TENETS OF FAITH
OUR BELIEFS
The Bible
We believe the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God and the product of God-appointed men who spoke and wrote as they were moved upon by the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our inerrant, infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct. (2 Timothy 3:16, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Peter 1:21)
The Godhead
We believe our God is One, manifested in three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, being co-equal. God the Father is greater than all. The Son, Jesus, is the Word made flesh, the only begotten son of the Father and He has existed with the Father from the beginning. The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son and is our Helper, Comforter, Strengthener, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, and Standby. (Philippians 2:6, John 14:28, John 16:28, John 1:14, John 1:1, John 1:18, John 15:26)
Man's Fall and Redemption
We believe man is a created being; made in the likeness and image of God. Through Adam's transgression and fall, sin came into the world, and death was the result. Therefore, man is spiritually dead and separated from God. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sent to give His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God by providing us with salvation. Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the law, and it is by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ that we are saved. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but by Him. (Romans 5:14, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, 1 John 3:8, Ephesians 2:8, John 14:6)
Being Born Again of the Spirit
We believe man's first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that works repentance. In order to be saved and receive eternal life, Jesus said every person must be born again of the Holy Spirit. This New Birth is necessary to all men, and when experienced, produces eternal life. For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life. (2 Corinthians 7:10, 1 John 5:12, John 3:3-5, John 3:16)
Being Filled with the Spirit
We believe that after being "born of" the Spirit every believer should be "filled with" the Holy Spirit. This is also known as: the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, receiving the Spirit or being filled with the Spirit. This is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers and is received by faith, subsequent to the New Birth. Being filled with the Spirit gives a believer power to be a witness for Christ, and is the entry point for the supernatural, victorious life. The Bible teaches that this experience is received by faith and gives believers boldness to witness for Christ, plus the benefit of the supernatural gifts of the Spirit, including the ability to speak/pray in tongues. (Matt. 3:11, John 14:16,17, Acts 1:8, 2:4,38, 19:1-7, Eph 5:18, 1 Corinthians 14:14-15)
Abundant Life
We believe that Jesus desires the abundant life for all believers. This includes many blessings - spirit, soul and body. Not only has God promised to forgive all our sins, but also to heal all our diseases and grant us His wisdom to prosper in life. Therefore, we believe that increase and abundance as well as health and healing for the mental, emotional and physical ills of the human mind and body is available by the power of God. Healing and well-being have been provided for in the atonement of Christ, and is the privilege of every member of the Church today. As we walk in health and abundance, God desires His people to be generous in good works, in giving to His church and to those in need. We believe God wants His children “blessed to be a blessing.” (John 10:10, Psalm 103:3, Mark 16:18, James 5:14-25, 1 Peter 2:24, Matthew 8:17, Isaiah 53:4-5)
Water Baptism
We believe Jesus commanded all believers to publicly declare their faith through water baptism, by immersion. Water baptism is a declaration of the internal work of God in the heart and life of a believer. This is a symbol of the Christian's identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. (Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12, Acts 8:36-39)
Spiritual Growth and Sanctification
We believe the true Christian life is evidenced by the godly fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness and self-control. This fruit is easy to recognize in the life of a genuine believer. This process of spiritual growth and producing fruit -- also known as: sanctification -- leads to a genuine, holy, Christ-like life and is a definite, yet progressive work of grace. This process begins at the time of the new birth and continues throughout our Christian life. (Galatians 5, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 2 Peter 3:18, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 3:12-14, 1 Corinthians 1:30)
The Church
We believe in the importance, power and significance of the Church in the world. It is through the Church that Christ rules the world -- through the church people are born-again, filled with the Spirit, empowered to reach their sphere of influence with the gospel. We believe the true Church is composed of all born-again believers in Christ and believers are called to meet regularly together for encouragement in the Word, worship, prayer and fellowship. (Ephesians 1:14-20, Hebrews 10:25, Ephesians 5)
The Lord's Return
We believe in the physical, bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe His coming is imminent. We believe He will first appear in the clouds and the dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds (what we refer to as the Rapture), to meet the Lord in the air and Jesus will take His Church to heaven for seven years at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Following the Rapture, while the church is at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven, we believe the Tribulation, a troublesome period of 7 years, will take place on earth. Following the Tribulation, Jesus shall return to the Earth as King of kings, the Lord of lords. Believers from every age will return with Him and will reign with Christ on earth for a thousand years during what is known as the Millennial Reign of Christ. (Matthew 24, Acts 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17, Revelation 20:6)
Heaven and Hell
We believe that everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved and will spend eternity in heaven where there is unspeakable joy in the presence of the Lord. We believe that a person who physically dies without accepting and confessing Jesus Christ as Lord is hopelessly and eternally lost. This person will spend eternity in hell and the Lake of Fire, and therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel and repenting. The Lake of Fire is literal. The terms "eternal" and "everlasting" used in describing the duration of punishment in the Lake of Fire carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of believers in the presence of God. (John 14:6, Romans 10:13-14, Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 19:20, Revelation 20)
God's Plan and Purposes
We believe that God has placed a divinely implanted sense of purpose within the heart of every person that can only be satisfied by God. By His grace, He has individually equipped us to successfully achieve His purpose for our lives. As we walk in the gifts and callings He has given us we will see eternal fruit and we will experience satisfaction in following God’s will and purpose for our lives. (Ephesians 3:10, Ecclesiastes 3, Jeremiah 29:11)