About God:
God
is the creator and ruler of the universe. We believe this one, true
God has manifested Himself as Father in creation, as the Son in
redemption and as Holy Spirit working in the lives of people today.
These are not three distinct persons but manifestations of the one,
true living God. He is, eternal; infinite in power and wisdom; holy in
His nature, attributes and purpose. He concerns Himself mercifully in
the affairs of humanity. He hears and answers prayer and saves from sin
and death all who believe according to His Word.
Genesis 1; Deuteronomy 6:4, 5; Isaiah 45:21; Hosea 13:4; Mark 12:29, 32; I Corinthians 8:6; Revelations 4:11
About Jesus Christ:
Jesus
Christ is God manifested in the flesh. He is both God and man. He is
the image of the invisible God. He is the one and only true God – the
Jehovah of the Old Testament – taking upon Himself the form of man and,
as the Son, was born of the virgin Mary. Jesus lived a sinless human
life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all
people by dying on the Cross. He arose from the dead after three days
to demonstrate His
power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven and will return again
someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
The
Name of Jesus Christ is a Name above every name. It is the Name by
which we are saved and there is salvation in no other Name. The
authority of God is vested in the Name of Jesus. All that the believer
does in word or deed, including baptism, is to be done in Jesus’ Name.
Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:21; Acts 4:12; II Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 3:16
About the Holy Ghost:
The
Holy Ghost is
the Spirit of God working in the earth and in the lives’ of believers.
The Holy Ghost provides the believer with power for living,
understanding of spiritual truth and guidance in doing what is right.
The Holy Ghost brings comfort to the believer according to John 14:26.
The “Baptism of the Holy Ghost” describes the Holy Ghost completely
filling, or immersing, a believer and permanently residing in his or her
life. This experience is a gift according to Acts 2:38. It is the
basis for all spiritual gifts and without the infilling of the Holy
Ghost there are no gifts in action.
John 14:16-17,26; 16:7-13, Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 5:18
About Salvation:
We
believe that salvation is a gift from God given to humanity by grace
and received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that all
people are sinners by nature and are
alienated from God until reconciled to Him by obeying the Gospel as
described in the scriptures. A person is saved by faith in the work and
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. This saving faith is
demonstrated as a person identifies with Christ’s death, burial and
resurrection through repenting of our sins, being baptized in the Name
of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and receiving the
gift of the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence of speaking in other
tongues. The experience of repentance, water-baptism and the infilling
of the Holy Ghost constitutes the New Birth as described in St. John
3:3-5.
John 3:3-5; Acts 2:4, Acts 2:38-39; Acts 10:44-46; Acts 19:6; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 9:22; James 2:17-18
About the Bible:
We
believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are the inspired
Word of God. We believe God’s word is divine, infallible and the final
authority on all spiritual matters. We believe it is God’s complete
revelation concerning the salvation of mankind. We believe in the
importance of daily study of and devotion to the Word of God as it is
provides direction, instruction and answers for the Christian life.
John 1:1-3, 14, II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20, 21
About Repentance:
Pardon
and forgiveness of sins is obtained by genuine repentance, which is a
confessing, turning from and forsaking of sins. John the Baptist
preached repentance; Jesus proclaimed
it and the apostles emphasized it to both Jews and Gentiles. Jesus
said, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3), thus
showing that repentance is a necessary part of salvation.
Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38, 11:18, 17:30; 1 John 1:9
About Water Baptism:
We
identify with the burial of Christ when we are baptized in His Name.
Water baptism is a circumcision of the heart and an integral part of the
new birth, salvation experience. Water baptism is inseparable from
saving faith and is how we demonstrate our faith in the work of Jesus
Christ.
The
scriptural mode of baptism is by immersion, and is for those who have
fully repented and turned from their sins. It is always to
be administered in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the
Acts of the Apostles; thus obeying and fulfilling Matthew 28:19.
Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5, Colossians 2:11-12
About the Baptism of
the Holy Spirit:
John
the Baptist, in Matthew 3:11, said, “He shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost, and with fire.” Jesus, in Acts 1:5, said, “Ye shall be baptized
with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Luke tells us in Acts 2:4,
“They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other
tongues [languages], as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
The
Baptism, or infilling, of the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence of
speaking in other tongues is part of
the new birth salvation experience and is how we identify with the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. The same Holy Spirit that raised up
Christ from the dead comes to dwell within us and enable us to rise to
walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)
The
gift, or baptism, of the Holy Spirit is an experience promised by God
to all. The Lord, through the Prophet Joel said, “I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh”(Joel 2:28, Acts 2:39).
Joel 2:28; Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:5; Acts 2:4, 33, 28, 39; Acts 10:46-47; Acts 19:6
About the Church:
We
believe the Church is the living, spiritual body of believers of which
the Lord Jesus Christ is the Head. The church functions as Christ would
function in the
earth, seeking to find lost souls for the purpose of bringing them to
salvation. Signs and wonders, including divine healing, are part of the
Church’s ministry, as they were part of the ministry of Jesus on earth.
The
scriptures teach us the importance of all believers attaching
themselves to a church that teaches Biblical truth where they can grow
in their faith, have fellowship with other believers and be equipped to
serve.
Mark 16:17; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 10:25
About the Gospel and Great Commission:
The
gospel, or “good news,” is that “…Christ died for our sins according to
the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the
third day
according to the scriptures.” (I Corinthians 15:3-4) We are commanded
by Jesus to spread this “good news” throughout the whole world and to
make disciples of all men.
Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:45-47, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
About Divine Healing:
The
physical suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ provided for healing for
our bodies. Isaiah said, “…with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah
53:5) Matthew 8:17 reads, “…Himself took our infirmities, and bare our
sicknesses.”
We believe that healing was provided by the work of Jesus Christ and is available to all believers.
Jesus
said of the believer, “…they shall lay hands on the sick, and they
shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18) Later James wrote in his epistle to all
the church; “and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the
name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick…”
Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:17; Mark 16:17-18 James 5:14-16; I Peter 2:24
About Communion or the Lord’s Supper:
On
the night of our Lord’s betrayal, He ate the Passover supper with His
apostles, after which He instituted the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
or what we also call communion. ”And he took bread, and gave thanks,
and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, ‘This is my body which is
given for you: this do in remembrance of me.’ Likewise also the cup
after supper,
saying, ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for
you.’” (Luke 22:19-20) Paul also instructed the church how to observe
it (1 Corinthians 11:23-29). Thus was instituted the use of literal
bread and the fruit of the vine, which are partaken of literally, as
emblems of His broken body and shed blood. There is also a spiritual
significance and blessing in partaking of this sacrament.
Luke 22:19-20; I Corinthians 11:23-29
About Holiness:
After
we are saved from sin, we are commanded, “Go, and sin no more.” (John
8:10,11) We are instructed to live soberly, righteously and godly in
this present world (Titus 2:11,12) and warned that without holiness no
man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). We must present ourselves holy
unto God (Romans 12:1-2), cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the
flesh and spirit (II Corinthians 7:1) and separate ourselves from all
worldliness (James
4:4).
No
one can live a holy life by his or her own power, but only through the
power of the Holy Spirit. We do not live holy to earn salvation but
rather live a holy life as a reflection of the new nature that was put
within us when we were saved.
John 8:11; Acts 1:8; Romans 12:1; II Corinthians 6:16-18; II Corinthians 7:1; Titus 2:12; Hebrews 12:14; James
4:4
About Tithing:
The
tithe is the first ten percent of our monetary increase. Tithing is
returning that ten percent to the local church that we are part of. We
believe tithing is God’s financial plan to provide for His work and has been
since the days of Abraham. The scripture teaches us to, “Bring all the
tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in my house.”
(Malachi 3:10) Not only does tithing provide the resources to the local
church to enable it to carry out its ministries, but we believe that
God’s blessings will be upon those who tithe their income to the local
church.
