A. Statement of Doctrine
The following basic doctrines contained in the Holy Scriptures are believed:

 

1. The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures to be the inspired Word of God, authoritative, inerrant and God-breathed. II Tim. 3:16, 17; II Pet. 1:20,21; Matt. 5:18; John 16:12,13

 

2. The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; eternal in nature, equal in power and glory and having the same attributes and perfections. Deut. 6:4; II Cor. 13:14; John 1:1

 

3. The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adams sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, became alienated from God, and is unable to retrieve his original position alone (without the assistance of God). Gen. 1:26,27; Rom. 3:22,23; 5:12; Eph. 2:12

 

4. The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the unique person of the human race, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that our redemption through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice; that our redemption is made sure to us by his physical resurrection from the dead; John 1:1, 2, 14; Luke 1:35; Rom. 3:24, 25; 4:25; I Pet. 1:3-5; that the Lord Jesus Christ is now in Heaven, exalted at the right hand of God, where as the High Priest for His people, He fulfills the ministry of representative, intercessor, and advocate. Heb. 9:24; Rom. 8:34; I John 2:1, 2

 

5. The Personality and Work of God the Holy Spirit
We believe that God the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, indwells all believers in the present age, baptizes them into the body of Christ, seals them into the day of redemption, and that it is the duty of every believer to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Rom. 8:9; I Cor. 12:12-14; Eph. 1:13, 14; Eph. 5:18

 

6. Salvation
We believe that salvation in every dispensation is the gift of God, brought to man by Grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (whose substitutionary Death was the atonement for mans sin). Eph. 2:8-10; John 1:12; Eph. 1:17

 

7. The Eternal Security of Believers
We believe that all believers are kept secure forever. Rom. 8:1, 38, 39; John 10:27-30; I Cor. 1:4-8

 

8. The Church
We believe that the Church, which is now the Body and shall be the Bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this age irrespective of their affiliation with Christian organizations. Eph. 1:22, 23; 5:25-27; I Cor. 12: 12-17

 

9. The Personality of Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan, who is the open and declared enemy of God and man. Job 1:6, 7; Matt. 4:2-11; Isa. 14:12-17

 

10. The Blessed Hope
We believe that the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the air to receive to Himself the dead in Christ and believers who are alive at His coming. This is known as the Rapture, or Translation of the Church. I Cor. 15:51-57; I Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14

 

11. The Tribulation
We believe that the Rapture of the Church will be followed by the fullfillment of Israels Seventh Week, which is the time of Jacobs Trouble, the Great Tribulation. Dan. 9:24-27; Jere. 30:7; Matt. 24:15-21; Rev. 6:1-17

 

12. The Second Coming of Christ
We believe that the Great Tribulation will be climaxed by the (premillennial) return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth to set up His Kingdom. Zech. 14:4-11; Matt. 24:15-25, 46; II Thess. 1:7-10; Rev. 20:6

 

13. The Eternal State
We believe that the soul and the human spirit of those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation do, at death, immediately pass into His presence, and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body, reunited, shall be associated with Him forever in the Glory; but the souls of unbelievers remain after death in conscious misery until the final judgement of the Great White Throne at the close of the Millenium, when soul and body, reunited, shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting separation from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. Luke 16:19-26; II Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; II Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15

 

14. The Responsibility of Believers
We believe that all believers should seek to live their lives in such a manner as to reflect favorably toward their Lord and Saviour; that it is the obligation of every believer to witness by action and word to the truths of Holy Scripture, and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all the world. That it is the responsibility of all believers to remember the work of the Lord in prayer and to support it as the Lord has prospered them. Acts 1:8; I Cor.16:2; II Cor.9:7

 

15. Church Ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Ordinance of The Lords Supper which is to be observed until His return. I Cor. 11:23-26. Baptism by immersion in the First Century was a teaching aid in the Doctrine of Positional Truth until the canon of the New Testament scriptures was completed. Baptism, therefore was not an ordinance but rather a ritual and is now offered only at the specific request of the individual believer.

 

16. Sovereignty
We believe that God, existing as Father, Son and Holy Spirit is sovereign, and exercises supreme and absolute rule over all creation as part of, and consistent with, the essence and attribute of Deity. I Chron. 29:11, 12; Dan. 4:35; Psa. 24:1; Eph. 1:11; I Tim. 6:15; John 1:1

 

17. Spirituality
We believe that spirituality is an absolute condition in the life of a believer in this dispensation, wherein he is filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit, walk-ing in love and fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that spirituality is distinct from maturity, that a believer becomes carnal through an act of mental, verbal or overt sin, and that spirituality or fellowship with Christ is re-stored solely by personal confession of that sin to God the Father. John 15:7, 8; Rom. 6:11-13; I Cor. 11:30, 31; I Cor. 5:6-8; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:18; I John 1:9

 

18. Spiritual Gifts
We believe that God the Holy Spirit, in grace and apart from human merit, sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts to believers in this dispensation. Some of the permanent spiritual gifts which exist today are: Pastor-Teacher, Evangelist, Administrator, Helper, and Giving and Showing of Mercy. We further believe that the temporary spiritual gifts ceased with the completion of the Canon of Scripture, and these were: Apostleship, Prophecy, Speaking in Tongues, Healing and Working of Miracles. I Cor. 12:13; I Cor. 13:8-10; Eph.4:7-13; Rom. 12:4-8

Any member practicing, or in any way condoning or being sympathetic toward these temporary gifts shall be subject to dismissal as a member of the church.

 

B. Tenets

1. This church shall not at any time become a member, sanction, or support the National Council of Churches of Christ in America, the World Council of Churches, or any other such organization whose doctrine is in opposition to the Canon of Scripture.

2. This church shall not solicit anyone to become a member. Those who desire to affiliate with this church may do so by complying with the provision of Article V of the church constitution.

3. This church shall not solicit financial support from any person or group. This is a grace ministry dependent entirely upon the free will offerings of believers. II Cor. 9:7