Core Beliefs
THE WORD OF GOD
We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testament Scriptures found in the Bible are the inspired, and therefore inerrant, word of God. It is the final authority for what we believe, how we are to live, and how we are to equip and disciple others.
(Matthew 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:15-17)
We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testament Scriptures found in the Bible are the inspired, and therefore inerrant, word of God. It is the final authority for what we believe, how we are to live, and how we are to equip and disciple others.
(Matthew 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:15-17)
THE NATURE OF GOD
We believe there is one true God who is uncreated and eternally self-existent. “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!†(Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29) God is one being in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, equal in deity, power and glory. God is love, His nature is unchanging, His judgements are true, and He deals with man and all of the created order in perfect righteousness. He is the Creator of everything that exists, He is the Redeemer of mankind, and is actively sustaining and sovereignly directing the world and all of human history to the full revelation of Jesus Christ and the glory of His name. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
We believe there is one true God who is uncreated and eternally self-existent. “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!†(Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29) God is one being in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, equal in deity, power and glory. God is love, His nature is unchanging, His judgements are true, and He deals with man and all of the created order in perfect righteousness. He is the Creator of everything that exists, He is the Redeemer of mankind, and is actively sustaining and sovereignly directing the world and all of human history to the full revelation of Jesus Christ and the glory of His name. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ (the Messiah), God’s one and only Son, begotten, not created, as God incarnate, fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary. We believe He lived a sinless life and was empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill God’s perfect Law and inaugurate God’s Kingdom on the earth. By His shed blood at the cross, He atoned for sin and obtained forgiveness of sins, righteousness, eternal redemption, and life everlasting for those who put their faith in Him. Three days after His burial, He was resurrected by the Spirit of God and now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for His own. He will return to earth again to rule and reign in power and glory. (John 1:1-3; Romans 4:25; Romans 8:34)
We believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ (the Messiah), God’s one and only Son, begotten, not created, as God incarnate, fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary. We believe He lived a sinless life and was empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill God’s perfect Law and inaugurate God’s Kingdom on the earth. By His shed blood at the cross, He atoned for sin and obtained forgiveness of sins, righteousness, eternal redemption, and life everlasting for those who put their faith in Him. Three days after His burial, He was resurrected by the Spirit of God and now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for His own. He will return to earth again to rule and reign in power and glory. (John 1:1-3; Romans 4:25; Romans 8:34)
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the baptism and indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit. A subsequent experience to salvation, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is given to endue us with power to be bold witnesses of the Gospel and to empower us to live holy lives and minister supernaturally through the gifts of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit seals us for the day of redemption, teaches us and reminds us of the truth, and regenerates and equips us for daily living. We believe that signs and wonders, as well as all the gifts of the Spirit described in the New Testament, are operative today and are designed to testify to the presence of God’s Kingdom and to empower and edify the Church to fulfill its calling and mission.
We believe in the baptism and indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit. A subsequent experience to salvation, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is given to endue us with power to be bold witnesses of the Gospel and to empower us to live holy lives and minister supernaturally through the gifts of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit seals us for the day of redemption, teaches us and reminds us of the truth, and regenerates and equips us for daily living. We believe that signs and wonders, as well as all the gifts of the Spirit described in the New Testament, are operative today and are designed to testify to the presence of God’s Kingdom and to empower and edify the Church to fulfill its calling and mission.
HUMANITY AND SIN
We believe humanity, both male and female, was originally created in the image of God, innocent and without sin, to know Him and enjoy His presence. Man and woman disobeyed God’s command and their sin brought the curse of sickness, death, and judgment into the world. As a result, all have inherited the nature of sin and are guilty of the consequences of God’s righteous judgment and wrath. All persons are wholly unable to save themselves, either by good works or by self-punishment.
We believe humanity, both male and female, was originally created in the image of God, innocent and without sin, to know Him and enjoy His presence. Man and woman disobeyed God’s command and their sin brought the curse of sickness, death, and judgment into the world. As a result, all have inherited the nature of sin and are guilty of the consequences of God’s righteous judgment and wrath. All persons are wholly unable to save themselves, either by good works or by self-punishment.
SALVATION
We believe salvation is a free gift of grace from a loving God, received through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. By the conviction and power of the Holy Spirit, this saving grace also sanctifies us daily, it places us into God’s family as sons and daughters, it renews our thinking, and it enables us to do what is pleasing to God until we are conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. At salvation, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and guarded by the grace of God for the day of redemption when we will be transformed from this earthly, corruptible body into an eternal, resurrection body that will live forever with Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Corinthians 15:42)
We believe salvation is a free gift of grace from a loving God, received through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. By the conviction and power of the Holy Spirit, this saving grace also sanctifies us daily, it places us into God’s family as sons and daughters, it renews our thinking, and it enables us to do what is pleasing to God until we are conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. At salvation, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and guarded by the grace of God for the day of redemption when we will be transformed from this earthly, corruptible body into an eternal, resurrection body that will live forever with Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Corinthians 15:42)
THE CHURCH
We believe that the Church is the body of Christ scattered around the world and is God’s primary agent to fulfill His redemptive purposes in the earth. During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ gave authority to His followers to rule over Satan and all demonic powers, to destroy all of the works of Satan, to heal sickness and disease, to raise the dead, to preach the good news of the Kingdom, and to go into all the world and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them and teaching them to love and obey God. When Jesus Christ ascended into heaven after His death, He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to the Church for the equipping of the saints to do the work of ministry. We believe Christ intended for this same authority and these offices to remain in effect by the power of the Holy Spirit until He returns. Because Christ is our High Priest who makes intercession for each member of His church, we affirm the priesthood of every believer, meaning there is no mediator or priest required to stand between people and God except Christ alone. Every believer has access into the presence of God, by the atoning blood of Jesus, to worship, receive salvation, and receive forgiveness of sin.
We believe that the Church is the body of Christ scattered around the world and is God’s primary agent to fulfill His redemptive purposes in the earth. During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ gave authority to His followers to rule over Satan and all demonic powers, to destroy all of the works of Satan, to heal sickness and disease, to raise the dead, to preach the good news of the Kingdom, and to go into all the world and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them and teaching them to love and obey God. When Jesus Christ ascended into heaven after His death, He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to the Church for the equipping of the saints to do the work of ministry. We believe Christ intended for this same authority and these offices to remain in effect by the power of the Holy Spirit until He returns. Because Christ is our High Priest who makes intercession for each member of His church, we affirm the priesthood of every believer, meaning there is no mediator or priest required to stand between people and God except Christ alone. Every believer has access into the presence of God, by the atoning blood of Jesus, to worship, receive salvation, and receive forgiveness of sin.
JESUS’ RETURN and HEAVEN AND HELL
We believe in the Blessed Hope, which is the glorious, visible return of our Lord Jesus Christ for His overcoming bride—the Church. We believe in a literal heaven and a literal hell. At the resurrection of the dead, those who have been born again in Christ will be ushered into an eternal dwelling of glory, and those who have rejected salvation through Jesus Christ will be condemned to judgment in the lake of fire with eternal, conscious, and tormented separation from the presence of God. (John 14:3; Acts 1:11)
We believe in the Blessed Hope, which is the glorious, visible return of our Lord Jesus Christ for His overcoming bride—the Church. We believe in a literal heaven and a literal hell. At the resurrection of the dead, those who have been born again in Christ will be ushered into an eternal dwelling of glory, and those who have rejected salvation through Jesus Christ will be condemned to judgment in the lake of fire with eternal, conscious, and tormented separation from the presence of God. (John 14:3; Acts 1:11)