Values

You might have seen our mission on the homepage:

People accepted, lives changed. Changed lives engage to impact their community.

We just want to help each other know God better, and because of that, to become people who serve each other and our community in all kinds of ways that make a difference. These values all stem from a belief that God is the creator and sustainer of everything that’s good and worth pursuing in life. We don’t have a lot of rules and regulations around here, but if you’re interested, you can find out more about our core beliefs here:

STATEMENT OF FAITH

The Bible
The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the 66 books of the Old and New Testament. We believe that Scripture in its entirety originated with God, and that it was given through the instrumentality of chosen individuals. So, Scripture speaks with the authority of God and reflects the backgrounds, styles and vocabularies of the human authors. We hold that the Scriptures are infallible and inerrant in the original manuscripts. They are the unique, full and final authority on all matters of faith and practice and there are not other writings similarly inspired by God.
(II Tim 3:16; II Pet. 1:20, 21; II Tim 1:13; Ps 119, 105, 160, 12:6; Prov. 30:5)

God
We believe that there is one true, holy God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person of the God head equally possesses all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality. They execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption. We believe in god, the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, who is perfect in holiness, wisdom and power. We believe that He is mercifully concerned in the affairs of humans, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
(Gen 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22; Ps. 90:2; Matt. 28:19; I Pet 1:2; II Cor. 13:14)

Salvation
The central purpose of God’s revelation in Scripture is to call all people into fellowship with Himself. We believe that every person is created in the image of God and originally was created to have fellowship with God. But humanity instead defied God and chose an independent path. Thus man and woman alienated themselves from God and suffered the corruption of their nature, rendering them unable to please God. The Fall took place at the beginning of human history, and all individuals since have suffered these consequences and are in need of the saving grace of God.

The salvation of humankind is based solely upon the sovereign grace of God, accomplished through the work of Christ on the cross. It is not the result, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness. Salvation must be personally appropriated by repentance and faith. When God has begun a saving work in the heart of any person, He gives assurance in His Word that He will continue performing it until the day of its full consummation.
(Rom. 3:23, 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Gal. 3:26; Rom. 5:1)

Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s eternal Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, being true God and true man. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily atoned for the sins of all by dying on the cross as their substitute. This sacrifice satisfied divine justice and accomplished salvation for all who trust in Him alone He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. He ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father, where He, the only Mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His own. He shall come again to earth, personally and visibly, to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.
(Matt. 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; I Cor. 15:3-4; Rom. 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; I Tim. 6:14-15; Titus 2:13)

Holy Spirit
We believe the essential accompaniment of a genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ is the life of holiness and obedience, attained by believers as they submit to the Holy spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. He was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to humankind the saving work of Christ. He enlightens the minds of sinners, awakens in them a recognition of their need of a Savior and regenerates them. At the point of salvation He permanently indwells every believer to become the source of assurance, strength and wisdom, and uniquely endows each believer with gifts for the building up of the body.

The Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Scripture. His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christ like character and to bear fruit to the glory of the Father.
(II Cor. 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; I Cor. 2:12, 3:16; Eph. 1:13; Gal. 5:25; Eph. 5:18)

Human Destiny
We believe death seals the eternal destiny of each person. For all humankind, there will be a resurrection of the body into the spiritual world, and a judgment that will determine the fate of each individual. Unbelievers will be separated from God into condemnation. God’s judgment will reveal His justice in consigning them to perpetuate in eternal separation, as a result of their own rejection of God. Believers will be received into eternal communion with God and will be rewarded for the works done in this life.
(Matt. 24:1-44; john 14:1-3; Acts 1:10-11; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; II Peter 3:10-14; Rev. 19-22)

The Church
We believe that as a result of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ a believer becomes a member of His body, the Church. There is one true Church universal, comprised of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Bible commands believers to regularly gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer and the teaching of The Word.

According to Scripture, believers must:

• Observe the sacred ordinances of the Church established by Jesus Christ; believers baptism by immersion and communion.
• Develop and use their talents and gifts to serve the body (the Church).
• Share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the world.
• Fellowship with and support their fellow believers within their local church.

Wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to His command, there is the local expression of the Church, with its members working together in love and unity, intent on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying God. We also affirm that the local church is autonomous and must be free from all political or ecclesiastical interference.
(Matt. 28:16-20; I Cor. 12:27; Col. 1:18; Heb. 10:24-25)

Faith and Practice
Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. We believe this church is independent and autonomous and will be subject to no other authority than God in its beliefs and practices of faith. This church recognizes that it cannot bind the conscience of individual partners in areas where the Scripture is silent. Rather, each believer is to be led in those areas by the Lord, to whom he or she is ultimately responsible, with an attitude of unity within the body. We believe this Statement of Faith to be an accurate summary of what Scripture teaches. All adherents shall refrain from advocating doctrines that are not included in the Statement of Faith in such a way as to cause distention.
(Prov. 14:34; Mark 12:17; Acts 4:19-20; Rom. 13:1-2)