Values

Our Values

  • Devoted disciples of Christ: we want to be dedicated to daily prayer, study, and worship and thankfulness individually, and when we gather together.
  • Known for love: we want a reputation of love, in sacrificing our time and resources for the benefit of others in our small church family which then flows out to the greater community we live in.
  • Exercising our God-given gifts for His kingdom: Training everyone in the body to make disciples, not just the appointed leaders
  • Spreading the Gospel: we work to reach the lost for Christ in far away missions and here in own community. Caring for those in need like widows, orphans…

Doctrinal Statement

  • We believe in God, the all-powerful, Creator of the universe. We believe in the Triune God, one in essence, attributes, and nature, yet three in Persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17; John 1:29-34; 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-15; Ephesians 1:3-14; 4:4-6; II Corinthians 13:14; I John 5:1-12). We believe that God is a knowable God, and that He has revealed Himself through natural revelation in the creation (Romans 1:20-His eternal power and divine nature; Psalm 104:24-God’s wisdom and power in the creation), and through special revelation, primarily through His Holy Word (John 16:13-16; Acts 1:1-2; II Peter 1:20-21; II Timothy 3:16), and ultimately in His Son Jesus Christ (John 14:9; Hebrews 1:1-2; Matthew 11:27).
  • We believe that man, as a result of the initial sin of Adam, is totally depraved from conception (Psalm 51:5; 58:3). Man sins in deed because of his sinful bent or disposition. The very mind of man is corrupted, and his core disposition is to be rebellious towards God (Jeremiah 17:1-5; Ephesians 2:3). We believe that man is a free moral agent in that no one coerces him to do good or evil. However, man, apart from God, does not and cannot choose God because of His depravity and bondage to sin. Man, apart from God, loves the darkness (John 3:19-20; 6:39, 44). He is totally alienated from God and is spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1). As a result of this “deadness” he cannot participate in his “resurrection,” anymore then a corpse might attempt to reanimate itself (Romans 8:7).
  • We believe that Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1; Romans 1:3-4; Colossians 1:13). As God, He was as to His existence the only man in human history whose life did not begin with His birth. We believe that Jesus Christ pre-existed all things, that He is eternal and has no beginning (Isaiah 44:5-6; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:46; John 1:1, 15, 30). We believe that Jesus Christ carried out the Father’s plan of creation and created all living creatures, inanimate objects, and even time itself (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2). We believe that Jesus Christ was born to the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:16, 18, 25; Luke 1:34, 35-37). We believe that Christ was born of Mary, but was conceived by the Holy Spirit and not Joseph (Genesis 3:15; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:30-35). This is of the utmost importance, in that the virgin birth both insures that Christ is God, and that He is qualified to be our perfect, sinless redeemer (Psalm 49: 7-8; John 1:1; Romans 5:12; Hebrews 2:9; 10:10-17). We believe that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again on the third day (I Corinthians 15:1-4). We believe that this work is the only basis for salvation from sin and from guilt (Matthew 10:28; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:21-25; 5:9; I Corinthians 15:3; Hebrews 7:26-27; 9:11-14; I John 2:1-2). We believe that it is a substitutionary payment for our sin (Matthew 20:28), and that it was planned by God and prophesied by the Scriptures (Genesis 3:15; Psalm 22:40; Isaiah 53; Matthew 26:54-56; Luke 24:25-27; Hebrews 10:5-9). We believe that only through faith in Jesus Christ, on the basis of His gracious redemptive work, is there salvation from sin (Ephesians 2:8-9). We believe in the actual, physical death of Jesus Christ, and that He rose from the dead, “on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time. (I Corinthians 15:4-6).” We believe that Christ is now exalted, equal in position with the Father over all creation (Philippians 2:10-11; Revelation 5:11-14). We believe that He reigns over His church, as He is the head of it (Colossians 1:18). We believe that Christ has authority over Satan and all spirit beings, as well as over all creation (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:21-22; Colossians 1:14-15; I John 4:4).
  • We believe that salvation, from beginning to end, is a work of God. Apart from this work, man could never attain salvation because of his deadness in sin (Ephesians 2:1-3). We believe that the plan of salvation began in eternity past and consisted of three elements-foreknowledge, predestination, and election. Foreknowledge regards a certain (meaning it is sure), intimate, selective, and personal knowledge of something (Acts 2:23; Romans 8:29; I Peter 1:2). We believe that God foreknew His children, and therefore predestined and elected these ones to be His (Acts 13:48; Ephesians 1:5). Predestination speaks to God having ordained the destiny of some to be His sons and daughters and to spend eternity with Him. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).” This He did out of the kind intention of His will, not based on anything we would have or could have done, but by His grace (Ephesians 1:5; 2:8-9). We believe that a person must be regenerated in order to place his/her faith in Jesus Christ and be saved. Jesus referred to regeneration as being “born again (John 3:1-12).” With respect to man’s role in his salvation, We believe that repentance and faith occur after regeneration. However, we believe that faith is the immediate result of regeneration (Luke 3:9-14; John 3:36; Acts 11:18-23; 20:21; Philippians 3:9; I Thessalonians 1:9). The sinner recognizes his sin and it’s offensiveness to a holy God, feels the guilt of that sin, and makes a decision to turn from it to live for God. Upon realizing his need of a Savior, the sinner places his faith in Christ, a trusting that only Jesus can save him from his sin and from the judgment and wrath of God. This faith, true faith, always produces fruit, and a desire to serve Christ and to live for Him alone. We believe that these ones can never lose their salvation, and will on the Day of Judgment stand blameless before God (John 6:39-40; 10:25-29; Romans 8:29-39).
  • We believe that the converted are baptized with the Holy Spirit at the time of conversion (I Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 2:20; 3:26; I John 5:11-12). The agent of Spirit baptism is Jesus (Matthew 3:11; I Corinthians 12:13). We believe that positionally, as a result of our being baptized in the Spirit, we become members of the body of Christ ( I Corinthians 12:12, 27), and become the children of God, prepared for an eternity with Him (Galatians 3:26-27). We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells believers, and only believers, at the moment of salvation ( John 14:15-17; Romans 8:9-11; Ephesians 1:13; II Timothy 1:14; Titus 3:4-7). We believe that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is permanent (John 14:16; Ephesians 4:30), and is a gift given by God to His children (Acts 11:17; I Corinthians 2:12; II Corinthians 5:5). We believe the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is proof of a true conversion and occurs in every Christian (Romans 8:9-10; I Corinthians 2:14; 6:19). We believe that the believer becomes a temple, a holy place, once indwelt with the Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19-20). We believe that the Holy Spirit is a pledge and a seal, showing God’s ownership of a person and guaranteeing the completion of their salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14; II Corinthians 1:22; 5:5). We believe that the Holy Spirit sanctifies the believer throughout the course of his/her life (Romans 6:12-23; 8:12-17; Galatians 5:16-24; II Thessalonians 2:13). The believer is changed more and more into the image of Christ by means of prayer, the Word of God, and fellowship with the body of Christ in conjunction with the indwelling Spirit (Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:14-21; Hebrews 10:24-25; I Peter 1:22-2:3; 21; I John 2:27-28; 3:23-24).
  • We believe that the written Word of God is inspired or “God-breathed” (II Timothy 3:16). We believe that the Scriptures originated with God, being “breathed-out” or coming directly from His mouth, by His effort. We believe that the Scriptures are inerrant; that is that they are completely without fault, misstatement or contradiction of any kind (Mark 14:21). Therefore, We believe that they are authoritative and trustworthy in every respect. Jesus and the apostles attested to their authoritativeness and therefore their inerrancy as well (Matthew 21:42; I Corinthians 14:37-38; Galatians 1:24; Ephesians 2:20; I Thessalonians 5:27; II Peter 1:20-21; 3:15-16). We believe that the Scriptures are sufficient to equip the man of God for every good work, in every contingency of life (II Timothy 3:1-4:5; II Peter 1:3).
  • We believe in the church of God, built by the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18). We believe that the building of the church was and is dependent on the work of redemption accomplished by Christ, as well as certain works of the Holy Spirit, and began on the day of Pentecost (Matthew 16:18; John 14:20; Acts 1:4-5; 20:28; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:21-23; 2:22; 4:7-11, 15; Colossians 1:27; 2:10). We believe that the completion of the church is certain, and will culminate in the Second Coming of Christ (Acts 15:14). We believe that the church is presently being completed, built by the Lord’s continually gathering people out of all nations (I Kings 6:7; Acts 15:14; I Peter 2:5). At His return, Christ will remove the church from the earth by means of resurrection and translation (I Corinthians 15:51; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13). Finally, We believe that the church will be united forever with her Head who is Christ the Lord (Ephesians 5:25; Revelation 19:6).
  • We believe that there are two sacraments given to be performed by the church today. The first, baptism, is a physical sign of the spiritual reality of the new birth (Romans 6). Therefore, only the saved, and those old enough to understand baptism’s significance should be baptized. We are commanded to baptize believers by Jesus Christ Himself. This baptism is to be done in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-19). The Lord’s supper is, like baptism, prescribed by Jesus Christ Himself, and is a remembrance of Him and His work. We believe it is designed to remind the church of its relationship to Him, thereby protecting it’s unity in Him. We believe it is to be taken with certain things in mind. We are to remember Christ’s suffering on the cross (I Corinthians 11:24-31); we are to keep the church in mind to remind us that we are one in Him (I Corinthians 10:16-17); and we are to await eagerly Christ’s coming kingdom (Mark 14:25; I Corinthians 11:25).
  • We believe that we now live in what Jesus referred to as “the last days” or end times (Romans 13:11-12; I Corinthians 10:11). We believe in the imminent and triumphant return of Jesus Christ to the earth ( Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 1:9-10; 4:16-18; II Thessalonians 4:7-8; Revelation 1:7). We believe that at the time of Christ’s return there will be a rapture of the church (I Corinthians 15:51-53; I Thessalonians 4:16-17). At this point, We believe that the bodies of both the saved and unsaved will be resurrected (Daniel 12:2-3; Acts 24:15; I Corinthians 15:35-49; II Corinthians 5:1-4; II Peter 3:15; Revelation 20:11-15). All true believers (both alive and dead) will be taken up from this earth to be with Christ (John 5:28-29; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; I Corinthians 15:51-52). Ultimately, they will dwell in the new heavens and the new earth, following the destruction of the old (Revelation 21). We believe that the unbelieving (both dead and alive) will be called to judgment, and will be ultimately cast into the lake of fire for an eternity apart from God (Revelation 20:11-15). We believe that heaven and hell are real places, one a place of great torment for the unbelieving, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, and one where believers will remain in the presence of the Lord forever (Matthew 5:22; 10:28; Luke 12:5; 16:19-31; John 11:25-26; Romans 8:1; Hebrews 9:15).