What We Believe…

Christians have biblical names such as:

• believers (Act 5:14)

• Christians (Acts 11:26)

• brethren (Acts 20:32)

• believer-priests (Rev. 1:6, 1 Pet. 2:5, 9)

or any name which describes all those who belong to Christ.

Christ is building His Church (Matt. 16:18). Those trusting His “good news” message and experience a spiritual birth (John 3:3) are added to the church. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church (Eph. 1:22). He is the central focus of the church for worship (Heb. 13:15) and authority (Eph. 5:23).

We follow the example of the early Church, which met together for teaching, fellowship, for the breaking of bread, and to pray (Acts 2:42). God’s design for the church is described as a functioning body not a hierarchy (Rom. 12:3-8, 1 Cor. 12:1-31). We believe that this is God’s plan for the Church today.

We practice in simplicity the Lord Jesus’ instructions:

1. A believer should obey the Lord’s command and be water baptized (believer’s baptism) after receiving forgiveness for their sins (Acts 8:38; Romans 6:3, 4; Matt. 28:19).

2. The Breaking of Bread or the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 10:16) where, as believers in Christ, we gather in response to His own request: “This do in remembrance of Me”, to “show the Lord’s death until He comes”, (Luke 22:19; Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

We have no enrolled membership. Church membership requires nothing more than being saved by God (Acts 2:47). All who know the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal Savior are thereby constituted members of the true Church, the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-13) and are welcome to worship with us. Believers who are sound in life and in doctrine and indicate a willingness to submit to church leadership, as unto the Lord, may be “received into the fellowship” (Acts 9:26-28, 18:27, Rom. 16:1, 1 Cor. 3:1-2, 2 Thess. 3:6, 1 Cor. 5). Local church “membership” divides and segregates the body of Christ, where as “fellowship” stresses the active sharing of responsibilities and privileges among believers in alocal assembly.

The Bible teaches that each assembly is autonomous, governed by spiritual leaders called “elders” or “overseers” (not professional clergy –Acts 20:17, Tit. 1:5, Phil. 1:1, Acts 14:23). These men were called by the Holy Spirit for this service (Acts 20:28), desired and were doing the work (1 Tim. 3:1) and were recognized by the assembly after thorough examination (Tit. 1:6-9, 1 Tim. 3:1-7). Deacons, when needed to assist and offload the elders, are recognized by the church. (Acts 6:1-6, 1 Tim. 3:8-12, Phil. 1:1).

We also believe the following:

        (1) That the Bible (in the original text) is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, giving us God’s plan for salvation and the Christian life (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

        (2) That there is one God, the Creator of all, eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4, Isa. 48: 16-17, Matt. 28:19, Eph. 4:4-6).

        (3) That Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, begotten of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and that He had a perfect and sinless humanity (John 1:1, Phil 2:6, Matt. 1:23-25, 1 John 3:5). Jesus Christ was sent by God the Father and is the only Savior and the only way man can be reconciled to God (John 3:16, John 14:16, Acts 4:12).

        (4) That man (by nature) became completely corrupt after his fall in Eden and that this sinful nature resulted in mankinds’ eternal separation from a Holy God. Man is therefore absolutely unable to save himself (by doing good works, penance, etc.) from the eternal punishment, which resulted from his disobedience (Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:8-9).

        (5) That the sacrifice and substitutional death of Jesus Christ was made for all men and therefore sufficient to provide, to those who choose, eternal redemption and restoration to a Holy God.  God the Father showed his approval by raising His Son from the dead and enthroning Him at His own right hand in Heaven.  Christ is the Head of the Church; the Lord, the High Priest and Advocate of the believer.

        (6) The immediate and eternal salvation of every person who personally trusts Christ as Savior and by faith rests on His finished work as the only ground on which a Holy God can forgive his sins.

        (7) That anyone who by faith receives the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior (becomes a believer in Jesus) are born again of the Holy Spirit, indwelt by the Holy Spirit and by the Holy Spirit added into the Body of Christ, the Church (1 Cor. 12:12-14; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18).

        (8) The personal, imminent, pretribulation and premillennial returning of the Lord Jesus Christ in the air to Rapture (catch away) the Church (1 Thess. 4:13-17).

        (9) The Bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of believers (1 Thess. 4:17); and the everlasting conscious punishment of non-believers (Rev. 20:11-15).

        (10) The revelation of Christ in glory at His Second Advent to the earth to establish His kingdom on earth and to reign in righteousness (2 Thess. 1:6-10, Phil. 2:9-11).