“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
--Romans 10:17
THE SCRIPTURES
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of Holy Men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, and it is totally accurate in matters of history, science, geography and geology. The New Covenant is recorded in the New Testament; we accept it as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine. (II Timothy 3:16; I Thessalonians 2:13; II Peter 1:21)
THE GODHEAD
Our God is One, but manifested in three persons--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit--being co-equal. (Philippians 2:6)
God the Father is greater than all, the Source of the Word (Logos) and the Begetter. (John 14:28; John 1:14)
The Son is the Word flesh-covered, the One Begotten, and has existed with the Father from the beginning. (John 1:1; John 1:18; John 1:14)
The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son and is eternal. (John 15:26)
MAN, HIS FALL AND REDEMPTION
Man is a created being made in the likeness and image of God, but through Adam's transgression and fall, sin came into the world. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one." Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the work of the devil and gave His life, shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God. (Romans 5:12; Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10; I John 3:8)
DIVINITY AND HUMANITY OF CHRIST JESUS
We believe that Jesus is God come in the flesh and that He is both divine and human. (Luke 1:26-38; John 14:1-3; Acts 2:36, 3:14-15; Philippians 2:5-12)
BLOOD ATONEMENT
We believe in the saving power of the Blood of Jesus and His imputed righteousness. (Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-9, 5:1-11; Ephesians 1:3-15)
BODILY RESURRECTION
We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Luke 24:39-43; John 20:24-29)
ASCENSION
We believe that Christ Jesus ascended to the Father and is presently engaged in building Heaven and interceding for the saints. (John 14:1-6; Romans 8:34)
PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS
We believe that each believer is a priest of the Lord (Revelation 1:6) and has direct access to the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. Each person must believe for himself, be baptized for himself, obey for himself, and answer to his Creator for himself.
SALVATION
We believe that the terms of salvation are repentance toward God for sin, and a personal, heartfelt faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which results in regeneration of the person. This salvation is entirely by the grace of our Lord and not of works. Works are excluded except as FRUIT of salvation. (Acts 3:19,20; Romans 4:1-5, 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-10)
LOCAL CHURCH
We believe in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ as a body of believers who have been baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; who are under recognized, delegated authorities; and who assemble to worship, carry forth the Great Commission, and minister as the Holy Ghost leads. (Matthew 16:18, 28:19; Acts 2:40-47, 20:28; Ephesians 5:22-32; I Timothy 3:15)_
ORDINANCES
We believe that the three ordinances of the Church are: Water Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and Foot Washing.
Water Baptism: Immersion in water in the Name of the Father, Son, the Holy Ghost, and in the Name of Jesus. (Matthew 3:15-16, 28:19-20; Acts 8:38; Romans 6:1-4; Acts 2:21; Acts 4:12) A symbol of identification with Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.
The Lord's Supper: This ordinance is a memorial of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is truly present in the partaking of Communion. The bread and fruit of the vine remain unchanged in substance, but the ordinance carries with it a real presence and a true encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ in a spiritual sense. (Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:17-20; John 6:48-58; I Corinthians 11:23-31)
Foot washing: A two-fold symbol of humility (or service) and spiritual cleansing. This ordinance reminds us of the need to serve with humility and to recognize the need for repeated cleansing from defilement through contact with a sinful world. (John 13:10-15; I Timothy 5:10)
SEPARATED LIFE
We believe that believers should seek, as the early disciples did, to practice the separated life from the world and unto Christ and to set standards of conduct which shall exalt our Lord and His Church. (Romans 12:1-3; II Corinthians 6:17; Galatians 6:14; Ephesians 5:11; Colossians 3:17)
HEAVEN AND HELL
We believe that the Scriptures clearly set forth the doctrines of eternal punishment for the lost and eternal bliss and service for the saved--hell for the unsaved and Heaven for the saved. (Matthew 25:34,46; Luke 16:19-31; John 14:1-3; Revelation 20:11-15)
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Holy Spirit to be the third person of the Trinity whose purpose in the redemption of man is to convict men of sin, regenerate the repentant believer, guide the believer into ALL truth, indwell and give gifts to believers as He wills, that they may minister as Christ would to men. We believe that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit recorded in I Corinthians 12:8-11 shall operate in present-day churches which yield to the Lord Jesus Christ. (Luke 11:18; John 7:37-39; 14:16,17; Acts 2:39-48)
DIVINE HEALING
We believe that God has used doctors, medicines and other material means for healing; but divine healing was also provided by the Atonement (Isaiah 53:5) and may be appropriated by laying on of hands by elders (James 5:14-16), laying on of hands by the believers (Mark 16:18), by the prayer of an anointed person gifted for healing the sick (I Corinthians 12:9), or by a direct act of receiving this provision by faith (Mark 11:23).
GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH
We believe that the New Testament Church should be Apostolic in nature and is governed by delegated authorities. When it is deemed best for the life of the church and testimony of the Lord, these authorities may discipline, in the Spirit of love, any member who departs from the doctrines set forth in the Articles or whose conduct is contrary to the spirit and practice of this body.
SANCTIFICATION
The Bible teaches that without holiness no man 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. (Hebrews 12:14; I Thessalonians 5:23; II Peter 3:18; II Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:12-14; I Corinthians 1:30)
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 those who are believers in this dispensation and is subsequent to the new birth. This experience is accompanied by speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance. (Matthew 3:11; John 14:16; Acts 2:38,39; Acts 19:1-7; Acts 2:4)
RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND THE RETURN OF OUR LORD
The angels said, "This same Jesus shall so come in like manner." When He comes, "The dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which live and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." (Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16-17)