We believe the one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent I AM, the Creator of the Universe, and the Redeemer of mankind (Deuteronomy 6:4; Exodus 3:14; Isaiah 43:10-11; 45:5). God has further revealed Himself as a triune being, manifested as Father, Son and Holy Spirit (John 1:1-4, 14, 16-18; Isaiah 48:16; Mat. 28:19; Luke 3:22).
We believe all scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are inerrant revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; I Peter 1:21).
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and, as such, shares in the Divinity and Deity of God (Matthew 1:23; John 5:22; 2 John 3; Hebrews 1:1-13).
We believe man was created good and upright for God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness . . .” (Gen. 1:26-27). The first man, Adam, through disobedience, fell from the grace of God and, thus, sin entered into the world and death by sin. Adam’s transgression incurred not only physical death for man, but also spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God (Gen. 2:1-17; 3:4-6). Man’s propensity to sin, because of his sinful nature, necessitates salvation from the power of sin and a savior to provide that salvation (Romans 7:13-25).
We believe man’s only hope of redemption and salvation from the power of sin is through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; Romans 5:8-13; 10:9; James 1:21; Ephesians 2:8).
We believe Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) and the Great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20). There is only one spiritual Shepherd referred to in the New Testament and Jesus Christ is that One (John 10:16).
We believe the Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Holy Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of His great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general assembly and the Church of the Firstborn, which was written in heaven (Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:22; Hebrews 12:23). Since God’s purpose concerning man is; to seek and to save that which is lost, to be worshiped by man, and to build a body of believers in the image of His Son, the responsibility of the Church is:
We believe the ordinance of baptism by immersion in water is commanded in the scriptures. All who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, are to be baptized. This is a declaration to the world that they identify with Christ in His death and have been raised with Him in newness of Life (Acts 2:38; Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:4).
We believe the Lord’s Supper consisting of the elements (bread and the cup of the fruit of the vine) is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4). It is a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26), a prophecy of His Second Coming (1 Corinthians 11:26), and is enjoined on all believers until He comes again.
We believe the baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking in other tongues (languages) as the Holy Spirit gives utterance (Acts 2:4). With the baptism in the Holy Spirit, comes the enduing of power of life and service,, the bestowing of the gifts (the anointing) of Christ and their uses in the ministry of the Body of Christ (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4, 8; 1 Cor. 12:1-31). This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-15; 15:7-9).