The Essentials

God

We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is great: He is all powerful, all knowing, ever present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, and above all, Holy. It is in Him that we live, move and exist. God is good. He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises.  He is not removed from our world but deeply desires and relentlessly invites us into a personal relationship.

(Genesis 1:1; John 14:6-9, 15-17 and 16:7-15; Matt.28:19; 1 John 4:9-10; Leviticus20:7; Psalm 116:5)

Jesus

God expressed himself in human form through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is a direct reflection of God’s love, character and personality. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ; in His virgin birth; in His sinless life; in His miracles; in His atoning death through His shed blood that provides Salvation for all who believe in Him; in His bodily resurrection; in His ascension to the right hand of the Father; and in His personal future return in power and glory at the end of the age.

(John 14:6-9; Hebrews 13:8; Colossians 1:13-23, Colossians 2:8-14; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 2 Corinthians 4:4; John 14:1-3; Hebrews 1:1-3; Acts 10:39-43; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) 

Holy Spirit

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and believe His power and gifts are available to believers today. The Holy Spirit’s presence assures us of our relationship with Christ. He guides believers into all truth and exalts Jesus. He convicts people of sin, God’s righteousness, and the coming judgment. He comforts us, gives us spiritual gifts, indwells in us and enables us to be more like Christ.

(Acts 1:8; 2:4; Romans 5:5 and Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 12-14, John 14:15-17,26; John 16:7-15)

People

Man is made in the image of God and is the supreme object of His creation. Therefore, every person is uniquely created, possesses dignity, and is worthy of respect and Christian love.  Man was created to have fellowship with God but became separated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. Although having great potential for good, people have freely chosen to disobey God and go against God's will for their lives. This disobedience and rebellion is called sin, and is an attitude and lifestyle that separates people from God. Because of this, man cannot attain a right relationship with God through his own effort. All individuals suffer from this corruption and are in need of the saving grace of God provided through His Son, Jesus.

(Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 9:6; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 Cor.6:16-18; Psalm 8:3-5; Ephesians 2:8-9)

Regeneration

When Jesus walked the earth He made a very simple invitation, “Come follow me.”  Today he makes the same invitation. We believe that Salvation through the finished work of the Cross, afforded to all by the sacrifice of Jesus, is absolutely necessary for the restoration of fallen and sinful humanity. Apart from this finished work of Jesus man is hopelessly and eternally lost.  Salvation is a free gift from God to people. Every person needs to take responsibility to respond to the voice of God, make a personal decision to ask Jesus for forgiveness and then live for Him. There is divine purpose for our existence but it can only be realized in Jesus.

(Jeremiah 29:11; Matthew 28:19; John 3:16; Romans 6:23 & 10:9-13; Mark 1:17; Ephesians 2:8-9;    Hebrews 6:17; 1 John 4:9-10)

Scripture

We believe the Bible is God’s infallible and authoritative Word that was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit as a source of life and instruction for all believers. It is timeless, reliable, unchanging, trustworthy and relevant. The Bible is the living and active Word of God, it is truth personified. The Word of God is our ‘common-ground’…regardless of our cultural baggage.

(Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 4:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12 & 6:17; 1 Peter 1:23; Revelation 22:18-20)

Church

The Church is a local community of believers unified through faith in Jesus. The Church meets from house-to-house and in regular corporate gatherings for the building-up of one another and the Kingdom of God. It is committed to the teachings of Christ and obeying all of His commands as it seeks to bring the Gospel to the world. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.

(Matthew 16: 18-19; John 13:35; Acts 2:42-44, 11:26, 12:1-5 & 14:27; Ephesians 1:22-23 & 3:10-11)

Eternity

Man was created to exist forever. He will exist either eternally separated from God because of sin and unbelief or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation by faith in Christ. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is Heaven. Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. Heaven and Hell are realities and places of eternal existence.

(Deuteronomy 10:14; Nehemiah 1:5; John 3:16 & 14:2; 1 John 2:25 & 5:11-13; Revelation 20:15 & 21:2-3)