Our Beliefs
“The Bible is our rule of faith and Christ alone is Lord.” This lyric, by Charles W. Naylor, summarizes our core belief. For practical purposes, the following provides a snapshot of our position.
Jesus is lord
The singularity, the exclusivity, the divinity of the one Lord Jesus is central to who we are. He is the Bread of Life. The Water of Life. The Lamb of God. The Way, the Truth, and the Life. The one Mediator between God and humankind. The Lord of lords, the King of kings. The Son of Man. The Son of God. The Word become Flesh. The Name at which every knee shall bow. Jesus is the subject (Acts 2:36).
Supremacy of Scripture
We are a people of the Bible—the Old and New Testaments, supernaturally inspired, preserved across time, cultures, and continents, delivered to us, useful for reproof and instruction, for righteousness. The Scripture is our backstop, the ultimate field of inquiry and judgment, the measure of conduct, faith, and practice. Whatever the question, whatever the test, whatever comes before us, in the end, it is the Scripture, above all other disciplines, that informs and defines us. All other sources of knowledge fall beneath its shadow (2 Tim 3:14–17).
The Gospel
In the narrow sense, the Gospel is that Jesus was crucified, buried, and that God raised Him form the dead. In a broader sense, it is the all encompassing message and revelation about the good news of the Kingdom of God. Consequently, the Gospel offers forgiveness of sins, freedom from sin, good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and leads individuals and societies to a better existence.
The Kingdom
The Kingdom of God is both a present and yet to be reality. The Kingdom of God is the re-ordering of the world to God’s original created intention, that all of creation lives in harmony and intimate relationship with the Creator. The Church exists as an aspect of the Kingdom of God, but it is not the kingdom of God.
Holiness
The Person, the work, and the power of the Holy Spirit is fundamental to who we are as a people. We unabashedly own the truth that the Spirit can transform us, possess us, equip us, and empower us. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that sanctifies us, makes us holy, sets us apart for sacred service, and seals us for eternity’s sake. It is the Spirit that convicts us of sin and enables us to overcome sin. It is the Holy Spirit that can breathe supernatural gifts into us, for Jesus’ sake. He is the Comforter promised by Jesus and the witness of our redemption (Gal 5:22–23).
Unity
We are a people uniquely called by God to be a catalyst for Christian unity, believing that the division of the body of Christ is hell’s greatest weapon to thwart heaven’s ends in this world. We are convinced that all believers, with or without a denominational ties, belong to the family of God; we believe that hell trembles at the prospect of a people united, redeemed by the blood, and possessed by the Spirit (John 17:21).
Great Commission
To go and make disciples is the divine privilege and responsibility given to each of us. We champion the work of evangelism and discipleship in our own neighborhood, as well as the sending of international and home missionaries to places beyond our individual reach (Matt 28:19–20).
The Trinity
Water Baptism
Gifts of the Spirit
The Holy Spirit graces each believer with a spiritual gift. This is a special ability to be used to build and benefit the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The distribution of gifts is not based on merit, longevity or gender. God has poured out his Spirit on all people, and both sons and daughters will prophesy—and teach, and shepherd the flock. In Christ, in the kingdom of God, that which once divided us—Jew, Gentile; slave, free; male, female—no longer separate.