| Statement of Faith and Covenant |
1. The Holy Scriptures. We believe that Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and
plenary inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed and, therefore, are the final
authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation of
God to Man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning, and all
issues of interpretation and meaning shall be determined by the pastor. The King James Version of the Bible shall be
the official and only translation used by the church. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)
2. Dispensationalism. We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely
determined dispensations or rules of life which define man's responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations
are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His
purpose. Three of these dispensations, the law, the church, and the kingdom are the subjects of detailed revelation in
Scripture. (Gen. 1:28; 1 Cor. 9:17; 2 Cor. 3:9-18; Gal. 3:13-25; Eph. 1:10; 3:2-10; Col. 1:24-25, 27; Rev. 20:2-6)
3. The Godhead. We believe in one triune God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, coequal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and
perfections. (Duet. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26)
4. The Person and Work of Christ.
- 1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God,
having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and
redeem sinful man. (Isa. 7:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2; 14:2; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8)
- 2. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a
representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and , that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical
resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
- 3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God
where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10;
Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2
- 1. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment;
and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling
and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-
14)
2. We believe that He is the divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures
and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Eph. 1:17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:
20,27)
3. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses
evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the
ministry. (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 28; Eph. 4:7-12)
4. We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing were
temporary. Speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Hoy
Spirit, and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our
salvation in the resurrection, through God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical
healing. (1 Cor. 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22)
6. The Total Depravity of Man. We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; but that in
Adam's sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is totally depraved
and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-
19)
7. Salvation. We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. We believe that all
sins, except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, are forgivable. (John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Matt. 12:31-
32; 1 John 1:9)
8. The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers.
- 1. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ
forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1; 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:4-5)
2. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the
testimony of God's Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh.
(Rom . 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13: Titus 2:11-15
9. The Church
- 1. We believer that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of
born-again persons. (1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27)
2. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New
Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:24; 20:17, 28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
3. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-
31; 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 5:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4)
4. We recognize water baptism and the Lord's Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church
in this age. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; 1 Cor. 11:23-26)
10. Separation. We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their
Savior and Lord. God commands His people to separate from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures,
practices, and associations, and to refrain from all immodest and immoderate appearances, piercings, and bodily
markings. (Rom. 12:1-2; 14:13; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11; Lev. 19:25; 1 Cor. 6:19-20)
11. The Second Advent of Christ. We believe in the blessed hope, the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will
rapture His church prior to the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and
visibly return with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel.
(Ps. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; 1 Thess. 1:10 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6)
12. The Eternal State.
- 1. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and
everlasting punishment. (Matt. 25:45; John 5:28, 29; 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6, 12-13)
2. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord,
where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified
forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23: 3:21; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6)
3. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the
second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment,
and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and
torment. (Matt. 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26;k 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15)
that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire.
(Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10)
14. Creation. We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap
Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. (Gen. 1-2; Ex. 20:11)
15. Civil Government. We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic
institutions: 1) the home, 2) the church, and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including
the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given responsibilities with the
understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are
equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (Rom. 13:1-7; Eph. 5:
22-24; Heb. 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13-14)
16. Human Sexuality.
- 1. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage
between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality,
incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex. We believe that God
disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one's gender by surgery or appearance. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5,
13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4)
2. We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:
2; 1 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23)
17. Family Relationships
- 1. We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained
distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be
the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only
men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12)
2. We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband
is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her
husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are an heritage from the Lord. Parents are
responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle
example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. (Gen. 1:26-28; Ex. 20:12; Duet. 6:4-
9; Ps. 127:3-5; Prov. 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mk. 10:6-12; 1 Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:21-33; 6:1-4, Col. 3:18-21;
Heb. 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7)
18. Divorce and Remarriage. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids divorce and intends marriage to last
until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication.
Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be
greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon. (Mal. 2:14-
17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:2. 12; Titus 1:6)
19. Abortion. We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being.
Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any
teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control,
or the physical or mental well being of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Ps. 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5;
Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)
20. Love. We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward
both those who are not believers and those who oppose us. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously,
gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or the use of
violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor
sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions. (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 5:44-48;
Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Rom 12:9-10; 17-21; 13:8-10; Phil. 2:2-4; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; 1 John 3:17-18)
21. Lawsuits Between Believers. We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against
other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources
necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek
compensation for injuries from another Christian's insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice
or slander. (1 Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:31-32)
22. Missions. We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so
that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait
for them to come to us. (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24; 46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20)
23. Giving. We believe that every Christian, as a steward of the portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated
to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that
every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of
those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the
tithe or offering once the gift has been made. (Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal.
6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17)
Covenant
Having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and, on the
profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do
now, in the presence of God and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as
one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of
this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship,
ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses
of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of
our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our
engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain form
the sale of , and the us of, intoxicating drinks as a beverage; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of
our Saviour.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another
in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take
offense, abut always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Saviour to secure it without delay.
We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church
where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word.
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