We Believe:

• The Bible is the inspired Word of God.
• Our God is One, but manifested in three Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

• Humankind is a created being, made in the likeness and image of God, but through Adam’s transgression and fall, sin came into the world.

• Salvation is the gift of God to humankind through faith in Jesus Christ.

• The New Birth is necessary to all humankind, and when experienced, produces eternal life.

• Baptism in water is by immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord, and is for believers only.

• The Baptism in the Holy Ghost is a gift and is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues.

• We believe in sanctification, which is living a life of holiness.

• Healing is the privilege of every member of the Church today provided through Jesus’ death on the Cross.

• Jesus will return and “. . . The dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air . . .” (1 Thess. 4:16–17).”

• The one who physically dies in his or her sins without accepting Christ is eternally lost and, therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting.

 THE BIBLE

We believe the Bible is God’s Word to all humankind. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error. The New Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21; II Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,160 & 12:6; Proverbs 30:5).

THE GODHEAD

Our God is One, but manifested in three Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, being coequal (Deut. 6:4; Phil. 2:6; 1 John 5:7). God the Father is the Begetter and Sender of God the Word (John 14:28; John 16:28; John 1:14). God the Son is the Word flesh-covered, the One Begotten, and has existed with the God the Father from the beginning (John 1:1; John 1:18; John 1:14). God the Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both God the Father and God the Son and is eternal (John 14:16; John 15:26).

HUMANKIND, THEIR FALL AND REDEMPTION

Humankind was created in the image of God to know and enjoy Him, yet we willfully rejected the Lordship and glory of God for which we were intended. Because of this, sickness, death and judgment entered the world and now creation experiences the effects and consequences of sin. (Rom. 3:10; 3:23). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the works of the devil and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore humankind back to God (Rom. 5:14; 1 John 3:8). Salvation is the gift of God to humankind, separate from works and the Law, and is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to God (Eph. 2:8–10).

ETERNAL LIFE AND THE NEW BIRTH

Humankind’s first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that worketh repentance. The New Birth is necessary to all people, and when experienced, produces eternal life (2 Cor. 7:10; John 3:3–5; 1 John 5:12).

WATER BAPTISM

Baptism in water is by immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord, and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36–39).

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST

The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers in this dispensation and is received subsequent to the new birth. This experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance (Matt. 3:11; John 14:16,17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38,39; Acts 19:1–7; Acts 2:1–4).

SANCTIFICATION

The Bible teaches that without holiness no human can see the Lord. We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation at Christ’s return (Heb. 12:14; 1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:12–14; 1 Cor. 1:30).

DIVINE HEALING

Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of faith, and by the laying on of hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ, and is the privilege of every member of the Church today (James 5:14, 15; Mark 16:18; Isa. 53:4,5; Matt. 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24).

RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND THE RETURN OF OUR LORD

The angels said to Jesus’ disciples, “…This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” His coming is imminent. When He comes, “…The dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…” (Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17). Following the Tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords, and together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests; He shall reign a thousand years (Rev. 5:10; 20:6).

HELL AND ETERNAL RETRIBUTION

The one who physically dies in his or her sins without accepting Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the lake of fire and, therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. The lake of fire is literal. The terms “eternal” and “everlasting,” used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the lake of fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the Presence of God (Heb. 9:27; Rev 19:20)

RELATIONS OF CHURCH AND STATE

God has entrusted the church the solemn Biblical responsibility of being the conscience of society, culture and government. As such the church has a duty before God to speak to the issues that arise from and relate to society, culture and government. Specifically, the church, in the tradition of the prophets, is required to call government to account before God for the actions taken by the government with the view toward keeping the government in its proper role and relationship as a steward under God of the resources of the nation. [I Kings 18:18; II Chron. 15:1-4; Matt. 5:13-14; Acts 12:23; I Sam. 15:14-35.] The church has a divine mandate to practice its faith as dictated by God. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. The church is the blood-bought bride of Christ of whom Jesus is the head, the Lord and the only master. As such we categorically reject any and all claims by the state to headship or sovereignty over the church. When earthly governments leave their God-ordained sphere of responsibility and seek to restrain, hamper or limit the church’s obedience to Christ in all areas of life, then the church must and will obey God rather than man and must also confront the government with its error and call it back to its proper place under God. (Exodus 8, 9, 10; Daniel 3, 6; Acts 4:19; 5:29).