Statement of Faith

I. Bibliology-The Doctrine of Scripture

I believe that the 66 books of the protestant canon are the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God written by human authors writing with their own purposes, personalities, and backgrounds and preserved in a multitude of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. As the Word of God, Scripture is the highest authority in all matters to which it speaks and is the standard by which all other authorities are to be judged.

II. Theology Proper- The Doctrine of God

I believe in one God who exists eternally and simply as three equal Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is the creator, sustainer, redeemer, and sovereign king of all creation and is the source and standard of all life, goodness, righteousness, and beauty. God’s ultimate purpose in all things is His own glorification which is seen in the beauty of creation, His triumph over evil, and His salvation of His people.

III. Christology- The Doctrine of Christ

I believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the eternally begotten Son of the Father, who became incarnate as truly God and truly man and that He lived a perfect life and died a penal substitutionary death in the place of sinners, giving Himself for the sins of the world. I believe that He rose three days later, ascended to Heaven, and is co-reigning with the Father and interceding as our great High Priest until His return when He  will reign on earth as the promised Davidic King and that He will one day judge all the nations.

IV. Pneumatology- The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

I believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Triune God from the Father and Son and that He is personal and not a force or idea. The Spirit applies all the works of the Father and Son and regenerates, seals, and indwells the church.

V. Angelology- The Doctrine of Angels

I believe that God created angels to worship and serve Him and that the elect angels gladly fulfill this ministry. Others, called demons, while created good, rebelled against God and now seek to thwart His plan. Satan, who was once a high-ranking angel, leads the demons and seeks to oppress the people of God. One day, all demons will be finally defeated and cast into the lake of fire.

VI. Anthropology- The Doctrine of Man

I believe that God created man, in an historical Adam and Eve, on the sixth day of creation in His image so that man is a rational, relational, and morally responsible being. Man is a unity of material and immaterial and always acts as one. His identity, joy, and purpose is found in living in relationship as a creature of the creator.  Because God made man as male and female, marriage is to be between one man and one woman in covenant commitment for life. Because man is made in the image of God, the intentional killing of the innocent, including the unborn, non-combatants, and the elderly, is immoral and ungodly. Because God created man and all are descendants of Adam and Eve, racism of all forms is evil and contrary to the revealed will and plan of God. Through Adam and Eve, mankind fell into sin and has traded worship of God for worship of creation. As a result of sin, in which man has committed treason against his Creator, the natural man hates the things of God and will not come to God on his own. As punishment for sin, man dies physically and spiritually and will spend eternity in Hell separated from his creator.

VII. Soteriology- The Doctrine of Salvation

I believe that God, for His own purposes and out of pure grace, has provided salvation in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world. In grace, God frees His people from the penalty, power, and, one day, presence of sin. These benefits only come by the grace of God through faith to those have trusted in Christ as Savior and Lord

VIII. Ecclesiology- The Doctrine of the Church

I believe that God, in this age, works to bring about redemption through the church, an entity that is distinct from the national of Israel. The universal church, a spiritual body that Scripture calls the bride of Christ, is made of those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord after Pentecost and until Christ and will one day be united with Him forever. The local church is a body of believers who have been baptized by immersion on the basis of faith and agree to common beliefs and practices. The local church is responsible for evangelism, missions, the discipleship of believers, the observation of the ordinances of baptism and communion, and serving its community.  

IX. Eschatology- The Doctrine of End Times

I believe that Jesus Christ will return for His church at any moment before a seven-year Tribulation during which time He will judge and the nation of Israel. After this Tribulation, He will return to the earth to reign as the Davidic King for a thousand years. After this time, He will judge the living and the dead before the Great White Throne. Those who have trusted in Him will be granted entrance to a new heaven and earth and those who reject His Lordship will be thrown into Hell for all of eternity.