Statement of Faith

Scripture

Scripture is God’s special revelation about himself to his Creation. It is the eternal guiding light which points all people towards the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Composed by men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Scripture is the inerrant and infallible Word of God. Scripture is comprised of sixty-six books that work together to convey God’s covenant plans for his Creation. These books are written by Old Testament prophets selected by God, New Testament believers who possessed authentic testimony concerning the events of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and men with the spiritual gifts of discernment and prophecy. Literature which cannot be attributed to one who has witnessed biblical events or who has authentic testimony during this time has been disallowed in the canon of Scripture. (Psalm 19:7-10; Psalm 119:11)
 

The Trinity

There is one God, existing in three different persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Each person is fully God and equal in divine excellence, but with distinct and compatible functions in their work. In this trinitarian relationship each person of the Godhead possesses the same essence, characteristics and is worthy of equal worship and praise. Each person of the Godhead exists eternally. God is infinite in his holiness, his power, and his knowledge. God’s authority is limitless and is supreme above all others in Heaven and on Earth. (Exodus 3:14; Exodus 15:11-13)
 

God the Father

God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, is infinite in his knowledge, power, and presence. His authority is supreme above all others in Heaven and on Earth. He sustains and provides for his creation in every area of need. He reveals himself through Scripture and through the Son, Jesus Christ. He exists independently of his creation and has worked through the Son and the Spirit to redeem his creation from sin and death. He providentially directs his creation according to his perfect will and grace. (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 43:3)
 

God the Son

Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, is the eternal Son of God, revealed throughout the Old Testament and in the New Testament, and coequal with the Father. In his incarnation on Earth, he was conceived by the Spirit and born of a virgin, therefore Jesus is fully human and fully God. Jesus lived a sinless life in perfect obedience to the Father’s will. He fulfilled the divine law through his obedience and substitutionary death on the cross allowing for the redemption of creation. He was resurrected from the dead three days later in a glorified body. He ascended into heaven and serves as the mediator between man and God. He will return to Earth one day and fully restore creation as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-23) 
 

God the Holy Spirit

God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, fills each believer and is a seal of their salvation. He is revealed throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament. He is the active presence of God in the world. He is the comforter, the helper sent by Jesus to his church. He guides believers in the will of the Father. He convicts people of sin and calls them to faith in Jesus Christ. He baptizes believers into the body of Christ and works in the sanctification and regeneration of believers. He gives spiritual gifts to believers so that they may be equipped to do the work of God. Through his work man is able to come to God in prayer and for worship. (Genesis 1:2; Psalms 51:11)
 

Creation

The triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, worked in unison to create the Heavens and the Earth out of nothing. Before God’s work in building his creation, nothing existed. The Heavens and the Earth were created in six days (24 hours each) and on the seventh day God rested. God viewed his creation as good and it reflected his good will, power, and glory. God created Adam and Eve in his own image. They chose to follow their own path in God’s creation instead of the path God designed for them. They desired to be like God himself. This sin caused a divide in the relationship between God and his creation. The penalty for their sin was death and separation from God. Creation itself has deteriorated since that time resulting in corruption. God promised to redeem his creation and provide a way for man to be reconciled to himself. God fulfilled his promise through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. (Genesis 1:1-2; Genesis 1:26-27)
 

Fall

God created man in his own image and he saw that it was very good. Man chose to follow its own path in God’s creation instead of the path God designed for them. Man desired to be like God himself. This sin caused a divide in the relationship between God and his creation which has been passed through every generation from Adam to the present day. Man is totally depraved; all aspects of his mind, will, emotions, and actions have been impacted by sin. The penalty for sin is death and separation from God. Creation itself has deteriorated since the fall resulting in corruption. God promised to redeem his creation and provide a way for man to be reconciled to himself. He fulfilled this promise through the work of Jesus Christ. Those that follow Jesus as a true disciple will receive the righteousness of Jesus upon their resurrection. During Judgement, God will see the righteousness of Jesus upon his people rather than the sin that permeated so much of their lives. Because of this, Christians have an eternal hope which bypasses the understanding of those within the world. (Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:1-6)
 

Salvation

Salvation, personal redemption from sin, is available to those who have answered the call of God to follow Jesus Christ by faith as his disciple. Salvation is a gift freely accepted from God and has no basis in personal works. It cannot be earned or purchased by man, this could be accomplished only by Jesus Christ. One is justified before God by the imparting of Jesus’ righteousness to them. In receiving salvation, a person’s mind is transformed and is no longer captive to the culture of the world. God calls for new disciples to repent from sin and strive towards displaying the fruits of the Spirit as evidence of their transformation. This daily struggle with repentance and godly living is a spiritual battle that must be fought through the strength of Jesus. Salvation marked by great faith and personal dependence on God is eternal and provides everlasting hope to the believer independent of one’s personal trials and experiences on earth. (Hebrews 2:14; Romans 5:7-8)
 

The Church

The universal, catholic, church consists of all believers in the Messiah who have existed in all places and in all times. The Spirit of God is present within the universal church and binds each believer together into one body, the Body of Christ. The local church is a fellowship of believers who are typically from the same geographic region, share the same biblical values, gather together to worship God, and hear the teaching of his Word. Christ is the head of the church, both local and universal. Local churches draw authority from Christ and may operate independently of other churches and organizations; however, local churches may find it helpful to work in cooperation with churches and organizations to advance the Kingdom of Heaven. Members and leaders of local churches should meet qualifications found in Scripture and are ultimately accountable to God for their choices and actions. (Ephesians 2:20-22; Matthew 18:20)
 

Ordinances

There are two ordinances of the church commanded by Jesus; they include Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion). First, Baptism should be performed by full immersion in water and done in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism is commanded in Scripture and is symbolic of the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is a public profession of a new believer’s active faith and subsequent transformation. Paedobaptism, in contrast, is not a profession of active faith. Second, the Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of the death of our Messiah and a celebration of the eternal hope that we have in his victory over sin and death. The breaking of the bread represents his broken body and the drinking of the fruit of the vine represents his blood. The consuming of these elements is a profession of faith and a memorial to what Jesus has done for his people. (Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 26:26-29)
 

Return of Jesus

During Jesus’ first physical manifestation on earth he came as a suffering Messiah. He promises his followers that he will return a second time to earth in his resurrected body as a conquering Messiah, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, with Heaven’s armies by his side. Aside from the Father, no one in Heaven or on Earth knows the day or time of Jesus’ return and the ushering in of the end of the age. Scripture tells believers that they should always be prepared because Jesus’ return is imminent. Jesus’ second coming will be glorious and will reveal his total authority over the physical and spiritual realms throughout all of creation. (Hebrews 9:28; Jeremiah 23:5-6)
 

Judgment

Jesus, perfect in his righteousness, his justice, and his love will preside over the final judgement at the Great White Throne Judgement. Scripture says that non-believers will be separated from believers. Non-believers, whose names are not written in the Book of Life, will be cast into Hell, an eternal lake of fire and torment. Names of believers will be found in the Book of Life and set apart for eternal life with God in Heaven. Believers will be judged at the Judgement Seat of Christ where believers will give an account of the things they have done and be rewarded on how faithfully they served Jesus and worked towards advancing the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 16:27; Matthew 18:8-9)