STATEMENT OF FAITH

The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent "I AM," the Creator of heaven and earth, the Redeemer of fallen mankind, the Lord and Giver of Life, and the Sanctifier of the New Creation.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare the following:

Man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Salvation is made available to man only by the grace of God and can only be received through by faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The initial steps of salvation are (1) the willing personal acceptance of the Lordship and Kingship of Jesus Christ, (2) believing with the heart the Jesus died and was resurrected for our sins, and (3) coming to God in repentance for the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

Being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir and a son of God and has the glorioius hope of eternal life (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; 3:5-7).

The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16). The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24; Titus 2:12).

This experience is distinct from and either co-incident with or subsequent to the experience of the New Birth (Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9). With the baptism in the Holy Ghost comes primarily an intense personal awareness of the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his in-dwelling presence in the believer’s life (John 14:16-20). Other experiences include an overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37-39; Acts 1:8), a deepened reverence for God (Acts 2:43; Hebrews 12:28), an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work (Acts 2:42), and a more active love for Christ, for His Word, and for the lost (Mark 16:20).

The baptism of believers in the Holy Ghost is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4; 10:45,46; 19:6). The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues (I Corinthians 12:4-12, 28), but is different in purpose and use.

Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil and of dedication unto God (Romans 12:1, 2; I Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:12). The Scriptures teach a life of "holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). By the power of the Holy Ghost we are able to obey the command: "Be ye holy: for I am holy" (I Peter 1:15, 16). Sanctification is realized in the believer by the believer recognizing his identification and union with Christ in His death and resurrection, by relying daily in faith upon that union, and by offering every faculty continually to the communion of the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:11, 13; 8:1, 2, 13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12, 13; I Peter 1:5).

The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of "the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven" (Hebrews 12:23; see Ephesians 1:22, 23; 2:22).

Two ordinances of the body of Christ are set forth in Scripture.

The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the Scripture. All who repent and believe on. Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they have also been raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47, Romans 6:4).

The Lord's Supper, consisting of the elements of bread and the fruit of the vine, is the symbol expressing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (II Peter 1:4). It is a celebration of our covenant with the Father through Jesus; a memorial of His suffering and death (I Corinthians 11:26); a prophecy of His second coming (I Corinthians 11:26); and it is enjoined on all believers "till he come."

Divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for a twofold purpose: (1) the edifying of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13) and (2) the evangelization of the world (Mark 16:15-20).

As believers and sons of God, we have a quality of life available to us that is not possible to those outside the family of faith. This includes:

    Authority over spiritual darkness

    Authority over physical phenomenon

    Divine Healing

    Divine Prosperity

    Divine Revelation

The church is the instument through which God reveals His purposes and counsels to the world.  There has been a progressive growth in revelation since the first advent of Jesus that will continue until His second coming. This progressive revelation includes a restoration of the fulness of the five-fold ministry and the building up of the body into the fulness of the stature of Christ (Eph 4).

The Second Coming of Christ includes the rapture, or translation, of the saints into their glorified bodies (1 Cor 15; 1 Th 4:16-18), which is our blessed hope (Tit 2:11-14), followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27, 30; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-14; 20:1-6). This Millennial Reign will bring the salvation of Israel (Ezekiel 37:21, 22: Zephaniah 3:19, 20; Romans 11:26, 27) and the establishment of universal peace (Psalms 72:3-8; Isaiah 11:6-9; Micah 4:3, 4).  In the last days of this age, saints are being progressively prepared by the Spirit for their translation into glorified bodies, as 'those who remain and are alive'. (1 Th 4:17)

There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. He whose name is not found written in the Book of Life will be consigned to everlasting punishment together with the devil and his angels and the false prophet, in "the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8; see also Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48: Revelation 19:20; 20:11-15).