statement of beliefs

From the time of the Apostles to today, Christians have laid out doctrine (beliefs) in brief, definitive statements. As people committed to embodying the ways of Jesus, we believe it’s helpful to clarify what we believe are the foundational truths of our church as guided by Scripture. Our Statement of Faith is adapted from the New Hampshire Confession of Faith (1833) and The Baptist Faith and Message (2000).

In essential beliefs, we have unity (Eph 4:4–6). In nonessential beliefs, we have liberty (Rom 14:1, 4, 12, 22). In all beliefs, we have charity (1 Cor 13:2).

THE BIBLE //

We believe that the Holy Bible is the Word of God, written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit, and reveals without error the only way of salvation, the principles by which God will judge the world, and all truths necessary for us to live for His glory. It will remain to the end of time the supreme standard and final authority by which all matters of life and doctrine are to be tested.

Ex 24:4; Deut 4:1–2; 17:19; Josh 8:34; Ps 19:7–10; 119:11, 89, 105, 140; Prov 30:5–6; Is 34:16; 40:8; Matt 5:17–18; Luke 21:33; 24:44–46; John 16:13–15; 17:17; Acts 17:11; Rom 2:12; 15:4; 16:25–26; 2 Tim 3:15–17; Heb 1:1–2; 4:12; 1 Pet 1:25; 2 Pet 1:19–21; 1 Jn 4:1

GOD //

We believe that there is only one true and living God. He is the eternal, infinite Creator and supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is merciful, just, and loving and governs all things according to His sovereign will for His glory. He is perfect in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, trust, and love. He exists eternally within one Godhead as three distinct persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each is truly God and equal in every divine attribute and perfection, while executing distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation and redemption.

Gen 1:2; 2:7; Ex 3:14; 6:2–3; 15:11; Deut 6:4; Ps 2:7–12; 19:1–3; 83:18; 110:1–7; 147:5; Is 6:3; 7:14; Jer 10:10; Matt 3:16–17; 10:37; 11:27; 14:33; 28:19; Mark 1:10; 12:30; Luke 1:35; 22:70; John 1:1–3, 14; 14:16–17, 23; 16:7–14; 15:26; 17:5; Acts 1:7; 7:55; Rom 1:20; 8:9–11, 14–16; 10:4; 1 Cor 8:6; 13:14; 2 Cor 5:19–21; Gal 4:6; Eph 2:18; 3:11; 4:6; Php 2:5–6; Col 1:15; 2:9; 1 Tim 1:17; 2:5–6; 2 Tim 3:16; Titus 2:13; Heb 1:1–3; 3:4; 4:14–15; 9:14; 11:6; 12:9; 1 Pet 1:15–16; 3:22; 1 Jn 4:13; 5:6; 2 Jn 7–9; Rev 4:6–8, 11; 19:16

HUMANITY //

We believe that man and woman were created in the image of God for fellowship with Him, but that through the voluntary disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, humanity fell from this exalted state into sin and that all their descendants inherit this corruption. As a result, all human beings are sinners, not by constraint but by choice; being by nature utterly devoid of the holiness required by God and inclined to evil. Therefore, human beings, apart from divine grace, are unable to turn to God and are under just condemnation to eternal punishment, without defense or excuse.

 Gen 1:27, 31; 2:16–17; 3:6–24; 9:6 Ps 8:3–6; 32:1–5; 51:5; Ecc 7:29; Is 53:6; Jer 17:5; Ezek 18:19–20; Acts 17:26–29; Rom 1:18–32; 3:8–18; 5:6, 12, 15–19; 3:19; 8:7; 1 Cor 1:21–31; Gal 3:10, 22; Eph 2:1–3; Col 1:21–22; 3:9–11

SALVATION //

We believe that the salvation of sinners is by the grace of God alone through the work of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. He is truly God and truly man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and lived a sinless life in perfect obedience to the Father. He taught the way of God’s kingdom, worked miracles, was crucified, died and rose from the dead. In His death on the cross, He made full atonement for our sins, bearing in our place the wrath of God against our sin, thereby reconciling us to God and making possible our adoption into God’s family. We believe that salvation is offered freely to all in the gospel, and that it is the immediate duty of all to accept the gospel by a humble, penitent and obedient faith. There is nothing that prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel, which results in his just condemnation.

Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.

Gen 3:15; Ps 34; 51; 89:19; Prov 1:24; Is 42:21; 53:4–5; 55:1; Matt 1:21; 4:17; 16:21–26; 20:28; Mark 1:15; Luke 1:68–69; 18:13; John 1:1–14, 29; 3:16, 36; 5:24, 40; 10:28–29; 15:1–8; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 11:18; 15:11; 16:30–31; 17:30–31; Rom 2:4; 3:21–26; 4:25; 10:9–10, 13; 16:15–17; 1 Cor 15:1–3; 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 2:20; 3:13; 4:4–5; Eph 1:7; 2:8–22; Php 2:5–11; Col 1:9–22; 3:1–4; Heb 1:3, 8; 2:1–3; 4:14; 5:8–9; 7:25–26; 9:13–15, 24–28; Jms 4:7–10; 1 Jn 4:10; Rev 22:17

A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart brought about by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.

Deut 30:6; Ezek 36:26; Matt 3:8–10; John 1:13; 3:3–21; Rom 2:28–29; 5:5; 1 Cor 1:20; 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15; Eph 4:20–24; Php 2:13; Col 3:9–11; Jms 1:16–18; 1 Pet 1:22–25; 1 Jn 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18

B. Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer into a relationship of peace and favor with God.

Is 53:11–12; Matt 6:33; John 1:16; Acts 10:43; 13:39; Rom 1:16–17; 3:23–26; 4:3–25; 5:1–2, 8–11, 17; 6:23; 8:29–30; 1 Cor 1:30–31; Eph 3:8; Titus 3:5–7

C. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God's purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person's life.

Prov 4:18; Luke 9:23; John 17:17; Acts 20:32; Rom 6:12–23; 8:1–17, 29–30; 1 Cor 1:30–31; 6:19–20; 2 Cor 3:18; 7:1; Gal 5:22–25; Eph 1:4; 2:10; 1 Thes 4:3; 5:23; Titus 2:14; Heb 6:1; Jms 2:14–26; 1 Pet 1:2, 13–23; 2:2; 2 Pet 1:5–8

D. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.

Rom 6:4–11; 8:18, 29–30; 1 Cor 6:20; 1 Thes 5:23–24; 2 Tim 1:12; Titus 2:11–14; 1 Pet 1:5; Rev 21:1–22:5

THE CHURCH //

We believe that there is one true, invisible church, which is the communion of God’s people drawn from every tribe, people, language, and nation throughout the ages. It is made visible in the local church, which is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, marked by the right preaching of God’s word and the right administration of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural officers are elders and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of elder is limited to men as qualified by Scripture. The mission of the church is to display God’s glory to the world by preaching the gospel and making disciples.

Matt 16:15–19; 18:15–20; 28:18–20; Acts 2:41–47; 5:11–14; 6:3–6; 11:21–23; 14:23; 15; 16:5; 20:28; Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:1–3; 3:16; 4:17; 5:4–7; 7:17; 9:13–14; 11:23–24; 2 Cor 2:17; Eph 1:22–23; 2:19–22; 3:8–11, 21; 4:7; Php 1:1; Col 1:18; 1 Tim 3; 4:14; Titus 1; Heb 11:39–40; 1 Pet 5:1–4; Rev 2:1–3:22; Rev 21:2–3

baptism & the lord’s supper //

We believe 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 obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic meal instituted by Jesus, a picture of the price He paid for sins and the spiritual nourishment that His death provides the Church. The Lord’s Supper should be taken by believers, together with the church body, in a humble, repentant spirit.

Matt 3:5–6; 26:26–29; 28:19–20; Mark 14:22–25; 16:16; Luke 22:14–20; John 3:22–23; Acts 2:38, 41–42; 8:12, 36–39; 10:47–48; 16:32–34; 18:8; 22:16; Rom 6:4; 1 Cor 5:1–8; 10:3–32; 11:23–28; Gal 3:26–28; Col 2:12; 1 Pet 3:20–21

LAST THINGS //

We believe God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in the New Heavens and the New Earth with the Lord.

Ps 10:4; Prov 11:31; 14:32; Is 5:20; 55:6–7; 57:21; Jer 15:19; Dan 12:2; Mal 3:18; Matt 7:13–14; 13:39–40, 49; 19:28; 24:27, 30, 36, 44; 26:64; Luke 9:23–26; 12:4–5, 40, 48; John 3:36; 6:40; 11:25–26; 14:1–3; Acts 1:11; 10:34–35, 48; 17:31; Rom 1:17; 6:16, 18, 22; 14:10; 1 Cor 4:5; 7:29–31; 11:32; 2 Cor 5:10; Gal 3:10; Col 1:5; 3:4; 1 Tim 6:14; 2 Tim 1:10; 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13; Heb 9:27–28; Jms 5:8; 1 Pet 4:7, 17–18; 2 Pet 2:9; 3:3–13; 1 Jn 2:28–29; 3:2; Rev 1:7, 18; 3:11

the family //

We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of society. Families are composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. We believe that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman before God in covenant commitment for a lifetime. Husband and wife are both made in God’s image and have equal value before God; while at the same time possessing distinct roles in the marriage. The husband is to gently lead and sacrificially love his wife as Christ loved the church, and the wife is to graciously submit herself to her husband as the church willingly submits to Christ. We believe that children bear the image of God from the moment of conception, and are a blessing and inheritance from the Lord. Parents are to patiently lead their children in the ways of Christ by intentional instruction, gracious discipline, and consistent example based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents for the glory of God and their ultimate good.

Gen 1:26–27; 2:15–25; Ex 20:12; Deut 6:4–9; 1 Sam 1:26–28; Ps 51:5; 78:1–8; 127; 128; 139:13–16; Prov 1:8; 5:15–20; 6:20–22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6, 15; 23:13–14; 24:3; 29:15, 17; 31; Mal 2:14–16; Matt 5:31–32; 19:3–9; Mark 10:6–12; Rom 1:18–32; 1 Cor 7:1–16: Eph 5:21–33; 6:1–4; Col 3:18–21; 1 Tim 5:8, 14; Titus 2:3–5; Heb 13:4; 1 Pet 3:1–7

church covenant

As people who have been saved by God’s grace through our faith in Jesus, and as people who are committed to following Jesus in the power of the Spirit, we establish this covenant with one another:

1. We will work and pray for the unity and peace of this church (Eph 3:4).

2. We will be devoted to one another like a loving family. We will look out for each other and lovingly confront one another when necessary. With humility and gentleness, we will patiently bear with each other; forgiving, encouraging, and building each other up. We will rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, helping to carry each other’s burdens (Luke 17:3; Rom 12:15; Col 3:13; 1 Thess 5:11; 1 Pet 1:22).

3. We will regularly gather for worship and community, and pray for ourselves and others (Col 4:2; Heb 10:25).

4. We will foster a gracious, hospitable, accessible posture towards outsiders (Luke 15:20; 1 Cor 14:23; Col 4:5–6).

5. We will bring up our children and youth in the training and teaching of the Lord, and with a pure and loving example, seek the salvation of our family, friends, and neighbors (2 Cor 5:16–21; Eph 6:4; 1 Pet 3:1).

6. We will seek, by God’s help, to live carefully in this world, denying ungodliness and worldly passions. We will strive to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, as we wait for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:12–14; 1 Pet 1:14).

7. We will promote and advance a gospel ministry in this church by supporting and upholding:

   • The preaching of the Word of God (2 Tim 4:2)

   • The practice of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:38; 1 Cor 11:26)

   • The exercise of church discipline (Matt 18:17; 1 Cor 5:13)

8. We will support the doctrines of the church, preserve the unity of the church in non-essential beliefs or preferences, and submit to the church’s biblical leadership (Heb 13:7; Jude 3).

9. We will happily, generously, and regularly contribute to the ministry efforts and expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel around the world (Matt 28:19; Luke 12:33; 2 Cor 9:7).

10. We will, if we move from this place, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant us to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, so that we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice (Rom 15:5–6).