What we believe

Statement of Faith

The Scriptures - The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments have their authority from God alone and are given to us by divine inspiration. They are the perfect, supreme, infallible and sufficient standard of faith and practice. (2 Tim 3:16, Heb. 4:12).

God - There is one true and living God; He is an infinite Spirit; self-existent, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, good, wise, just and merciful. He is the creator, preserver, and sovereign of the universe; He is glorious in holiness, and worthy of all honour, confidence and love. In the Godhead there are three persons in one: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who are equal in divine perfection, and who execute distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
(John 4:24; Gen. 1:1; Ps. 99:9; Rev. 4:11. John 15:26)

Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the person of the Trinity who, by the virtue of His sacrificial work, is the world's Redeemer and the Saviour of all who believe. He is at present the intercessor of all His people at the right hand of the Father and is to be the judge of all men.
(John 3:16; Rom. 10:9-10; Rom. 8:34; 2 Tim. 4:1; John 14:6)

The Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He was sent as a promise to all who have placed their faith in Christ, sealing our hearts until the day of redemption. He comforts, convicts and teaches those whom He has sealed. (John 14:26; Eph. 1:13-14).

State and Fall of Man - Man was created sinless. By his own disobedience he fell into sin. Through his fall into sin, an evil nature was transmitted to the whole race, revealing itself in actual transgression, and bringing all under the reign of condemnation and death. (Gen. 3; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 3:23; Rom. 6:23).

Salvation - The consequence for sin is death and an eternity separated from God in Hell. Out of love for us, God sent His only Son, Jesus, to die a sacrificial death to pay for our sins. If we respond to His atoning sacrifice in repentance and faith, we will be saved. This salvation is only possible because the Father draws us to Himself. (Rom. 6:23; John 3:16, 6:4; 1 John 2:2; Rom. 10:9-10).

Repentance - In repentance, the sinner, having seen his sin, being moved by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, is led to grieve for and hate it as an offence against God, and apprehending the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, he lovingly returns to God to walk in the way of His commandments. (1 John 1:9; Rom. 6:1-2; Rom. 12:9; John 14:15).

Faith - Faith is a conviction of the intellect that God will perform all that He has promised and an implicit trust of the heart in Christ as a personal Saviour. It includes a hearty concurrence of the will and affections with the whole plan of salvation as revealed in the Gospel, and is a condition of justification and of cleansing from the pollution of sin and of all subsequent gospel blessings. (Heb. 11; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 5:1).

Atonement - The perfect life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, have removed the obstacles in the way of the Holy Spirit's regenerating power and of the Father's forgiving grace being extended to the sinner, and constitute for every believing soul sufficient ground for righteousness before God. (1 John 2:2; 1 Peter 2:24; Rom. 3:22, Phil. 3:9).

Regeneration - In regeneration, a new life principle is begotten in the soul of man by the Holy Spirit. In other words, he is born again. This produces a disposition to joyful obedience to Christ and holy conduct in life. (John 3:1-8; Titus 3:5; Ezek. 36:26; 1 John 3:9; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 2:20).

Justification - Justification is an act of God in which a sinner, upon repentance and faith, are declared not guilty and stands righteous in the sight of God because of Christ's work on the cross. (Rom. 5:1; Titus 3:7; 1 Cor. 6:11; Rom. 5:9; Gal. 3:11).

Sanctification - This Scriptures teach that sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, Christians are made partakers of His holiness; that it has its beginning in regeneration, and that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, in the continual use of the appointed means; the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness and prayer. (1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Thess. 4:3a; 1 Cor. 6:11a).

Glorification - Glorification is the final step in salvation in which all sinful nature is removed from those who are saved and they are made like Christ - perfect and holy. This will take place when we are given our new, glorified bodies. (Rom. 8:30; Phil. 3:21; 1 John 3:2).

The Christian Sabbath - We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord's day or Christian Sabbath and is to be kept sacred to religious purposes by the devout observance of all means of grace, both private and public, and by preparation of that rest that remains for the people of God.
(Heb. 4:9-11; Ex. 34:21)

A Gospel Church - We believe that a church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word. In the more general sense, the word "Church" is used to designate all whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. (Matt. 28:19-20; Matt. 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Luke 10:20).

Baptism - This is the immersion of believers in water into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in which are represented their death to the world, and being raised to new life in Christ, identifying with Christ's death and resurrection. (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3-4).

The Lord's Supper - The Lord's Supper is an ordinance of Christ, to be observed by the churches in a manner indicated by Him in Matt. 26:26-30.

Death - At death our bodies return to dust, our souls return to God who gave them. The saved are received to dwell with God, awaiting the full redemption of their bodies. The unsaved are cast into Hell. (Ecc. 12:7; Rom. 8:23; Rev. 21:3-4 Rev. 20:15).

Resurrection - There will be a general resurrection of the bodies of the just and the unjust; the righteous in the likeness of Christ, but the wicked to shame and everlasting contempt. (1 Cor 6:14; Dan 12:12; John 6:40).

General Judgment - There will be a judgment of the living and dead, of the just and unjust, on the principles of righteousness, by the Lord Jesus Christ, at His second coming. The wicked will be condemned to eternal punishment, and the righteous received into fullness of eternal life. (Matt 16:27; 2 Cor. 5:10)

Genders - In the beginning God created humans male and female. We believe the physical, biological gender we were born with is the gender that God desired for us to have and live with until we die. We also believe that a person's identity is to be found in Christ - made in the image of God, saved by Christ, to serve Christ, that He would be glorified. (Gen 5:2; John 1:12).

Sanctity of Human Life - See Statement of Human Life document.

Marriage - We believe that marriage has been ordained by God and that the marriage union is to be between one male and one female. See church statement on marriage for further details.

Statement on Human Life

We believe that a human life begins at the moment of conception. (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13-14)

We believe that every life, no matter how it is conceived, has been given a purpose by God.
(Psalm 138:8)

We believe that the number of days of a person's life are determined by God.
(Psalm 139:16)

We believe that it is a sin to murder including, but not limited to abortion, homicide, euthanasia, etc. (Exodus 20:13)*

We believe that the final interpretation of these Scriptures is upheld and supported by the church pastor and deacons.

*We recognize that some are led by God to careers in which they may have to end a life in the line of duty protecting others, as well as situations in which civilians might have to do the same in self defense.

Statement on Marriage

We believe that marriage is designed by God.

Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a helper fit for him...So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept He took one of his ribs and closed up in its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man He made into a woman and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:18-22)

He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favour from the Lord. Proverbs 18:22

We believe that God's design for marriage is between one man and one woman.

But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. (Mark 10:6-8a)

We believe that Christians should not enter into a marriage where they are unequally yoked with someone who does not profess and model faith in Christ.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? (2 Corinthians 6:14-15)

We believe in the commitment of marriage.

What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate. (Mark 10:9)

We believe that marriage between a man and wife reflects the relationship between Christ and the Church.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, His body, an is Himself its Saviour. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to Himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:22-32)

In our desire for obedience to God, and based on God's design for marriage as stated above, our church and its staff will hold fast to hosting and conducting marriage ceremonies that adhere to this design and abstain from hosting and conducting marriage ceremonies that do not.

If you love Me, you will keep My commands. (John 14:15)