Beliefs

We hold to the Word of God as our authority, remaining faithful to the Christian faith that has been believed from the beginning. Below is a simple statement of faith in laymen’s terms as well as a link to a more detailed statement of faith. Our beliefs can be simplified in the five simple statements clarified in the reformation (“the five solas”): Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone according to Scripture alone.

If you are a scholar, knowing historical confessions of the faith, we are best described as “Reformed Baptist” and would best align with the London Baptist Confession of 1689. We affirm the historic creeds of the faith: the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Creed of Constantinople. We use the New City Catechism to teach the essentials of the faith to children due to its ease of use. We also highly value Keach’s Catechism for doctrinal instruction.

We believe in he verbal, plenary inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, aligning with The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. Additionally, we hold to the biblical, historic, orthodox view of the roles of men and women as described in the Danvers Statement and the Nashville Statement. We hold to biblical concepts of law and justice and deny what is commonly referred to as “social justice.” We stand in agreement with the Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel.

Why do we use Creeds and Confessions?

Most importantly, false teachers go to great lengths to twist Scripture. Creeds and Confessions are the work of faithful believers who have taught truth and rightly answered error, having developed clear, biblical responses in the process. It is helpful to “stand on their shoulders” so to speak as we counter false teachers and teach biblical truth. With that in mind, there is nothing wrong with a church developing it’s own statement of faith. In fact, we have provided such a statement of faith below. However, it is helpful to point to both ancient and recent confessions as confessing Christians can easily find agreement when creeds and confessions are cited. Further, using the same confessions that faithful saints have used across the centuries and creeds which saints have used across the millennia remind us that the truth of Scripture and subsequent orthodox belief is timeless and unchanging. For more on the value of creeds and confessions, we recommend this article from Founders Ministries.

The Gospel

Our focus is on the Gospel, the saving work of Christ. That we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) that we have sinned and separated ourselves from God (Romans 3:23), that the payment for sin is death (Romans 6:23a), but that the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23b). Jesus died to pay our sin debt (1 Peter 2:245, Romans 3:21-31) and rose from the dead, conquering death (1 Corinthians 15). We are to repent of our sin, declare Jesus Lord of our life and believe in His saving work (Romans 10:9-10). God saves us and makes us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). We follow Jesus, growing in spiritual fruit (Galatians 5), putting off the old life of sin and fulfilling the commandments of God to delight in Him and love others.

Simplified Statement of Faith

God is.  He created everything for His glory and our good, and your eternal purpose is to glorify God by enjoying relationship with HIm.  It is how you are most fulfilled and how God is most glorified (Genesis 1:27-31).

Every human has separated themselves from God as a result of sin (wrongdoing).  That separation has led to every death, evil, and pain that is in the world. The world is broken, because humanity has separated itself from God. (Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 3:23; 5:12-21, 6:23)

There is nothing you can do to save yourself.  There is nothing we can do to earn back our relationship with God.  We owe a debt that we could never pay back, because we have wronged an infinite God.  (Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 10:9-10).

God made a way.  God loved you so much that He came to get you back (John 3:16).

Jesus is fully God and fully man.  He became one of us by being born of a virgin in order to reveal God to us, die in our place, and raise from the dead to make all things new.  (John 1:1-3, 14; Matthew 1:18; 2 Peter 3:18; Colossians 1:15-19; 2:9).

Jesus died in your place.  He served as your substitute, paying the debt you could never pay.  His death makes it possible for you to be in relationship with God again.  (Romans 3:21ff; 5:6-9; 8:1-2; 1 Peter 1:18-20).

Jesus rose from the dead. He rose from the dead to make your whole life and everything else in this world whole again.  His body actually physically rose from the dead.  Just as sin brought death into the world, so Jesus death and resurrection brings life that makes all things new.  He is in a process of putting right everything that is wrong in this world.  (Matthew 28:1-10; 1 Corinthians 15; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20; Acts 1:6-11; 1 John 2:1, Revelation 21:3-5).

You just need to repent and believe the Gospel. Salvation is not a result of your works.  All you have to do is repent of your sin, believe that Jesus died for your sin and rose from the dead to give you new life and declare Him as Lord of your life.  While it requires no work on your part, this is no small commitment.  Making Jesus Lord of your life is more than just believing He is God.  It means putting him in charge of your life.  It is an act of repentance and surrender that changes everything...for the good.  (Romans 6:1-14; 8:28-30; John 3:1-8; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Peter 1:3-5).

Believers have been made alive.  When you surrender your life to Christ (believe and declare, "get saved," "born again," justified, etc.), you are spiritually made alive (regeneration).  At that moment and from then on, God (Holy Spirit) dwells in you, causing you to become more like Christ as you bear spiritual fruit (Galatians 5). You are God's child (Ephesians 1).  You've been adopted, and nothing can take that away. While you are not immediately perfect, you are going to become like Christ as God sanctifies you. (Romans 6, Romans 8:28-30)

The Bible is trustworthy.  God gave you the Bible (Scripture, God's Word), so that you could know Him.  It is His perfect, "God-breathed" Word.  It is absent of error (inerrant) and is the ultimate authority for the Christian.  (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:20,21).

There is only one God.  He exists eternally as three persons: Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit.  This means that God has been in perfect relationship with Himself for all eternity.  This is one of the most complex beliefs related to following Jesus, so feel free to ask for a deeper explanation.  (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:8; Acts 5:3-4).

The Church exists to lead people to follow Jesus.  The Church is everyone who has put their trust in Jesus.  We are a body of faith that exists to lead people to follow Jesus, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are to love God and love people in all that we do, and we celebrate Jesus saving work and the unity we have by taking communion (The Lord’s Supper).  Effectively, the Church's job is to see God make all things new as we obey his command to make disciples of Jesus.  (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 22:17-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Jesus is coming back.  Jesus is currently interceding for us in heaven.  He will return to consummate history and set up His earthly kingdom.  Ultimately, there will be an eternal judgement for every human being.  Those who put their trust in Jesus will enjoy eternity in Heaven with God.  Those who reject Jesus will spend eternity in a literal hell.  (Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).