The Word of God
The Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, alone is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and having supreme authority in all matters of faith and life. (2 Timothy 3:16)
The Trinity
There is one living and true God, eternally existing in three Persons. They are equal in every divine perfection and They execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption. (Matthew 28:19)
God the Father
God the Father is the infinite, eternal and almighty personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love, and is the first Person of the Trinity. He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of people, He hears and answers prayers, and He saves from sin and death all who come to Him in repentance and faith through Jesus Christ. (Psalm 89:26; Isaiah 9:6)
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son and is the second Person of the Trinity. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, was miraculously born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and performed miracles. We affirm His incarnation, teachings, substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and His personal, visible return to earth. Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God the Father and humanity. (1 John 5)
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity and is sent from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. At the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit, as the abiding Helper, Teacher and Guide, indwells every believer in Christ and endows each believer with spiritual gifts for ministry to the Family of God and the world. (John 14:26; Acts 1:8)
Salvation
The central purpose of God's revelation in the Bible is to call all people into awareness of their sin, the availability of God's marvelous grace, and the need for repentance and faith that results in complete forgiveness and fellowship with God. All people are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under the judgment of God. Those who call on the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness, believe in His resurrection and receive Him as their Savior are granted salvation, forgiveness of their sin, and are regenerated by the Holy Spirit into a new life in Christ. This act of salvation is based solely on the grace and mercy of God, and is not the result of human deeds or goodness. (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23)
Future Destiny
The Lord Jesus Christ will come again to earth, personally and visibly, to establish His Kingdom and fulfill God's eternal plan for creation. Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. For each person, there will be a resurrection of the body, the final judgment before God, the eternal bliss in heaven for those who are in Christ Jesus, and the endless suffering in hell for those who have not received salvation. (John 14; Philippians 3:7-14)
The Church
The Church consists of a living spiritual Body of which Christ is the Head and all regenerated persons are members, and exists as both a world-wide fellowship of the Family of God as well as in specific local congregations consisting of a community of believers in Jesus Christ who are committed to obedience to Him. Believers in a local church are called by God to gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer, the teaching of the Word of God, observance of Baptism and Communion as ordinances established by Jesus Christ, and to fellowship and to minister to one another through the development and use of talents and spiritual gifts. God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, beginning in their own communities and reaching cross-culturally to the ends of the earth. (Colossians 1:15-23; Hebrews 10:19-25)
Sanctity of Life
We believe in the Sanctity of Life. Humans are created in God’s image and, because of that, human life is precious (Genesis 1:26-31). Humans are a part of God’s creation and, also, set apart from creation with only humans having the Spirit of God breathed into them; only humans have spirits (Genesis 2:7-8).
Biblical Marriage
The Bible clearly teaches the enduring truth that marriage consists of one man and one woman. We believe God is unchanging (Hebrews 13:8; Revelation 22:13; Malachi 3:6). We believe the Bible to be the only infallible, inspired, and authoritative Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God defined marriage as a covenant union between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:18-25; Genesis 2:7-8; Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5), which reflects the beauty of Christ’s union with the Church.
The Gospel must inform our approach to public witness. As evangelicals animated by the Good News that God offers reconciliation through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus, we commit to:
· Respect and pray for our governing authorities (Romans 13:1-7).
· Affirm the truth about biblical marriage in a way that brings healing to a sexually broken culture.
· Love our neighbors regardless of disagreements that may arise as a result of conflicting beliefs about marriage.
· Live respectfully and civilly alongside those who may disagree with us for the sake of the common good.
· Cultivate a common culture of religious liberty that allows all people the freedom to hold different beliefs and still prosper.