What We Believe
“We pray that we will leave differently than we came because we have encountered the living God!"
Pastor Doug Kempton
The Person of God
In one God, creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three equal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matt. 28:18-19; Deut. 6:4; John 17:5; 1 John 5:7-8;
Romans 1:20).
- GOD THE FATHER
That God the Father is Father over all creation (Acts 17:29), Father of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt 3:17, John 3:16) and Father of all believers (Gal. 3:26). It is He who sent Christ to the world in order to save the world (John 3:16-17). He is our provider (Matt. 7:9-11) and our source of loving discipline and direction (Heb. 12:5-11) - GOD THE SON
That Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross, a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. He arose bodily from the dead and He ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of God the Father, He is our High Priest and Advocate. (Luke 1:34-35; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Romans 5:8; Gal. 3:13; Heb. 2:9; 1 John 2:2). From there, He will return to earth one day, take his own unto Him, and establish His eternal kingdom of righteousness and peace. (Acts 1:11; Rev. 19:11-20; Isa. 9:6-7; 11:2-5). - GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
That the Holy Spirit is a person possessing all the divine attributes. He is God. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. He regenerates, seals and sets apart the believer to a holy life. At regeneration, He baptizes the believer into the body of Christ and comes to indwell him permanently. (1 Cor. 2:10-11, 12:11; Isa. 40:13-14; Psa. 139:7; Titus 3:5; John 3:5-7, 14:16-17, 16:8; Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Cor. 2:13; Rom. 8:9).
The Word of God
That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are inspired of God and without error in the original writings and that the exact meaning of the Scriptures is essentially unchanged in the widely accepted English translations. The Scriptures are authoritative and without error in any category of knowledge, including science and history, and are the supreme and final authority in all matters about which they speak. We believe the Scriptures are to be interpreted in a normal and literal way and that they are understood as the believer is guided by the Spirit of God. (John 10:35; Matt. 5:18; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Tim. 5:18; 1 Cor. 2:14-16; John 16:12-15).
The Work of God
That God created the world (Gen. 1:1) and it was very good (Gen. 1:31). However, because of man’s rebellion, God now is in the redemptive process of reconciling his creation to Himself according to His perfect plan and will. (2 Cor. 5:18-20).
- SALVATION
As part of God’s perfect creation, we believe that man was created in the image of God, totally compatible with Him. However, man sinned and, consequently, experienced not only physical death but also spiritual death (which is separation from God). The consequences of this sin infect and affect the entire human race: all human beings are born with a sinful nature and do, in fact, sin in thought, word and deed. (Gen. 1:26-27, 2:17, 3:6; Rom. 3:23, 5:12-19, 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3, 4:18; Mark 7:20- 23; John 2:24-25). But God has made provision to reconcile us to Him again:- GRACE
That whoever, by faith alone, relies on or trust Jesus Christ as Savior instantly
becomes a child of God forever. This salvation is not the result of any human
effort or merit, at any time, but is God’s free gift, purchased at the price of His
own Son. (John 1:12; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 3:28) - ASSURANCE
That everyone who trusts in Christ as Savior has absolute assurance of eternal life, regardless of future performance, based solely upon the integrity of God’s promise that everyone who believes has everlasting life and will not come to judgment. (1 John 5:11-13). - SECURITY
That all believers are kept eternally secure by the power of God through the new birth, the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit and intercession of Christ. (John 10:28-30, 14:16-17; 1 Pet. 1:23; Eph. 4:30; 1 John 2:1; Rom. 8:38-39).
- GRACE
- SANCTIFICATION
That all believers, although born again, still possess a sinful nature in this life, but that God has made full provision for us to overcome this sinful nature and to live for God through identification with Christ, a knowledge of the Scriptures and by yielding in faith to the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Rom. 7:15-21, 6:1-11, 8:11-13; Gal. 5:16-24; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 John 1:9, 2:1-2). - GLORIFICATION
That all who have been justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are not only presently being sanctified, but one day will be glorified (Romans 8:30). This means that each believer is promised a new, perfect body, like Christ’s own resurrection body (Phil. 3:21), by which to glorify God forever in His Kingdom (Romans 8:18-23; 1 Cor. 15:35-58).