Statement of Faith

God

We believe in the God of Abraham, the one true God who has three persons; God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19). The Maker of Heaven and Earth, Who was, and is, and always will be. We believe in the biblical account of creation; that God spoke life into existence, and created the world according to the Scriptures in six days and on the seventh day, He rested. We believe what the gospel of John proclaims that, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” -John 1:1-3

Jesus

We believe that Jesus was with God in the beginning (John 1:2) and is the promised Messiah (Isaiah 9:6) who was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14); God in human flesh totally without sin (John 1:14, 1 John 3:5). He died on the cross for our sins and was buried (Acts 13:29). Three days later He rose again (John 20:11-18) and appeared to hundreds of people over a forty day period (1 Cor. 15:6; Acts 1:3), then ascended to heaven (Luke 24:51), seated at the right hand of God (Romans 8:34). He intercedes for us who believe in Him. Salvation is only through faith in Jesus (Acts 4:10-12).

The Holy Spirit

Once a person receives the free gift of salvation, and the forgiveness of their sins, through Christ Jesus, they are also given the gift of the Holy Spirit who then dwells within the believer (Acts 2:38), comforting them, guiding them, convicting them, and manifesting itself in the form of spiritual gifts, which are distributed among the Body of Christ for the edification of the whole (1 Cor. 12:4-11). We believe the power of God can and should shine through His people in ways that Glorify the Father–it is one of our main collective purposes in life to make Him known through both our words and how we live our life (Matthew 5:14-16). 

Salvation

We believe that all are sinners and in need of Jesus (Romans 3:23); completely unable by our own strength to earn or deserve salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). The result of sin is spiritual death and eternity without God (Romans 6:23) and without God’s grace, no one can be saved. (Romans 3:24). We believe that none are righteous or capable of being good enough to be right with our perfect God (Romans 3:10). Humankind is fallen and dead in sin apart from Jesus (Ephesians 2:1).

Here’s the good news:  The Bible gives clarity that His invitation is given to all (Romans 10:9-13, John 3:16-19, 1 John 2:2, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Tim. 2:4-6…), but unfortunately not everyone will accept it (Matt. 7:13-14). God’s grace covers the sins of those who believe in Jesus, not because they deserve it or worked for it, but it is the response of God’s mercy and love to those who believe in His Son (Eph 2:8-9). Jesus died on the cross for our sins, rose again, and ascended to heaven. Because of this, whoever believes in Jesus accepts God’s grace for them and is made right with God. It’s only through Jesus! (John 14:6)

We believe that justification comes through faith in Christ alone. It is finished, He died once for all. It was an act done by Christ (Romans 5:1-2).

Sanctification is the ongoing cleansing work that a believer experiences all the days of their life as they choose to lean into Christ and learn from His Spirit as they experience trials, suffering, persecution, and other valleys that life in a fallen world may bring (Hebrews 10:14).

Perseverance

We believe that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39) and that no one can snatch us out of God’s hand (John 10:27-29). But we acknowledge that Scripture is clear that people have free will, can choose to resist God’s grace, and develop a hardened heart and/or seared conscience; therefore, perseverance and endurance are necessary (1 Tim. 4:1-2, Luke 8:13, Heb. 3:12, Heb. 10:35-36, James 1:12, Heb. 12:1, 2 Tim. 2:12, Matt. 24:13, Rev 3:10-11, Matt 10:22, Revelations 2:10, Mark 13:13, 2 Peter 1:10, Phil. 3:13-14, 1 Tim. 1:18-19).

Baptism

Once someone accepts Jesus into their life Jesus commands that we get baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). We believe in being baptized by water immersion as a public testimony of an inward faith (Matt 3:16). We don’t believe in infant baptism, but we also don’t believe in a certain age to become baptized either (Acts 2:41). What matters is that the person is old enough to, and makes a sincere confession of faith in Jesus, which is different for each person. While we are directed biblically to be baptized, it’s not necessary for salvation (1 Peter 3:21).

The Bible

The word of God was with God in the beginning (John 1:1). God, through the power of His Holy Spirit, inspired selected humans to write the Scriptures, making it infallible (2 Tim. 3:16). It is the inherent, complete, and the final revelation from God (1 Peter 1:21). Nothing should be added or taken away and everything should be tested by what the Bible says (Rev. 22:18-19).

Spiritual Gifts

We believe that God disperses spiritual gifts among His believers, the Church, for the edification of the whole. (1 Cor. 12; Romans 12; Ephesians 4). Just as the parable of the talents give us an exhortation to be careful to steward the gifts and talents God has given us, so we believe, the Christ-follower is also to steward the spiritual gifts God has given him/her to be used for His glory alone. 1 Peter 4:10-11 states, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

To be clear, we don’t believe in cessationism. We believe that God’s word is holy and inherent. We take the Scripture 1 Thess. 5:19-22 very seriously as it warns Christians not to quench the Spirit. That being said, we also believe we are to test everything by the Word of God, and that we must adhere fully to the parameters and boundaries that God has placed on specific spiritual gifts to be able to verify their validity and discern what comes from the Spirit of God. 

Eternity

We believe that only those who believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, rose again, and ascended to heaven will live for eternity with God in Heaven (John 3:16). Those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ will spend their eternity in hell. 

Heaven

A real place where the saved will live with God forever. It’s so incredible it can’t be fully imagined.

Hell

We believe hell is a real place led by a fallen angel named satan, or lucifer. Unfortunately, those who die without believing in the One true God will live a terrible eternity in hell (2 Thess. 1:9). Satan wants to destroy believers and is constantly trying to deceive people and build his kingdom. We believe he’s actively trying to orchestrate destruction of the world (1 Peter 5:8).

Marriage

We believe in biblical marriage. It is a sacred union created by God between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:24) that limits sexual relations exclusively to each other (Heb. 13:4) We don’t believe in the marriage of two people of the same sex as it goes against the word of God (Romans 1:21-27).

Gender

We believe that God created the human race purposefully as only male and female genders (Gen 1:26-28). Nothing will ever sway us from this biblically sound belief.

ProLife 

We believe that God is the Author and Creator of human life. We believe life begins before conception, therefore when conception happens it is God’s purposeful human creation that must be protected. 

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” -Psalm 139: 13-16

We believe that God calls His Church to boldly protect those who cannot protect or speak for themselves– including the unborn. 

Every Believer’s Calling

Jesus made it very clear to His disciples what the greatest commandments were and then He literally sent those who followed Him into the great commission (Matt. 28:18-20). The greatest commandments are a command and calling to love the Lord your God with all your mind, all your soul, all your heart, and all your strength; and the second is like it, to love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37-40). Knowing and loving God with all that we are is the foundational calling and purpose of all Christians and that should lead us to be able to love others. We believe that God has a great mission for each of us and that He has ordained for you to be alive in this generation for a reason– to know Him and make Him known. All Christians have a role to play in the Great Commission. What a privilege it is to be able to partner with God by the power of His Holy Spirit to build the Kingdom of God by making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.