OUR BELIEF

The Bible

The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God presenting to us the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of humanity, and constituting the Divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.

(2 Timothy 3:16) (2 Peter 1:21)

The Trinity

We believe there is but one true and living God, who is everlasting, infinite in power, wisdom and goodness; that He is the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, and Preserver of all things. In the unity of this Godhead, there are three persons of one individual essence, who are co-equal, co-existent and co-eternal; namely, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. The Son is the eternally begotten of the Father, and accepted earthly limitations for the purpose of incarnation, being true God and true man; conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross, the just for the unjust as a substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures. He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on High as our great High Priest, and He will return again to establish His Kingdom of righteousness and justice. The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, Executive of the Godhead on earth, the Comforter sent by the Lord Jesus Christ to indwell, to guide and to teach the believer, and to convince the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. 

(Romans 1:20) (Colossians 1:16) (Matthew 3:16, 17; 28:18, 19) (2 Corinthians 13:14) (John 1:1,2, 18; 10:33; 14:26; 15:26) (Philippians 2:6) (Hebrews 9:14) (John 16:8)

Water Baptism

Baptism in water is by immersion, a direct commandment of our Lord, and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. The following recommendation regarding the water baptism formula is adopted: "On the confession of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, and by His authority, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

(Matthew 28:19)(Romans 6:4) (Colossians 2:12) (Acts 8:36-39).

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire, is a gift from God, as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers in this dispensation of time, and is received subsequent to the new birth. The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is accompanied by speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance as the initial physical sign and evidence.

(Matthew 3:11)  (John 14:16, 17) (Acts 1:8; 2:38, 39; 10:44-48) (Acts 2:4)

Humanity, His Fall and Redemption

Humanity is a created being, made in the likeness and the image of God, but through Adam’s transgression and fall, sin came into the world. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one”. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the work of the devil, and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man to God.

(Romans 5:12) (Romans 3:23) (Romans 3:10) (1 John 3:8) 

Salvation

Salvation is made possible through the meritorious work of Jesus Christ on the cross and through Holy Spirit conviction. Godly sorrow works repentance and makes possible the experience of the new birth, and Christ formed within us is the gift of eternal life. Salvation is the gift of God to humanity, separate from works and the Law, and is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to God. Humanity is a free moral agent and can at any time after the new birth experience turn away from God and die in a state of sin, with the consequences of hell to look forward to.

 (2 Corinthians 7:10) (Titus 2:11) (Romans 10:13-15) (Luke 24:47) (Titus 3:5-7) (Ephesians 2:8, 9) 

The Church

The true Church, built upon the Foundation of Jesus Christ, is the Body of our Lord; Christ being the Head. Its earthly constituents are all true believers, born again of the Spirit and of the Word, who are living an overcoming Christian life. To the Church, through its members, are delegated the various gifts and offices of the Holy Ghost which are necessary for the successful evangelization of the world and the perfecting of the Body of Christ. This universal, invisible, sanctified Church is the chaste virgin Bride of Christ. It is this Bride for whom Jesus Christ will return, just prior to the Great Tribulation, to catch her away and take her to heaven.

(1 Corinthians 3:11) (Ephesians 2:20) (Romans 12:5) (1 Corinthians 12:27)  (Ephesians 1:22, 23) (Colossians 1:18) (John 3:6) (1 Peter 1:23)(Ephesians 5:27)  (Revelation 21:27)  (1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 27, 28) (1 Corinthians 12:7)  (Ephesians 4:11, 12) (1 Corinthians 1:1, 2) Ephesians 5:25-27)(Revelation 21:9b, 27) (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

The Ministry

God, through the Holy Spirit, definitely calls such as He desires to serve as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, and specifically endues the one called with the talents and gifts peculiar to that office or offices. Under no circumstances should anyone be ordained or set apart to any such office unless the calling is distinct and evident.

(Ephesians 4:11, 12)

The Resurrection of the Just

The Bible promises, "This same Jesus...shall so come in like manner”. His coming is imminent; when He comes, "The dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” Following the tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords, and together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests, He shall reign a thousand years. 

(Acts 1:11) (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17) (Revelation 20:6).

Setting a Time for the Lord’s Return

It is unwise to teach that the Lord will come at some specified time, thereby setting a date for His appearing. It is also unwise to teach, preach or publish visions of numbers and dates which would tend to fix the time of the second coming of the Lord. 

(Mark 13:32, 33)  

The Coming of the Lord

We believe the Bible presents the coming of Christ as personal, imminent, pre-tribulation and pre-millennial. We further contend that this position alone admonishes watchfulness, incites holy living, prevents spiritual declension, and provides maximum incentive and motive for urgency and zeal in evangelizing the unsaved. As demonic deception and satanic darkness deepens, we urge our ministers to maintain and proclaim this doctrinal viewpoint as the "blessed hope" of the Church. Furthermore, we recommend that should any of our preachers hold to the mid or post-tribulation doctrine, they refrain from preaching and teaching it. Should they persist in emphasizing this doctrine to the point of making it an issue, their standing in the fellowship will be seriously affected.

Hell and Eternal Retribution

The one who physically dies in his sins without Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the Lake of Fire, and therefore has no further opportunity of hearing the gospel or for repentance. The Lake of Fire is literal. The terms "eternal" and "everlasting" used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the lake of fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence, as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the presence of God.

(Hebrews 9:27)  (Revelation 19:20) (Matthew 25:41-46) 

Tithes

We recognize the scriptural duty of all our people, as well as ministers, to pay tithes as unto the Lord. Tithes should be used for the support of the active ministry and for the propagation of the gospel and work of the Lord in general and not given to charity or used for other purposes 

(Hebrews 7:8) (Malachi 3:7-11) (Hebrews 7:2) (1 Corinthians 9:7-11; 16:2)