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Statement of Faith (non-exhaustive)
Holy Bible
The Holy Bible, and only the Bible, is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible and inerrant (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Proverbs 30:5; Romans 16:25-26).
Trinity
There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and co-eternal (I John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11).
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On earth, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind and thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory (John 1:1,14, 20:28; 1Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5-6; 1Timothy 2:5).
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the blessed Trinity, though omnipresent from all eternity, took up His abode in the world in a special sense on the day of Pentecost according to the divine promise, dwells in every believer, and by His baptism unites all to Christ in one body, and that He, as the Indwelling One, is the source of all power and all acceptable worship and service. We believe that He never takes His departure from the church, nor from the feeblest of the saints, but is ever present to testify of Christ; seeking to occupy believers with Him and not with themselves nor with their experiences. We believe that His abode in the world will not cease when Christ comes to receive His own at the completion of the church but continue until the new heaven and new earth is establish by God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:16–17; 16:7–15; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Eph. 2:22; 2 Thessalonians. 2:7).
Virgin Birth
Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the Virgin Mary's womb; therefore, He is the Son of God and the son of man. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:27-35).
Redemption
Man was created in perfect righteousness, but voluntarily transgressed bringing about spiritual death (separation from God) and thereby in need of redemption. Man’s only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and His redemptive works (Gen.1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 3:21-25, 5:12-21).
Salvation
The gift of everlasting life is given to all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. By His miraculous birth, sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection as full payment for the sin of man, He has become mankind's only acceptable Savior. This is often referred to as "salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ alone." Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16, 3:8; Titus 3:5; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 9:22).
Sanctification
Separate from salvation, sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God's Word and His Spirit in an effort of developing Christ's character in us. It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a godly life (1Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 6:14-18; Romans 8:29, 12:1-2; Hebrews 2:11).
Jesus' Blood
The Blood that Jesus Christ shed on the Cross of Calvary was sinless and is 100% sufficient to cleanse mankind of all sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sinfulness and our sins, enabling all those who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death (1 John 1:7, 29; Colossians 1:20; Romans 3:23, 5:9; Hebrews 9:12; Revelation 1:5, 5:9).
Baptism BY the Holy Spirit
Christians are people who have been baptized into the body of Christ by His Holy Spirit. They relinquish the authority of their lives over to him thus making Jesus the Lord of their life as well as Savior. By putting their trust in what Jesus accomplished for them in His death, burial, and resurrection from the dead; that person is “born again” and thus baptized into the body of Christ “BY” the Holy Spirit. (John 1:12; John 14:17, 23; John 15:4; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 12:13).
Baptism WITH the Holy Spirit
Beginning at Pentecost, the promise of the Father is the baptism WITH the Holy Spirit sent by Jesus after His Ascension, to empower the church to be witnesses of the Gospel of Christ throughout the whole earth. This baptism generally is evidenced by the believer speaking with other tongues. (Joel 2:28-29; Matthew 3:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 1:5, 2:1-4, 17, 38-39, 8:14-17, 10:38, 44-47, 11:15-17, 19:1-6).
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Bible lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters (Hebrews 2:4; Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:1-40; 1 Peter 4:10).
The Church
The church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus' great commission. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23; John 17:11, 20-23; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
Two Sacraments
Water Baptism
Following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by the Word of God to be baptized in water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit as a symbol of their death, burial, and resurrection to the newness of life in Christ (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Acts 2:38; Romans 6).
The Lord's Supper
A unique time of communion in the presence of God when the elements are representative of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ are taken in remembrance, a memorial, of Jesus' atoning sacrifice on the Cross (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-23; 1 Corinthians 10:14-22, 11:17-34).
Healing of the Sick
Healing of the sick is illustrated in the life and ministry of Jesus, and included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples. It is given as a sign which is to follow believers. It is also a part of atoning work of Jesus on the Cross (Exodus 15:26; Psalm 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 8:6-7; James 5:14-16; 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28).
God's Will for Provision
It is the Father's will for believers to become whole, healthy and successful in all areas of life. But because of the fall, many may not receive the full benefits of God's will while on Earth. That fact, though, should never prevent all believers from seeking the full benefits of Christ's provision in order to better serve others.
1.Spiritual (John 3:3-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 10:9-10).
2.Mental and Emotional (2 Timothy 1:7, 2:11; Philippians 4:7-8; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 26:3).
3. Physical (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; 1 Peter 2:24).
4. Financial (Joshua 1:8; Malachi 3:10-11; Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6-10; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalm 34:10, 84:11; Philippians 4:19).
Resurrection
Jesus Christ was physically resurrected as the first among many brethren, our first fruits. His resurrection from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross is the believer’s hope of their promised resurrection. We believe the bible clearly teaches multiple resurrections (“each in his own order”).
In addition, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; they that are saved to the resurrection of life at the time of the rapture of the church and they that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation at their appointed time (Luke 24:16, 36, 39; John 2:19-21, 20:26-28; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:42, 44; Philippians 1:21-23, 3:21).
Heaven
Heaven is the dwelling place of God and His heavenly host. All believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ will dwell with Him where He is. (Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34; John 17:24; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 11:16; 1 Peter 1:4).
Hell
Hell is a real place. After living one life on earth, the unbelievers will be judged by God and sent to Hell until all the unrighteous are judged at which time death and hell will be cast into the Lake of Fire and the unrighteous will be eternally tormented with the Devil and the Fallen Angels (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-31; Hebrews 9:27; 2 Peter 2:4 Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8).
Second Coming
Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to earth for the second time to establish His Millennial Kingdom. This event is not to be confused with the rapture of the church which will occur approximately seven years earlier. The Second Coming will occur at a date undisclosed by the Scriptures (Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7).
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