1. The Bible We believe the Bible, comprised of the Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God (Matthew 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). In faith we hold the Bible to be inerrant in the original writings, God-breathed, and the complete and final authority for faith and practice. While still using the individual writing styles of the human authors the Holy Spirit perfectly guided them to ensure they wrote precisely what He wanted written, without error or omission (2 Peter 1:21).
2. God We believe in one God, who is creator of all (Deuteronomy 6:4; Colossians 1:16), who has revealed himself in three distinct Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14), yet who is one in being, essence and glory (John 10:30). God is eternal (Psalm 90:2), infinite (1 Timothy 1:17), and sovereign (Psalm 93:1). God is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and unchanging. God is Holy, just and righteous. God is love, gracious, merciful, and good.
>> God the Father We believe God as the Heavenly Father, `Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist’… (1 Corinthians 8:6). He is part of the triune Godhead who Jesus referred to as his Father (Mark 1:11) and that they are one (John 10:30). The Father would send the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). The Father sent Jesus to earth (John 12:44-45) and Jesus did what his Father commanded (John 14:31). The Father is the only one that knows when Christ will return again (Matthew 24:26).
>> God the Son - Jesus Christ We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is incarnate, God in human form, the expressed image of the Father, who without ceasing to be God, became man in order that he might demonstrate who God is and provide the means of salvation for humanity (Matthew 1:21; John 1:18; Colossians 1:15). We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:23); that He is truly fully God and truly fully man (John 1:1,14); that He lived a perfect sinless life (1 John 3:5); that all His teachings are true (John 14:6). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross as `He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world’ (1 John 2:2) and as a substitutionary sacrifice (Isaiah 53:5-6). We hold that his death is sufficient to provide salvation for all who receive Him as Savior (John 1:12; Acts 16:31); that our justification is grounded in the shedding of His blood (Romans 5:9; Ephesians 1:7); and that it is attested by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6; 1 Peter 1:3). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven in His glorified body (Acts 1:9-10) and is now seated at the right hand of God as our High Priest and advocate (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25).
>> God the Spirit – Holy Spirit We believe in the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). He regenerates sinners (Titus 3:5) and indwells believers (Romans 8:9). He is the agent by whom Christ baptizes all believers into His body (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). He is the seal by whom the Heavenly Father guarantees the salvation of believers unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14). He is the Divine Teacher who illumines believers’ hearts and minds as they study the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-12). We believe that the Holy Spirit is ultimately sovereign in the distribution of spiritual gifts, fruit of the Spirit, and miracles (1 Corinthians 12:11). We believe that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit are potentially available to all believers but are not a requirement for salvation or maturity.
3. Angels and Demons We believe in the reality of angels. We believe that God created the angels to be His servants and messengers (Nehemiah 9:6; Psalms 148:2; Hebrews 1:14). We believe in the existence of Satan and demons. Satan is a fallen Angel who led a group of angels in rebellion against God (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:12-15). He is the great enemy of God and man and the demons are his servants in evil. He and his demons will be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
4. Humanity We believe that humanity came into existence by direct creation of God and that humanity is uniquely made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). We believe that all humanity, because of Adam’s fall, has inherited a sinful nature, that all human beings choose to sin (Romans 3:23), and that all sin is offensive to God (Romans 6:23). Humanity is unable to remedy this fallen state (Ephesians 2:1-5, 12).
5. Salvation We believe that salvation is a gift of God’s grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ’s death fully accomplished justification through faith and redemption from sin. Christ died in our place and bore our sins in his own body (Romans 5:8-9; 1 Peter 2:24). We believe that salvation is received by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Good works and obedience are results of salvation, not requirements for salvation. Due to the greatness, sufficiency and perfection of Christ’s sacrifice, all those who have received Christ as saviour are eternally secure in salvation, kept by God’s power, secured and sealed in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24). Just as salvation cannot be earned by good works, neither does it need good works to be maintained or sustained. Good works and changed lives are the anticipated result of salvation (James 2), but not a requirement.
6. The Church We believe that the Church, the body of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all believers of this present age (1Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:25-27). We believe in the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5). It is every believer’s responsibility to pursue the greatest spiritual maturity. We don’t have to rely on someone else to understand scripture or what God desires. We are able to do that ourselves through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
We believe the body of believers is equipped to fulfill the functions of a Christ centred church. Having formal bible training is not prescribed and not discouraged for one to teach from God’s word. Scripturally, we are challenged to not forsake gathering together to worship the Lord God (Hebrews 10:24-25). This encouragement, to grow to know God better, is His desire for us and brings glory to Him. We believe in the ordinances of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 18:8; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Through the Church, believers are to be taught to obey the Lord and testify concerning their faith in Christ as saviour and to honour Him by holy living. It is the obligation of all believers to witness, by word and life, to the truths of God’s word. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20).
7. Things to Come We believe in the hope that we have in the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ to establish His promised kingdom. (Matthew 25:41-46, Luke 16:19-26, Revelation 20: 11-15).