Statement of Faith
We believe …
The Bible
We believe that the Scriptures, as represented by the 66 books of the Bible, are the only inerrant and infallible Word of God as originally given, and that they are God-breathed (inspired) which extends to the very words recorded. They rely for their authority upon no church, council or creed and therefore are fully authoritative in and of themselves as they represent God’s authority. Therefore, they are the supreme and final authority in all matters related to faith, practice, truth, the nature of reality, history, science, et al. All creatures in all creation fall under its God-breathed authority and are therefore accountable to the One whom they so prominently reveal and exalt.
God
The Bible reveals One living and true God, sovereign in creation, providence and redemption, subsisting in three co-equal, co-existent Persons – the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit – the same in substance, and equal in power and glory.
Jesus Christ
The eternal Sonship and essential, absolute, and eternal Deity, and true and sinless humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ; His virgin birth, death, and burial; His physical resurrection and ascension into heaven; His present intercession for His people, and His personal, literal and visible coming again in power and glory.
The Holy Spirit
The personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit, through Whom the sinner is born again to saving repentance, and faith, and by Whom the regenerated are sanctified through the truth.
Mankind
The fall of mankind in Adam, by which they have totally lost their original righteousness and holiness, and have come under the righteous condemnation of God.
Salvation
The personal and unconditional election in Christ of a multitude which no man can number unto everlasting salvation, out of God’s pure grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good works in them. The personal and eternal redemption from all sin and the penal consequence thereof, of all God’s elect, by the substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The effectual calling of all the elect by the irresistible grace of God. The justification of sinners by grace alone through faith alone, by the atoning death, resurrection and imputed righteousness of Christ.
The Church
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church which is composed of God’s elect in every age. According to His commandment, Christians are to gather in local churches. To each of these churches He has given authority for administering order, discipline, and worship. The officers of the churches are elders and deacons. The Lord Jesus Christ has instituted these symbolic ordinances to be observed by His church; that of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
End Times
The final perseverance in the state of grace of all those who have been elected by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit, so that they shall never perish, but have eternal life. The literal, bodily return of Christ; the resurrection of the body; and the judgment of the world with the eternal blessedness of the righteous and the eternal punishment of the wicked.
Marriage, Gender and Sexuality
The Bible teaches that God has established marriage as a lifelong, exclusive, sacred union between one man and one woman. Therefore, any and all sexual activity outside the marriage relationship is immoral and inconsistent with the teaching of the Bible, and is therefore sin.
The Bible teaches that God created the human race as male and female and that any and all conduct or decisions to identify with a gender other than one’s God-given (biological) gender, is immoral and therefore sin.
The Bible teaches that the Church is called to teach these things and is not at liberty to depart from them for a different “authority” — if the church is to authentically bear the name “Christian” that is. As a result, in order to maintain our consistent Christian witness, we can not nor will not sanction, approve, affirm, or promote, in any way, any of these lifestyles or behaviors, including but not limited to – fornication, adultery, pedophilia, homosexuality, polyamory and bestiality.
The Bible teaches that God loves all sinners, died for all sinners, and extends his offer of salvation to all sinners, including those who are caught up in these sinful lifestyles. Therefore, God calls us to love, act respectfully towards and to communicate and demonstrate His grace and love to all people as image-bearers of God and to share the Gospel with them.