Bible
The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct. It is superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12)
The One True Godhead
The triune Godhead is comprised of three separate and distinct personalities, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who are eternally self-existent, self-revealed and function as one entity. (Deut 6:4; Isaiah 43:10-13; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:21-22)
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, who is God manifest in the flesh, is the second Member of the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The scriptures declare:
- His miracles (Matt 4:23-24; 9:35; Acts 2:22)
- His substitutionary work on the cross (1 Cor 15:3; 2 Cor 15:4)
- His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matt 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Cor 15:4)
- His exaltation to the right hand of God the Father (Acts 1:9,11; Acts 2:33; Phil 2:9-11)
- His Virgin Birth (Matt 1:23; Luke 1:31,35)
- His Sinless life (Heb 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22)- His miracles (Matt 4:23-24; 9:35; Acts 2:22)
- His substitutionary work on the cross (1 Cor 15:3; 2 Cor 15:4)
- His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matt 28:6; Luke 24:39; 1 Cor 15:4)
- His exaltation to the right hand of God the Father (Acts 1:9,11; Acts 2:33; Phil 2:9-11)
Fall of Man
Man was created good and upright, in the image and likeness of God. But, man, by voluntary transgression, fell and thereby incurred not only physical death, but spiritual death, which is separation from God (Genesis 1:26-31, 2:1-7, 3:6; Romans 3:23, 5:12-21, 6:23).
Salvation
Man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24, John 3:3). On the cross, Jesus Christ became sin and sickness providing both salvation and divine healing for all mankind (Psalm 103:3), being justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. For by grace, we are saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8). "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart; that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart of man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." (Romans 10:8-10)
Regeneration
We believe that it is the working of the Holy Spirit in an individual's life that enables me to understand truth. He convicts men of sin and calls men to the Savior. At the new birth, the Holy Spirit comes within men. This indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer has man purposes: a) to be the inward witness of God's presence; b) to effect sanctification; c) to comfort; d) to bring understanding to God's Word; e) to produce the Fruit of the Spirit within the believer's life, Galatians 5:22-23; f) to impart/enhance the "motivational gifts" within the believer, Romans 12:6-8. There can be many other workings of the Holy Spirit within the believers life that are not mentioned in this list.
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
We believe that all believers are entitled to, and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, according to the command of the Lord Jesus Christ. This experience is distinct and subsequent to the experience of the new birth, The purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is to equip the believer with power for witnessing and for service (Acts 1:8). The believer should expect to receive the bestowment of spiritual gifts upon receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The first of these gifts accompanying the receiving of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a gift available to all believers which is a supernatural prayer language called tongues. This prayer language is to: a) "build up the believer" (Jude 21), by praying in tongues you release spiritual power; b) bring a greater level of intercession and understanding in our own prayer life, (Ephesians 6:18); c) for the edification of the body (1 Corinthians 14:1-5). Other gifts wound include the Spiritual Gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, and, if one should be called by God to one of the five ministry callings of Ephesians 4:11-13, the Holy Spirit brings a releasing of spiritual power to fulfill that calling. The is not nor is it intended to be a complete listing of the working of the Holy Spirit by just an introduction into this subject. Neither the baptism in the Holy Spirit or the practice of the gift og tongues is necessary for salvation. Matt. 3:11; Luke 11:10-13, 24:49; Acts 1:4, 1:8, 2:1-4, 2:37-39, 8:14-17, 10:44-46, 11:14-16, 19:6.
Water Baptism
The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the Scriptures. All who repent and believe in Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus, by doing so , they declare to the world that they have died with Christ to the old nature, and are buried with Him. They have buried the old nature in the waters of baptism, and that have been raised with Him to walk in the newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:3-7).
Communion
The Lord's supper, consisting of the elements, bread (body of Christ) and the fruit of the vine (blood of Christ), is by faith an actual sharing in the power of the Spirit and the divine Presence of our Lord. It is also a memorial of His suffering and death, as well as a celebration of His resurrection, a prophecy of His Second Coming, and is enjoined on believers "til He comes!" (1 Corinthians 11:23-20; 2 Timothy 3:5).
Sanctification
Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil, and of a separation unto God. The Scriptures teach a life of "holiness without which no man shall see the Lord." By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey the command: "Be ye holy for I am holy." Sanctification is realized in the believer by recognizing the his identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, and by faith reckoning daily upon the fact of the union, and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:12, 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16; Romans 6:1-11,13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12; 1 Peter 1:15-16).
The Church
The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, having divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, who has received Jesus as their Lord and Savior, is an integral part of the body of Christ, the church. There is an expression of the church universally and locally (Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22; Colossians 1:17-18, 25).
Ministry
A divinely called scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for the three-fold purpose of leading the church in: 1) worship of an glorifying God; 2) evangelization of the world; 3) building up of a body of saints being perfected in the image of Christ and equipped to do the work of the ministry (John 4:23-24; Matthew 28:19-20; Ephesians 4:11-16).
Healing
Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, and is the privilege of all believers through a) simple faith in God's promises and b) the exercise of gifts of healings (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; 1 Corinthians 12:9; James 5:14-16; Matthew 8:13, 9:22, 29).
Blessed Hope
The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the Church (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1).
Millennial Reign of Christ
The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of the Lord with His saints to reign on the earth for one thousand years. This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel and the establishment of peace (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27,30; Revelation 1:7, 19:11-14, 20:1-6; Ezekiel 37:21; Zephaniah 3:19-20; Romans 11:26-27; Isaiah 11:6-9; Psalms 72:3-8; Micah 4:3-4).
Final Judgment
There will be a final judgment in which those who reject Christ as Savior will be raised and judged according to their works. Their names will not be found written in the Book of Life and they will suffer eternal separation from God. The devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. This is the second death, the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20, 20:10-25).