"Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son." -- 2 John 9

Anyone familiar with historic Christian doctrine will find that these statements fall in the center of evangelical theology. We want our core beliefs to be centered in Christ and His message as found in and supported by the clearest passages of Scripture.

THE BIBLE
The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament. We believe that Scripture in its entirety originated with God and that it was given through the instrumentality of chosen men. Scripture thus at one and the same time speaks with the authority of God and reflects the backgrounds, styles and vocabularies of the human authors. We hold that the Scriptures are infallible and inerrant in the original manuscripts. They are the unique, full and final authority on all matters of faith and practice and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.

GOD
We believe there is One true, holy God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality. In the beginning God created out of nothing the world and all things therein, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom and goodness. By His sovereign power He continues to sustain His creation. By His providence He is operating throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes.

SALVATION
The central purpose of God's revelation in Scripture is to call all people into fellowship with Himself. Originally created to have fellowship with God, man defied God, choosing to go his independent way and was thus alienated from and suffered the corruption of his nature, rendering him unable to please God. The fall took place at the beginning of human history and all individuals since have suffered these consequences, are born sinful by nature and are thus in need of the saving grace of God. The salvation of humankind is, then, wholly a work of God free grace, not the result, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness and personally appropriated by repentance and faith. When God has begun a saving work in the heart of any person, He gives assurance in His Word that He will continue performing it until the day of its full consummation.

JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the eternal second Person of the Trinity who was united forever with a true human nature by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily atoned for the sins of all by dying on the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. He ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father, where He, the only Mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His own. He shall come again to earth, personally and visibly, to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.

THE HOLY SPIRIT
The essential accompaniment of a genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ is a life of holiness and obedience, realized in the life of believers as they submit to the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. He was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to humankind the saving work of Christ. He enlightens the minds of sinners, awakens in them a recognition of their need of a Savior and regenerates them. At the point of salvation He permanently indwells every believer to become the source of assurance, strength and wisdom and uniquely endows each believer in understanding and applying the Scripture. His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christlike character and to bear fruit to the glory of the Father.

HUMAN DESTINY
Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. For all humankind, there will be a resurrection of the body at the end of this age and a judgement. Unbelievers will be separated from God into eternal condemnation. Believers will be received into eternal communion with God and will be rewarded for works done in this life.

THE CHURCH
The corollary of union with Jesus Christ is that all believers become members of His body, the Church. There is one true Church universal, comprised of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Scripture commands believers to gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, observance of the sacraments of baptism and holy communion, fellowship and service to one another and the world. Whenever God's people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is a local expression of the Church. Under the watchful care of the elders, deacons and other supportive leadership, its members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.

FAITH AND PRACTICE
Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. The Elders are responsible to exercise the Scriptural discipline of restoration, to correct members in doctrinal error and to bring those in sin to repentance and forgiveness, in order that the truth and purity of Christ be honored in His Church. The church recognizes it cannot bind the conscience of individual members in areas where Scripture is silent. Rather, each believer is to be led in those areas by the Lord, to whom he or she alone is ultimately responsible.