Doctrine of God

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity is fully God, and together they are one God.

God the Father

God the Father is the Creator and sustainer of all things. He is holy and worthy of all our worship and praise.

God the Son

Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He is fully God and fully man. He came to earth to save us from our sins by dying on the cross and rising from the dead.

God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He convicts us of sin, leads us to repentance, and empowers us to live a life that is pleasing to God.

The Trinity is a mystery that we cannot fully understand, but it is a central doctrine of the Christian faith. It is the foundation of our belief in one God who is both personal and relational.

We believe that the Trinity is essential to our understanding of who God is and how He relates to us. It is also essential to our understanding of salvation and our relationship with God.

The Trinity is a mystery, but it is also a beautiful truth. It teaches us that God is love, and that He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. It also teaches us that we can have a personal relationship with God through the Holy Spirit.

(Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14, John 1:14, Hebrews 1:3, John 1:1, Colossians 1:15-20, John 15:26-27, Ephesians 1:13-14, Psalm 24:1, Exodus 3:14, Isaiah 9:6)

We believe that God has revealed Himself to the world in three ways: through His Son, Jesus Christ; through the Scriptures; and through creation.

Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the perfect revelation of who God is. He is the image of the invisible God and the exact imprint of His nature. Jesus perfectly reflects God the Father.

The Scriptures

The Scriptures, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God. They are without error in their original writings and are the ultimate authority for all matters of faith and practice. The Scriptures are sufficient for all that God requires us to believe and do.

Creation

God's creation also reveals Him to us. We can see His power and wisdom in the natural world.

(Hebrews 1:1-2, 2 Timothy 3:16, Psalm 8, Romans 1:20, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3, John 5:19, Isaiah 40:6-8, Romans 10:14-17)

All human beings are created in the image of God, which means that we are all worthy of dignity and respect. We are all called to represent God in the world and to live lives that are pleasing to Him.

Although men and women are different in many ways, we are all equal in God's eyes. We all have equal access to Him by faith in Jesus Christ. We are also all called to serve God and to be involved in our families, churches, and communities.

God created Adam and Eve to complement each other in a one-flesh union in the covenant of marriage. Marriage is the only God-ordained pattern of sexual relations for men and women.

(Genesis 1:27-30, 1 Corinthians 10:31)

Sin is the transgression of God's law. It is rebellion against God and separation from Him. Sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Since then, all human beings have been born with a sin nature. This means that we are all inclined to sin and that we are all under God's condemnation.

Sin is not just a matter of doing bad things. It is also a matter of failing to do good things. Sin is a radical and pervasive problem that affects every aspect of our lives. It affects our minds, our wills, our bodies, and our affections.

Unregenerate humanity lives under the dominion of sin and Satan. We are at enmity with God and hostile towards Him. We are unable to save ourselves from sin. We need God's grace to forgive us and to change us.

(Genesis 3, Romans 3:9-20, Ephesians 2:1-3)

Salvation is a gift from God, received by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not something that we can earn or achieve on our own. We are all sinners, and we deserve to be punished for our sins. But God loves us and sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross in our place. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, and He offers us the gift of forgiveness and eternal life.

Repentance and Faith

Repentance and faith are essential for salvation. Repentance is turning away from our sin and turning to God. Faith is believing in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.

Justification

When we repent and believe in Jesus Christ, we are justified by faith. This means that God declares us to be righteous in His sight, even though we are still sinners. We are justified by the blood of Jesus Christ, not by our own works.

Regeneration

Regeneration is the new birth. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, giving us a new nature and a new life. When we are regenerated, we are born again into the kingdom of God.

Sanctification

Sanctification is the process of becoming more like Jesus Christ. It is a lifelong process that begins when we are saved and continues until we are glorified. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, conforming us to the image of Christ.

(John 3:5-8, Hebrews 10:19-25, Galatians 2:20, Romans 8:29-30, Ephesians 1:4-6, Romans 3, Ephesians 2:1-3, Ephesians 4:23-24, Colossians 2:13, 1 John 1:9, Romans 5:1-2, Isaiah 53:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 6:23)

The Christian life is a life of balance between what we have been given by God and what we are still growing into. We have been forgiven of our sins and declared righteous in Christ's sight (imputed righteousness). But we are also still being sanctified, or made holy, by the Holy Spirit (imparted righteousness).

This means that we will all make mistakes and fall short of the glory of God. But we can be confident in His love and forgiveness. He is patient with us and He is helping us to grow in our faith.

The Christian life is also a life of warfare. We are fighting against a spiritual enemy, the devil. But we are not fighting alone. We have the Holy Spirit to empower us and we have the Word of God to guide us.

If we remain faithful in Christ until our death or His return, we have the assurance of eternal life in His presence. But to remain faithful, we must rely on the Holy Spirit and we must be willing to die to our own desires and passions.

(Romans 8:28-30, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Galatians 5:16-25, Ephesians 6:10-18, Philippians 3:12-14, 1 John 5:4-5)

The church is the body of Christ, sent into the world to shine forth the glory of God. It is composed of those who are genuine followers of Jesus Christ and have personally appropriated the gospel. The church exists to worship and glorify God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The church is Senior Pastor Lead, Elder Governed, Staff and Volunteer Executed, and Congregationally bought in.

The church has two ordinances: baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is a public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord's Supper is a memorial of Christ's death and resurrection.

The church's mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. This is done through worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, observance of the ordinances, fellowship, the exercise of gifts and talents, and the proclamation of the gospel.

(Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 2:38)

Baptism and the Lord's Supper are two ordinances that Jesus Christ instituted for His church. Baptism is a public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ and a sign of our union with Him. The Lord's Supper is a memorial of Christ's death and resurrection and a sign of our participation in Him.

Baptism

Baptism is to be administered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is to be done in water, and it is a public declaration of our faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism is a sign of our union with Christ in His death and resurrection. It is also a sign of our commitment to follow Him.

The Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper is to be celebrated by believers in remembrance of Christ's death and resurrection. It is a time to reflect on the sacrifice that Christ made for us and to renew our commitment to Him. The Lord's Supper is also a time to fellowship with other believers and to celebrate our unity in Christ.

(Matthew 28:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Romans 6:3-4)

We believe that Jesus Christ will return to the world in the future to judge the living and the dead. The righteous will be resurrected to eternal life with Christ, while the wicked will be resurrected to eternal punishment.

The consummation of all things will include the new heavens and the new earth. This is a place where there will be no more sin, death, or suffering. The righteous will live and reign with Christ forever, serving Him and giving Him unending praise and glory.

(Matthew 25:31-46, 1 Corinthians 15:35-58, Revelation 20:7-15, Revelation 21:1-5)