We believe in the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God has chosen to reveal His triune nature in the Word, the Holy Scriptures. God, who was before all time, is the Creator of the universe, creating everything good and with a purpose. The greatest part of God’s created order is humankind, for man and woman were made in God’s own image. We believe that the God, who made a covenant with Israel is the same God who established the New Covenant through the Son.

 

We believe that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man – the eternal Word of God, who became flesh and dwelt among us. We believe that the Father’s purposes are revealed to us in Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection. Jesus is now able to identify with us because he has suffered in every way that we have suffered. Jesus Christ is our Savior because of His redemptive work on the cross. Jesus is our Lord because we will put no other before Him. As disciples of Christ, we will take up our crosses daily and follow Him. Jesus is the only Way, the only Truth, and the only Life. He is our mediator when we come before the throne of the Father. Jesus is the loving shepherd who seeks us out when we stray.

 

We believe in God the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is a personal, divine being who is responsible for creating new life in an individual and turning his or her heart towards God. The Spirit unites us to Christ and illuminates the mind with the knowledge of God. The Spirit is the agent of inspiration in which the Scriptures were written. The Spirit continues to work upon God’s children to conform them more and more to the image of Christ. The Spirit is the one who gives spiritual gifts to believers. The Spirit lives in us as our guide and strength.

 

We believe that all men and women are sinners. The origin of sin was Adam’s fall. The horrible result is our separation from God. The image of God that was once in us in the beginning has been completely distorted. Sin brings death ~ both physical and spiritual. The only way one can escape this eternal death is salvation through faith in Jesus Christ on account of his death and resurrection. He took our sin upon Himself and took our punishment by dying on the cross. We used to be dead in sin – in complete rebellion against God. By accepting Christ, we are justified before God by grace alone through faith alone because of His atoning sacrifice alone. In gratitude, we strive to be more like Christ every day. Jesus calls us to follow Him and that is what we desire to do.

 

We believe that all those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior make up the body of Christ, which is the Church. We believe that the Church as the fellowship of believers is called to be united in its faith and mission, with Christ as its Head. We are to be separated from the sin that is in the World, but we are also to be salt and light to those who in the World. We are to reach out to those in need, whether the needs be physical, emotional, or spiritual, and offer the love of Christ to all. We are to welcome into the community of faith anyone who repents and believes in Christ. We are to maintain the foundations that were laid by Christ and the apostles, which we find in the Scriptures. The marks of the Church are the Word of God and the sacraments (Baptism and Communion). We are to bring glory to God through our worship and obedience. We are to honor God by serving and praying for others. We are to be Christ’s witnesses by proclaiming/living the gospel and making disciples throughout the world.

 

We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is both clear and reliable and declares the Truth. It is the revelation of God’s character and His workings in history. The Word contains God’s will for us and is a light that guides us as we pursue a life of righteousness. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim.3:16). The Scriptures are to make us wise unto salvation and we are to obey God’s Word as well as preach it. For the Christian, the Word is the highest authority and standard by which to live.

 

We believe that Heaven is God’s Kingdom where those who have true faith in Jesus Christ spend eternity with Him. Hell is the dominion of Satan where those who have rejected God go to face eternal punishment. We wait in great expectation for Christ’s return, the doom of Satan and all other evil principalities, and the creation of the new heavens and new earth where God will reign forever. Amen.