We believe that God’s grace does not come to us as the result of human effort or worthiness (Romans 3:24-28; 11:6), but is the provision of God’s mercy and love freely given to those who will believe in His Son (Ephesians 2:4-10). Grace gives to us what we do not deserve nor can earn by our performance (Romans 11:6). It is by God’s grace that a person is able to experience forgiveness and a right relationship with Him (Ephesians 1:6-7; 2:8-9). Believers in Jesus Christ stand in the grace of God (Romans 5:2) and by it they have hope. For those in Christ, grace abounds far beyond sin and its consequences (Romans 5:15-19), to the end that condemned sinners are now able to have eternal life through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:20-21).

We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice – therefore, under God’s condemnation. We believe that as sinners (Romans 3:23) we are unable by human performance to earn, deserve, or merit salvation (Titus 3:5). We believe that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and that apart from God’s grace no one can be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). We believe that none are righteous before God (Romans 3:10-12), and that apart from the conviction and regeneration of the Holy Spirit, none can be saved (John 1:12-13; 16:8-11; I Peter 1:23-25). Mankind is clearly fallen and lost in sin.

We believe that Jesus Christ died as a substitute for and a satisfaction of God’s righteous judgment against sin “for the whole world” (1 John 2:2; 4:9-10). God redeems and forgives all who will believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as their only hope of salvation from sin, death, and hell (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19). We believe that eternal life is a gift of God (Romans 6:23), and that whoever believes in Jesus Christ will not perish, but will have eternal life (John 3:16-18). 1 Timothy 4:10 says “…we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.” Hebrews 2:9 states that Jesus “…was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ was clearly sufficient to save the entire human race (2 Peter 2:1), but becomes effective only in those who believe (1 Timothy 4:10).

The Bible  affirms the doctrine of predestination, that God chose believers before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight and in love has predestined them to be adopted as His children (Ephesians 1:4-6). Those whom God has foreknown He has predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son  (Romans 8:29-30). We believe that God offers salvation to all who will call on His name (Romans 10:13). We also believe that God calls to Himself those who will believe in His Son, Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9). The Bible teaches that there is a universal command to repent given to all people, that human beings make choices for which we are responsible, and that those choices have eternal consequences (Acts 17:30-31). Revelation 22:17 states, “…whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” I Peter 1:2 tells us we are, “…chosen [elect] according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood…” Matthew 22:14 says, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” God clearly does choose, but man must also accept God’s invitation to salvation. There is a mystery here. Any attempt at demonstrating that the Bible teaches only one side of this mystery must be rejected. To all who have believed, we say clearly: do not boast, for even your faith is by the grace of God. We cannot save ourselves, only God saves. And God alone receives glory for our salvation.

We believe that nothing can separate us from the love of God  in Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 8:38-39), and that there is no condemnation to those who are in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:1). We believe that the promise of Jesus in John 10:27-28 is clear: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” Jesus said in John 6:37, “…whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” We have this assurance in Philippians 1:6: “…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” We believe that the Holy Spirit has sealed us for the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30).

We encourage our church family to read and study the Bible with a translation that they enjoy. Because we teach through the Bible verse-by-verse, our elder team wanted to commend one version that will be used consistently for our weekend teaching. However, our pastors, like the rest of the church family, will continue to read and study from several of the current translations. Our choice for weekend teaching is the Christian Standard Bible. Though it is lesser known than the NIV, we believe it strikes a great balance between “literalness” and “readability.” Though we are eager to use this translation for our public teaching, we don’t hold it to be the translation and encourage people to find a translation that they will enjoy and receive the most benefit from.

God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all-powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all people.
Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7

Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever-present Lord.God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all-powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all people.
4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John 1:1-18,29; 10:30,38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16,28; 17:1-5, 21- 22; 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5,20; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14- 15; 7:14-28; 9:12-15,24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:22; 1 John 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14- 15; 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16)

We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin and to regenerate, sanctify and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit dwells in every believer of Christ and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide.The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables people to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts people of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls people to the Savior, and effects regeneration. At the moment of regeneration He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer for the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.
Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28- 32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11,13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17

The universal church of Jesus Christ is made up of every person who has been “born-again” (John 3:1-8) by God’s grace through their faith in Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:3-7). Water baptism is an outward act of obedience and a symbol that signifies that a person has in fact received Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Jesus Himself modeled submission to water baptism at the hands of John at the beginning of His public ministry (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:19-34). In the Scriptures, water baptism always immediately followed a person’s conversion experience. Though water baptism does not “save” a person it signifies that they have been “saved” and shows their desire to be identified with Christ and affiliated with a local expression of His church.

Before, during and after the time of Jesus and the Apostles, the meaning of the Greek word used for Baptism in water is immersion. It is also evident in the New Testament accounts of persons being baptized that they were immersed. (Acts 8:38-39) A person being put under the water symbolizes their death to sin and self, the old way of living, and coming up out of the water symbolizes their resurrection with Christ to a new way of life. (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12)

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20;John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12