We believe in one God, and He is expressed as our Father. He is The Creator of Heaven and Earth, and all things where created by Him. The Bible describes Him as eternal, without beginning and no end. God, though divine in essence and power, is still loving and desires intimacy with His creation. God is love, and is merciful; He is a comforter to those in need, and compassionate towards His creation. He also rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked. In His great love, He gives instruction for the protection and maturity of His children, but also rebukes and chastises His sons and daughter out of love. In His great love He gave up His one and only Son, Christ Jesus, to be a ransom on behalf of our sins, providing a means of salvation for all. His desire and will is for us to spend eternity with Him in Glory. He is God, our Father.

The Son of God is expressed as the man Christ Jesus. Born of the virgin Mary, He is of divine decent and of the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches Jesus is the Word of God manifested in flesh. He is also one with the Father, and only through Him can we find salvation. He came to do the will of the Father and is the gracious gift to all who believe by faith. Salvation is found in no other, and is not achieved by self-effort and merit. As He died for us, He also was raised to life and now sits at the right hand of the Father. His resurrection gives power to believers to be raised to a new life and without condemnation. He is the bread of life, who was before Abraham was. He is the living water that quenches the thirsty and weary soul. He is the Resurrection of life. Jesus is the Christ, our Hope and Savior alone.

The Spirit of God is expressed as the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost). The Spirit of God and the Holy Spirit are one and the same. The Holy Spirit comes from the Father in the name of the Son. He is God’s gracious gift to every person that calls on the name of the Lord, and it is the Holy Spirit that makes us alive spiritually. Also, the Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, now lives within us. He is the Comforter, our helper and teacher; He is the one that leads us into all truth. It is the Holy Spirit that gives the believer power over sin, over the flesh and over the enemy and spiritual wickedness. All spiritual gifts and spiritual offices/callings are given to us by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of the church. The supernatural abilities we demonstrate come from the enabling of the Holy Spirit and not our own power. The Holy Spirit brings us into fellowship and communion as one body in Christ. To grieve The Holy Spirit is to sadden God. To lie to the Holy Spirit is to lie to God.

The Bible teaches us that all men and women are born in need of a savior: A savior from the bondage of sin, death and eternal condemnation. God created the first man Adam, and first woman Eve after His own likeness and image. He made them perfect, lacking nothing; however, due to their disobedience to God’s instruction, sin was born in their hearts, resulting in spiritual death and separation from God. This disobedience allowed sin to enter the world and for sin nature to be passed on to all that are born. All humanity is now born lost and separated from God. The only hope of redemption and salvation is by the acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is only by God and His extended love and mercy, and the gift of His Son that we are able to be saved and restored into a relationship with God our Father.

Hell is the final place of judgment for those who have rejected and denied Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The Bible describes Hell as a place of torment, fire and no escape. All of God’s creation will be judged according to their hearts and actions. Only those whose confess Jesus Christ as Lord will have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and be granted eternal life in the Presence of God. Hell is also the place of final judgment for Satan, all unrighteousness, and death itself. Hell is eternal condemnation and separation from God.

Eternal life is the great reward to everyone that has believed and received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Eternal life is to spend eternity with God. Both, Heaven and Earth will be made new. The Bible describes eternal life more glorious than the original creation. Our bodies are made new as we experience new Heaven and Earth. Pain, sickness, death and sin will be done away with, and we will spend eternity with God our Father, as His sons and daughters in Glory forever.

Salvation is a gift of grace from God to fallen and lost humanity. Salvation or “saved” is the term used for the deliverance of sin, death and condemnation. We experience salvation when we believe by faith and confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and repent of our sin. We cannot merit nor work to obtain salvation, because it is God’s gift to us. There is nothing within our power to save and redeem ourselves from unrighteousness. The gift of salvation can only be received by accepting Jesus, the Son of God, who was given as a sacrifice on behalf of our sin. The shedding of Jesus’ blood was the ultimate and sufficient sacrifice which pleased God the Father, because it cleansed us from our sin giving the opportunity for all to live a new life in Christ and have eternal life with God. When we experience salvation we are born again by the Spirit. Salvation reconciles us to our creator and gives us access to a personal relationship with God.

As we experience salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, we are called to experience water baptism. In the Bible, water baptism was part of the salvation experience. As salvation is not earned nor merited so is the same with water baptism. Water baptism is something we are called to obey, not earn. Through this obedient act, God our Father is pleased and His Spirit desires to fill us. When we repent of our sins by confession, the “old man” is gone and a new life has begun. Water baptism is both, the beautiful and powerful outer expression of all that has just taken place inwardly in our hearts. Symbolically, as we are fully submerged in water, this represents us dying to our sin nature as Christ died on the cross and was buried; and as we rise out of the water this signifies us being raised to a new life as Christ rose from the grave. As we cannot save ourselves, water baptism is the act that relates us to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We have a new covenant in Christ by His blood and the sign of this covenant is water baptism. This signifies the cutting off and dying of the flesh. Our command as the church of Christ is to make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. As we confess Christ Jesus by faith, The Holy Spirit is given to us and takes residence in us. The Holy Spirit in us makes us part of the body of Christ. God desires to pour His Spirit into our lives so we are fully immersed and walking in His Presence. The more we earnestly and sincerely desire God, the more we will be “filled” by the Holy Spirit. Once filled and baptized in the Holy Spirit, the more the Holy Spirit will flow from us as we live and walk in the Spirit. It is The Holy Spirit that purifies us and ultimately transforms us giving us power to conquer sin and live new lives. The Holy Spirit empowers us to carry out God’s will, endows us with spiritual gifting’s and callings to fulfill the mandate of the great commission, and equips us to mature and edify the church body. Without being baptized in the Holy Spirit, we will live ineffective and powerless lives as believers. Only by the Holy Spirit are we enabled to accomplish the purpose of God on Earth.

The Church As believers who have received the Holy Spirit we become part of the body and church of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Head of the Church and we have been graced to take part in it. We have been given great responsibility and instruction to come together in fellowship, for encouragement with love. God by the distribution of His gifts and callings, has given the church body spiritual authority, leadership and guidance so we all can grow in faith and be equipped to work in ministry. God has gifted us individually with spiritual gifts and callings which allows us to share in the responsibility of edifying and maturing the church body. The Church body becomes a place of community, spiritual support, fellowship, care and order. As we come together in unity, prayer and in pursuit of God’s presence, God is faithful to dwell among us, and nothing will be able to overcome us: His Church.

As believers and disciples of Jesus Christ, our lives must “bear fruit” of our relationship with God. As the gifts of the Holy Spirit are evidence that we are walking in the power of God’s Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit is the evidence that we are living with character of God’s Spirit. The Bible describes this fruit and character traits as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. As the Holy Spirit resides in us, and we remain in Him, our character and attitude will be transformed. As we live and sow into the Spirit, our sinful nature and the acts of sin should die and spiritual fruit should be born. The Fruit of the Spirit is the sign of a maturing and growing Christian. Salvation in Christ does not only save us from future eternal condemnation, but presently sets us free from the bondage of sin and the lust of our sinful nature. It is by the fruit of the Spirit that our identity with Christ is made known, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit is working in our lives.

How do we know the Holy Spirit is within us? How do we know when we are baptized and full of the Holy Spirit? The Bible teaches us that there is clear evidence indicating the Holy Spirit is present and overflowing in our lives. The Holy Spirit in us will manifest through us by His gifts. Scripture encourages us to desire spiritual gifts; however, we do not choose which gift(s) are given to us, but rather the Spirit Himself decides and distributes, blessing us with these gifts as He wills and desires. These gifts are described as wisdom, knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophesy, discernment, tongues (languages) and interpretation of tongues. The Bible also speaks there are gifts of helps and leadership (government & guidance), teaching, exhortation, giving and mercy. Despite the various gifts, all gifts are given by the same Holy Spirit and all for the purpose and edification of the body, for its growth and its maturity. When we come together, we complete and make up the Body of Christ. All gifts are intended to be administered with love and in order. Without sincere and Godly love, the gifts lose power in being beneficial, and without order they create confusion rather than understanding and edification. The diversity and distribution of the gifts makes each individual both, necessary and valuable to the entire body of Christ.

Upon celebrating the Passover meal with His disciples, Jesus established a new covenant using bread and wine. During the “Lord’s Supper” as it is later described, Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it, asked them to eat it, stating it was His body given for them (His disciples); afterward He took his cup, blessed it and gave it to His disciples to drink, stating it was His blood of the new covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. As they participated in this sacred ceremonial meal, it foreshadowed the sacrifice and death of Jesus for everyone, which allows for us to enter into relationship and communion with God. Jesus Himself taught, when we come together to eat and drink participating in the Lord’s Supper, to do so in remembrance of Him. When we participate in the Lord’s Supper, its purpose is not to satisfy our hunger and thirst; rather, it is to acknowledge the sufferings of our Savior, while entering into communion with both, God and fellow believers who are also partakers of Christ’s sacrifice.

As followers and disciples of Jesus it is our privilege and duty to share the remarkable saving Gospel message of Jesus Christ. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples instructing them to also make disciples of the nations, telling them to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and to instill His teachings. This mandate is known as the “Great Commission”. As a follower of Christ, this becomes our personal assignment in fulfilling God’s will. As we have received the Gospel message, it is now our responsibility to obey Jesus’ instruction and become a light to those that are lost. Preaching the Gospel message is how the body of Christ grows, and the church becomes a community of growing and maturing believers.

Marriage is God’s beautiful gift designed for His creation. After God created the first man –Adam, He knew the great responsibility of life would require help, assistance, balance and companionship. God creates the first woman Eve with great significance and purpose. As a helper, supporter and friend, Eve is created to be his wife. Together as husband and wife, they are blessed and given the responsibility to govern and fill the earth. Eve becomes the mother of all living and it is through God’s perfect design that their union is able to reproduce life. God’s design in creation, reveals His plan and will in marriage. Marriage then, is intended for the naturally born male and female relationship. God is the giver of life and creator of male and female. Same sex relationships and marriages alter and misappropriate God’s gift in creation, and distort His plan with humanity. The Bible teaches all same sex relationships, and all relationships outside of human male and female unions are prohibited and such acts are forbidden. They are defined as sexually immorality; therefore, is sin. God has only blessed the union of marriage and procreation to His creation of man and woman; male and female. As a Church representing the Christian faith, and as an organization standing with these biblical principles, we will only condone, support and officiate the marriage between naturally born men and women.

As the gift of marriage reveals God’s divine plan for created man and woman, it also reveals what is not acceptable and permissible to God. Sexual immorality is defined as evil acts and lustful desires that violate God’s purpose for human sexuality. Sexual immorality includes the practices of homosexuality, lesbianism, fornication (all sexual acts of any kind prior to marriage), adultery, polygamy, sexual abuse, child molestation, bestiality, pornography, masturbation, transgender and all lustful thoughts of this nature. In the Old Testament many of these forbidden practices resulted in the punishment of death. The New Testament teaches that the sexually immoral will not inherit eternal life with God. In modern society, more and more of these practices are becoming “morally acceptable”, and are embraced globally. As followers of Christ, the Scriptures are our standard for living, and we embrace and practice only that which is permissible in instruction. We believe God has foreplaned us before conception and has revealed our identity in birth. As born again believers we will live as heterosexuals, sexually pure, practicing only that which is permissible by God within the gift of marriage.