what we believe

We accept the Scriptures as our only authority in matters of faith and practice and our interpretation of Bible doctrine leads us unalterably to believe:

  1. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as being verbally inspired by God and inerrant and infallible in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority.
  2. In one God eternally existing in one essence, yet co-equal persons, the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
  3. That Jesus Christ was begotten by God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
  4. In the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.  He is the life of the believer and He empowers the preaching and teaching of the Gospel.
  5. That mankind was created in the image of God, sinned, and thereby incurred not only physical death, but spiritual death, which is separation from God, and that human beings are born with a sinful nature.
  6. That the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the basis of His shed blood.
  7. In the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, His ascension into heaven and His present life there as High Priest and Advocate for us.
  8. In the blessed hope, which is the personal, visible and imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
  9. That all who receives by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again by the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God and heirs of eternal life.
  10. In the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust; the just into everlasting life and the unjust into the resurrection of damnation.
  11. In the existence of a personal devil, who is still working in the world to destroy the souls of people.
  12. In the Church, whose mission it is to preach the Scriptures to the entire world.  The Church is Christ's body; it is visible in the world wherever believers, in obedience of faith, hear the Word, receive the sacraments, and live as disciples.
  13. That the sacraments of the Church, given by our Lord Jesus Christ, are Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Holy Communion).