OUR CREED
We are the ekklesia , the 'called-out-ones' of God, and we are to be the prophetic voice and the prophetic presence of Jesus Christ. Our vocation is to enforce the rule and reign of God in the earth.
OUR BELIEFS
1. We believe in the plenary-verbal inspiration of the accepted canon of the Scriptures as originally given and that they are infallibly and uniquely authoritative and free from error of any sort in all matters with which they deal (1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16).
2. We believe in the Eternal Godhead who has revealed Himself as ONE God existing in THREE persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; distinguishable but indivisible (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
3. We believe in the literal, special creation of the existing space-time universe and all of its basic systems as indicated in Genesis (Genesis 1; Nehemiah 9:6; Isaiah 42:5; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17).
4. We believe in the creation, test and fall of mankind as recorded in Genesis; his total spiritual depravity and inability to attain to divine righteousness (Romans 5:12,18).
5. We believe that sin is a transgressing of, or falling short of, God’s standard in action, thought, and character. All individuals are born with a sin nature that affects their motivation, affection, volition, and actions. The results of sin include separation from God, and death (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 14:23; James 4:17; 1 John 5:17).
6. We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, fully God and fully man (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:18).
7. We believe Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, and personally appeared to His disciples (Acts 1:20; Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8).
8. We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, His exaltation and personal, literal and bodily coming again the second time for His Church (Matthew 24; Mark 16:19; John 14:2-3; Acts 1:9-11; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 9:28).
9. We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace, through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work of the cross of Calvary, by which we obtain remission of sins (Romans 5:11; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 9:12,22).
10. We believe in the necessity of water baptism by immersion in the name of the Eternal Godhead in order to fulfill the command of Christ (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-39; Acts 19:1-6).
11. We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a distinct aspect of the Christian foundational experience with the primary evidence of speaking in tongues as well as evidences such as empowerment to witness, to conquer sin and to live a holy life (Acts 2:1-4; Acts 8:14-17; Acts 19:6).
12. We believe in the Spirit-filled life, a life of separation from the world and the perfecting of holiness in the fear of God as an expression of Christian faith (2 Corinthians 6:14; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 5:18).
13. We believe that since the Bible is the inspired Word of God, it is then authoritative in all areas of human behavior, including marriage, family, sexuality, morality and ethics (Psalm 119:11; Psalm 119:105; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; Hebrews 5:12-14).
14. We believe that the Bible defines marriage as the covenant relationship between a man and a woman. The importance of this union to society requires that we support and protect marriage as the Word of God does (Genesis 2:24; Romans 1:27; Ephesians 5:22-25; 1 Peter 3:1-7).
15. We believe in the operation of the gifts of the Spirit as manifested in the Early Church and enumerated in I Corinthians 12-14 (Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:8-12).
16. We believe in the healing of the body by divine power, or divine healing in its varied aspects, as practiced in the Early Church (Acts 4:30; Romans 8:11; I Corinthians 12:9; James 5:14).
17. We believe in the Table of the Lord, commonly called Communion or the Lord's Supper, for believers (1 Corinthians 11:23-32).
18. We believe in eternal life for believers (John 3:16; 5:24) and eternal punishment for unbelievers (Mark 9:43-48; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:10-15).
19. We believe in the reality and personality of Satan and eternal judgment of Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10-15).
20. In addition to these basic fundamentals we also hold that:
2. We believe in the Eternal Godhead who has revealed Himself as ONE God existing in THREE persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; distinguishable but indivisible (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
3. We believe in the literal, special creation of the existing space-time universe and all of its basic systems as indicated in Genesis (Genesis 1; Nehemiah 9:6; Isaiah 42:5; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17).
4. We believe in the creation, test and fall of mankind as recorded in Genesis; his total spiritual depravity and inability to attain to divine righteousness (Romans 5:12,18).
5. We believe that sin is a transgressing of, or falling short of, God’s standard in action, thought, and character. All individuals are born with a sin nature that affects their motivation, affection, volition, and actions. The results of sin include separation from God, and death (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 14:23; James 4:17; 1 John 5:17).
6. We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of mankind, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, fully God and fully man (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:18).
7. We believe Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, and personally appeared to His disciples (Acts 1:20; Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8).
8. We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, His exaltation and personal, literal and bodily coming again the second time for His Church (Matthew 24; Mark 16:19; John 14:2-3; Acts 1:9-11; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 9:28).
9. We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace, through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work of the cross of Calvary, by which we obtain remission of sins (Romans 5:11; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 9:12,22).
10. We believe in the necessity of water baptism by immersion in the name of the Eternal Godhead in order to fulfill the command of Christ (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-39; Acts 19:1-6).
11. We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a distinct aspect of the Christian foundational experience with the primary evidence of speaking in tongues as well as evidences such as empowerment to witness, to conquer sin and to live a holy life (Acts 2:1-4; Acts 8:14-17; Acts 19:6).
12. We believe in the Spirit-filled life, a life of separation from the world and the perfecting of holiness in the fear of God as an expression of Christian faith (2 Corinthians 6:14; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 5:18).
13. We believe that since the Bible is the inspired Word of God, it is then authoritative in all areas of human behavior, including marriage, family, sexuality, morality and ethics (Psalm 119:11; Psalm 119:105; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; Hebrews 5:12-14).
14. We believe that the Bible defines marriage as the covenant relationship between a man and a woman. The importance of this union to society requires that we support and protect marriage as the Word of God does (Genesis 2:24; Romans 1:27; Ephesians 5:22-25; 1 Peter 3:1-7).
15. We believe in the operation of the gifts of the Spirit as manifested in the Early Church and enumerated in I Corinthians 12-14 (Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:8-12).
16. We believe in the healing of the body by divine power, or divine healing in its varied aspects, as practiced in the Early Church (Acts 4:30; Romans 8:11; I Corinthians 12:9; James 5:14).
17. We believe in the Table of the Lord, commonly called Communion or the Lord's Supper, for believers (1 Corinthians 11:23-32).
18. We believe in eternal life for believers (John 3:16; 5:24) and eternal punishment for unbelievers (Mark 9:43-48; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:10-15).
19. We believe in the reality and personality of Satan and eternal judgment of Satan and his angels (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10-15).
20. In addition to these basic fundamentals we also hold that:
- The church of Jesus Christ is the last instrument that God is using to extend His kingdom prior to the second coming of Christ (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:20-23; Ephesians 3:10).
- The local church is autonomous, that is, it is self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating in its mature state (Acts 2; Acts 13:1-4).
- The biblical form of church government is a plurality of elders with a Lead Pastor who all qualify on the basis of 1 Timothy 3 in spiritual life, character, domestic life and ruling ability.
- Every believer in Christ must be subject to God's authority in a specific local church for spiritual protection and long term fruitfulness (Hebrews 13:17).
- The theological framework for understanding all of God's dealings with mankind is to be found in the divine covenants revealed in Scripture.
- We believe in the public gathering of the Church together for prayer, worship, teaching and preaching of the Bible and the administering of the sacraments of the church (Acts 2; 1 Corinthians 11; Hebrews 10:25).