what we believe

We believe that the Holy Bible, both Old and New Testaments together, is the complete, authoritative written Word of God, verbally-inspired by the Holy Spirit, entirely free from error, being truthful and trustworthy in all that it teaches.
We believe that the Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice and the true basis of Christian union.

We believe that there is one true living God who exists eternally in three distinct and equal  Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God alone is the Creator, Sustainer, and Lord of all things visible and invisible, at work in the world to redeem creation.  He is holy and sovereign, along with being all-present, all-knowing, and all-powerful (omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent).

We believe the eternal, absolute, and essential deity of the Son of God, incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He declared God’s kingdom rule, and embodied that reign in His life, teaching, ministry, death, and resurrection.
We believe that having lived a life of perfect human obedience to the Father, He died on the cross as a vicarious and victorious atonement for sin. In His atoning death and resurrection, Christ opened the way of rescue from sin and death, and offered redemption, forgiveness and healing, in reconciling the world to God.
We believe that, exalted as Lord, He continues to make intercession for His people.

We believe the eternal, absolute, and essential deity and personality of The Holy Spirit who convinces of sin, righteousness, and judgment, who illuminates, regenerates, sanctifies, and comforts those who have believed and received Jesus Christ as Lord.
We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit includes regenerating, baptizing, indwelling, sealing, and filling. While these five ministries occur at conversion, the first four are permanent and unconditional, needing no repetition or further request in prayer for their benefits. The fifth, however, is temporary and conditional, requiring continuous repetition in the life of the follower of Jesus.

We believe that Satan exists as an evil, created personality, the originator of sin, the archenemy of God and man, and whose eternal destiny in hell is certain.

We believe that man alone was created in the image of God, and was created to glorify God, as well as to enjoy relationship with God, with one another, and with creation over which man is called to be stewards.

We believe that since we were created in the image of God, His intention is for man to work, to be creative, to care for, and cultivate, the earth.

We also believe that since we we were made in the image of God, the value, dignity and personhood of each human life originates with God.

Furthermore, we believe that because we were created in the image of our Triune God, we were created for community (i.e. koinonia – fellowship).  Friendship and family reflect this reality, as does the unity and diversity of the local church.

We believe that man’s sinful rebellion resulted in God’s just judgment, bringing the consequences of sin upon all humanity.

Sin was introduced into the world when Adam disobeyed God, having been tempted by Satan.  The result of this first sin is that all man is alienated from God.  As a result, man incurred the condemnation of God, resulting in physical, spiritual and eternal death.

We believe that God, in mercy and grace, redeems all who repent of their sin and trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone for their salvation, justifying them through faith in His all-sufficient sacrifice and resurrection, restoring their relationship with God, giving them new life by the Spirit, and transforming them in Christlikeness.

We believe in the personal, bodily, imminent, and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe in the resurrection of the just and unjust.

We believe in the eternal blessedness in heaven of the redeemed, and in the judgment and conscious, eternal separation from God in hell of the unredeemed.

We believe that the one holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic church occurs in local communities of believers all over the world. We believe that a church is called out from the world, separated unto the Lord Jesus, voluntarily associated for the ministry of the Word, the mutual edification of its members, the propagation of the faith, and the observance of the ordinances.
We believe it is a sovereign, interdependent body, exercising its own divinely-awarded gifts, precepts and privileges under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, who is the Great Head of the Church.
We believe that Jesus Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead. He will establish His kingdom of peace and He will reign forever.

We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s day (that being, Sunday) and that, in a special sense, it is the divinely appointed day for congregational and personal worship and spiritual exercise.

We believe that there are only two ordinances for the Church regularly observed in the New Testament in the following order:

• Baptism, which is the immersion of the believer in water, whereby one obeys Christ’s command and sets forth their identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.
• The Lord’s Supper, which is the memorial wherein the believer partakes of the two elements, bread and fruit of the vine (that being wine and/or juice), which symbolize the Lord’s body and shed blood, proclaiming His death until He comes.

We believe in the entire separation of church and state.

We believe in religious liberty, that every person has the right to practise and propagate their beliefs according to their conscience and convictions, and the responsibility of acknowledging those of others.

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for both the interest and the good order of society.
We believe that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honoured and obeyed, except only in the things opposed to the will, ways, and Word of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience and Lord of the kings of the earth.