ARTICLES OF FAITH

THE BIBLE. We believe in the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired of God, and without error in the original writings in all manners of which they treat. 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21.

GOD. We believe there is one and only one living and true God, The infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. Exodus 20:2; Isaiah 48:16; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11.

JESUS CHRIST. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became perfect man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born, or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God and God the Son. Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35.

We further believe that he was crucified on the cross, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins, the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place. He was buried and on the third day rose again in a literal, physical body of flesh and bones. He ascended up to heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High priest and Intercessor. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:20-23; Colossians 1:12-19.

HOLY SPIRIT. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead, eternal, co-equal with the Father and the Son; that he was active in creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent of the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; John 3:5-6; 14:16,17; 16:8-11; Romans 8:9-27.

SATAN. We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all powers of darkness, and is destine to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire. Matthew 4:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10.

CREATION. We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution. Genesis 1,2; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16,17.

SALVATION. We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We further believe that his salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God, and was purchased by Christ on the cross, and is received by man through faith, apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We further believe that salvation results in righteous living, good works, and proper social living. John 3:3; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Peter 1:4.

We further believe that those who are born again are eternally kept by the Father. John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 5:8-10; 8:34-39; Philippians 1:6;

1 Peter 1:3-5. 

FALL OF MAN. We believe that man was created in innocence, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by nature, but by choice, and therefore, are under just condemnation, without excuse or defense. Genesis 3:1-6, 24; Romans 3:23; 5:12-19; 6:23.

LOCAL CHURCH. We believe that the church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head. We believe that the true church is composed of all persons who, through saving faith in Jesus Christ, have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that this body expresses itself in local assemblies whose members have been immersed upon a credible confession of faith and have associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for evangelism, and for service. We believe the ordinances of the local church are believer’s baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper. We also believe in the interdependence of local churches and the mutual submission of believers to each other in love. Acts 2:41,42; 15:13-18; 20:17-28; Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-11; Galatians 1:1-5; Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:4-9; Revelation 2:6.

ORDINANCES. We believe that there are two ordinances set forth in Scripture: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that regeneration and baptism are prerequisites to church membership; that Christian baptism is immersion of the believer in water. This process expresses our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and it pictures our death to sin and resurrection to a new life. We believe the Lords’ supper is the commemoration of the death of Christ until He comes again, to be preceded always by serious self-examination. Matthew 28:19,20; John 3:23; Acts 2:40, 41,46,47; 8:38,39; 18:8; Romans 6:4-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-31. 

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. We believe that each local church is self-governing in function, and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority. We further believe that every being is directly responsible to God in manners of faith and life, and that each should worship God according to the dictates of his conscience. Romans 16:17,18; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Galatians 1:8-10; Ephesians 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Peter 2:1,2; 2 John 7-11; Jude 3,4.

CHRISTIAN CONDUCT. We believe that the supreme task of every believer is to glorify God in his life; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions, and that he should seek to realize for himself the full stature of maturity in Christ. John 15:18,19; 17:13-20; Romans 6:17-23; Galatians 1:4; Colossians 3:17; 1 John 2:15-17.

CIVIL GOVERNMENT. We believe the Scriptures teach that civil government is of Divine appointment for the interest and good of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible, who is the Lord of the conscience and the coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Psalms 2; Daniel 3:15-18; 6:7-10; Acts 4:13-21; 5:17-29; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-3; 1 Peter 2:13; Revelation 19:16.

BODILY RESURRECTION, FUTURE LIFE, AND ETERNAL JUDGMENT. We believe that the spirits of the saved at death go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven where they abide in joyful fellowship with Him until He returns to gather all His saints unto Himself, when their bodies shall be raised from the grave and changed into the likeness of His own glorious body. Their works shall be brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ for the determination of rewards, a judgment that may result in the loss of rewards, but not in the loss of the soul. We also believe that the spirits of the unsaved at death descend immediately into Hades where they are kept under punishment until the final day of judgment at which time their bodies shall also be raised from the grave. They shall be judged according to their works and cast into the Lake of Fire, the place of final and everlasting punishment prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-31; 1 Corinthians 3:8-15; 15:35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21-23; 3:20,21; 2 Peter 2:9; 1 John 3:2; Jude 13; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8.

LAST THINGS. We believe in the personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ to gather His Church unto Himself before the ushering in of the Tribulation period; that after the Tribulation He shall return to reign on Earth during the Millennium, after which the dead will be resurrected and judged along with Satan and his emissaries, and cast into the Lake of Fire where they shall be punished forever. John 14:1-3; Acts 1:10,11; Romans 8:23; Philippians 3:20,21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-14; Revelation 3:10; 20:1-15; 21:7,8.

Marriage

The church views marriage as a profound physical, emotional, and spiritual institution established by God. Due to the importance of marriage and the importance of the buildings as a witness of the churches identity, and both the institution of marriage and the church’s testimony are to be for the glory of God, this Church adopts the following policy:

Clergy:

1. The current licensed or ordained Senior Pastor or licensed or ordained Associate Pastors or Assistant Pastors employed by this church shall officiate at marriage ceremonies on church property.

2. Clergy employed by the church shall be subject to dismissal and or loss of ordination or license

should they choose to officiate a same gender marriage ceremony.

Applicant:

1. Applicants desiring to have a ceremony performed by a member of the clergy employed by the church, or use the church facilities shall affirm their agreement with the Articles of Faith and shall conduct themselves in a manner consistent with appropriate Christian behavior.

2. Applicants shall receive premarital counseling by clergy of counselors employed by the church or other persons who, in the sole opinion of the pastoral staff, have appropriate training, experience,

and spiritual understanding to provide spiritual counseling.

Premises:

1. Any marriage performed on church premises shall be officiated by a member of the clergy employed by this church. However, our church may allow an additional ordained or licensed pastor

to perform a marriage ceremony on our church premises providing they are approved by the pastoral staff and Deacon Board, and they are in agreement to our Articles of Faith. One of our employed licensed or ordained pastors must either oversee the marriage ceremony or be included in the service.

2. The clergy assigned by the church to implement the procedures contained in this Marriage Policy may, in his sole discretion, decline to make facilities available for, and/or decline to officiate at a ceremony when, in his judgment, there are significant concerns that the one or both applicants may not be qualified to enter the sacred bond of marriage for theological, doctrinal, moral or legal reasons.

Family Relationships

1. We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:18, 1 Timothy 2:8-15, 3:4-5,12.

2. We believe that God had ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society.

The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the

Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them through constant life style example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. Genesis 1:26-28, Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Psalm 127:3-5, Proverbs 1:8-9, 22:15, 23:13-14, Mark 10:6-12, 1 Corinthians 7:1-16, Ephesians 5:21-33, 6:1-4,

Colossians 3:18-21, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Peter 3:1-7.

Abortion

We believe that human life begins in conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or physical or mental well being of the mother are acceptable.  Job 3:13, Psalm 54:5, 139:14-16, Isaiah 44:24, 49:1,5, Jeremiah 1:5, 20:15-18, Luke 1:44.

Euthanasia

We believe that the direct taking of an innocent life is a moral evil, regardless of the intention. Life is a gift from God and must be respected from conception until natural death. Thus we believe that an act of omission which, of itself or by intention, causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes murder contrary to the will of God. Discontinuing medical procedures that are extraordinary or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate refusal of over-zealous treatment. Exodus 20:13, 23:7,

Matthew 5:21, Acts 17:28.

Human Sexuality

1. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage between one man and one woman. We believe that any form of premarital sex, adultery, pornography, outrages lewd behavior (lasciviousness), homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, and pedophilia are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter ones gender by surgery or appearance. Genesis 2:24, 19:5,13, 16:8-9, Leviticus 18:1-30, Romans 1:26-29, 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:9, 1 Thessalonians

4:1-8, Hebrews 13:4.

2. We believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. Genesis 2:24, Romans 7:2, 1 Corinthians 7:10, Ephesians 5:22-23.