Our Beliefs
1. God as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
a. We believe there is but one living and true God, everlasting and of infinite power, wisdom and goodness. And in the unity of the Godhead three in One, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
b. The Son, who is the Word of the Father, took man’s nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, the Godhead and Manhood joined together in one person never to be divided; who came to be the spotless Lamb, was crucified, died, buried, and was resurrected, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice for the sins of men. We believe he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he returns at a time known only by the Lord himself, to judge all men at the last days. We believe, therefore, that man must be saved through Jesus Christ, according to scripture.
c. The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is one of substance, majesty, and glory.
2. Holy Scriptures
a. We believe the Holy Scripture contains all things necessary to salvation. We acknowledge the Canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as being true, without any doubt in the Church.
b. We believe the Old Testament is not contrary to the New, for everlasting life is offered to mankind through Christ in both.
c. We believe original sin entered the world through Adam, and that man is naturally inclined to sin through free will. We have no power to overcome sin on our own, without God.
d. The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, depends not on the testimony of man or Church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself). It is also believed the Holy Scriptures communicates God’s truth without error. It is His will for all people, and completely authoritative in all manners of faith, doctrine, and practice.
e. The Nicene Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed, for they may be proved by Holy Scripture.
f. Salvation is a gift from God brought to man by grace alone and freely received through faith alone and no by our own works. God graciously justifies, regenerates all who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and seals them as His own with the Holy Spirit, as presented through the Holy Scripture.
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3. The Church
a. The visible church of God is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ’s ordinance.
b. The five commonly called Sacraments are Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, Marriage, Confirmation, and Penance. i. Baptism is a sign of profession and a mark of difference; whereby Christian men are discerned different from others that are not baptized. The baptism of young children is to be retained in the Church. ii. The Lord’s Supper is a sign of love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another, and a sacrament of our redemption by Christ’s death. The bread we break is partaking of the Body of Christ; likewise, the Cup of Blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ. Marriage of ministers is not commanded by God’s law, so ministers of Christ may either vow to the estate of single life or to marry at their own discretion. Marriage ceremonies are not required to be the same or alike and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and manner, so long as nothing be ordained against God’s word. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one legitimate meaning, and that marriage is sanctioned by God, which joins one man and one woman in a single, covenantal union as delineated by Scripture. Marriage ceremonies performed in any facility or space owned, leased, rented, or occupied by this church will be only those ceremonies sanctioned by God, joining one man with one woman, as their genders were determined by anatomy at birth (and not subject to change). Whenever there is a conflict between the church’s position and any new legal standard for marriage, the church’s statement of faith, doctrines, and biblical positions will govern. (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:22-23; Mark 10:6-9; I Cor. 7:1-9)
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4. Man
a. Growing Christians seek to evidence the Christian virtues and the fruit of the Holy Spirit in life and character. Man is called to live a life that is holy and acceptable to God through daily commitment and discipline. We should follow Wesleyan tradition through Works of Piety (including prayer, fasting, Bible study, meditation, social and private worship, the sacraments, and healthy living), and Works of Mercy (doing good, visiting the sick and imprisoned; feeding, clothing, and sheltering those in need; earning, saving, living a life of frugal simplicity, seeking justice, and opposing slavery in all its form).
b. Until the return of Christ, it is the Christian’s duty and privilege to seek the fulfillment of Christ’s Great Commission and to minister in His name to the needy, lost, and dying world. We are to be instruments of Jesus Christ, proclaiming the Good News of salvation in Christ alone, as the Holy Spirit ministering redemption and reconciliation in the world.
c. We believe that God creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, unchangeable genders together reflect the image and nature of God, and the rejection of one’s biological gender is a rejection of the image of God within that person. (Genesis 1:26-27).
d. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage, as defined herein.
e. We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being created in the image of God and must be valued and protected. We believe that an intentional act or omission that facilitates premature death is assuming a decision that is to be reserved for God. We do not believe that discontinuing medical procedures that are extraordinary or disproportionate to the expected outcome is euthanasia. (Ex. 20:13, 23:7; Matt. 5:21; Acts 17:28)
f. We believe children are a blessing from the Lord and must be absolutely protected within the church from any form of abuse or molestation. The church has zero tolerance for any person, whether paid staff, volunteer, member, or visitor, who abuses or molests a child.
g. We believe we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward those who are not believers, those who oppose us, and those who engage in sinful actions. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and deal graciously, humbly, gently, and patiently with those who engage in such actions.
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5. Resurrection
a. We believe that according to Scripture the bodies of the just and the unjust shall be raised to life and united with their spirits “they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, until the resurrection of damnation.”
b. God is the judge of all. All persons will meet before His throne of majesty and power, where everything will be revealed and examined. The final destiny of each person is determined by God’s grace and that person’s response, evidenced by moral character and personal choices. The new heaven and earth with it’s eternal glory and the blessedness of Christ’s presence is the final home of those who choose the salvation which God provides through Jesus Christ. For those who have neglected salvation, it is eternal torment and complete separation from God.