What We Believe

At the center of our faith is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We believe, according to the Bible, that he came from heaven, took upon himself humanity, died by crucifixion and arose from the tomb. His resurrection is God’s way of verifying that he truly died for our sins.

We are convinced that the goal of history is to be found in our Lord’s prayer: “Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

 

The Bible
We affirm that the Bible is the Word of God in human language. These Scriptures are fully inspired and they hold final authority in the life of the church.

God
God is the one true living God, Creator of the universe, perfect and sovereign, and ready to save from sin and death those coming to him through faith in the death and resurrection of Christ.

Humans
All humans have exercised their will against God, and due to sin, they are incapable of returning to God by their own power or good works.

Jesus Christ
God revealed himself most fully in Jesus Christ for the express purpose of redeeming lost humanity. Jesus was born of a virgin, fully God, yet fully human. He was crucified and rose again on the third day. He is now alive, exalted as Lord and Christ, and he holds all power in heaven and on earth.

Salvation
Salvation comes by the grace of God, that is, his unmerited favor which he bestows upon sinful humans. Faith is the acceptance of God’s gift of salvation. It is trust to the point of a commitment and not simply the belief that God exists.

Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit comes to indwell all believers in the response of faith. He bears witness to Christ and guides God’s people into the truth. He graciously provides gifts and ministries to enable the church to carry out her task.

Church
The church consists of those who have been chosen by God. It should be an instrument of worship and celebration, of support for its members, and of evangelism. It is committed to two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Table. The church includes all believers everywhere, living and dead, and is not to be defined merely by institutional labels.

Last Things
God’s eternal purpose will be consummated at the return of Christ who will raise the dead and judge all humans. The kingdom of God began to break into the present age in a partial and hidden way in the ministry of Jesus. In the end, it will be fully manifested. The church in every generation is comforted by this blessed hope.