STATMENT OF FAITH

The fundamental teachings of this Fellowship are reflected in the following statements of faith.
Our purpose in stating these basic beliefs is to establish a doctrinal foundation for the purposes of identification.

 1.

We believe in the inspiration of the Holy Bible, which is comprised of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments as originally given. The scriptures are without error and are the sole and final authority for all matters of faith and conduct (II Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:19-21).

 2.

We believe in the Eternal God, who has revealed Himself as One God existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, distinguishable but indivisible (Genesis 1:1-2, John 15:26, John 10:30, John 14:9).

 3.

We believe in the creation, test, and fall of man as recorded in Genesis, his total spiritual depravity and inability to attain divine righteousness on his own (Romans 3:23, Ephesians 2:8-9).

 4.

We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, totally God and totally man (Luke 1:26-35, John 1:1-12, 14-18, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6).

5.

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ gave His life on the cross as a sacrifice for our sin, was buried, and rose again bodily the third day, and personally appeared to His disciples (I Corinthians 15:3-8, Romans 4:25, I Peter 3:18).

6.

We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, His exaltation, and personal, literal, and bodily coming again the second time for His Church (Acts 1:10-11, I Thessalonians 4:13-18).

7.

We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace, through repentance, and faith in the perfect and complete work of Jesus on the cross by which we obtain total forgiveness of sin (Ephesians 2:8-9, Hebrews 9:12, Colossians 1:13-14, 2:13-14).

8.

We believe in water baptism and the Lord's Supper. We practice water baptism by immersion as a symbol of our death, burial, and resurrection in Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:3-4, Col. 2:11-12). These ordinances are observed in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ as acts of love and devotion and are not considered to be necessary for salvation (Matthew 28:19, 19:1-6, I Corinthians 11:17-28).

9.

We believe the Holy Spirit, at salvation, indwells every believer inJesus Christ, and that He is our abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide (Romans 8:9, John 14:15-18). We believe in the present day ministry of the Holy Spirit as recorded throughout the New Testament, including the exercise of all the Biblical gifts of the Holy Spirit in the church (I Corinthians 12:1-11). We believe in the infilling of the Holy Spirit as a real experience empowering believers as witnesses of Jesus Christ (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4-5, 8, 2:1-4, 8:14-17, 10:44-46).

10.

We believe that Satan is the declared enemy of God and man. We further believe that a Christian will be tempted and may be demonized by Satan. (Revelation 12:9, Peter 5:8, John 10:28).

11.

We believe in everlasting life for believers (John 3:16, 5:24), and everlasting punishment and separation from God for unbelievers (Mark 9:43-48, II Thessalonians 1:8-9, Revelation 20:10-15).

12.

We believe there is one universal Church, made up of genuine believers, and that this one universal Church is also composed of believers of many local congregations. These congregations are under the leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 1:22-23).

13.

We believe God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: the home, the church, and the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God (Romans 13:1-7, Ephesians 5:22-24, 6:1-4, Hebrews 13:17, I Peter 2:13-14).

14.

We believe that a God-ordained marriage is between a man and a woman and is intended to be life long (Genesis 2:24, 26:8-9, Matthew 19:4-6)

15.

We believe human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being (Psalm 139:14-16, Isaiah 49:1, Luke 1:44, Jeremiah 1:5)

16.

We believe that every Christian, as a steward of the wealth entrusted to him, should give cheerfully to the support of the Church in tithes and offerings for the work of the gospel and for the relief of those in need (Genesis 14:20, Proverbs 3:9-10, I Corinthians 16:2, II Corinthians 9:6-8, Ephesians 4:28, Malachi 3:8-10).