Statement of Faith

For further clarification of this statement, see the referenced Bible verses below.

We Believe in...
• The personality and tri-unity of the Godhead; that the one true God eternally exists as three distinct Persons - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The three are co-equal, co-eternal, and One in essence."
  John 14:26; I John 5:7 (see foootnote)

• The virgin birth and deity of Jesus Christ.
  Iaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35

• The inspiration of the Bible as God's Holy Word.
  II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21

• The regeneration or the new birth of the believer by the Spirit of God as the only manner of entrance into the kingdom of Heaven. John 3:36; Titus 3:5

• The eternal punishment of all who reject Jesus Christ. Matthew 25:41 & 28:6; Revelation 20:15

• The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service. Zechariah 4:6; John 16:13-14; Acts 1:8; Philippians 4:13; 2Timothy 1:7

• Unity in all things esential.
  Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 4:3-7

• Liberty in all things non-essential.
  1 Corinthians 6:12 & 8:9

• In all things, the spirit of love and kindness.
  John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:21, Philippians 2:2-4

• Salvation as available to all people through faith in Jesus Christ, His vicarious sacrifice on the cross, and His bodily resurrection from the dead for the remission of sins. Colossians 1:22-23; Luke 24:46-47

These are the passages of scripture as referenced in the above Statement of Faith:

• JOHN 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

• 1 JOHN 5:7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

• ISAIAH 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

• MATTHEW 1:18-25 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

• LUKE 1:26-35 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."

• 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

• 2 PETER 1:21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

• JOHN 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."

• TITUS 3:5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit...

• MATTHEW 25:41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

• REVELATION 20:15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

• ZECHARIAH 4:6 So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty."

• JOHN 16:13-14 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.

• ACTS 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

• PHILIPPIANS 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

• 2 TIMOTHY 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

• MATTHEW 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

• EPHESIANS 4:3-6 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

• 1 CORINTHIANS 6:12 "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything.

• 1 CORINTHIANS 8:9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

• JOHN 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

• PHILIPPIANS 2:2-4 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

• LUKE 24:46-47 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

• COLOSSIANS 1:22-23 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

NOTE: This doctrine contrasts with both Modalism (Modalism maintains that one Person has manifested Himself at different times under different names or modes--AKA "Oneness Doctrine") and Tritheism (the idea that the Trinity consists of three separate gods, AKA "Polytheism").