VISION
STATEMENT
IS
TO PREACH THE FULL GOSPEL OF OURLORD JESUS CHRIST
MISION STATEMENT
TO minister
to the total person, spiritually, emotionally, physically and socially.
STATEMENT
OF FAITH
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a
revelation from God to mankind, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and
is superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason (2 Timothy
3:15-16; 1 Peter 2:2).
The one true God has revealed Himself as the
eternally self-existent, self-revealed "I AM" and has further
revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association,
i.e., Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29; Isaiah 43:10,
11; Matthew 28:19).
That man was created good and upright, for
God said "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."But man, by voluntary transgression, fell, and his only hope of redemption is
in Jesus Christ the Son of God (Genesis 1:26-31: 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21).
The grace of God, which brings salvation, has
appeared to all men, through the preaching of repentance toward God and faith
toward the Lord Jesus Christ; man is saved by the washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Ghost, and, being justified by grace through faith, he
becomes an heir of God according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 2:11;
Romans 10:13-15; Luke 23:47; Titus 3:5-7). The "inward" evidence to
the believer of his salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit (Romans
8:16). The "outward" evidence of his salvation to all men is a life
of righteousness and true holiness.
The ordinance of baptism by a burial with
Christ should be observed as commanded in the Scriptures, by all who have
repented and in their hearts have truly believed in Christ as Savior and Lord.
In so doing, they have the body washed in pure water as an outward symbol of
cleansing, while their heart has already been sprinkled with the blood of
Christ as an inner cleansing. Thus, they declare to the world that they have
died with Jesus and that they have also been raised with Him to walk in newness
of life (Matthew 28:19; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:4; Acts 20:21; Hebrews 10:22).
The Lord's Supper, consisting of the
elements, bread and the fruit of the vine, is the symbol expressing our sharing
the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4), a memorial of His
suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26). It is enjoined on all believers "until
He comes."
That all believers are entitled to, and
should ardently expect, and earnestly seek, the promise of the Father, the
baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus
Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian church.
With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of
the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Luke 24:29; Acts 1:4;
1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31). This wonderful experience is distinct from and
subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts 10:44-46; 11:14-16;
15:7-9).
In the baptism of believers as a unique work
of the Holy Ghost—an evidence of which is the speaking with other tongues as
the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4). The manifestation of
speaking in other tongues, in this instance, is the same in essence as the gift
of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:4-10, 28) but different in purpose and use.
The Scriptures teach a life of holiness
without which no man shall see the Lord. By the power of the Holy Ghost we are
able to obey the command, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." Entire
sanctification is the will of God for all believers, and should be earnestly
pursued by walking in obedience to God's Word (Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16;
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24;1 John 2:6).
The church is the body of Christ, the
habitation of God through the Spirit with divine appointments for the
fulfillment of the great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an
integral part of the church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven
(Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:22; Hebrews 12:33).
A divinely called and scripturally ordained
ministry has been provided by our Lord for a twofold purpose: The
evangelization of the world, and the edifying of the Body of Christ (Mark
16:15-20; Ephesians 4:11-13).
Deliverance from sickness is provided for in
the atonement and is the privilege of all believers (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew
8:16-17).
The resurrection of those who have fallen
asleep in Christ and their translation, together with those who are alive and
remain unto the coming of the Lord, is the imminent and blessed hope of the
church (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Titus 2:12; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; Romans
8:23).
The revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ from
heaven, the salvation of national Israel, and the Millennial reign of Christ on
earth is the Scriptural promise and the world's hope (2 Thessalonians 1:17;
Revelation 19:11-14; Romans 11:26-27; Revelation 20:1-7).
The devil and his angels, the beast and the
false prophet, and whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, shall be
consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake which burns with fire and
brimstone, which is the second death (Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10-15).
"According to His promise, look for new
heavens, and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13;
Revelation 21:1).
Civil Government:
We
believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and
good order of human society, and that magistrates are to be prayed for,
conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except in those things opposed to the will
of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the
coming King of Kings (Romans 13:1-7; Acts 23:5; Matthew 22:21; Acts 5:29;
4:19-20; Daniel 3:17-18).
THE RAPTURE.
We
believe in the pre-millennial return of Christ, an event which can occur at any
moment, and that at that moment, the dead in Christ shall be raised in
glorified bodies, the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without
tasting death, and all of them shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air
before the seven years of the tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 1
Corinthians15:42-44, 51-54; Philippians 3:20-21).
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