Beliefs

God - We believe there is one divine being who has existed eternally. While we cannot fully comprehend His divine nature, it is possible for people to know Him. At the beginning of time, God created the entire universe and all its creatures. We believe that God loves us and wants what is best for us.

Jesus - We believe that Jesus is the eternal divine Son of God. He chose voluntarily to be made in human likeness and was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. We believe he lived a sinless life, died on a cross for the sin of the world, and he rose again 3 days later. We believe he is the Mediator between God and man. We believe at the end of time Jesus will visibly come back to earth and complete his eternal plan.

Holy Spirit - We believe the Holy Spirit dwells in every Christ-follower from the moment of salvation. His indwelling presence gives spiritual life to believers and distinguishes them as children of God. The Holy Spirit guides Christ followers in understanding and applying God’s principles and values. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, Christ-followers are empowered to live Christ-like lives. The Holy Spirit also equips Christ-followers with talents and abilities for the purpose of building up God’s kingdom.

Trinity - God has existed in relationship with Himself for all eternity. He exists as one substance in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Although each member of the Trinity serves different functions, they each possess equal power and authority.

Bible - We believe the Bible is inspired by God, through men carried along through the Holy Spirit.  It communicates God's values, principles, and ideals in 66 books. We believe the Bible is entirely accurate, complete, and reliable. We look to the Bible for the revelation of the character of God and the final authority on all matters of faith and conduct.

Human Nature - God created mankind to live in relationship with Him. Man rebelled and chose to be wrongfully independent from God, therefore sin and brokenness entered the world. Their decision alienated them from God. Every human being since that time has suffered the consequences of that rebellion. We all fail to please God and are open to Satan’s deception. Our failure to please God, unless a relationship is re-established with Him, results in condemnation under God’s judgment and would cause us to spend eternity separated from His presence. There is nothing we can do on our own to re-establish our relationship with God.

Salvation - The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the only way of salvation through the forgiveness of sin. Salvation occurs when people place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin. Salvation is a gift from God, and it cannot be earned through our own efforts.

Baptism - If you trust that Jesus is the Son of God and that through his death and resurrection He provides the only way for you to have a relationship with God and you want Jesus to lead your life, then you believe. That means you have a next step, and that’s baptism. Baptism is not required for salvation. It’s the public way people in the New Testament expressed their belief in and commitment to Jesus Christ. The example we see in the Bible demonstrates that first a person is to believe in Christ and then he or she is baptized as an expression of that belief.

The Church - The Church is a local community of believers unified through faith in Christ. It is committed to the teachings of Christ and obeying all of His commands, and it seeks to bring the Gospel to the world. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.

Culture - Often referred to as “the world” in Christian circles, we believe culture is seeking answers to life’s biggest questions that can only be answered through God Himself. This pursuit of truth leads to a dichotomy of expressions and philosophies, which can intimidate Christians. We, however, do not fear these existential questions and choose to embrace the dialogue with culture regarding life, faith, God, and meaning. When it comes to interacting with culture, Christians are typically motivated by fear or love - we (always) choose love over fear.