What we Believe

We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures (Old and New Testaments); that they are therefore infallible and inerrant in the original manuscripts–of which we now possess a fully reliable and accurate record in our English Bible. We believe that the Bible as God’s truth the only supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and practice; and that it is to be interpreted in a normal, literal sense, which leads directly to a dispensational understanding of Scripture. We reject the Apocrypha and other writings of human origin (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17).

We believe in the Triune God of the Bible, eternally existent as one God in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–eternal in being, identical in nature, and equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfection (1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:20; John 10:30).

The Scriptures reveal numerous characteristics of God, including the following: God is a spirit being (John 4:24); God is omnipotent (Revelation 19:6); omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-16); omniscient (Romans 11:33); holy (Isaiah 6:1-3); free (Isaiah 40:13-14); sovereign (Ephesians 1:11); loving (John 3:16); immutable (James 1:17); just (Romans 3:26); righteous (Psalm 145:17); faithful (Deuteronomy 7:7-9); merciful (Ephesians 2:4).

We believe that God is totally sovereign in all things (Ephesians 1:11). By His sovereign decree in eternity past He has chosen to elect some people out of the whole human race–already depraved and condemned to damnation (John 3:16) to be recipients of His saving grace (Ephesians 1:4; Romans 9:14-24; Acts 13:47-48; 1 Peter 1:1-2).

The sovereignty of God in salvation in no way diminishes either the responsibility of believers to witness or the responsibility of hearers to believe (Romans 10:14; Acts 13:48; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20). Furthermore, Romans 1:18-31 clearly establishes the inexcusability of those who have never heard the gospel.

God created the entire universe in six (6) literal, 24 hour days, using no evolutionary process whatsoever (Genesis 1:1-2:25; Hebrews 11:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17).

We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, that He was and is God from eternity past, that He became man through the virgin conception and birth in order to reveal God and to redeem sinful men (Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 2:9-18; Matthew 1:18-23).

He now abides as fully God and fully man, forever united in one person, and He was not and is not able to sin (Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 4:15; James 1:13).

As our sinless representative, He died on the cross and shed His blood to pay the penalty for our sins, was buried and was bodily resurrected from among the dead on the third day (John 3:16; Romans 3:24-25; Hebrews 9:22; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Following His resurrection, Christ ascended to Heaven and now represents the redeemed as High Priest, Advocate, and Intercessor; soon to come again to gather up the Church at the rapture (Matthew 28:6-7; Luke 24:39, 51; Acts 1:9-11; 7:55-56; Romans 8:34; John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 John 2:1).

We believe in the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit by whom all believers are called unto salvation, regenerated, baptized into the body of Christ, indwelt, sealed, filled, and taught (John 3:5-7; 14:16-17; 16:8-11; Romans 8:30; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:30; 5:18).

We repudiate the teachings of the so-called neo-Pentecostal or charismatic movement, as well as the traditional Pentecostal movement, including what we believe to be inoperative the temporary gifts of the spirit, i.e., tongues speaking, healing, etc. (1 Corinthians 13:8-11). We also reject the concept of eradication of indwelling sin in the believer during this life; rather the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to be victorious over indwelling sin (Romans 6:1-16; 7:15-25; Galatians 5:16-17).

We believe that man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) to glorify, worship and obey Him (Ecclesiastes 12:13; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 2:10-11). Adam willfully sinned, thereby plunging all mankind into sin and condemnation resulting in physical and spiritual death–which is separation from God (John 3:36; Isaiah 53:6; Roman 3:23; 5:12). Mankind is totally depraved, dead in sin, and therefore totally unable to do anything to gain acceptance with God (Romans 5:10-19; Ephesians 2:1-3). Man’s sinfulness makes the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross a necessity for salvation (Romans 3:23; 5:12).

We believe that salvation is the free gift of God that is given by grace and received through personal faith in Jesus Christ, entirely apart from human merit or works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:1-8).

Salvation is based entirely upon the finished redemptive sacrifice of Christ at Calvary (John 4:6; Hebrews 10:10-14). Anyone who acknowledges his own sinfulness and trusts in the sufficiency of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection as the only remedy for sin, thereby receiving Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, is immediately saved (1 Corinthians 15:1-4); Romans 10:13; John 3:16, 18, 36). This salvation is perfect, complete, eternal, and irreversible (John 10:27-29; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; Jude 1).

We believe that the universal Church is the body of Christ, composed of all believers in Christ since Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13). The local Church is a company of baptized (immersed), professing believers who are organized to carry out God’s will. The local Church is to manifest the quality of the universal Church, the body and bridge of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 11:16-17; Ephesians 5:22-23). It is the only institution, other than the family, that is Biblically authorized by God to carry His spiritual work in this dispensation.

As a Baptist Church, we believe the local church is commanded to observe the following: Biblical authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17), self-government (1 Timothy 3:15), the priesthood of all believers (1 Timothy 2:5), two ordinances (believer’s baptism by immersion and the Lord’s supper as a symbolic memorial [Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:38; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)] These ordinances do not produce grace or merit for participants, but rather they are both symbolic memorials–teaching tools to remind us of Biblical truth), regenerate Church membership (Acts 2:41, 47), two Biblical Church offices (Pastor and Deacon) (1 Timothy 3:1-13), separation of Church and state (Matthew 22:21; Leviticus 27:28-30). The Biblical purpose of the local Church is to glorify God through a ministry of worship of God (Acts 2:41-47), edification of the saints (Ephesians 4:11-16), and evangelization of the lost (Matthew 28:18-20).

We believe that the Word of God commands us to separate completely from liberal theology and the ecumenical movement (2 Timothy 3:1-17; Jude 3-4; 2 John 7-11).

We believe that angels were created by God as spirit beings (Nehemiah 9:6). They were created in holiness; but Lucifer, the highest spirit being, led an innumerable company of angels in rebellion against God–and all these fell with him in sin (2 Peter 2:4). Some of these are bound in chains and some move freely as demons serving Satan in his attempts to overthrow the plan of God (Jude 6; Revelation 12:7-9). Unfallen angels continue to serve God and minister to men (Hebrews :13-14; Revelation 4:6-9). Satan is the accuser of the brethren and often brings his attack on the Church as well as on individual believers (Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Peter 5:8-9).

We believe in the personal, imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ at the rapture (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13) when He will gather up all believers of the Church Age to Heaven just before the seven year Tribulation period (1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3; Revelation 3:10).

The Tribulation period (seventieth week of Daniel) is a judgment of God on Israel and the Gentile nations, and is not for the Church (Isaiah 2:12; Daniel 9:24-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3; 2 Peter 3:10-14; Revelation 3:10). Following the Tribulation period will be the Second Coming of Christ to the earth to establish His millennial kingdom as a literal reign on earth from the throne of David (Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:16-21; Revelation 20:1-6).

At the end of the one thousand year period, Christ will squelch the final rebellion of Satan and enact the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:7-15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost in the lake of fire (Romans 8:11, 23; 1 Corinthians 15:35-57; Philippians 3:20-21; Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 25:41, 46).

Following the Great White Throne Judgment, Christ will offer up the kingdom to God the Father, commencing the eternal state, to the glory and exaltation of God the Father (Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Ephesians 3:21; Revelation 19:6).