A.  THE SCRIPTURES.  The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, is accepted as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).

  

B.  THE GODHEAD.  Our God in one, but manifested in three persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:6; Matthew 3:16,17). God the Father is greater than all, the source of the Word (logos) and the begetter (John 14:28; 16:28; 1:14). Jesus is the Son of God, One with the Father, the Word flesh covered, the Begotten One, and has existed with the Father from the beginning (John 1:1, 14; 10:30). The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and Son and is eternal (John 15:26).

  

C.  MAN, HIS FALL AND REDEMPTION.  Man is a created being made in the likeness and image of God. Through Adam’s fall and transgression sin came into the world. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” “As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one.” Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the works of the devil and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God (Romans 5:12; 3:23; 1 John 3:8; Gal. 3:13,14). Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the law, and is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Man is saved unto, and not by, good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).

 

D.  ETERNAL LIFE AND NEW BIRTH.  Man must step toward salvation with Godly sorrow that worketh repentance. His confession must be that Jesus Christ is the Lord and that God His Father has raised Him from the dead. The new birth or being “born again” is necessary to all men and, when fulfilled, produces eternal life (2 Cor. 7:10; 1 John 5:12; John 3:3-5; Romans 10:9,10). The new believer will not be ashamed to confess Christ to all (Romans 10:11).

 

E.  WATER BAPTISM.  Baptism in water is by immersion and is a direct commandment of our Lord and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-39).  Water baptism does not wash away sins, only the blood of Jesus does (1 Peter 3:2 1; Rev. 1:5).

 

F.  BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST. The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to those who believe in this dispensation and is received subsequent to the new birth. This experience is accompanied by the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit Himself gives utterance (Matt. 3:11; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38,39; Acts 19:1-7; Acts 2:4).

 

G.  SANCTIFICATION. The Bible teaches that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. We believe in the doctrine of sanctification as a definite, yet progressive, work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation (Heb. 12:14; 1 Thes. 5:23; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil 3:12-14; 1 Cor. 1:30).

 

H.  DIVINE HEALING.  Healing is for the physical, mental, and emotional ills of mankind and is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of faith and by laying on of hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ, and it is the privilege of every member of the Church today (Mark 16:18; James 5:14-20; 1 Peter 2:24; Malt. 8:17; Isaiah 53:5).

 

I.  RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND THE RETURN OF CHRIST.  The angels said, “This same Jesus shall so come in like manner.” His coming is imminent. When He comes, “The dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (Acts 1:11; 1 Thes. 4:16,17). Following the tribulation, He shall return to the earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests, He shall reign a thousand years (Rev. 20:6).

 

J.  HELL AND ETERNAL RETRIBUTION.  The one who physically dies in his sins without Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the lake of fire and therefore has no further opportunity to hear the gospel or to repent. The lake of fire is literal. The terms “eternal” and “everlasting” used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the lake of fire carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in noting the duration of joy and ecstasy of the saints in the presence of God (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 19:20; Heb. 6:1,2).

 

K.  COMMUNION, THE LORD’S SUPPER.  We partake of the Lord’s Supper to show the Lord’s death till He comes (1 Cor. 11:23-31). The bread symbolizes the Lord’s broken body, and the church (1 Cor. 10:16,17; 11:24; Isa. 53:5). The cup represents the New Covenant in His blood which provides us forgiveness and relationship with God (Heb. 9; 1 Cor. 11:25).

 

L.  LAYING ON OF HANDS.  A simple belief that power, anointing, or any other necessary quality can be transmitted from one person touching another. Laying on of hands was practiced by the Levitical priesthood. Jesus practiced it in Mark 10:13-16 as a blessing, and is our grounds for baby dedication instead of baptism. Laying on of hands for healing (Mark 5:22,23,41; 5:28-3 1; Acts 28:8; 19:11,12); to confer office (Acts 6:2-6); laying on hands to receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:16-18); laying on of hands to believe words spoken to receive anointing, and to cultivate the anointing (1 Tim. 4:14); laying on of hands for ordination to consecrate and receive the necessary ministry tools.

 

M.  THE FAMILY.  After God created man He saw that it was not good for man to be alone, so God created woman from the side of Adam. He formed the first family by creating this woman for the companionship of man and for the procreation of the race. It is further declared in the Word of God that it is an abomination for man to have sexual activity with man, “leaving the natural use of the woman”. It is also considered abomination for a woman to “lie” with another woman. We therefore recognize a man and his wife as God’s plan for the family, and any children they may have. Since the Bible also places judgment on those who allow or condone the practice of homosexuality, not only those who participate in the lifestyle, we do not condone homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle nor do we believe that God has created anyone to live this way. Homosexual lifestyles are the opposite of what God created and are the work of the devil. There is forgiveness for those who once participated in this lifestyle but have repented and turned away from it. Further condemned practices in the Bible are incest, fornication, beastiality, adultery, lasciviousness, uncleanness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, murderers, drunkenness, envying, reviling, and such like, “that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God”. Disobedience to parents is not acceptable behavior for children in a Christian family (Gal. 5:19-21; Lev. 18; Romans 1:24-32; Gen. 2:18-24). Divorce is allowed by Christ for the cause of fornication (Matt. 5:31,32) and by Paul if you are married to an unbeliever and they wish to depart, “if the unbelieving depart, let him depart, a brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases” (1 Cor. 7:10-17). Loving discipline of children is a right and responsibility of the Christian parent, “he that spareth the rod, hateth his son: but he that loveth chastiseth him betimes”. “Chastise thy son while there is hope and let not thy soul spare for his crying”. “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” “The rod and reproof give wisdom; but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” (Prov. 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 29:15). Children are to honor their parents (Ex. 20:12; Matt. 15:4; 19:19; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20; Eph. 6:2,3). Fathers are not to provoke their children (Eph. 6:4).