Our Beliefs
God
We believe in the one and only true God. He is eternal and is the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Lord of the universe. God is infinite in holiness, wisdom, and all other perfections.
The Trinity
The eternal God reveals Himself to us in three persons, as our loving heavenly Father, as the Son (Jesus), and as the Holy Spirit, all having the same nature, attributes, and perfections.
God, the Father
God is all powerful, all loving, and all wise. It is in and through Him that we live, move, and exist. God is good and has created moral standards to guide our living. God is compassionate and faithful to keep his promises.
God, the Son
During the times of the Old Testament, God spoke to us through Moses and the prophets. But when the time was right, God came to us in the only way we could totally understand him – as God in human form.
We believe that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary, — fully God and fully man. His life, his teachings, and the miracles that he performed are recorded in the New Testament. Jesus taught us about the love of the Father, and showed us the way to live in God’s Kingdom. He died a substitutionary death for us on the cross, rose with a glorified body from the dead, and appeared to many after his resurrection. He ascended into Heaven and will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission.
God, the Holy Spirit
After accepting Jesus as your Savior, Jesus said you will be “born again” with the Holy Spirit living within you, enabling you to grow as a Christian. The Holy Spirit will serve as a friend and comforter, leading you into all truth, and convicting you of sin. The Holy Spirit will empower you to resist temptation and will enable you to use your spiritual gifts in God’s kingdom.
The Bible
We believe the Holy Bible is inspired by God and faithfully bears witness to Jesus Christ and His timeless message of mercy, forgiveness, and hope for humanity. We believe the Bible reveals God’s nature and purpose and, therefore, serves as our guide for faith, practice, and conduct. We believe God speaks through Scripture to each generation. Therefore, we trust the Holy Spirit to guide us as we read it and we use the life and teachings of Jesus to help us interpret the Bible.
The Church
Jesus Christ created the Christian Church which is made up of believers who are called to be family members of His body and instruments of His love. The church’s mission is to share the gospel (good news) of eternal and abundant life through Jesus, making disciples, and to provide compassionate service to the needs of people.
Humanity
Every human being is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. All people are equal and loved in God’s sight. God has given us free will to love Him, but from the beginning, man has chosen to disobey God and to live a life of selfishness. This is called “sin,” and it separates people from God and causes many of life’s problems. Every person has a depraved nature and needs Jesus as a Savior.
Eternity
The Bible tells us that our physical world is not the only reality and that our bodies will live here for only a short time. But all of us have a soul that is created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by our rejection of Him, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally with Him is bliss in Heaven. Both are real places of eternal existence.
Salvation
Some people believe that they can earn their way into heaven by doing good works, self-improvement, or religious rituals. But that is not the case. Salvation is God’s gift to us but we must accept it.
Jesus Christ died for our sins as a substitutionary sacrifice, taking the punishment for what each of us deserved. Each person who by faith receives Him as personal Savior and Lord is justified, not on our merit, but because of what Jesus did for us. Accepting and trusting Jesus means you will escape the wrath you deserve due for your sin and instead receive eternal life in heaven.
Stewardship
God is the source of all blessings; therefore, Christians should serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions.
The Family
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in a covenant commitment of love, companionship, and fulfillment.
Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values based on biblical truth. Parents are to raise their children by Christian lifestyle example and with loving discipline. Children are to honor and obey their parents.