- Statement of Faith -
1. We believe that the Bible is the verbally
inspired and infallible, authoritative Word of God – that it is
our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. We
further believe that God has wonderfully preserved His Word in
its smallest detail so that we might have His standard to live
by. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Matt. 24:35).
2. We believe there is one God eternally existent in
three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4, 4:35;
Matt. 3:16-17; Ps. 9:7; Jn. 10:30; Jn. 14:26; 1 Jn. 5:7).
3. We believe in the Deity of Christ; His virgin
birth; His shed blood for atonement of sin; His bodily resurrection; His ascension into Heaven, there to be our Intercessor;
His Lordship over all creation (Jn. 1: 1-3; 1 Jn. 1:7; Heb.
9:11, 12; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25;
Matt. 28:18, Phil. 2:9-11).
4. We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts of sin,
makes believers children of God through the new birth, assuring
them of Heaven, and by His indwelling en- ables Christians to
live a Godly life (Jn. 16:8-11; Titus 3:5; 1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Cor.
6:19-20; Rom. 8: 14, 16; Rom. 8: 1-4; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:9,18).
5. We believe that all men are sinners by nature and
choice, sinful and lost, and have within themselves no possible
means of salvation without Christ (Rom. 3:10, 23; Rom. 5:12;
Eph. 2:8-9; Eph. 2:1-3, 12; Titus 3:5).
6. We believe in Salvation by grace through faith; that
Salvation is the free gift of God, not by any virtue or works of
man, but received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ; and that all true believers possess the gift of
eternal life, a perfect righteousness, son-ship in the family of
God, and the divine guarantee that they shall never perish (Jn.
3:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Jn. 1:12; Jn. 10:28; Jn. 3:18).
7. We believe in the existence of Satan the deceiver
and god of this present world; that he was defeated and judged
at the cross, and therefore his final doom is certain (Jn. 8:44;
Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-8; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 1 Jn. 3:8; 1 Jn.
5:18; 1 Jn. 4:4; Rev. 20:10).
8. We believe in the second coming of Christ; the
time being unrevealed but always imminent; that when He comes He
will first by resurrection of the dead and the translation
(rapture) of the living remove from the earth His waiting
Church; then pour out the righteous judgments of God upon the
unbelieving world, after- wards descend with His Church and
establish His glorious and literal kingdom over all nations for
a thousand years (Jn. 14:1-3; Acts 1: 11; 1 Thess. 4:13-1 8; 1
Cor. 15:51-57; Rev. 6-9; Rev. 19:11-20:6).
9. We believe that the spirits of the saved, at
death, go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven; that at His
second coming their works will be judged and rewards determined;
that the spirits of the unsaved at death descend immediately
into Hell until the final day of judgment, at which time their
bodies shall be raised from the grave, judged, and cast into the
lake of fire, the place of final and everlasting punishment (2
Cor. 5:6-1 0; Luke 16:19-3 1; Rev. 20:11-15).
10. We believe in the priesthood of all believers,
that Christ is our High Priest and through Him every born-again
person has direct access into God's presence without the need of
a human priest; that the believer has the right and
responsibility to personally study and interpret the Scriptures,
guided by the Holy Spirit (1 Pet. 2:9; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:17-28;
Heb. 6:20; Heb. 4:14-16; Jn. 14:26; Jn. 16:13; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; 1
Pet. 2:2; 2 Tim. 2:15).
11. We believe that a New Testament Church is an
organized body of born-again baptized believers practicing the
scriptural ordinances and actively en- gaged in fulfilling the
Great Commission. (Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-34)
We believe the officers of the church are pastors and deacons.
In Scripture the pastor is also referred to as an elder. The two
terms describe the same office (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Phil. 1:4).
12. We believe in the Separation of Church and
State; that God has ordained both, and has delegated authority
to each; the authority of one must not interfere with the other;
however, this does not mean that the State is to be
non-religious nor does it mean that the church and its members
may not be involved in the political processes of this nation
(Matt. 16:18; Matt. 18:15-20; Rom. 13:1-7; Acts 2: 1-11, 41-47;
Eph. 2:1-6).
- Church Covenant -
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive
the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and on the profession of
our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of
God, angels, and this assembly, most joyfully enter into
covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk
together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of
this Church, in knowledge, holiness and comfort; to promote its
prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances,
doctrine and discipline; to give it a sacred preeminence over
all institutions of human origin; to contribute cheerfully and
regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the
Church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel
through all nations.
We, also, engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to
Biblically educate our children; to seek the salvation of our
kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world;
to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements and
exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all gossiping, backbiting,
and ungodly anger; to abstain from the sale and use of alcoholic
drinks as a beverage; to abstain from the use of any substances
and materials which will steal control of lives from the Spirit
of God; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom
of our Saviour.
We, further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love;
to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness
and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and
courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready
for reconciliation, and mindful of the rule of our Saviour to
secure it without delay.
We, moreover, engage that when we remove from this place we will
as soon as possible unite with some other church, where we can
carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of Gods
Word.
Covenant - In church affairs, a solemn promise or vow between
the members of a church, that they will walk together according
to the precepts of the gospel, in brotherly affection. (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)