What We Believe
The Scriptures
We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word and revelation of God and therefore our only authority in faith and practice (II Tim. 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:19-21)
The True God
We believe that there is one and only one, living and true God, and infinite, intelligent Spirit, and the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 2:10-11; 8:6; Eph. 4:6; I Tim. 1:17, Rom. 11:33; Phil 2:5,6)
The Lord Jesus Christ
We believe in the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the very God by whom and for whom all things are created. (John 1:1; Heb. 1:23; John 1:14)
We believe in His Virgin Birth and that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and is therefore God manifested in the flesh. (Matt. 1:23; John 1:14)
We believe in salvation by divine sacrifice, that the Son of God gave “His life a ransom for many” and bore our sins in His own body on the tree. (I Pet. 2:24; Matt. 20:28; I Tim. 2:6)
We believe in His physical resurrection from the dead and His bodily presence at the right hand of God as our High Priest and Advocate. (Acts 1:3; John 1:1)
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father, and God the Son, and of the same nature, that He was active in creation; that in His relationship to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, baptizes, endures, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.
We believe that the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance) are the evidences of His indwelling rather than the speaking of tongues and other spectacular demonstrations. (John 14:16, 17; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32).
Creation
We believe in the Genesis account of creation and that it is to be accepted literally that man was created directly in God’s own image and after His own likeness; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all forms of animal and vegetable life were made by God and God’s established law is that they should bring forth only “after their kind.” (Gen. 3:1-6; Romans 5:12, 19; 3:10-19; 1:20, 28, 32)
The Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of His Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Gen. 3:1-6; Romans 5:12, 19; 3:10-19; 1:20, 28, 32)
Salvation by Grace
We believe that faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation from sin and that this salvation is wholly be grace: that no works, however good, make that salvation more secure. (Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5-7; Romans 10:9-13)
The Church and Its Purpose
We believe that a church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its scripturally designated officers are pastors and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in Scriptures; we believe the purpose of the church is to edify and equip the saints to do the work of the ministry, that it may then carry out its true mission as found in the great commission; to make individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, polity, government, discipline, benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Acts 2:41; 14:23; I Corinthians 11:2; 16:2; Ephesians 1:22, 23; 4:11; Matthew 28:19, 20)
The Church Ordinances
Baptism
We believe that Christian baptism is the believer’s immersion in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that in scriptural order baptism preceded the privileges of church membership and is the public recognition of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:36, 37; Romans 6:3-5)
The Lord’s Supper
This is a memorial in which the elements of bread and juice remind us of the love of God in Jesus Christ, “Who spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all,” that this ordinance is to be observed in anticipation of His coming and preceded always by a solemn self-examination. (Acts 2:41, 42: I Cor. 11:23-28)
The Devil or Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Matt. 4:11; II Cor. 4:4; Rev. 20:10)
Eschatology or End Times
We believe in the pre-tribulational, pre-millennial return of Christ for the saints and the church. We believe this event will be followed by the tribulation period, and then the personal, visible return of Christ to earth to set up His millennial reign. (I Thess. 4:16,17; Rev. 19:8,9; 11-16; 20:1-6)
Bible Translation
We recognize the value of many English translations, such as the New American Standard Version or the New International Version. We recommend some translations for inductive Bible study but carefully warn about some modern paraphrases, such as Good News for Modern Man and The Living Bible. We will not tolerate the teaching that says the King James Version is the only reliable and inspired text.
We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word and revelation of God and therefore our only authority in faith and practice (II Tim. 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:19-21)
The True God
We believe that there is one and only one, living and true God, and infinite, intelligent Spirit, and the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 2:10-11; 8:6; Eph. 4:6; I Tim. 1:17, Rom. 11:33; Phil 2:5,6)
The Lord Jesus Christ
We believe in the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the very God by whom and for whom all things are created. (John 1:1; Heb. 1:23; John 1:14)
We believe in His Virgin Birth and that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and is therefore God manifested in the flesh. (Matt. 1:23; John 1:14)
We believe in salvation by divine sacrifice, that the Son of God gave “His life a ransom for many” and bore our sins in His own body on the tree. (I Pet. 2:24; Matt. 20:28; I Tim. 2:6)
We believe in His physical resurrection from the dead and His bodily presence at the right hand of God as our High Priest and Advocate. (Acts 1:3; John 1:1)
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father, and God the Son, and of the same nature, that He was active in creation; that in His relationship to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, baptizes, endures, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.
We believe that the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance) are the evidences of His indwelling rather than the speaking of tongues and other spectacular demonstrations. (John 14:16, 17; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32).
Creation
We believe in the Genesis account of creation and that it is to be accepted literally that man was created directly in God’s own image and after His own likeness; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all forms of animal and vegetable life were made by God and God’s established law is that they should bring forth only “after their kind.” (Gen. 3:1-6; Romans 5:12, 19; 3:10-19; 1:20, 28, 32)
The Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of His Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Gen. 3:1-6; Romans 5:12, 19; 3:10-19; 1:20, 28, 32)
Salvation by Grace
We believe that faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation from sin and that this salvation is wholly be grace: that no works, however good, make that salvation more secure. (Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5-7; Romans 10:9-13)
The Church and Its Purpose
We believe that a church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its scripturally designated officers are pastors and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in Scriptures; we believe the purpose of the church is to edify and equip the saints to do the work of the ministry, that it may then carry out its true mission as found in the great commission; to make individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, polity, government, discipline, benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Acts 2:41; 14:23; I Corinthians 11:2; 16:2; Ephesians 1:22, 23; 4:11; Matthew 28:19, 20)
The Church Ordinances
Baptism
We believe that Christian baptism is the believer’s immersion in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that in scriptural order baptism preceded the privileges of church membership and is the public recognition of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:36, 37; Romans 6:3-5)
The Lord’s Supper
This is a memorial in which the elements of bread and juice remind us of the love of God in Jesus Christ, “Who spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all,” that this ordinance is to be observed in anticipation of His coming and preceded always by a solemn self-examination. (Acts 2:41, 42: I Cor. 11:23-28)
The Devil or Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Matt. 4:11; II Cor. 4:4; Rev. 20:10)
Eschatology or End Times
We believe in the pre-tribulational, pre-millennial return of Christ for the saints and the church. We believe this event will be followed by the tribulation period, and then the personal, visible return of Christ to earth to set up His millennial reign. (I Thess. 4:16,17; Rev. 19:8,9; 11-16; 20:1-6)
Bible Translation
We recognize the value of many English translations, such as the New American Standard Version or the New International Version. We recommend some translations for inductive Bible study but carefully warn about some modern paraphrases, such as Good News for Modern Man and The Living Bible. We will not tolerate the teaching that says the King James Version is the only reliable and inspired text.
