THE ESSENTIALS:

THE BIBLE is the inspired Word of God and is therefore the final authority in judging spiritual matters. (Jn.5:39; 2 Ti.3:16 – 17; He.4:12; 1Pe.1:23-25)

GOD is the creator of the universe and is eternally existent in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God. (Gen.1:1; Mt.28:18-19; Mk. 12:29; Jn. 1:1-2, 14; Ac. 5:3-4; 2Co. 13:14; Col. 2:9; He. 1:1-3, 6-9; Rev. 1:4-6, 8, 17-18; 2:8; 21:6-7; 22:12-16)

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST is the eternal Son of God. He was born of a virgin and lived a sinless human life to be sacrificed for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. We believe in His death, burial, resurrection, ascension to heaven and that He will return to earth someday to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Mt. 16:27; Jn. 1:1-2, 14; 1Ti. 3:16; Ac. 1:9-10, 7:37-38; 1Co. 15:2-8, 15; Phi. 2:9-10, 1The. 4:13-18; Heb. 7:25; Rev. 22:12-17)

THE HOLY SPIRIT is present in every believer, unites all to Christ in one body, and provides the believer with the power for living, understanding for spiritual truth and guidance for doing what is right. As Christians, we seek to live under His control. (John 3:6; 16:7-15; Romans 8:9; 15-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 12:7-11; Gal.5:22-23)

PEOPLE are made in the image of God and to worship God forever. However, man by willingly transgressing fell from a state of righteousness and holiness in which he was first created into total spiritual depravity. This state separated all people from God. (Gen.1:27; Ps. 8:3-6; Is. 53:6; Rom. 3:23-25; 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:21-22)

ETERNAL LIFE is a free gift to us from God and that we receive by repentance and by placing our faith solely in the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. (Rom. 5:1, 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; Jn.14:6; 1Jn.5:11-12; Titus 3:5; Gal.3:26)

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT by the Lord Jesus Christ, with the evidence of speaking in tongues, is a separate experience from conversion and may occur at, or subsequent to conversion (Acts 1:5; 8:2-4; 38: 10:46; 11:28; 19:6)

There are TWO ORDINANCES: water baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Water baptism is for believers only and should be administered by immersion in water. (Matthew 28:10-20; Acts 8:16; Romans 6:4). The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act confirming the reality of the new covenant they have in Christ. (Matt. 26:26-29; 1Cor. 11:23-25)

People were created to exist for ETERNITY. At death the spirits and souls of all people remain eternally conscious. We either exist forever in God’s presence in Heaven or are forever separated from Him by sin and therefore eternally exist in Hell. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. (Luke 16:19-26; 23:42-43; 2 Cor. 5:8-10; Phil. 1:23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15)