Statement of Faith

We believe that The Holy Bible consists of the Old and New Testament Scriptures which were written by holy men of God as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.  Within the scriptures are the separate yet inseparable principles of Inspiration and Preservation.  Inspiration means the very words were ‘God Breathed’, and Preservation means that God has preserved His Word and the power therein through time and translation to all generations.  

We believe the prophecy that God gave in His word that men would corrupt and counterfeit the Word of God, and that through understand the warnings of corruption the common man could identify the preserved Word of God from the corrupt. 

The King James Bible is the only Bible in English today to come from the preserved text.  The King James Bible does not merely contain the word of God, it is the inspired and preserved word of God for the English-speaking people.  We reject all other versions.  Psalm 12:6,7; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; John 17:17; I Timothy 3:16,17; I Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:18. 

Sola Scriptura

Solo Scriptura means that the Bible is the final authority for all matters of faith and practice.  All other writings and traditions are subservient to scripture, because no other books were promised to be inspired and preserved.  Only the Bible has divine authority upon it. Joshua 8:31, Mark 1:2, 7:6, John 12:24, Acts 15:15, Rom 3:10. 

A Single Hermeneutic

Christ always referred to His Doctrine in the singular, never the plural.  There is not a plurality of doctrines in the Bible, but one Doctrine with many precepts that come together to form a single truth.  Each point of doctrine affirms other points of doctrine, they never conflict.  Deut 32:2, Job 11:4, John 7:16, Isaiah 28:10, Matt 7:28, 22:33, Mark 1:22, 4:2, 11:18, 12:38, Luke 4:32, John 18:19, I Tim 6:1.

Our Doctrine should come by comparing scripture with scripture and precept with precept to prove a position true, but that is only half the work.  We must do the same work to see if our position is false, otherwise we’re just validating our own beliefs, and we are no different that the heretics.  If our position creates contradictions, we are either missing precepts or misapplying them.  This type of comparative analysis is an essential piece of study that seems to have been lost, yet God requires it of us to be good stewards.  We believe that we should interpret the Bible from a single hermeneutic, meaning, we use the same interpretative method and rigor in all passages and points of doctrine.  I Cor 2:13, 2 Tim 2:15, Malachi 3:6, Heb 13:8.

The Fall of Man

On the sixth day man was created in innocence and without sin, but by voluntary exercising of his will fell and was wholly corrupted by sin.  The corruption of sin affected both soul and body, resulting in spiritual separation of man from God, and the total helplessness of man with regard to his eternal salvation. Man is unable to produce spiritual good apart from the grace of God.  Because of sin man is terminally imperfect, regardless of the effort to improve himself. Isaiah 64:6; Rom. 7:18,23; 8:7; Eph. 4:17-19; Titus 1:15, Genesis 1:27, 31, 3:6-24, 1 53:6, Ezekiel 18:19, Romans 1:20, 5:19

The Gospel

We believe that the Gospel is defined in I Corinthians 15:3-4, how 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.  We believe that Christ is the eternal God manifest in human flesh, that He was the Lamb of God, that He fulfilled the prophecies concerning Him, that He was crucified and killed, and that after three days He resurrected from the dead in a physical body.  

We believe that this act was the full atonement for sin, and that salvation cannot be obtained by any works that man may do, but only by repentance toward God and faith in what Christ has done for us.  

Repentance Toward God

Jesus came preaching “Repent ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15). In Acts 20:21 we find the twin principles of repentance and faith again: “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Repentance and faith are the two fundamental required for salvation.  

Repentance is a change of heart (Gen 6:6), that leads to a change of mind, that is evidenced by a change of life.  Because it is a change of heart, it is not a work.  Repentance must have an application, and in the matter of Eternal Salvation, it is the requirement that a sinner turn to God (Acts 20:21) without reservation and accept His truth about their need for Him.  Repentance is a turning of the heart from dead works, which are any attempts to save oneself or rationalize away the need for Salvation, and a turning to God.  Lost man must be willing to end his rebellion against God’s authority over him and accept God’s power and right to judge him, and God’s plan for his salvation.  

Faith Toward Christ

Faith is not generic and non-descript, and simply “believing in Jesus” is not sufficient to save the soul from an eternity in the Lake of Fire.  The devils believe and tremble (James 2:19).  Faith must be directed specifically to the work that Christ did on Calvary.  We must believe who He is, why He came, what He did for us, and that He rose from the dead.  This is believing the Gospel.     

Salvation For All

God’s express will is that all men would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:4).  God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 2:9).  The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men (Titus 2:11), therefore God commandeth all men every where to repent (Ats 17:30).  Salvation is not dependent on Gods willingness to call, it based on mans willingness to respond.  Only by this standard is God just in condemning those that reject the gift of salvation in Christ.  

True conviction brings about repentance and faith; and the only thing that prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth is his own willful rejection of the Gospel.  Titus 2:11, Romans 16:25-26, John 5:40, John 3:19

Eternal Security

Salvation results in a new creature that is born again as a child of God into the family of God, which is a permanent and immutable event.  A born again believer will never lose his place as a child of God because he is born again by the power of God and kept by that same power, not his own.  The born again believer is eternally secure as a result of God’s work on his behalf at salvation, and is eternally sealed by God’s Spirit at salvation.  Ephesians 1:5-7, 13, 14, Romans 8:35-38, John 10:28-30, John 3:16, 1 John 5:13, 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Separation

We believe in moral, worldly, and ecclesiastical separation which we are charged to live by.  The church body is to maintain Ecclesiastical separation from false religion and pseudo-church organizations.  The members are to maintain separation from immoral conduct which includes but is not limited to all forms of fornication, corrupt business practices, and the use of alcohol, marijuana, etc.  As we are to abstain from all appearance of evil, members need to consider if their actions or activities would bring shame to the church of which they are a member or impact their vision for the work of Christ.   Ezekiel 22:26; 2 Corinthians 6:17,18; 1 Peter 1:15,16; 2:9-12, 1 Thessalonians 5:22.

The Origin of the Church

The New Testament Church was started by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry and consists of baptized believers called out from within the Kingdom of God, for the purpose of bringing glory unto Christ by the preaching of the Gospel and the edifying of the Saints.  The local visible church is the only entity that fits the Biblical definition of a church.  Matthew 16:18, 18:17, 28:20, 1 Corinthians 1:1-13, 11:2, Acts 2:41-42, 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1.

The Purpose of the Church

The purpose of the church is found in Ephesians 3:21:  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, amen.  This is accomplished by the perfecting of the saints (Ephesians 4:11-13), the preaching of the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20).  These purposes can only be fulfilled by a local visible entity.

The Local Church

The Bible defines the word church as an “assembly called out from within”.  This definition is seen in the Old Testament with the Tabernacle, which God called the church in the wilderness (Acts 7:38). From the Nation of Israel (a type of the kingdom) God called the tribe of Levi (a type of a born again sanctified believers) and none other to serve Him in the tabernacle (where His glory dwelt).  Only those whom God called to service in the Tabernacle were part of it. This is a visible local called out assembly.  

When Jesus established the Local church, He called those who had a profession of faith and had been baptized by John, and assembled them as the first Church.  He did not call all born again believers alive at that time (John 3:25), he only selected 12 to begin with.  (Matt 10:2, Mark 9:35.)

In Heaven there will be an assembly of believers called out from within the general assembly of believers that will sit in the throne room of God and bring glory unto Him.  (Hebrews 12:22-23, Revelation 3:12).

There is never a case where a body of believers referred to as a church encompasses all believers. Not in the Old Testament, The New Testament, or Eternity.  Therefore, there cannot be a “universal” church. 

The Ordinance of Baptism

The ordinance of Baptism was given by Jesus Christ to the Local Church, and pictures the gospel of Christ, by emersion in water.  A scriptural candidate is a person who has a public profession of repentance toward God and faith toward Christ (which represents the acceptance of the Gospel).  The authority for baptism resides in the Local Church and is a prerequisite for membership in a local assembly, which must be administered by a properly authorized New Testament Church.  Baptism has a threefold purpose:  To create an outward picture of an inward change that happened at Salvation; As a guard to the church by keeping out false doctrine; Demonstrating the submission of the believer to biblical authority.  Matthew 3:2,5-9; 28:18-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41; 8:12,36-38; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27; Ephesians 4:5; II Peter 3:21.  

If a professing believer would like to join this church, and I cannot verify the faith and practice of the church they were baptized by, I would not accept them as a member until they submitted to baptism. We believe this is a guard and protection to the church, and a trial of the heart of the candidate asking for membership.  

The Lords Supper

The Lord’s Supper is a memorial service to bring to remembrance the great payment Christ made on the Cross, to bring unity to the church body, and to reinforce the importance of the body of Christ.  Communion is a closed service to members in good standing only, the elements of which are symbols of the broken body and shed blood of Christ.  The only acceptable elements are unleavened bread and unfermented grape juice.  Proverbs 20:1; 23:29-35; II Corinthians 11:24-30; Matthew 26:26-29

Creation

We believe the Genesis account of creation describes a process of creation that took six literal 24 hour days, in which God created at least six independent yet interdependent ecosystems.  These systems are dependent on each other in their mature state, and thus had to be created in that state as described in Genesis.  All other theories on the origin of the universe fail on one or many counts.  The Genesis account of creation is not only God’s truth, but also the only scientifically viable way this world could have come into existence.  God is the surviving eyewitness to creation, and has perfectly preserved the record of what happened.  

Heaven

We believe in a literal eternal Heaven where God dwells in His glory, and where all the redeemed of God will dwell with Him for eternity.  A place where no sin can enter, where all fallen angels have been cast out, and where the New Jerusalem, the city of God is.  Mark 1:11, Matt 18:14, Rev 4:8, Rev 22:3, Rev 21.

Eternal Damnation

We believe in the literal and eternal damnation of all those who reject the Gospel of Christ.  The Eternal Holy Creator cannot ignore sin.  Hell is the current place where all those who have died without Christ are, and the Lake of Fire is their eternal destination.  It is described as an eternal place of agony and torment.  2 Thessalonians 1:8, Revelation 21:11-15, John 3:18.

The Second Coming

We believe in the pre-tribulation return of Jesus Christ.  When Christ returns, He will call out all the saints, which will usher in the Great Tribulation lasting seven years, divided into two 3 ½ year periods.  At the end of this period Christ will return with His saints to the battle of Armageddon where He will destroy the Lost and set up a thousand year reign on earth.  At the end of this reign Satan will gather an army which Christ will destroy and purge the earth once and for all.

Worship Style

I believe in a tradition worship “style”. I do not, nor will I, use mood lights, fog machines or any other devices designed to “enhance the experience”.  The Holy Spirit is God’s chosen method, combined with the preaching of His Word, to convict and move the heart. Man’s inventions are unnecessary distractions from the work that God desires to do, and elicit a response driven by feelings and emotion instead of conviction. We don’t need man’s inventions, we need God’s power. God called His people out of Egypt and separated them unto Himself. There should be a clear and unambiguous distinction between a church service and nightclub.

Music

We believe in and use music that is conservative and God honoring, done in a manner that glorifies the Lord and not the individual. Songs that raise the heart to a holy God.  The melody should stir soul and the words should move the heart. We use hymnals for most of our music, and while were not adamantly opposed to music tracks, we prefer not to use them. 

Preaching

We preach in a variety of formats: expository, textual, and topical. The objective in preaching is that God is glorified, not the preacher. Teaching is designed to impart knowledge, while preaching is designed to effect a change in the heart of hearer.  Teaching is passive, while preaching requires a response from the heart. The focus is always what the scripture says about a subject (Nehemiah 8:8).  We occasionally use technology such as PowerPoint while teaching, but find it distracting while preaching.