8:34; l John 2:1-2).
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
- We believe that the Holy
Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of
judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration,
baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing
them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14;
2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14).
- We believe that He is the
Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the
Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be
filled with the Spirit (Eph. 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27).
- We believe that God is
sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God
uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the
assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry (Rom. 12:3-8;
1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28; Eph. 4:7-12).
- We believe that the sign gifts
of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing,
were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common
or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that
ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the
consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently
chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing (l Cor.
1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22).
The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that
in Adam's sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became
alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly
unable to remedy his lost condition (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23;
Eph. 2:l -3; 4:17-19).
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and
received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was
shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (John l:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-l0; l
Pet. 1:18-l9).
The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
- We believe that all the
redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in
Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; l
Pet. 1:4-5).
- We believe that it is the
privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation
through the testimony of God's Word, which, however, clearly forbids the
use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Rom. 13:13-14; Gal.
5:13; Titus 2:11-15).
The Church
- We believe that the local
church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made
up of born-again persons (1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23;
5:25-27).
- We believe that the
establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and
defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; 1 Tim.
3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
- We believe in the autonomy of
the local church free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:l-4;
15:19-31; 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4).
- We recognize water baptism
and the Lord's Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the
church in this age (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; l Cor. 11:23-26).
Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring
reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious
apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is
commanded of God ( Rom. 12:1-2; 14:13; 2 Cor. 6:14 - 7:1; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 John
2:15-17; 2 John 9-11).
The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in that "blessed hope," the personal, imminent return
of Christ Who will rapture His Church prior to the seven-year tribulation
period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly
return with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom, which was
promised to the nation of Israel (Ps. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; I
Thess. 1:10; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6).
The
- We believe in the bodily
resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to
judgment and everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28, 29; 11:25-26;
Rev. 20:5-6, 12-13).
- We believe that the souls of
the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the
Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when
spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord
(Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; I Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6).
- We believe that the souls of
unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until
the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall
appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake
of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious
punishment and torment (Matt. 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2
Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15).
The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the
Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that
he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17;
Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10).
Creation
We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We
reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as
unscriptural theories of origin (Genesis 1-2; Ex. 20:11).
Civil Government
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of
three basic institutions: 1) the home; 2) the church; and 3) the state. Every
person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities
themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each
institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those
responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to
infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and
sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility
under God (
Human Sexuality
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be
engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any
form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest,
fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of
sex (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom 1:26-29; 1 Cor.
5:1; 6:9; l Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4).
Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of
the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the
grounds of fornication. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced
persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God
for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or
deacon (Mal. 2:14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6).
Abortion
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is
a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of
unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of
pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or
population control, or the mental well being of the mother are acceptable (Job
3:16; Psalm 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke
1:44).
Missions
We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the
Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every
nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the
foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark
16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20).
Lawsuits Between Believers
We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits
against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe
the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes
between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation
for injuries from another Christian's insurance company as long as the claim is
pursued without malice or slander (1 Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:31-32).
Giving
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God's
wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially.
We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that
every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully
to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of
the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the
use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made (Gen. 14:20; Prov.
3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim.
5:17-18; 1 John 3:17).
SECTION 2 - AUTHORITY OF STATEMENT OF FAITH
The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible
itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe,
however, that the foregoing statement of faith accurately represents the
teaching of the Bible, and, therefore, is binding upon all members.
SECTION 3 - COVENANT
Having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord
Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on profession of our faith having been baptized
in the name of our Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we do now in
the presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully
enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in
Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge,
holiness and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain
its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrines; to give it a sacred
preeminence over all institutions of human origin; to contribute cheerfully and
regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the
relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and private devotions; to religiously
educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred, acquaintances, and
all others; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings,
faithful to our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all
tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from worldly amusements,
and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Savior.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember
each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate
Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy of speech; to be slow to take
offense, but, always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our
Savior, to secure reconciliation without delay.
We moreover engage that, when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word.
