What We Believe

We are in the center of a mission field charged with building bridges to the lost and broken and with transforming lives by growing disciples who reach out and connect people to the love and life of Jesus.

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three are coequal and are one God.

Jesus is the Son of God. He is coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven and will return again someday to earth to reign as King.

Salvation is God's free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

People will exist eternally with or without God. People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life in Heaven. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.

Baptism is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Once we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, baptism is a way for us to publicly declare our new life in Christ. It is also a step of obedience based on God’s commands and allows us to follow the example of Jesus, who submitted himself to baptism to "fulfill all righteousness."

A disciple is a believer and follower of Christ, a listener of His word, and a learner of Biblical truth and obedience. A disciple is also a spiritual reproducer who then teaches what he learns under the Lord and His word. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Matthew 28:18-20)

In addition to Essential Beliefs, we have liberty in Non-Essential Beliefs.

“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters… Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls… So then each of us will give an account of himself to God… So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.” —Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22

“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” —1 Corinthians 13:2