THE BIBLE

We believe that the Scriptures are God breathed, error-free in the original writings, and the supreme authority of faith and practice for the believer in Jesus. We further believe that there is only one method for interpretation: the literal method. The literal method recognizes that the authors of Scripture meant what they said. Therefore, the literal method consistently applies the rules of grammar, literature, history, and culture to Scripture in order to unlock and understand the author’s meaning.

(2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12)

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GOD

We believe there is only one living, true, and eternally existing God, who is one in essence, while eternally existing in three distinct Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each of whom is fully God, yet there is one God. Though each person of the Godhead possesses the same nature, each functions differently in respect to God’s dealings with man.

(Deuteronomy 6:4)

 THE FATHER 

The first Person of the Trinity orders and directs all things according to His own purpose, pleasure, and grace. He has decreed all things that come to pass for His own glory. He graciously involves Himself in the affairs of men, hears and answers prayer, and saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.  

(Matthew 6:9; John 5:19-24; Ephesians 1:3-6)

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CHRIST JESUS

Jesus Christ is both the eternal Son of God and virgin-born Son of man. Fully God and fully man, He surrendered nothing of his deity during His earthly life. Having led a sinless life, He satisfied the Father’s justice concerning sin by His death. We believe in His bodily resurrection, His physical ascension, and His visible return to this earth.

(John 1:14-18; 1 Corinthians 15; Hebrews 2:17-18; Romans 3:24-26; Revelation 20:11-15; Colossians 2:9)

THE HOLY SPIRIT

The third Person of the Trinity executes the will of God in the world of men. It is the Holy Spirit who applies the salvation Jesus Christ secured through His death on the cross. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers the church to live a lifestyle pleasing to God; endowing it with special gifts which equip believers to accomplish distinct ministries, planned beforehand by God the Father.

(1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 2:10; John 3:1-8; John 15:16; Ephesians 1:13-14; Galatians 5:16-25)

CREATION

In the beginning it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, to create the world, and all things whether visible or invisible. God created all this free from death and destruction and called what He had created very good.

(1 John 1:2,3; Heb. 1:2; Job 26:13; 2 Rom. 1:20; 3 Col. 1:16; Gen. 1:31)

THE NATURE OF MAN

We believe that man was directly created in the image of God to enjoy His fellowship and to fulfill God’s will on this earth. Man fell into sin by a voluntary act of personal disobedience to the will of God; consequently, all men and women are spiritually dead and subject to the certainty of both physical and spiritual death apart from Jesus Christ. The fall of man is once-for-all historical fact. Its spiritually deadening effect spread to all humankind, each of whom is born with a sin nature and sins habitually in thought, word, and deed.

(Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:7; Genesis  3:3-4; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 3:10-23; Ephesians 2:1-3)

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THE DOCTRINE OF SIN
We believe that sin has fractured all things, leaving the world in desperate need of salvation. Through the temptation of Satan, humanity transgressed the command of God and fell from their original holiness and righteousness. Now the entire human race inherits a corrupt nature that is opposed to God and His law. Therefore, all humans are under condemnation. This depravity is radical and pervasive. It extends to the mind, will, body and affections. Unregenerate humanity lives under the dominion of sin and Satan. He is at enmity with God, hostile toward and hateful of God.
(Genesis 3; Romans 3:9-20; Ephesians 2:1-3)

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SALVATION

We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins as the one and all sufficient sacrifice. All who believe in Him are declared justified by the Father on the grounds of Jesus’ death and resurrection. All who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by grace through faith have been regenerated by and baptized in the Holy Spirit. They are thereby the children of God forever and members of the one true church: the body of Christ. This salvation results in righteous living and good works as the believer submits his life to the Word of God and the direction of the Holy Spirit.

(John 14:6; Titus 3:4-7; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:21-26; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9; Hebrews 10:10-12; 1 John 5:11-13; Galatians 3:26; John 1:12, 3:16, 5:24)

THE MEANS BY WHICH WE KNOW GOD

First, by the creation, preservation, and governing of the universe. For all creation is before our eyes like a beautiful book in which all of creation speaks to us of God – His eternal power, divinity, eternality, and more. We agree with the Apostle Paul who says that this alone is enough to leave men without excuse for rejecting God as the creator and sovereign of the universe.

We have also been given the divine revelation of God through the Holy Scriptures. In them we are given all that is needed for life and godliness. In them God reveals the story of creation, humanities fall from grace, redemption through Christ alone, and the promise of new creation.
(Romans 1:20; 2 Peter 1:3)

THE CHURCH

We believe that all who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit belong to the one true Church and are directed by the Scriptures to associate themselves in local, visible churches. The local church is the visible representation of Christ’s invisible Church. The twofold purpose of the Church is to lead people to Christ and mature them in faith.

(Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 2:41-47, 4:1-16; 1 Corinthians 12:24; Matthew: 16:13-28, 28:18-20; Ephesians 2:19-22)

 

THE SACRAMENTS
We believe in agreement with the Belgic confession that, “our good God, mindful of our crudeness and weakness, has ordained sacraments for us to seal his promises in us, to pledge good will and grace toward us, and also to nourish and sustain our faith. God has added these to the Word of the gospel to represent better to our external senses both what God enables us to understand by the Word and what he does inwardly in our hearts, confirming in us the salvation he imparts to us. For they are visible signs and seals of something internal and invisible, by means of which God works in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. So they are not empty and hollow signs to fool and deceive us, for their truth is Jesus Christ, without whom they would be nothing. Moreover, we are satisfied with the number of sacraments that Christ our Master has ordained for us. There are only two: the sacrament of baptism and the Holy Supper of Jesus Christ.”

BAPTISM

We believe that the act of baptism is a sacred, uncompromisable injunction of the Scriptures. The picture portrayed in baptism declares a variety of scriptural truths:

It proclaims Christ’s death and resurrection.

It serves public notice to the world that one belongs to the Covenant Community which is the Church.

(Matthew 10:32; Romans 6:3-11; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

 

COMMUNION

We believe that the act of communion is the second sacrament given by Christ to His Church. This was instituted by Christ when, “on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:23a-26)

When we take the elements of the cup representing his blood and the bread representing His body we are reminded of the past, present, and promised future work of Christ Jesus and we are met in a special and beautiful way by Christ when we partake of the these elements in reverence, awe, joy, and thanksgiving. 

We believe that communion is available to anyone that has trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We believe that we are to examine ourselves as we approach the table of Christ as to not partake in an unworthy manner. We believe that what makes one unworthy is not the presence of sin in one's life (as we all still fight sin) but a willingness to participate in, chase after, and desire that which is Sin and a willful rejection of the Spirit’s conviction and lack of repentance in one's life. 

(Matthew 26:26-30; Acts 8:12, 36-39; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:17-34)

 

THE FUTURE

We believe that the next great event of human history will be the personal and physical return of Jesus Christ. This is the BLESSED HOPE for which all those who love Jesus yearn. Though the time of Christ’s return is a mystery, known only to the Father himself, we believe that it is as sure as we believe Jesus’ first coming was fact. We believe that Christ Jesus will physically and visibly return to the earth to defeat all those, both within humanity and the spiritual realm, who stand opposed to Him and establish His eternal Kingdom upon the New Earth where He shall reign forever. The eternal, physical reign of King Jesus shall be a blessing to those who belong to Him as well as all of creation which now groans under the for this. At this time Christ shall make "everything sad become untrue" for those who have been adopted into His family and live under His good and perfect rule. 

We long for the resurrection of body and life upon the New Earth where those who belong to King Jesus shall dwell forever in perfect peace no longer suffering from the death, decay, and destruction caused by sin, both our own and the sins of others.

(Matthew 24 & 25; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; John 14:1-3; Acts 2:9-11, Romans 8:18-25, 1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 19:11-21, 21:1-27, 22:1-21)