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THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
All Scripture, contained in the sixty-six books of the Bible is God's own word written by man, authored by the Holy Spirit. It
is inspired by God and completely infallible in its original texts. It alone is sufficient for all faith and practice. It is supreme in
all authority.
We hold to a literal understanding of the Genesis account of God's creative work including a six, consecutive, 24 hour-day
creation of all things; a young earth and universe; God's judgment of a global, mountain-covering flood; that one human race of all
people descended from Adam and Eve, then from Noah's sons.
GOD, THE TRINITY
God is sovereign and operates for His glory only. Every part of His creation is subject to His oversight, sustenance,
providential care and direction. God is eternal, three distinct persons who are one in nature.
Jesus Christ is fully deity and fully man; the incarnate person of the Trinity whom John calls the Word. He was conceived by
the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He was crucified on the cross. His death was acceptable to God the Father as a substitute,
sufficient to pay the death-penalty owed by all persons because of their sin. He was physically resurrected on the third day. He ascended
to the Father. He will physically return in like fashion.
The Holy Spirit is fully deity, a co-equal person of the Trinity. He baptizes every regenerate believer into the body of Christ,
the universal Church. He seals every believer for the day of redemption. He empowers believers to be witnesses of Jesus Christ.
He indwells every regenerate believer giving spiritual gifts as He wills, enabling believers to serve the local church.
MAN'S SIN AND REDEMPTION
Man was created in the image of God. But because of the sin of the first man, Adam, sinfulness by nature and its penalty of
death passed to the entire human race. The fall of man and God's ensuing curses is the cause of man's sinful nature and all the ills of
this world including death. All persons are conceived spiritually dead having no relationship with God. God's gracious offer of
the gospel of Jesus Christ, and man's repentance and faith in that gospel is the only way any person may be forgiven of his or her
sinful nature and acts, and be justified before the holy God. Justified by grace through faith alone, no measure of deeds, attitude,
or intellect can sustain or enhance that relationship. Yet, the natural outcome of regeneration is obedience to God for His glory.
JESUS' RETURN
Jesus Christ, God's Son, will return to this earth bringing salvation to all who believe in Him. He will receive His promised land
as the Seed of Abraham, establish His kingdom as the promised heir of David's throne, and reign over this earth for 1000 years.
After this, He will reign over the new heavens and new earth for eternity.
All gospel believers from Adam to Jesus' return will be brought into His eternal kingdom. If living, they will be changed
to immortality. If dead, they will be physically resurrected to live forever in a perfect body.
Those who have rejected His gospel will be physically resurrected to endure eternal punishment in hell.
THE CHURCH
The Church is one body, the body of Christ composed of all regenerate believers everywhere, with Christ Jesus as its only
Head. The Scripture gives four foundational practices for maturing the Church: teaching, fellowship, Lord's Supper, and prayer.
The local church is to be shepherded by qualified plural elders. While members of a local body have varying gifts for the purpose
of serving that body, there is no biblical basis for the modern distinction between clergy and laity. The members of a local church
are to be devoted to one another in love. They are to nurture one another in the Christian walk and prepare one another to engage in
the Great Commission.
CHURCH ORDINANCE
We practice believer's baptism (credo baptism) as an expression of the person's repentance and faith in the gospel of
Jesus. Baptism should follow very soon after genuine faith/repentance is affirmed, but is not essential to regeneration. We believe the
NT mode of baptism was immersion. We accept other modes if immersion is for some reason impossible; assuming the
believer understands the meaning of water baptism.
We observe the Lord's Supper. Though frequency is not explicitly commanded, the Church throughout the New Testament
exemplified a weekly observance. Our Lord's Supper is open to all who desire this communion with the body of Christ and with Christ
Himself. Through the Lord's Supper, believers affirm their love and unity one to another and with Jesus. Through the Lord's Supper
we proclaim our Lord's death until He returns.
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