GOD
THREE IN ONE
Our faith is Trinitarian, we believe in the Triune God, one God eternally existing in three equally divine Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—who know, love, and glorify one another. (Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 14:25-26)
Our faith is Trinitarian, we believe in the Triune God, one God eternally existing in three equally divine Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—who know, love, and glorify one another. (Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 14:25-26)
FATHER
The Father has existed eternally and sovereignly reigns over all creation. He is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, omnibenevolent and does all things for His glory. (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14-15; Exodus 34:5-7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 63:16; Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19; John 1:18; John 3:16; John 17:1-5; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 4:6; James 1:17; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 3:1)
SON
The Son was eternally begotten of the Father, not made, and, as the Puritans held: “there was never a time when He was not.” He became man being born of the virgin Mary, truly God and truly human, one person with two natures. He remained what He was from eternity, God the Son, and became what He was not, Man, that He might be our sacrifice and high priest. He lived a per- fect sinless life, was crucified for our sins, died, on the third day rose again, He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father where He is worshiped and glorified. (Isaiah 9:1-6; Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Matthew 1:23; Matthew 11:27; Mark 2:5-7; John 1:1; John 5:18; John 8:56-58; John 14:8-11; John 17:1-5; John 20:27-29; Philippians 2:5-7; Colossians 1:15; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3)
HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son, and He glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Counselor, Helper, Comforter, and Advocate and He is present with and in believers. He convicts the world of sin and regenerates spiritually dead sinners, awakening them to repentance and faith, baptizing them into union with the Lord Jesus. By the Spirit, believers are renewed, sanctified, and adopted into God’s family; they participate in the divine na- ture and receive spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit is the deposit of the promised inheritance, and in this age indwells, guides, instructs, equips, revives, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service. (Ezekiel 136:26-29; 1 Samuel 16:12-13; John 3:5-8; John 14:15-17; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7-15; Romans 6:3; Romans 8:26-27; Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 2:10-16; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Titus 3:5)
The Father has existed eternally and sovereignly reigns over all creation. He is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, omnibenevolent and does all things for His glory. (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14-15; Exodus 34:5-7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 63:16; Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19; John 1:18; John 3:16; John 17:1-5; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 4:6; James 1:17; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 3:1)
SON
The Son was eternally begotten of the Father, not made, and, as the Puritans held: “there was never a time when He was not.” He became man being born of the virgin Mary, truly God and truly human, one person with two natures. He remained what He was from eternity, God the Son, and became what He was not, Man, that He might be our sacrifice and high priest. He lived a per- fect sinless life, was crucified for our sins, died, on the third day rose again, He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father where He is worshiped and glorified. (Isaiah 9:1-6; Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Matthew 1:23; Matthew 11:27; Mark 2:5-7; John 1:1; John 5:18; John 8:56-58; John 14:8-11; John 17:1-5; John 20:27-29; Philippians 2:5-7; Colossians 1:15; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3)
HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son, and He glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Counselor, Helper, Comforter, and Advocate and He is present with and in believers. He convicts the world of sin and regenerates spiritually dead sinners, awakening them to repentance and faith, baptizing them into union with the Lord Jesus. By the Spirit, believers are renewed, sanctified, and adopted into God’s family; they participate in the divine na- ture and receive spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit is the deposit of the promised inheritance, and in this age indwells, guides, instructs, equips, revives, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service. (Ezekiel 136:26-29; 1 Samuel 16:12-13; John 3:5-8; John 14:15-17; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7-15; Romans 6:3; Romans 8:26-27; Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 2:10-16; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Titus 3:5)
REVELATION
We believe that since God is sovereign and transcendent, the only way we, as His creation, can know anything about Him is through His gracious revelation. God has revealed Himself in the created order, and has supremely revealed Himself in His Son, Jesus. (Psalm 19:1-2; Hebrews 1:1-2; Deuteronomy 29:29)
THE BIBLE
By the Holy Spirit, God has graciously revealed Himself in human words: we believe that God has divinely inspired the Scriptures, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. These writings alone constitute the verbally inspired Word of God, which is utterly authoritative and without error in the original writings, complete in its revelation of His will for salvation, sufficient for all that God requires us to believe and do, and final in its authority over every domain of knowledge to which it speaks. (2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 119)
REVEALED TRUTH
We confess that both our finitude and sinfulness prevent the possibility of knowing God’s truth exhaustively, but being enlightened by the Spirit of God, we can know God’s revealed truth truly. (Psalm 139:6; John 16:13)
By the Holy Spirit, God has graciously revealed Himself in human words: we believe that God has divinely inspired the Scriptures, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. These writings alone constitute the verbally inspired Word of God, which is utterly authoritative and without error in the original writings, complete in its revelation of His will for salvation, sufficient for all that God requires us to believe and do, and final in its authority over every domain of knowledge to which it speaks. (2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 119)
REVEALED TRUTH
We confess that both our finitude and sinfulness prevent the possibility of knowing God’s truth exhaustively, but being enlightened by the Spirit of God, we can know God’s revealed truth truly. (Psalm 139:6; John 16:13)
CREATION
We believe that God created the universe from nothing for His glory; all things were created for Him and are upheld by His sovereign power and grace. All creation was originally perfect and good and as the pinnacle of creation, God created man and woman in His image as His stewards to have dominion over creation, to work and cultivate it in obedience to Him so that all things would display His glory (Genesis 1:26-31; Isaiah 43:7; Psalm 19:10; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
IMAGO DEI (Image of God)
We believe that every person from every race, tongue, tribe, and nation is created in the image of God with inherent worth and value from the mo- ment of conception and therefore must be treated with compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Psalm 139:13-16; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31.) All people, regardless of their past or current sin struggles, are loved and welcomed at our gatherings and events. Hateful and harassing behaviors or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be forsaken and repented of or lovingly confronted and corrected (Luke 15:1-2; Romans 5:6-8; Jude 1:23).
IDENTITY
We believe that God determines who we are. He wonderfully and intentionally creates people distinctly male and female; different and yet equal in value, dignity, and worth. Together, these two complementary genders reflect one aspect of God’s image and nature. (Genesis 1:26-27.) Since the fall, all people are sinful and broken sexually, some have a specific struggle regarding their sexual identity, and some are unable to clearly determine their sex either genetically or physically (Matthew 19:12). All are created in the image of God, and all are called to live a fruitful life in obedience to Christ finding their identity in Him through the gospel. All should embrace their biological sex insofar as it genetically may be known, as a rejection of their biological sex is a rejection of an expression of God’s image within them.
MARRIAGE
We believe that the meaning of marriage is conveyed only through the joining of one man and one woman in an exclusive covenantal union as explained in Scripture. In God’s wise purposes, men and women are not simply inter- changeable, but were made to complement each other in marriage in mutually enriching ways which reflect the loving relationship and union between Christ and the Church. The husband exercises humble headship in a way that displays the caring, sacrificial love of Christ, and the wife confidently submits to her husband in a way that models the love of the Church for her Lord (Genesis 2:18-25; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy 2:8–3:13; Titus 1:5-9; Romans 16:1; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16).
We believe God has commanded that no sexual activity be engaged in out- side of an exclusive marriage between one man and one woman. Any form of sexual immorality (including, for example, adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual behavior, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is contrary to God’s intention and design for sexual intimacy and is therefore sinful (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,18; Hebrews 13:4).
GLORIFICATION
We believe that God offers redemption to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. All who are redeemed are progressively conformed into the image of Jesus, and when all things are made new, will be fully restored in the image of Christ for eternity (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
We believe that every person from every race, tongue, tribe, and nation is created in the image of God with inherent worth and value from the mo- ment of conception and therefore must be treated with compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. (Psalm 139:13-16; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31.) All people, regardless of their past or current sin struggles, are loved and welcomed at our gatherings and events. Hateful and harassing behaviors or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be forsaken and repented of or lovingly confronted and corrected (Luke 15:1-2; Romans 5:6-8; Jude 1:23).
IDENTITY
We believe that God determines who we are. He wonderfully and intentionally creates people distinctly male and female; different and yet equal in value, dignity, and worth. Together, these two complementary genders reflect one aspect of God’s image and nature. (Genesis 1:26-27.) Since the fall, all people are sinful and broken sexually, some have a specific struggle regarding their sexual identity, and some are unable to clearly determine their sex either genetically or physically (Matthew 19:12). All are created in the image of God, and all are called to live a fruitful life in obedience to Christ finding their identity in Him through the gospel. All should embrace their biological sex insofar as it genetically may be known, as a rejection of their biological sex is a rejection of an expression of God’s image within them.
MARRIAGE
We believe that the meaning of marriage is conveyed only through the joining of one man and one woman in an exclusive covenantal union as explained in Scripture. In God’s wise purposes, men and women are not simply inter- changeable, but were made to complement each other in marriage in mutually enriching ways which reflect the loving relationship and union between Christ and the Church. The husband exercises humble headship in a way that displays the caring, sacrificial love of Christ, and the wife confidently submits to her husband in a way that models the love of the Church for her Lord (Genesis 2:18-25; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy 2:8–3:13; Titus 1:5-9; Romans 16:1; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16).
We believe God has commanded that no sexual activity be engaged in out- side of an exclusive marriage between one man and one woman. Any form of sexual immorality (including, for example, adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual behavior, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is contrary to God’s intention and design for sexual intimacy and is therefore sinful (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,18; Hebrews 13:4).
GLORIFICATION
We believe that God offers redemption to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. All who are redeemed are progressively conformed into the image of Jesus, and when all things are made new, will be fully restored in the image of Christ for eternity (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
FALL
We believe that Adam, being made in the image of God, distorted that image and forfeited his original blessedness, for himself and all mankind, by falling into sin through Satan’s temptation. As a result, all human beings are alienated from God, corrupted in every aspect of their being (e.g., physically, mentally, volitionally, emotionally, and spiritually) and condemned to death—apart from God’s own gracious intervention. All are sinful and have fallen short of the glory of God; we are all totally depraved, but we are not utterly depraved. That is, we are sinful in every way, but by God’s grace we are not as sinful as we could be. We must recognize our sin if we are to recognize and treasure our Savior (Genesis 3; Romans 5:18-19; Genesis 6:5; Job 25:4-6; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:10-11; Romans 8:7-8; John 8:34, 15:5; Romans 7:18, 8:8; Ephesians 2:1-3; Hebrews 11:6; Jeremiah 17:9; Psalm 14:3).
redemption
We believe the death and resurrection of Christ provide the only means of salvation for sinners, and only those who receive Jesus Christ by faith are justified, regenerated, redeemed, and adopted into the family of God as heirs with Christ. We also believe that every true Christian will persevere in faith to the end of their life, or until Jesus returns, meaning that Christians cannot lose their salvation if they were genuinely saved (John 6:37-39, 10:27-30, 3:36; Romans 8:1, 28-30; Ephesians 1:13-14; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 3:14).
The Plan of God
From all eternity, God determined in grace to save a great multitude of guilty sinners from every tribe, language, people, and nation; and to this end He foreknew and chose them. We believe that God justifies and sanctifies those who by His grace have faith in Jesus, and He will one day glorify them to the praise of His glorious grace (Ezekiel 11:19-20, 36:25-26; Isaiah 53; Romans 8:28-30, 9:11-13; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5; 1 Peter 1:1; Revelation 13:7-8; John 3:3, 6:44, 6:65; Ephesians 2:4-5; Acts 16:14; Colossians 2:13).
The Gospel
The Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. It is folly to the world, yet the power of God to those who are being saved. This good news centers on Jesus, His cross, and His resurrection. This good news is biblical, theological, saving, historical, apostolic, and intensely personal (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 2:2, 15:1-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:14).
Atonement
Christ, by His obedience and death, fully paid the punishment for sin for all those who are justified. By His sacrifice on the cross, our sin was imputed to Jesus and He bore in our place the punishment due to us for our sins, satisfying God’s wrath. His perfect righteousness is imputed to all who trust in Christ alone for their acceptance with God. On the cross, God’s wrath on sin and His love for sinners meet in perfect justice and grace (John 3:17; Romans 3:23-26, 5:9-10, 16-18, 6:23; Titus 3:7; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 10:11, 15, 17:9; Acts 20:28; Romans 5:8, 8:33-34; Galatians 3:13).
From all eternity, God determined in grace to save a great multitude of guilty sinners from every tribe, language, people, and nation; and to this end He foreknew and chose them. We believe that God justifies and sanctifies those who by His grace have faith in Jesus, and He will one day glorify them to the praise of His glorious grace (Ezekiel 11:19-20, 36:25-26; Isaiah 53; Romans 8:28-30, 9:11-13; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5; 1 Peter 1:1; Revelation 13:7-8; John 3:3, 6:44, 6:65; Ephesians 2:4-5; Acts 16:14; Colossians 2:13).
The Gospel
The Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. It is folly to the world, yet the power of God to those who are being saved. This good news centers on Jesus, His cross, and His resurrection. This good news is biblical, theological, saving, historical, apostolic, and intensely personal (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 2:2, 15:1-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:14).
Atonement
Christ, by His obedience and death, fully paid the punishment for sin for all those who are justified. By His sacrifice on the cross, our sin was imputed to Jesus and He bore in our place the punishment due to us for our sins, satisfying God’s wrath. His perfect righteousness is imputed to all who trust in Christ alone for their acceptance with God. On the cross, God’s wrath on sin and His love for sinners meet in perfect justice and grace (John 3:17; Romans 3:23-26, 5:9-10, 16-18, 6:23; Titus 3:7; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 10:11, 15, 17:9; Acts 20:28; Romans 5:8, 8:33-34; Galatians 3:13).
RESTORATION
We believe that those who have been saved by the grace of God, through union with Christ by faith, and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, enter the kingdom of God and are sanctified by an inward transformation that awakens a desire to glorify, trust, and obey God. Good works constitute indispensable evidence of saving grace, for we are God’s workmanship created for good works. Living as salt in a world that is decaying and light in a world that is dark, believers should neither withdraw into seclusion from the world, nor become indistinguishable from it. We are to do good and glorify God by being part of God’s restoration of His creation as we wait for His return to make all things new. (1 Corinthians 1:2, 6:9-11; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 5:17-18; Romans 6:19-22, 12:2; Ephesians 2:6, 10; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 10:14)
THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH
The universal church is made up of all Christians from all times and all plac- es, and is already seated with Christ in heaven. This universal church is man- ifest in local churches of which Christ is the only Head. The Church of Jesus is distinguished by her Gospel message, her sacred ordinances, her loving discipline, her great commission, her love for God, and by her members’ love for both one another and the world. The Church is the corporate dwelling place of God’s Spirit, and the continuing witness of God in the world. (Acts 9:31, 15:3-4; Ephesians 1:22-23, 3:10; Colossians 1:18, 24; Matthew 28:18-20)
THE LOCAL CHURCH
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local con- gregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellow- ship of the Gospel. As a church we observe the two ordinances of Christ (Baptism & Communion), we are governed by Scripture, we exercise the gifts of the Spirit, we enjoy the privileges entrusted to us by His grace, and we exist to extend the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Each local congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through a plurality of male elders, male and female deacons, and church members. (Acts 11:22, 14:27, 15:30, 20:28; Colossians 4:15-16)
THE ORDINANCES
Baptism and communion were ordained by the Lord Jesus Himself. The former is connected with the repentance that marks entrance into the new covenant community, the latter with the repentance of ongoing covenant renewal. They are visible signs of invisible realities, but are not to be regarded as a means of salvation. (Luke 22:19-20, 24:30-31; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:26-28)
ESCHATOLOGY
We look forward to the personal, glorious, and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He will exercise His role as final judge, and His kingdom will be consummated. There will be a bodily resurrection of both the justified and the unjust—the unjust to judgment and eternal conscious punishment in hell, and the justified to eternal blessing in the presence of God, in the new heavens and the new earth. On that day the church will be presented faultless before God by the obedience, death, and resurrection of Christ, all sin will be purged, and its evil effects forever removed. (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation)
The universal church is made up of all Christians from all times and all plac- es, and is already seated with Christ in heaven. This universal church is man- ifest in local churches of which Christ is the only Head. The Church of Jesus is distinguished by her Gospel message, her sacred ordinances, her loving discipline, her great commission, her love for God, and by her members’ love for both one another and the world. The Church is the corporate dwelling place of God’s Spirit, and the continuing witness of God in the world. (Acts 9:31, 15:3-4; Ephesians 1:22-23, 3:10; Colossians 1:18, 24; Matthew 28:18-20)
THE LOCAL CHURCH
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local con- gregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellow- ship of the Gospel. As a church we observe the two ordinances of Christ (Baptism & Communion), we are governed by Scripture, we exercise the gifts of the Spirit, we enjoy the privileges entrusted to us by His grace, and we exist to extend the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Each local congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through a plurality of male elders, male and female deacons, and church members. (Acts 11:22, 14:27, 15:30, 20:28; Colossians 4:15-16)
THE ORDINANCES
Baptism and communion were ordained by the Lord Jesus Himself. The former is connected with the repentance that marks entrance into the new covenant community, the latter with the repentance of ongoing covenant renewal. They are visible signs of invisible realities, but are not to be regarded as a means of salvation. (Luke 22:19-20, 24:30-31; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 11:26-28)
ESCHATOLOGY
We look forward to the personal, glorious, and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He will exercise His role as final judge, and His kingdom will be consummated. There will be a bodily resurrection of both the justified and the unjust—the unjust to judgment and eternal conscious punishment in hell, and the justified to eternal blessing in the presence of God, in the new heavens and the new earth. On that day the church will be presented faultless before God by the obedience, death, and resurrection of Christ, all sin will be purged, and its evil effects forever removed. (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation)