Articles of Faith
Inspiration of Scriptures
We believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. (II Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 4:12; I Peter 1:25; II Peter 1:19-21)
God
We believe in one God revealed in three persons: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. (Matthew 3:16-1 7; 28:19; John 17)
Man
We believe that man in his natural state is a sinner, lost, undone, without hope, and without God. (Ephesians 2:1-12; Romans 3:19-23; Galatians 3:22)
Divinity and Humanity of Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus is God, come in the flesh, and that He is both Divine and human. (Acts 2:36; 3:14-1 5; Luke 1:26-38; Philippians 2:5-12; John 4:1-3)
Blood Atonement
We believe in the saving power of the blood of Jesus and His imputed righteousness. (Ephesians 1:13-5; Romans 5:1-11; 4:1-9; Acts 4:12)
Bodily Resurrection
We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Luke 24:39-43; John 20:24-29)
Ascension
We believe Jesus Christ ascended to the Father and is presently seated at His right hand and interceding for the saints. (John 14:1-6; Romans 8:34)
Second Coming
We believe in the visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ to this earth to rapture His church, (the Bride) and judge the world (Acts 1:10-11; James 5:6; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 1:7). It is not necessary that we all believe alike concerning the actual time of the rapture, or the Second Advent.
Salvation
We believe that the terms of salvation are repentance towards 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 by any works man may do. Works are excluded except as fruit of salvation. (Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 4:1-5; Acts 3:19-20)
Local Church
We believe the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a body of believers who have been baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, who are under recognized, delegated authorities, who assemble to worship faithfully, who carry out the great commission and minister as the Holy Spirit leads. (Matthew 16:18; 28:19-20; Acts 20:28; Acts 2:40-47; I Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 5:22-32)
Separated Life
We believe that Christians should seek, as the early disciples did, to practice the separated life from the world and unto Christ, and set standards of conduct which will exalt our Lord and His church. (Colossians 3:17; Romans 12:1-3; II Corinthians 6:17; Ephesians 5:11; Galatians 2:30)
Heaven and Hell
We believe 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. (John 14:1-3; Matthew 25:34, 41, 46; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:11-15)
The 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 penitent believer, guide the believer in all truth, indwell and give gifts to believers as He wills that they may minister as Christ would to men. We believe that the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, recorded in I Corinthians 12:8-11, will operate in present-day churches which yield to the Lord. (Luke 11:13; John 14:16-17; 16:7-14; 7:37-39) We believe that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance, is for all believers as promised by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:11), and Jesus (Acts 1:4-5,8) and Peter (Acts 2:38-41) was witnessed by the early disciples of Christ (Acts 2:14, 10:44-47; 19:1-6) and is evidenced by many present-day disciples of the Lord Jesus.
Divine Healing
Divine healing is provided for in the atonement of Calvary (Isaiah 53:5), and may be appropriated by the laying on of hands by believers and church elders (Mark 16:18, James 5:14-1 6), by the use of anointed prayer cloths (Acts 19:11-12), by prayers of an anointed person gifted by the Holy Spirit for healing the sick (I Corinthians 12:9), or by a direct act of faith on the part of the believer in receiving this provision. (Mark 11:23)
Priesthood of Believers
We believe that each believer is a priest of the Lord (Revelation 1:6) and has direct access to the Father God 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.
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 the testimony of the Lord, these authorities may discipline, in the spirit of love, (Matthew 18:15-17; I Corinthians 5:3-7) any member who departs from the doctrines set forth in the articles, or whose conduct is contrary to the spirit and practice of the body. Discipline shall also include any of the church leadership who violate the articles of the church, or the principles of God’s Word. (I Timothy 5:19-22)
Ordained Officers
The ordained officers of the church are apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, local elders, deacons and deaconesses. (I Timothy 3: Titus 1:5-9; Ephesians 4:11) Apostles, prophets, and evangelist, pastors and teachers will not necessarily all function in one local church, although they may. However, it is believed that all of these officers should function under the covering of a local church, and that local elders are under the five-fold ministry listed in Ephesians 4:11. (Acts 15; I Timothy 5:17-21; Titus 1:5-9)
Tithes and Offerings
We believe the tithe of our earnings is holy unto God, and is the offering up by faith of. the first fruits of our increase. Tithing and the giving of offerings are to be practiced continually by all believers and are outward expressions of the unity of the church, the Body of Christ, as it joins together in the support of the work of the Lord. We believe the tithe (the first 10%) belongs to the Lord and is given directly to the storehouse, the church, for local support. Offerings are after the tithe and can be designated to different areas of need and concern. (Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30-32; Numbers 18:26; Malachi 3:8-10; Matthew 23:23; Romans 12:8; I Corinthians 9:7-14; 16:1-3; Hebrews 7:4-10)