We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments to be verbally inspired by God, inerrant in the original text, and the supreme and final authority in faith and life. God’s Word is living and active, able to judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. God’s Word is the truth, the bread of life, the light to guide us, and is to be read, studied, and meditated on and hidden in our hearts. Psalm 119:11, 105; Matthew 4:4; John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 2:13, 10:11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:21
We believe in one living and true God who is Creator of heaven and earth; He is our Heavenly Father, who is Spirit, light, love, and truth; eternal, almighty, infallible and unchangeable, infinitely wise, just, and holy; and that God eternally exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each member of the Godhead, while executing distinct but complementary roles in redemptive history, share the same attributes and are equally worthy of the same honour, obedience and glory. Genesis 1:1; Matthew 28:19-20;
Mark 12:29; John 1:1,14, 10:30; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14
We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the eternal Word manifested in flesh. He is the Alpha and the Omega, who is, who was, and who is to come. We believe that He is in very nature God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born in human likeness of the Virgin Mary, and that He was fully God and fully man. He is the image of the invisible God and in Him, all things hold together. Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; John 1:1,2,14,18; 3:16; Luke 1:30-35; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:15-20, 2:9
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. John 1:29; Romans 3:25-26; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Hebrews 10:5-19; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18, 1 John 1:7
We believe that our Lord rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures and in the same physical body though glorified, in which He had lived and died. We believe that Jesus’ resurrection body is the pattern of that body which, at the return of Christ, will be given to all resurrected believers. Luke 24:36-43; John 20:20; Acts 2:32; 1 Corinthians 15:23,42-45; Philippians 3:20-21
We believe that our Lord bodily ascended to heaven and was seated at His Father's right hand, assuring us of the perfection of His work of redemption, and that He now as Head over all things to the Church is engaged on behalf of the saved as intercessor and advocate. Hebrews 1:3, 13; Ephesians 1:22-23; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again, personally, visibly and with great glory. He will come for His Church (Rapture) and He will come again for His own (Millennium), to establish His Kingdom of righteousness and peace. The blessed hope of His return has vital bearing on the personal life, service and mission of every believer. No one knows the day or hour of His return but believers are to keep faithful watch and live ready. Immediately upon a believers physical death they will be resurrected into heaven, to eternal joy in the presence of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We also believe that all who reject Jesus as Lord and Saviour, the lost, will be raised to judgment and God’s eternal wrath in hell. John 5:24; 10:28,29; 13:1; 17:11; 14:16; Romans 8:28-39; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24; Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:42-48; Revelation 20:11-15
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the God-head. The Spirit is the Counsellor sent by God to convict men of sin, to regenerate, indwell, baptize, seal and set believers apart to a holy life and to keep and empower believers day by day. We believe the Spirit gifts every believer with spiritual gifts and provides fruit to develop spiritual character. We believe that He is the teacher of the Word of God and the guide for daily living. John 14: 25,26; 16:7-11; 3:6; 14:17; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 12:13; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; 1 John 2:20-27; 1 Peter 1:1; Romans 8:2,4,9,12,14; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Galatians 5:20
We believe there is a devil, “Lucifer” or ”Satan” is his name, a being of great cunning and power who is described as "the prince of the power of the air”, "the prince of this world", “the god of this age”. We believe that he can exert vast power to deceive and destroy, but only so far as God allows him to do so; and that he will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and shall be tormented day and night forever. Job 1:6,7; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:1-11; Ephesians 2:2; John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Rev. 20:10
We believe that humankind was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, free from sin. Tempted by Satan, but within the Sovereign plan of God, mankind freely chose to disobey God bringing sin death and condemnation on all of mankind, now subject to the power of the devil. Separated from God, and without excuse, all are subject to God’s righteous wrath and in desperate need of a Saviour. Genesis 1:26; 2:17; 6:5; Psalm 14:1-3; 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; John 3:6; 5:40; 6:53; Romans 3:10-19; 8:6,7; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 5:6; 1 John 3:8
We believe that from the beginning of creation God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female; and as such, they are equal but different. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. Holy Scripture makes it clear that the divine design for marriage is one man and one woman in an exclusive and permanent relationship. We believe that marriage between a man and a woman is the only legitimate and accepted sexual relationship ordained by God. Genesis 1:27–28; Genesis 2:18–25; Exodus 20:14; Matthew 19:3–12; Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9–20; Ephesians 5:22–33; Hebrews 13:4
We believe that each person is created in the image of God. We also believe that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Furthermore, we believe that love, compassion, respect, and dignity must be extended to every person, including those who are involved in sexual sin. We repudiate all hateful conduct and attitudes toward anyone, but we believe that the faithful communication of Holy Scripture, including the call to repentance, does not constitute hate speech. We believe that God offers redemption and forgiveness to all who confess their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through our Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 103:11–12; Isaiah 55:6–9; Mark 1:15; John 3:16; John 5:24; Romans 3:23; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 1:5–10
We believe that all who receive by faith alone, Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, who confess Him as such before their fellow men, and who have repented of their sins are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God. We believe that at the moment of conversion or rebirth, a new spiritual and eternal life begins. John 1:12,13; 3:3-8,16; 5:24; Romans 10:9-10; 8:16; Acts 16:31
We believe that Jesus Christ instituted the only two ordinances of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and commanded believers to observe them until He returns. We believe that a believer is publicly identified with his Saviour by water baptism, and that baptism is to be administered to believers by immersion. We believe that infants of believing parents may be dedicated to the Lord but not baptized in His name. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s death, the elements being symbols of His body and blood. Matthew 16:6, 26:26–29, 28:19–20; Luke 22:19–20; Acts 2:41–42; Acts 8:36–39; Romans 6:3–5; 1 Corinthians 11:34; Revelation 19:7
We believe that the Church, the Bride of Christ, consists of all who have humbled themselves before God, repented of their sins, and confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. These are the redeemed, those chosen of God, those washed in Christ’s blood, those born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit. They are saved by God’s grace through faith to live holy lives, sanctified and conformed into the image of Christ and purposed to worship and to serve God as living sacrifices. They understand their commitment to a life that is modelled after the example of Jesus Christ. They endeavor to walk in the steps of Jesus, empowered by the Spirit of God, informed and shaped by the instruction of the Word of God, and lived out of gratitude to God for His Covenant love. They will accept the responsibility to walk in accountability to God for their actions and attitudes. They commit to worship God corporately, to edify brothers and sisters through mutual exhortation and service, to cooperate in mission, and to hold each other accountable to walk in a manner pleasing to the Lord as a witness to the truth of Christ in the world. They understand their responsibility and privilege to give Glory to God, to share the Gospel, to seek to win others to Christ, and to separate themselves from and forsake all that might dishonor God, cast discredit on His cause or weaken their testimony for Him in this world. Matthew 16:16-18; Rev. 19:7; Rev. 1:5; Titus 3:5; Galatians 6:1-5; James 5:16; Matthew 12:36, 18:15-17; Romans 14:12; Ephesians 1:13,14; Titus 3:7,14; Luke 24:47; Titus 2:12; Rom. 12:1,2; 1 Peter 2
We believe in the application of these Articles of Faith. All of our members, employees, and volunteers must affirm, adhere to and live by our Articles of Faith statements in order to qualify for leadership involvement in ministry. This is necessary to accomplish our religious mission, goals and purpose. Behavior or counter-witnessing that does otherwise will impede and burden our integrity and religious mission. We believe that God’s grace can wipe clean the slate of guilt and sin, though consequences are still incurred. Psalm 37:5-6; Matthew 20:26-28, 22:37-39; John 3:30-31; Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 1:10, 2:20; Ephesians 3:16-19, 4:1-6,; 2 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 13:7; James 3:1, 4:10
Updated January 28, 2021
