(A) The Holy Scriptures We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, God-breathed, and preserved. Therefore they are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to Man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by this Church. (2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:20-21)

(B) Dispensationalism We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life, which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardship’s by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these dispensations—the age of law, the age of the Church, and the age of the kingdom—are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture. (Gen 1:28; 1 Cor 9:17; 2 Cor 3:9-18; Gal 3:13-25; Eph 1:10; 3:2-10; Col 1:24-25, 27; Rev 20:2-6)

(C) The Godhead We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deut 6:4; Matt 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14; John 14:10, 26)

(D) The Person and Work of Christ (1) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (Isa 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 2 Cor 5:19-21; Gal 4:4-5; Phil 2:5-8)

(2) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Rom 3:24-25; 1 Pet 2:24; Eph 1:7; 1 Pet 1:3-5)

(3) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (1:9-10; Heb 9:24; 7:25; Rom 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2)

(E) The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit (1) We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing [placing] all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Rom 8:9; 1 Cor 12:12-14; 2 Cor 3:6; Eph 1:13-14) (2) We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Eph 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27) (3) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses

(2) Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12:4-11, 28; Eph 4:7-12) (4) We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God does heal and frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. (1 Cor 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22)

(F) The Total Depravity of Man We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen 1:26-27; Rom 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph 2:1-3; 4:17-19)

(G) Salvation We believe that Salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. (John 1:12; Eph 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet 1:18-19) We also believe that when you are saved you are born again. (John 3:3; 2 Cor 5:17)

(H) The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers (1) We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom 8:1, 38-39; 1 Cor 1:4-8; 1 Pet 1:4-5)

(2) We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Rom 13:13-14; Gal 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)

(I) The Church (1) We believe that the local Church, which represents the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons. (1 Cor12: 12-14; 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 1:22-23: 5:25-27)

(2) We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20: 17, 28-32; 1 Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)

(3) We believe in the autonomy of the local Church free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Rom 16:1, 4; 1 Cor 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; 1 Pet 5:1-4)

(4) We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the Church in this age. By baptism we mean immersion. This is only to be done by authority of the local Church. (Matt 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; 1 Cor 11:23-26)

(J) Separation We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God. (Rom 12:1-2; 14:13; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1; 2 Tim 3:1-5; 2 John 9-11) (3)

(K) The Second Advent of Christ We believe in that “blessed,” the personal, imminent return of Christ who will rapture His Church prior to the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the tribulation Christ will personally and visibly return, with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom that was promised to the Nation of Israel. (Ps 89:3-4; Dan 2:31-45; Zech 14:4-11; 1 Thess 1:10; 1 Thess 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6)

(L) The Eternal State (1) We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matt 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Rev 20:5-6, 12-13)

(2) We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thess 4:16-17; Rev 20:4-6)

(3) We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment.(Matt 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thess 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev 20:11-15)

(M) The Personality of Satan We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isa 14:12-17; Matt 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev 20:10)

(N) Creation We believe that God created the universe in six literal, twenty-four hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and the Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. (Gen 1-2; Ex 20:11)

(O) Civil Government We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1. The home; 2. The Church; and 3.The state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the Church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (Rom 13:1-7; Eph 5:22-24; Heb 13:17; 1 Pet 2:13-14)

(P) Human Sexuality We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex.*

Be it further known: (1.) We believe that heterosexuality is God's revealed will for humankind and that, since God is loving—a chaste and faithful expression of this orientation (whether in singleness or marriage) is the ideal to which God calls all people.

(2.) We believe that a homosexual lifestyle is a choice and the result of the fall of humanity into a sinful condition that pervades every person. Despite whatever biological or kindred roots of homosexuality that may be discovered, we do not believe that these would sanction or excuse homosexual behavior, though they would deepen our compassion and patience for those who are struggling to be free from sexual temptations.

(3.) We believe there is hope in Christ for the person that chooses a homosexual lifestyle and/or behavior and that Jesus Christ offers a healing alternative in which the power of sin is broken and the person is freed to know and experience their true identity in Christ and in the fellowship of His Church.

(4.) We believe that a truly born-again person will recognize the homosexual behavior as sin, renouncing the practice of homosexual behavior, rediscovering healthy, non-erotic friendships with people of the same sex, embracing a moral and chaste sexual lifestyle as outlined in the Word of God.

(5.) We believe that all persons have been created in the image of God and should be accorded human dignity. We believe, therefore, that hateful, fearful, unconcerned harassment of persons choosing a homosexual lifestyle and/or behavior should be rejected. We believe that respect for persons choosing a homosexual lifestyle and/or behavior involves honest, reasoned, non-violent sharing of facts concerning the immorality and liability of homosexual behavior. On the other hand, endorsing behavior which the Bible specifically and clearly disapproves endangers persons and dishonors God.

(6.) We believe that Baptist churches, such as ours, should reach out in love and truth to minister to people that have chosen the homosexual lifestyle, and that those who contend Biblically against their own sexual temptation should be patiently assisted in their battle, not ostracized or disdained. We affirm that both heterosexual and homosexual persons should be able to find help in the church to engage in the Biblical battle against all improper sexual thoughts and behaviors.

*We further endorse the following affirmation as an implication of the previous six beliefs. Since beliefs about the sinfulness of homosexual behavior, like beliefs about the sinfulness of lying, stealing, murder, greed, etc., are an essential part of our commitment to the supreme authority of the Bible in all matters of faith and conduct—a person who believes that lying, stealing, murder, greed or homosexual behavior, etc. are Biblically acceptable lifestyles would not and should not be deemed qualified for membership or to serve in the leadership (including staff) of our Church or teach in its ministries. (Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:4-9; Ephesians 5:25-33; 1 Corinthians 7:2-3, 10-16; 1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Genesis 19:1-11; Genesis 3:14-15; Romans 1:26-29; Leviticus 18:21-23; 20:13; Judges 19:22-30; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:8-11; 1 Timothy 1: 9-10; 2 Peter 2:6-10; Jude 7)

(Q) Divorce and Remarriage We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery in the Scripture. However this is not an unpardonable sin. Divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may under the proper circumstances hold positions of service in the Church and be greatly used of God for Christian service; they may not be considered for the offices of Pastor or Deacon under any circumstances. (Matt 19:3-12; 1 Cor 7:15-16); (1 Tim 3:2,12)

(R) Abortion We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population (5) control, or the mental well being of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Ps 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)

(S) Missions We believe that God has given the Church a Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us. Through the pastor’s leadership, the church selects the missionaries to support. This church shall use the Faith Promise method for mission support. (Matt 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor 5:20)

(T) Lawsuits Between Believers We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the Church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the Church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (1 Cor 6:1-8; Eph 4:31-32)

(U) Giving We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local Church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the Church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all right to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made. (Gen 14:20; Prov 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor 16:2; 2 Cor 9:6-7; Gal 6:6; Eph 4:28; 1 Tim 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17)