The Word of God

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12).

The Trinity
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, that these are equal in every divine attribute, and that they execute distinct but complementary roles in the work of creation, providence and redemption (Mark 1:10-11; Romans 1:1-4).

God the Father
We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of people, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ (Exodus 3:13-15; John 3:16).

Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 1:20-23; Matthew 28:6; John 14:6; Romans 1:1-4; Ephesians 2:8-9). [Please click here to see the Bridge illustration.]

The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide (John 14:15-17; John 16:5-11; 1 Corinthians 2:15-16; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

Regeneration
We believe that all people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Persons who have been genuinely regenerated ("saved" "born again") enter into a secure life with Christ, and are called to surrender the entirety of their persons to Him and to serve Him (John 3:3, 5-8, 16; John 11:25; John 14:6; Romans 8:1, 38-39; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2:8-10).

The Church
We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible confession of faith, and associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world (Matthew 16:18; 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Colossians 3:15-17).

The Ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that the Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; Romans 6:3-11; Ephesians 4:3-6; 1 Peter 3:21; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34).

The Last Things
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of presence with the Lord for the righteous, and the tragically endless suffering of the wicked (Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:12-32; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).