WHAT WE BELIEVE
ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is the inspired word of God. Scripture is truth without error, and it is the source for Christian beliefs about how to live. The Bible teaches us who God is, His love for us, and how He wants us to live.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalms 119:160; John 17:17
ABOUT GOD
There is one eternal, true God who co-exists equally in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. God created the world and everything in it, and He loves us more than we can ever fathom.
Genesis 1:1; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 3:16; Psalms 90:2
ABOUT JESUS
Jesus is the one and only Son of God, co-equal with God the Father and God the Spirit. Jesus lived his life both fully human and fully divine. He lived a life without sin and showed God’s love for us by dying on the cross for the weight of our sin. He died, was buried, and was resurrected to reveal His power over sin and death. He did this so we could have the hope of eternal life.
Matthew 1:23; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Colossians 2:9-10
ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son and is a gift bestowed on Christians when they are baptized. He is a guide to help Christians discern spiritual truth, holy living, and wisdom to know what is right to conform more to the image of Christ.
John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:25; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13-14
ABOUT SIN
Sin separates us from God. We have all sinned and fallen short of the holiness to which we are called by God. The consequence of our sin is death, but through the love and grace of God we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; 1 John 1:7-9
ABOUT SALVATION
Salvation cannot be earned through any merit or good deed. Rather, salvation is achieved through God’s grace by our faith in the Gospel. God’s grace was revealed through the death, burial, and resurrection of His son, Jesus Christ. The Gospel message compels us to turn from our sin, confess Jesus as the Son of God, and be baptized. This act of baptism demonstrates the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1-6; Galatians 3:26-27
ABOUT THE CHURCH
The Church is the body of Christ, or God’s spiritual family. Jesus is the head of the Church. It is made up of those who have accepted Jesus and have committed their lives to him. The purpose of the Church is to do the will of God by creating followers of Jesus Christ. It is God’s will that the Church meet regularly to worship Him, use the spiritual gifts that have been given to each person by the Holy Spirit, maintain unity within the body of Christ, and encourage one another.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:4-10; Hebrews 10:24-25
ABOUT MARRIAGE & SEXUALITY
God created two complementary genders to reflect His own image: male and female. As Adam and Eve were called to unify in marriage and complement one another, we believe God ordained marriage to be between one man and one woman. God intends for sex to be between one man and one woman in the covenant of marriage.
Genesis 1:27-31; Genesis 2:21-24; 1 Corinthians 7:2-5
ABOUT ETERNITY
While our earthly bodies will die and decay, each of us has a soul that will last forever. Those who accept Jesus as Lord and live their lives in pursuit of Him will spend eternity in Heaven. Heaven is a place where we will be eternally united with God. Those who reject Jesus will spend eternity in Hell, where they will be eternally separated from God. Heaven and Hell are real places.
John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; Matthew 25:31-34
ABOUT BAPTISM
Baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through immersion in water (baptism), we die to our sinful nature, are washed clean from our sins, and are resurrected to a new life committed to following Christ. When we are baptized, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 8:12; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12