What we believe...
If you're new to church (and we hope a great many of you are) this page might be more than what you're looking for. This page explains our 'doctrinal position'. If you want the "I don't go to church" version click here.
For those who want more details our doctrinal statement follows. Thanks to Darrin Patrick and his Elders as much of this is cribbed from their fantastic church.
What do we believe about the Bible?
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and Godbreathed.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13)
What do we believe about God?
God, eternally exists in three persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-coeternal in being, co-eternal in nature, co-equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections.
(Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
What do we believe about Jesus?
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man.
(John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. Simply put it all comes down to Jesus.
(Romans 3:24; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our high priest, He fulfills the ministry of representative, intercessor, and advocate. We believe He will come again in glory as King to judge the living and the dead.
(Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2)
What do we believe about the Holy Spirit?
We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity, convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment and that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. Without the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit a church is wasting its time.
(John 16:8-11; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18; Gal 3:1-3)
What about people?
We believe that humanity was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God and that man is totally depraved, and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition.
(Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12)
What do we believe about salvation?
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on the cross at Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins.
(Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19)
What about 'Eternal Security' and the 'Assurance of Believers'?
We believe that those who are truly redeemed are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. We don't believe in "once saved, always saved" we believe in "if saved, always saved."
(John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:5)
We believe it is the privilege of believers to rejoice and find peace in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's word which clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh.
(Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)
What about spiritual gifts?
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowing of spiritual gifts. It is, however, the believer's responsibility to attempt to develop their sovereignly given spiritual gift(s). The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at conversion and is the placing of the believer into the body of Christ. We also believe that particular spiritual gift(s), while beneficial when used correctly in Jesus' Church, are neither essential (proving the presence of the Holy Spirit), nor a necessary indication of deep(er) spiritual experience.
(1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, & 13; Ephesians 4:7-8)
We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accordance with His own will, for the sick and afflicted.
(John 15:7; 1 John 5:14-15)
We believe it is the privilege and responsibility of all believers to minister according to the gift(s) and grace of God given to them.
(Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Peter 4:10-11)
What is the Church?
We believe that the church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age.
(Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2)
We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament scriptures.
(Acts 14:27, 18:22, & 20:17; 1 Timothy 3:1-3; Titus 1:5-11)
We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority and control.
(Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31, & 20:28; Romans 16:1,4; 1 Corinthians 3:9,16, & 5:4-7,13; 1 Peter 5:1-4)
We recognize a believer's baptism and the Lord's supper as scriptural means of testimony for the church in this age.
(Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 18:8; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
