What we Believe

IN ESSENTIAL BELIEFS, WE HAVE UNITY.

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.  Ephesians 4:4–6 (ESV)

IN NON-ESSENTIAL BELIEFS, WE HAVE LIBERTY.

“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters…Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls…So then each of us will give an account of himself to God…So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.” Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22 (NIV)

IN ALL OUR BELIEFS, WE SHOW CHARITY.

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  1 Corinthians 13:2 (ESV)

Four Essential Truths

1. THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NLT)

And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.  1 Thessalonians 2:13 (ESV)

God’s Word is the only completely reliable and truthful authority and we accept the Bible as our manual for living. Our first question when faced with a decision is, “What does the Bible say?” We practice daily Bible reading and Bible study. The Bible is the basis for all we believe.

2. JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD.

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” which means, God with us.  Matthew 1:23 (ESV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6 (ESV)

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  Acts 4:11–12 (ESV)

Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, is fully God and man, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life on earth, and voluntarily paid for our sin by dying on the cross as our substitute. This accomplished salvation for all who receive grace by trusting in Him alone. He rose from the dead and is the only mediator between God, the first person of the Trinity, and us. He baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the the Trinity, and will return again to create a new heaven and a new earth.

3. YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  Matthew 16:25 (ESV)

God created humans to have fellowship with Him, but they rebelled against God by sinfully going their own way. As a result, we need God’s saving grace to end our alienation from Him. Salvation comes only through God’s grace – not human effort – and must be received personally by repentance and faith. At the end, everyone will experience bodily resurrection and the judgment. Only believers will enjoy eternal fellowship with God.

4. BELIEVERS CAN BE SPIRIT-FILLED AND SPIRIT-LED.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  Acts 1:8 (ESV)

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.  John 14:16–17 (ESV)

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:13 (ESV)

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  Romans 8:26–27 (ESV)

We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God’s power within us. Every believer can be filled with the Holy Spirit by simply asking. We seek to practice a daily dependence on God’s Spirit to enable us to do what is right and have daily fellowship with God.

Statement of Beliefs

GOD is eternally existing in three persons – God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. He created everything and wants to have an intimate relationship with everyone. The point of life is to be connected with God and with others.
Deuteronomy 6:4 ; 2 Corinthians 13:14

JESUS is God revealing Himself to us, offering Himself for us, and redeeming us to Him.
John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35 ; Romans 3:24 ; 1 Peter 2:2-4 ; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5 ; Acts 1:9,10 ; Hebrews 7:25 ; Hebrews 9:24 ; Romans 8:34 ; 1 John 2:12

THE HOLY SPIRIT is God supernaturally living in us – the Spirit of Truth. The Spirit helps us to become the people God created us to be despite our tendency to live for ourselves.
John 16:8-11 ; 2 Corinthians 3:6 ; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 ; Romans 8:9 ; Ephesians 5:18

SALVATION is the gift of God given to man by grace and received by faith in Jesus. Grace is God giving us a way to know Him even when we do not deserve it. Faith is trusting that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He says He will do.
Ephesians 2:8-10 ; John 1:12 ; Ephesians 1:7 ; 1 Peter 1:18-19

THE BIBLE is God’s written method for revealing His thoughts and good character to us.
2 Timothy 3:16 ,17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12,13

JESUS IS COMING AGAIN!
1 Peter 4:5 ; Romans 14:9 ; 2 Timothy 4:1