What We Believe

We believe that in Christ we have the ultimate foundation for unity, even in spite of our differences.  In light of this unity, the church is known for its love for one another.  This love becomes a powerful witness to the world of the transforming power of the gospel when the world sees us fellowshipping together, sacrificing for one another, serving one another, etc.  Our goal is to live into this unity so that our relationships with one another will be a witness to the power of God in our lives.  

We believe that God created men and women as fully equal members of the body of Christ.  He also created them for roles and purposes that are intrinsic to their sex.  The world sees these differences as threatening, and has sought to erase the differences between men and women.  Far from something negative, we believe God's design for men and women is exceedingly good and should be celebrated.  Our goal is to disciple men and women to live into the good, God-ordained roles given to them.  

When men and women - husbands and wives, mothers and fathers - live into the roles God has designed for them, the family thrives and flourishes.  God has ordained the family as the foundational element of our society, and our goal is to help families achieve their God-ordained purposes.  Through the discipleship of parents, and in-home education and discipleship for children by parents, we seek to make the family unit the foundational element through which ministry occurs in the church and world.  

Participation in missions is not optional - it is commanded by Jesus.  God is on a world-wide rescue mission through the gospel, and he has called us to be the hands and feet of this work.  We believe that missions starts in the home.  Christian parents are missionaries who have been sent to their families first, to the local community second, and to the nations third.  Our goal is to be both "senders" and "goers" by participating in the work of missions in our homes, our town, our country, and our world.  

Biblical, expository preaching and teaching

God-glorifying, Christ-exalting

Practicing the "one another" commands

Learning to carry out God's design for us as men and women

Training with an emphasis on in-home education and parenting

Participation in missions through prayer, deed, & financial support

We believe the Bible is God's Word given by divine inspiration, the record of God's revelation of Himself to humanity (2 Timothy 3.16). It is trustworthy, sufficient, without error -- the supreme authority and guide for all doctrine and conduct (1 Peter 1.23-25; John 17.17; 2 Timothy 3.16-17). It is the truth by which God brings people into a saving relationship with Himself and leads them to Christian maturity (John 20.31; 1 John 5.9-12; Matthew 4.4; 1 Peter 2.2)

We believe God created man in His own image to have fellowship with Himself and to be steward over His creation (Genesis 1.26-28). As a result, each person is unique, possesses dignity and is worthy of respect (Psalm 139.13-17). Through the temptation of Satan, Adam chose to disobey God; this brought sin and death to the human race and suffering to all creation (Genesis 3; Romans 5.12-21; 8.22).

We believe the Church is the body of which Christ is the head and all who believe in Him are members (Ephesians 1.22-23; Romans 12.4-5). Christians are commanded to be baptized upon profession of faith and to unite with a local church for mutual encouragement and growth in discipleship through worship, nurture, service, community, and the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world (Acts 2.41-42, 47; Luke 24.45-48). Each church is a self-governing body under the lordship of Christ with all members sharing responsibility (Acts 13.1-3; 14.26-28). The form of government is understood to be Elder-led, congregationally ruled (Matt. 18.17; Acts 6.3-6; 15.22-23).

We believe Christians, individually and collectively, are salt and light in society (Matthew 5.13-16). In a Christlike spirit, they oppose greed, selfishness and vice; they promote truth, justice and peace; they aid the needy and preserve the dignity of people of all races and conditions (Hebrews 13.5; Luke 9.23; Titus 2.12; Philippians 4.8-9; 1 John 3.16-17; James 2.1-4). We affirm the family as the basic unit of society and seek to preserve its integrity and stability (Genesis 2.21-25; Ephesians 6.1-4).

We believe God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring all things to their appropriate end and establish the new heaven and new earth (Ephesians 1.9-10; Revelation 21.1). The certain hope of the Christian is that Jesus will return to the earth suddenly, personally, and visibly in glory according to His promise (Titus 2.13; Revelation 1.7; 3.11; John 14.1-3). The dead will be raised, and Christ will judge mankind in righteousness (John 5.28-29). The unrighteous will be consigned to the everlasting punishment prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25.41,46; Revelation 20.10). The righteous, in their resurrected and glorified bodies, will receive their reward and dwell forever with the Lord (Philippians 3.20-21; 2 Corinthians 5.10; 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18).

We believe in one living and true God, perfect in wisdom, sovereignty, holiness, justice, mercy and love (1 Timothy 1.17; Psalm 86.15; Deuteronomy 32.3-4). He exists eternally in three coequal persons who act together in creation, providence, and redemption (Genesis 1.26; 1 Peter 1.2; Hebrews 1.1-3).

We believe salvation is redemption by Christ of the whole person from sin and death (2 Timothy 1.9-10; 1 Thessalonians 5.23). It is offered as a free gift by God to all and must be received personally through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2.4; Ephesians 2.8-9; Acts 20.21). An individual is united to Christ by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2.20; Colossians 1.27). As a child of God, the believer is acquitted of all guilt and brought into a new relationship of peace (Romans 5.1). Christians grow as the Holy Spirit enables them to understand and obey the Word of God (2 Peter 3.18; Ephesians 4.15; 1 Thessalonians 3.12).

We Believe the ordinances of the church are baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28.18-20). It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believers identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 6.3-5). The Lord's Supper is the partaking of the bread and of the cup by believers together as a memorial of the broken body and shed blood of Christ. It is an act of thankful dedication to Him and serves to unite His people until He returns (1 Corinthians 11.23-26).

We believe that God’s intention for marriage is established through the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (Ephesians 5.22-33), and that his intention for marriage is as a voluntary union for life of one biological man and one biological woman (Genesis 2.18-24).  Marriage is more than a contract between to persons; it is a covenant before God.  We believe that sexual intimacy is legitimate only within the bounds of this marriage.