THE SCRIPTURES
We believe the Bible is the inspired, preserved Word of God and is our authority for all matters of faith and practice. The King James Bible is used for all preaching and teaching. (II Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 12:6-7, II Peter 1:20-21)
GOD
We believe that God is an eternal, Triune Being, existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- three Persons and yet one God. We believe the members of the Godhead are equal in their attributes of faithfulness, mercy, longsuffering, goodness, grace, love, justice, righteousness, immutability, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, truth, and divine perfection. (Genesis 1:1,26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 19:1; Psalm 90:1,2; Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 32:27; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-14; John 4:24; John 10:30; John 20:28; Act 5:3-4; Rom 8:9; II Corinthians 3:17; II Corinthians 13:14, Colossians 2:9; I John 5:7; Rev 4:8,11)
JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word, is the only begotten Son of God, Who, retaining His divine nature, came to earth as a man. He lived a sinless life so that He might be the perfect redeemer of mankind. He was conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of a virgin as the true God-man. His death was on behalf of all mankind, and His blood was sufficient payment for all of man's sin. He resurrected bodily, ascended into heaven, and both intercedes for believers and saves sinners who come to Him in faith. (Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-14; John 8:58; I Corinthians 15:1-5; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 2:5; I John 2:1- 2)
CREATION
We believe that God created all things and that the Genesis account of creation makes reference to literal 24-hour days. We believe Man was created in innocence and in the image of God but fell from his happy and holy state through sin. In consequence, all mankind are now sinners and in need of salvation to be rightly reconciled to God. (Genesis 1:26-31; Genesis 3:6-24; Genesis 9:6; Isaiah 53:6; John 8:44; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 3:10-23; 5:12-19; Galatians 3:10; Ephesians 2:1-5)
SALVATION
We believe that the salvation of sinners is a gift by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, Who died for the sins of the world and conquered death through His bodily resurrection. Salvation is not possible through human effort, good works, baptism, or joining a church. Sinners must be born again through faith in Jesus Christ to have their sins forgiven and be given eternal life. (John 3:3, Acts 4:12; Romans 4:4-5; I Corinthians 15:1-5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Revelation 20:14-15)
ETERNAL SECURITY
We believe that through the grace of God, all who are born again are preserved unto eternal salvation, eternally secure in Christ, kept by God's power, and sealed by the Holy Ghost unto the day of redemption. At the time of salvation every believer receives everlasting life as a present possession, and all of a believer's sins are forgiven in Christ. (John 1:11-13; John 3:16,36; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians 1:12-14; 4:30; Colossians 2:13)
ETERNITY
We believe that only those who through faith in Christ have been born into God’s family will be taken to heaven, either at the time of their death or at the return of Jesus Christ. The souls of the redeemed will be in conscious bliss awaiting the resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are re-united in a glorified body to be forever with the Lord. All who continue in unbelief shall be immediately in conscious torment in hell at death to await the second resurrection where they will be reunited with their bodies, appear before the Great Judgment, and then cast into the lake of fire, a place of everlasting conscious punishment prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 10:28; Matthew 25:41,46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:9-31; John 11:25-26; John14:1-3; II Corinthians 5:1-10; I Thessalonians 4:13-17; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8)
THE CHURCH
We believe that a local church of Christ is a congregation of born-again, baptized (by immersion) believers associated by covenant of the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His Word, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word. The mission of the church is primarily to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to every creature, to baptize and train those that have been saved, and to help them grow through worship, exhortation, prayer, fellowship, discipline, teaching, and preaching. We believe that the only officers of the local church are bishops (or pastors) and deacons, whose qualifications and duties are defined in the Scriptures. (Ephesians 4:11-12, 25; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18; I Thessalonians 5:12-19; II Thessalonians 3:6-15; I Timothy 3:1-16; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 13:7,17; I Peter 5:1-5)
We believe that the Body of Christ is the one church Jesus gave Himself for, composed of all born-again believers in Christ through the church age. All who are saved are placed into this body at the moment of salvation (referred to as the baptism of the Holy Spirit in I Corinthians 12:13) Jesus Christ is the Savior of the body and the Head of the church. This church will not be complete until the Rapture. (Acts 20:28; Romans 12:5; I Corinthians 10:17,32; I Corinthians12:13; Galatians 3:26-27; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 2:14-22; Ephesians 4:4-5; Ephesians 5:23-32; Colossians 1:18, 24; Colossians 3:15; Hebrews 12:23)
We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances given for the local church. All believers in the Lord should be baptized. Christian baptism is immersion in water of a born-again believer in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. It is given as a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and typifies the believer's death to sin, the burial of his old nature, and his resurrection to new life. It has no saving grace and does not have anything to do with being worthy of heaven. The Lord’s Supper, in which believers partake of unleavened bread and grape juice, represents the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ. It is a commemoration of the dying love of Christ and is to always be preceded by self-examination. (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 22:19; John 3:23; Acts 8:37; Acts 10:47-48; I Corinthians 1:13-17; I Corinthians11:20-34)
END TIMES
We believe that the personal return of Christ (at the event commonly called the Rapture) could be at any time. We believe that following the Rapture will be the Tribulation period. At the end of the tribulation, Jesus Christ will bodily return to the earth at Jerusalem, win the battle of Armageddon, and set up His 1000-year kingdom on earth. At the end of the kingdom, there will be a final battle with Satan, where Satan will be defeated. The Lord will then make a new heaven and new earth and the final judgments will be completed. (Isaiah 11; Isaiah 26:19-21; Isaiah 60; Daniel 2; Daniel 7; Daniel 12:1-3; Zechariah 14; Matthew 24; Luke 21:24; Acts 1:10-11; Acts 24:15; Romans 14:10; II Corinthians 5:9-10; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Pet 3:13; Revelation 19:1-16; Revelation 20; Revelation 21)
We believe the Bible is the inspired, preserved Word of God and is our authority for all matters of faith and practice. The King James Bible is used for all preaching and teaching. (II Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 12:6-7, II Peter 1:20-21)
GOD
We believe that God is an eternal, Triune Being, existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- three Persons and yet one God. We believe the members of the Godhead are equal in their attributes of faithfulness, mercy, longsuffering, goodness, grace, love, justice, righteousness, immutability, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, truth, and divine perfection. (Genesis 1:1,26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 19:1; Psalm 90:1,2; Isaiah 9:6; Jeremiah 32:27; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-14; John 4:24; John 10:30; John 20:28; Act 5:3-4; Rom 8:9; II Corinthians 3:17; II Corinthians 13:14, Colossians 2:9; I John 5:7; Rev 4:8,11)
JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word, is the only begotten Son of God, Who, retaining His divine nature, came to earth as a man. He lived a sinless life so that He might be the perfect redeemer of mankind. He was conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of a virgin as the true God-man. His death was on behalf of all mankind, and His blood was sufficient payment for all of man's sin. He resurrected bodily, ascended into heaven, and both intercedes for believers and saves sinners who come to Him in faith. (Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-14; John 8:58; I Corinthians 15:1-5; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 2:5; I John 2:1- 2)
CREATION
We believe that God created all things and that the Genesis account of creation makes reference to literal 24-hour days. We believe Man was created in innocence and in the image of God but fell from his happy and holy state through sin. In consequence, all mankind are now sinners and in need of salvation to be rightly reconciled to God. (Genesis 1:26-31; Genesis 3:6-24; Genesis 9:6; Isaiah 53:6; John 8:44; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 3:10-23; 5:12-19; Galatians 3:10; Ephesians 2:1-5)
SALVATION
We believe that the salvation of sinners is a gift by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, Who died for the sins of the world and conquered death through His bodily resurrection. Salvation is not possible through human effort, good works, baptism, or joining a church. Sinners must be born again through faith in Jesus Christ to have their sins forgiven and be given eternal life. (John 3:3, Acts 4:12; Romans 4:4-5; I Corinthians 15:1-5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Revelation 20:14-15)
ETERNAL SECURITY
We believe that through the grace of God, all who are born again are preserved unto eternal salvation, eternally secure in Christ, kept by God's power, and sealed by the Holy Ghost unto the day of redemption. At the time of salvation every believer receives everlasting life as a present possession, and all of a believer's sins are forgiven in Christ. (John 1:11-13; John 3:16,36; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians 1:12-14; 4:30; Colossians 2:13)
ETERNITY
We believe that only those who through faith in Christ have been born into God’s family will be taken to heaven, either at the time of their death or at the return of Jesus Christ. The souls of the redeemed will be in conscious bliss awaiting the resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are re-united in a glorified body to be forever with the Lord. All who continue in unbelief shall be immediately in conscious torment in hell at death to await the second resurrection where they will be reunited with their bodies, appear before the Great Judgment, and then cast into the lake of fire, a place of everlasting conscious punishment prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 10:28; Matthew 25:41,46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:9-31; John 11:25-26; John14:1-3; II Corinthians 5:1-10; I Thessalonians 4:13-17; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8)
THE CHURCH
We believe that a local church of Christ is a congregation of born-again, baptized (by immersion) believers associated by covenant of the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His Word, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word. The mission of the church is primarily to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to every creature, to baptize and train those that have been saved, and to help them grow through worship, exhortation, prayer, fellowship, discipline, teaching, and preaching. We believe that the only officers of the local church are bishops (or pastors) and deacons, whose qualifications and duties are defined in the Scriptures. (Ephesians 4:11-12, 25; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18; I Thessalonians 5:12-19; II Thessalonians 3:6-15; I Timothy 3:1-16; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 13:7,17; I Peter 5:1-5)
We believe that the Body of Christ is the one church Jesus gave Himself for, composed of all born-again believers in Christ through the church age. All who are saved are placed into this body at the moment of salvation (referred to as the baptism of the Holy Spirit in I Corinthians 12:13) Jesus Christ is the Savior of the body and the Head of the church. This church will not be complete until the Rapture. (Acts 20:28; Romans 12:5; I Corinthians 10:17,32; I Corinthians12:13; Galatians 3:26-27; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 2:14-22; Ephesians 4:4-5; Ephesians 5:23-32; Colossians 1:18, 24; Colossians 3:15; Hebrews 12:23)
We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the two ordinances given for the local church. All believers in the Lord should be baptized. Christian baptism is immersion in water of a born-again believer in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. It is given as a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and typifies the believer's death to sin, the burial of his old nature, and his resurrection to new life. It has no saving grace and does not have anything to do with being worthy of heaven. The Lord’s Supper, in which believers partake of unleavened bread and grape juice, represents the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ. It is a commemoration of the dying love of Christ and is to always be preceded by self-examination. (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 22:19; John 3:23; Acts 8:37; Acts 10:47-48; I Corinthians 1:13-17; I Corinthians11:20-34)
END TIMES
We believe that the personal return of Christ (at the event commonly called the Rapture) could be at any time. We believe that following the Rapture will be the Tribulation period. At the end of the tribulation, Jesus Christ will bodily return to the earth at Jerusalem, win the battle of Armageddon, and set up His 1000-year kingdom on earth. At the end of the kingdom, there will be a final battle with Satan, where Satan will be defeated. The Lord will then make a new heaven and new earth and the final judgments will be completed. (Isaiah 11; Isaiah 26:19-21; Isaiah 60; Daniel 2; Daniel 7; Daniel 12:1-3; Zechariah 14; Matthew 24; Luke 21:24; Acts 1:10-11; Acts 24:15; Romans 14:10; II Corinthians 5:9-10; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Pet 3:13; Revelation 19:1-16; Revelation 20; Revelation 21)