Statement of Faith
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only the 66 books of the Christian Bible are inspired, inerrant, & authoritative Word of God. Therefore, the Bible is the final authority for all we believe & how we are to live (Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
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the one true God who has revealed Himself, distinguishable but indivisible, as existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These, being one God, are equal in deity, power, and glory (Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:21-22).
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God created the world and also now upholds, sustains, governs, and providentially allows or directs all that exists. He will bring all things to their proper consummation in Christ Jesus to the glory of His name.
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Satan, originally the great and good angel Lucifer, rebelled against God, taking a multitude of angels with him. He was cast out of God’s presence and is at work with his demonic hosts to establish his counter-kingdom of darkness, evil, and unrest on Earth. Satan was judged and defeated at the cross of Christ and will at the end of the age be cast forever into the lake of fire, which has been prepared for him and his angels (Isaiah 14:10–17; Ezekiel 28:11–19; Matthew 12:25–29, 25:41; John 12:31 and 16:11; Ephesians 6:10–20; Colossians 2:15; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 12:7–9, 20:10).
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the human race was originally created by God in His image, righteous and without sin until sin entered by disobedience and rebellion leaving humanity totally incapable of saving itself. In consequence of his disobedience, Adam’s posterity are born subject to both imputed and inherent sin and are therefore by nature and choice the children of wrath, justly condemned in the sight of God and wholly unable to save themselves or to contribute in any way to their acceptance by God (Genesis 1–3; Psalm 51:5; Isaiah 53:5; Romans 3:9–18, 5:12–21; Ephesians 2:1–3).
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Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, that He was conceived and born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and offered Himself as a legal, sacrificial substitution for sinners. By His blood shed at the Cross, He obtained for us eternal redemption, the forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting. He was raised bodily on the third day and ascended to the right hand of the Father, there to forever make intercession for the saints (Matthew 1:18–25; John 1:1–18; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:1–28; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:10–14; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 2:6–11; Colossians 1:15–23; Hebrews 7:25, 9:13–15 and 10:19; 1 Peter 2:21–25; 1 John 2:1–2).
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salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No ordinance, ritual, work, or any other activity on the part of man is required or accepted in order to be saved. This saving grace of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, also sanctifies us by enabling us to do what is pleasing in God’s sight in order that we might be progressively conformed to the image of Christ (John 1:12–13, 6:37–44, 10:25–30; Acts 16:30–31; Romans 3–4 and 8:1–17, 31-39, 10:8–10; Ephesians 2:8–10; Philippians 2:12–13; Titus 3:3–7; 1 John 1:7, 9).
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the Lord Jesus Christ baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit, in whom we are also sealed for the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit regenerates, forever indwells, and graciously equips the Christian for godly living and service. Subsequent to conversion, the Spirit desires to fill, empower, and anoint believers for ministry and witness. We also believe that signs and wonders, as well as all the gifts of the Spirit described in the New Testament, are operative today and are designed to testify to the presence of the Kingdom and to empower and edify the church to fulfill its calling and mission (Matthew 3:11; John 1:12–13, 3:1–15; Acts 4:29–30; Romans 8:9, 12:3–8; 1 Corinthians 12:12–13; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22; Galatians 3:1–5; Ephesians 1:13–14, 5:18).
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water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances of the church to be observed until the time of Christ’s return. They are not a means of salvation but are channels of God’s sanctifying grace and blessing to the faithful in Christ Jesus (Matthew 26:26–29, 28:19; Romans 6:3–11; 1 Corinthians 11:23–34; 1 Peter 3:21).
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the church is God’s primary instrument through which He is fulfilling His redemptive purposes in the earth. To equip the saints for the work of ministry, God has given to the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. We also affirm the priesthood of all believers and the importance of every Christian’s being joined with and actively involved in a local community of the saints. We believe that women, no less than men, are called and gifted to proclaim the gospel and to do all the works of the Kingdom (Matthew 16:17–19; Acts 2:17–18, 42; Ephesians 3:14–21, 4:11–16; 1 Timothy 2:11–15; Hebrews 10:23–25; 1 Peter 2:4–5, 9–10).
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God has called the church to preach the gospel of Christ and make disciples of all nations. The church is especially called to remember the poor and to minister to their needs through sacrificial giving and practical service. This ministry is an expression of the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ and is an essential part of the Kingdom of God (Isaiah 58:6–12, 61:1; Matthew 5–7, 28:18–20; Luke 4:18, 21:1–4; Galatians 2:10; 1 Timothy 6:8).
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the literal second coming of Christ at the end of the age when He will return to earth personally and visibly to consummate His Kingdom. We also believe in and are praying for a great end-time harvest of souls and the emergence of a victorious church that will experience an unprecedented unity, purity, and power in the Holy Spirit (Psalms 2:7–9, 22:27–28; John 14:12, 17:20–26; Romans 11:25–32; 1 Corinthians 15:20–28, 50–58; Ephesians 4:11–16; Philippians 3:20–21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:3–12; Revelation 7:9–14).
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when the Christian dies he or she passes immediately into the blessed presence of Christ, there to enjoy conscious fellowship with the Savior until the day of the resurrection and glorious transformation of the body. The saved will then forever dwell in blissful fellowship with their great triune God. We also believe that when the unbeliever dies, they are consigned to await the Day of Judgment when they shall be punished with eternal, conscious, and tormented separation from the presence of God in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:19–31; John 5:25–29; 1 Corinthians 15:35–58; 2 Corinthians 5:1–10; Philippians 1:19–26, 3:20–21; 2 Thessalonians 1:5–10; Revelation 20:11–15, 21:1–22:15).