The Scriptures We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.
  • the Bible consists of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments.
  • the Holy Spirit inspired human writers who used their individual personalities and literary styles. Thus, the Bible is fully of divine origin, verbally inspired in every word and at the same time completely written by human beings.
  • despite this dual authorship, the original manuscripts contain absolutely no errors.

We believe that the Bible is God's written and infallible revelation to men. The Bible is reliable, inerrant, complete, sufficient, and the highest authority for everything concerning doctrine and the life of the believer.

2 Tim. 3:15-17;     2 Pet. 1:20,21;     1 Cor. 2:13;     Ps.12:7;     Ps.19:8,9
God We believe that there is one God, the only living and sovereign God. He exists from eternity to eternity and He is the creator and sustainer of all things.
We believe that God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. He is holy and all His attributes are perfect.

To God belongs all thanks, honor and glory.

We believe that the one God exists in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are one in essence and have the same nature, attributes and perfection.

Deut.6:4;     Matt.16:16;     Dan.4:34-35;     Ps.115:3;     Gen.1;     Eph.3:9;     Rev.1:8;     Isa.40;     Ps.139;     Isa.6:3;     Deut.32:4;     1 Tim.1:17;     Matt.28:19;     2 Cor.13:14
Man We believe that man was created by God in His image and likeness. Adam and Eve are the historical ancestors of all mankind. God created them as man and woman.

We do not believe that man came about through a process of evolution, but was created directly by God.

We believe that man was created without sin. Because of Adam's sin, all mankind, with the exception of Jesus Christ, inherited a sinful nature. By nature, this made man incapable of not sinning. Man lost his innocence and underwent the punishment of spiritual and physical death. Man became subject to the wrath of God.

Gen.1:26,27;     Gen.2:7;     Gen.1:31;     Eccles.7:29;     Gen.3;     Rom.5:12-19;     Rom.3:23;     Rom.3:10-18;     Eph.2:1;     Col.2:13;     John 3:36
Jesus Christ We believe that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, became man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary, without losing His divine nature and attributes. Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man, however without sinning.

We believe that Jesus Christ revealed to us God the Father. He has made possible the redemption of the penalty of sin for man.

John 1:14;     Matt.1:18;     Gal.4:4;     John 1:1;     Heb.2:14,17;     Heb.1:1;     John 14:7-9;     Heb.1:3;     1 Pet.2:24
Jesus' Dead and Resurrection We believe that Jesus Christ died voluntarily and substitutionary for the guilt of human sin. He thereby took upon Himself the punishment that was actually intended for us.

We believe that Jesus Christ after three days literally and physically rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven, where He prays and intercedes for believers at the right hand of God the Father.

John 10:15-18;     Isa.53:5,6;     1 Pet.2:24;     2 Cor.5:14;     Matt.28:6;     1 Cor.15:3-8;     Rom.8:34;     Heb.7:25
The Holy Spirit We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Comforter promised by Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment and He glorifies Christ.

We believe that man is regenerated (born again) through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. From this moment of regeneration, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer and seals the believer until the day of redemption. He sanctifies and transforms the believer into the image of Christ.

We believe that the Holy Spirit unites all believers into the Body of Christ, the Church. He gives them spiritual gifts, for service and edification of the Church.

John 14:16,17;     John 15:26;     John 16:8;     John 16:14;     John 3:5,6;     John 7:39;     Rom.8:9;     Eph.1:13;     2 Cor.1:22;     Eph.4:30;     2 Cor.3:17,18;     1 Cor.12:13;     1 Cor.12:7;     1 Pet.4:10;     Eph.4:7-12
Redemption We believe that every person who believes in the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ receives forgiveness of sins and is delivered from the guilt of sin and God's judgment on sin. Such a person must repent of his sins, turn to God and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This person is declared righteous by God, receives eternal life and is adopted as a child of God.

We believe that this redemption is only possible through regeneration and on the basis of undeserved goodness.

We do not believe that man is saved or declared righteous by performing good works, keeping the Ten Commandments, the Law or other rules and regulations, but by grace only.

We believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. He is the only mediator between God and men.

John 3:16;     John 3:36;     John 1:12;     Acts 2:37,38;     Acts 3:19;     2 Cor.5:21;     Rom.3:21-28;     Rom.5:1;     Eph.2:8,9;     John 14:6;     Acts 4:12;     1 Tim.2:5
Regeneration We believe that regeneration is the supernatural and gracious work of the Holy Spirit by which a person is enabled to believe in Jesus Christ and repent to God.

John 3:3-6;     Eph.2:1-6;     Col.2:13;     Titus 3:4,5;     1 Pet.1:3;     1 John 2:29;     1 John .5:1;     John 1:12,13;     Rom.8:5-9;     1 Cor.2:12-16
The Church We believe in the one universal Church, consisting of all people, in every time and place, who are born again and believe in Jesus Christ.

We believe that the Bible teaches that the universal Church takes shape in local congregations. Believers should join a local congregation for teaching, prayer, fellowship, service, baptizing new believers and celebrating the Lord's Supper.

Eph.2:11-3:6;     1 Cor.12:13;     Gal.1:2;     1 Thess.1:1;     Acts 8:1;     Acts 2:41,42;     Heb.10:25;     Eph.4:11,12;     Matt.28:19;     1 Cor.11:23-26
Jesus' Commission to the Church We believe that the Lord Jesus gave the Church the commission to make disciples from all nations by explaining the Gospel to them. Those who come to faith should be baptized. These new believers must be gathered in local churches to receive further instruction from the Bible. In this way they can carry out their calling as followers of Jesus, according to His commandments and according to the spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to each believer.

Matt.28:19;     Eph.4:7-16;     1 Cor.12:4-7, 11
Baptism We believe that baptism is a New Testament ordinance to be performed by immersion in water, based on the personal faith of the person being baptized and in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We believe that baptism is a symbolic expression of being one with Christ in His death and resurrection. It shows that the person being baptized is dead to sin and raised to a new life.

We do not believe that baptism is an act by which one is saved.

We believe that baptism is an act of obedience to the Lord Jesus that must be performed once a person has come to faith, repented and received proper instruction about the meaning of baptism.

We do not believe that baptism is an optional choice.

Matt.28:19;         Acts 2:37-41;     Acts 8:35-38;     Rom.6:1-14;     Col.2:12
The Lord's Supper We believe that the Lord's Supper is a New Testament ordinance by which believers together remember and proclaim the death of the Lord Jesus, until He comes again. Bread and wine are symbols of the broken body and the shed blood of Christ.

We do not believe that bread and wine transform into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ.

We do not believe that eating the bread and drinking the wine are acts by which someone gets saved.

1 Cor.11:23-26;     1 Cor.10:16-21;     Matt.26:17-30;     Mark 14:22-26;     Luke 22:14-23
Leadership of the Church We believe that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church.

We believe that the Bible teaches that a local congregation is led by elders. These men have a pastoral and leadership role, with an emphasis on teaching, prayer, guarding doctrine and protecting the congregation from false doctrine.

We do not believe that the Bible teaches that women within the local congregation may serve as elders, overseers, pastors, shepherds or preachers - but that they are encouraged to use their gifts in other roles that build up the congregation and spread the Gospel.

Eph.1:22;     Col.1:18;     Eph.5:23;     Acts 20:28;     Eph.4:11;     1 Tim.3:1-7;     Titus 1:5-9;     1 Pet.5:1-3;     Heb.13:7,17;     1 Tim.2:9-15
Marriage We believe that marriage is a covenant instituted by God, whereby God joins one man and one woman together for a lifelong relationship. Marriage is therefore a sacred institution. The marriage relationship is broken by the death of either of them. Man and woman have been given different and complementary roles in marriage, as a type of Christ and His Church. Marriage is the only form of relationship within which the practice of sexuality may take place.

Gen.1:27;     Gen.2:18, 21-24;     Matt.19:4-6;     1 Tim.3:2;     Eph.5:22-33;     1 Cor.7:1-9
The Future We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back from heaven. The believers who have already died in Christ will then be resurrected and taken up in the clouds, together with the believers who are still alive, to meet the Lord and be with Him always. Our humiliated body will then be changed to be like His glorified body.

We believe that those who do not obey the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.

We believe in a new heaven and earth where there will be no more tears, no more death and no more mourning, lamentation or trouble. God will dwell with men. He will be their God and they will be His sons.

Acts 1:11;     1 Thess.4:13-18;     Phil.3:20,21;     2 Thess.1:7-10;     Matt.25:41-46;     Rev.21:1-7
Sola Scriptura This statement of faith articulates some of the important principles of faith that are important to being a local congregation. However, this statement of faith is not a complete representation of everything we believe.

The Bible itself is the sole, complete, and ultimate source of authority for everything we believe.