The Gospel
The Gospel is the central truth to which we cling, as affirmed by the scriptures, and is the foundation for the Christian life in the Holy Spirit. The Gospel is the “good news” that Jesus Christ is our Savior, who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on a cross for our sins, and was raised from the grave after three days to demonstrate His defeat of sin and death (Acts 2:22–39; Gal. 3:13; 1 Cor. 15:3–8; 2 Cor. 5:21).
God
We believe in the one true God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, who eternally exists in three distinct, co-equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We would affirm the words of the Athanasian Creed in this regard: "We worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confounding their persons nor dividing the essence." We believe the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, but the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. Likewise, we believe in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that he is both fully God and fully man (Gen. 1:1, 26-27; Ps. 90:2; Matt. 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:2-3).
Humanity and Sin
We believe that all humanity is created in the image of God for the glory of God and, therefore, possesses intrinsic dignity and worth. Although we have tremendous potential for good, we also have the freedom to do evil. Our disobedience toward God is called “sin,” and sin separates all humanity from God. This separation demonstrates our need for the Gospel (Gen. 1:27; Isa. 53:6, 59:1-2; Rom. 3:23; Ps. 139:13-16; Col. 2:13-15).
Marriage and Sexuality
We believe that marriage is the covenantal union of one man and one woman for all of life. This union, which we affirm as a complementary union in which men and women are not merely interchangeable but complement one another in a mutually beneficial manner, is the only God-ordained pattern of sexual and marital relationships for men and women. Though given distinct roles, both men and women are equal in dignity and value in the eyes of God (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6; Eph. 5:31-33; 1 Cor. 7:2; 1 Pet. 3:7).
The Church
We believe the Church is the holy, gospel-shaped, catholic (world-wide) community comprising the New Covenant people of God. The Church consists of all who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for their eternal salvation and is the spiritual body of Christ. This includes all believers from among all peoples from every tribe, tongue, and nation. The primary purpose of the Church is to glorify God by cultivating disciples of Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:15-19; Acts 2:41-47; 1 Cor. 3:16; Col. 3:1-17).
Baptism
Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of outward obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, death to sin, burial of the old life, and resurrection to walk in newness of life. It is a testimony to a believer’s faith in an ultimate bodily resurrection for eternal life with Christ in His Kingdom (Matt. 3:13-17, 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22, 22:19-20; Acts 2:37-42, 8:35-39, 16:30-33, 22:16; Rom. 6:3-5; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pet. 3:20-22).
Communion
Communion serves as a beautiful, grace-filled picture of what Jesus has already done for us in the Gospel. Communion, like baptism, is a significant expression of worship and submission to God for the believer. Communion is an act of worship and obedience whereby believers, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of our Redeemer and anticipate His second coming, acknowledging the presence of Christ with His Church. (Matt. 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16-21, 11:17-26).
Revelation and Scripture
God has made Himself known to the world in Jesus Christ, the Scriptures, and creation. The foundation for our faith is based firmly upon the Bible as our ultimate authority on Christian belief and living. We believe in the inerrancy of scripture as confessed in numerous Christian traditions. The Bible is divinely inspired by God and given to man so that we may know and understand the truth of God and His love. (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Ps. 12:6, 119:105).
Second Coming
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to Earth and the full realization and establishment of His Kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of those who trust in Jesus, and the eternal punishment of those who do not trust in Jesus (Matt. 16:27; 1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; 2 Thess. 1:5-10; 2 Tim. 4:1; Tit. 2:13; Rev. 20:11-15; 22:20).
