Mission
Statement

We believe in one God who exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is infinite, which does not always make sense to our finite understanding. He is not limited by time or space. He is creator, eternal, all-knowing, ever-present, and all-powerful. His character is multi-dimensional, but no facet of His character diminishes another. In other words, His grace and wrath, mercy and justice, love and jealousy all work together for good. (Exodus 3:14; Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; Psalm 11:4-6; Malachi 3:6; John 3:16; 4:24; 5:26; 14:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4; 1 John 5:7; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:19, 3:16-17; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 3:7-11)

Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, worked miracles and gave us an example to follow. Fully God and fully man, He died on a cross to pay the penalty for sin that separated us from God and rose from the dead to reconcile us to our Creator and to free us to have a new life in Him. Now, He sits at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us. (Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 14:33; 16:16; 28:5-6; Luke 1:27-35; 22:70; 24:46-47; John 1:1, 14; 10:30; 11:25-27; 17:1-5; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 8:1-3; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Gal 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15, 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6, 3:16; Matthew 1:18, 25; Luke 1:35)

The Holy Spirit is given to every follower of Christ to guide, comfort, convict, and adopt us into the family of God. He helps us grow into Christ-likeness by producing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, and He gives us spiritual gifts to empower us to meet the needs of God’s people and a hurting world. (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 51:11; 139:7.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Mark 1:10; Luke 1:35; 4:1; 11:13; 12:12; John 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:1-4; 13:2; Romans 8:9-11, 14-16, 26-27; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 12:1-11; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:17)

Comprised of 66 books authored over thousands of years by dozens of authors, the Bible tells one seamless story: a passionate God on a relentless pursuit to redeem His creation. The Bible is the authoritative and inspired Word of God and is trustworthy and reliable for telling us what to believe and how to live. (Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalms 119:11, 89, 105; Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Romans 15:4, 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 3:16)

We were created in the image of God to have community with Him and represent Him on earth. However, through a willful act of disobedience, we were separated from Him. The Father sent Jesus to redeem us through an act of atonement which culminated with Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. This gave us the opportunity to trade our sin for His righteousness through faith. Jesus’ sacrifice is the only means for our salvation and reconciliation with the Father. (Isaiah 1:18; 53:5-6; 55:7; Matthew 1:21; 27:22-66, 28:1-6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:12; 3:16, 36; 5:24; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 16:30-31; Romans 1:16-18; 3:23-25; 5:8-10; 6; 1, 10:9-10; Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:16, 20; 3:8, 13; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 9:22-28; Revelation 3:20)

Conversion marks a line in the sand in the life of the believer. Individuals may attend church for years and do great deeds but conversion is the Christian starting block. It is comprised of two aspects: faith and repentance. Faith is expressed trust in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Repentance is the turning away from one’s former life of sin. Not only did the Old Testament prophets plead with the nation of Israel to repent from their sins but John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles urged repentance as well. The connection of faith and repentance is indispensable. They cannot be divorced for as an individual turns towards God through faith, they must turn away from sin. In scripture we see Jesus himself asking hearers to both repent and believe in the gospel. (Genesis 1:26-31, 3:17; Acts 2:38, 3:19; Romans 5:12-21)

Since the fall of mankind, each and every human being has received a fallen, corrupt nature with an unyielding readiness to sin. Regeneration is God’s work within the individual to give them a renewed heart. He breaks the chains of sin that bind our depraved hearts so we no longer have to act as slaves to our sinful nature. Individuals who were spiritually dead in their sin are made alive through this new spiritual birth accomplished by God. (John 6:44, 65; Ephesians 1:3, 2:10)

Every human being is born separated from God because of sin. Because of our fallen nature we cannot achieve the moral perfection necessary to establish, maintain, or amend our relationship to God. When an individual expresses faith in Jesus, he or she is united with Christ in a spiritual union. The life of the Christian, as they grow in obedience and hope of eternal life, is rooted in this union. (Ephesians 1:4, 2:6; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Philippians 3:9; Galatians 2:20)

Because God is perfectly just; He cannot simply disregard our sin. Sin incurs the wrath of God and its penalty must be paid. Through his death on the cross, Christ bore God’s wrath and our punishment for sin. Our guilt is taken care of and we are justified before God. It is only by faith in Christ’s completed work on the cross that one’s sin is atoned for and the requirements of God’s law are fulfilled. It is through faith in Jesus alone that we are declared righteous, justified, and we receive the gracious gift of eternal life. (Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21;  Galatians 2:17; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:9; Colossians 1:14)

Through faith in Christ, an individual becomes a child of God. Formerly, they are in rebellion to God, a slave of sin, and a child of wrath. But, through Christ, God becomes Father, as Jesus intimately knew Him. We are restored to the original intimate fellowship God intended to have with us from the beginning. Not only does one’s relational status change but so does one’s condition. Children of God receive his care and discipline because He loves them. (John 1:12; Ephesians 2:2-3; Ephesians 5:6; Romans 8:14-17, 9:7-8; Galatians 3:23-26, 4:4-7, 28; 1 John 3:1-2)

Through the indwelling Holy Spirit and the renewal of our hearts, individuals freed from the bondage of sin begin to experience sanctification. Sanctification is the process of growing in godliness. To sanctify means to make holy. While justification removes the guilt of judgment and declares the individual righteous and adoption changes one’s relational status to God, sanctification is the transformation of one’s moral character in accord with Christ’s commands. A Christian is declared righteous apart from their works but the fruit of a changed heart will inevitably be good works. We do not obey under fear of condemnation for we are freed from sin and judgment. But, we seek to obey God from love that arises from our gratitude for the abundant grace we’ve received through Jesus Christ. The moment of salvation begins this lifelong process of being conformed more and more to the image of Christ. (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 6:14-18, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, Romans 8:29, 12:1-2, Hebrews 2:11).

The Church is the Body of Christ and Jesus is the head of the Body. The Church is not a building or an event but the community of individuals who have put their trust in Jesus Christ. The purpose of the Church is to glorify God, make disciples, make Jesus known to a lost world, and meet the needs of those in our communities and around the world. We celebrate baptism as a first step of obedience for new followers of Christ, in which they identify with Christ’s death and resurrection and make a public declaration of their faith. We celebrate communion as an ongoing remembrance of the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. We celebrate marriage as a sacred bond between one man and one woman, instituted by and publicly entered into before God. (Matthew 16:18-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47; 5:11-14; 13:1-3; 14:23; 16:5; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:10-12; 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18; 3:15; 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 21:2-3)

Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change. It’s a public declaration of how Jesus changed your life. Being baptized shows others that you’ve decided to follow Jesus, and allows them to celebrate this decision with you. Baptism doesn’t save a person; it’s a symbol and celebration of salvation. The power that brought Jesus back to life is the same power Jesus uses to change our lives – and that’s worth getting excited about! Jesus instructs us to be baptized and set the example by being baptized. Obedience to Jesus shows we believe and follow Him. Because Jesus went public about His love for us, we can go public about our love for Him. Being baptized shows that we turn away from a life of sin toward Jesus, the only one who can change us. Anyone who commits his or her life to following Jesus is ready to be baptized. Baptisms in the Bible were by immersion. The original word for baptism most often referred to being immersed or submerged in water. Jesus was baptized by being immersed in the water and rising out of it. Submersion in the water symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Being submersed underwater represents our death to sin and the old way of life, and being raised out of the water is a picture of how Jesus raised us and gave us a fresh start in life. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48)

Communion is a sacrament observed repeatedly throughout our Christian lives, as a sign of our continuing fellowship with Christ. The elements of bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. Communion proclaims again and again that our sins were part of the cause of Jesus’ suffering and death. As we reach out to take the cup for ourselves, we participate and share in the benefits earned for us by the death of Jesus.  Communion is a vivid reminder that Jesus loves us and invites us to come to His table. The fact that Jesus invites us into His presence assures us that He has abundant blessings for us and that we are members of His eternal family. (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12, 8:36-38, 10:47-48; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:23-25)

God did not create us to be isolated persons. At birth, we were given the capacity to form meaningful relationships within human society. Interpersonal relationship comes to its fullest expression in marriage. Marriage unites two distinct persons as male and female and is part of our being in the image of God as it reflects the plurality of persons within the Trinity. Just as the members of the Trinity are equal in their importance and personhood, men and women have equal worth before God for all eternity. The union between husband and wife is created by God and mirrors the relationship between Christ and His church. (Genesis 1:27, 2:24, 5:1-2; Matthew 19:6; Malachi 2:14-16; Romans 7:2; Ephesians 5:23-32)

When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, it ignites a spiritual chain reaction and produces evidence of our salvation. We are forgiven of sin, declared right before God, and given eternal life with Him. The Holy Spirit lives in us is to assure us of our salvation, adopt us into God’s family, and empower us for a life of following Jesus. This results in the fruits of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Romans 8:26; Matthew 12:28; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Titus 3:5; Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2; Romans 8:13; Philippians 1:19)

At the end of all things, Jesus will reign eternally. He will judge His creation according to the character that has been revealed to us through His word with justice and mercy. Those who have found salvation through Jesus Christ will enjoy His presence forever; those who have not will be separated from God for eternity. (Matthew 24:30, 26:63-64; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Revelation 1:7; Matthew 5:3, 12, 20, 6:20, 19:21, 25:34, 41; Mark 9:43-48; John 3:16, 36; Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:27, 11:16; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13; Revelation 14:9-11, 20:12-15, 21:8)