Jesus is co-equal with God, the only begotten Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless human life to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice for every sin that was or ever will be committed. He died upon a cross and was raised from the grave after three days and ascended to heaven. This demonstrated Jesus’ power over sin, death, hell and the grave and assigned Him His rightful place in the presence of God and as our Savior, High Priest and Intercessor.
Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5; John 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is equal with God the Father and God the Son. He is all-present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ and lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right and living an overcoming and victorious life.
John 16:7-13; John 14:16-17; 2 Corinthians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25
Man & Woman
We are created to be like God – in His image and likeness. Man and Woman are the pinnacles of God’s creation. Man and Woman were created with one of two wills: either to obey God’s instructions and receive all He created in this world for them to enjoy, or to disobey and live a life without God. Man and Woman’s disobedience to God’s instructions brought sin into the world, and death was caused by sin. Sin separates humanity from God, and only by receiving salvation through Jesus Christ can the original relationship with God be restored.
Genesis 1:26-31; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12-21; 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Marriage
God’s original purpose for holy matrimony between a man and a woman was for them to build their lives together as one; that is, to support and to complement each another in fulfilling their united and individual purposes in life, and to bear offspring (Once God created Man and Woman he gave them procreative power – this is only possible with heterosexuals). A believer is to marry a believer.
Genesis 2:18-24; Matthew 19:4-6; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Timothy 1:10
Grace and Salvation
Disobedience is the reason sin came into the world and there is “death by sin.” Sin is the reason humanity was separated from fellowship with God. Every person is contaminated with sin when he or she is born and is powerless to remove its lethal and ruining effects. The only way to be reunited with God is through Grace, the redemptive Salvation of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ perfect life on Earth, His death, and resurrection paid the penalty for every person’s sin. Grace and Salvation are free gifts from God through faith in Jesus and cannot be earned by our good works.
Titus 2:11; Romans 10:13-15; Luke 23:47; Titus 3:5-7; Romans 3:24; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6; Galatians 3:26
Water Baptism
Water baptism by immersion does not save a person from his or her sins, but symbolizes the washing away of sins through the perfect sacrifice of Christ. It is a public declaration that the individual has accepted Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior and has died with Christ and been raised in newness of life with Him. (Baptism is foreshadowed in the Bible when the people of Israel cross the Red Sea and their enemies are drowned/washed away; 1 Corinthians 10:1-2; Exodus 14:13).
Matthew 28:19-20; Matthew 3:13-17; Acts 10:47-48; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:41; Ephesians 2: 8-9
Communion/Lord’s Supper
Participation in Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, is a command Jesus Christ gave to all believers to remember and proclaim His sacrificial death. The bread and wine (or juice) symbolizes the crucified body of Christ and the blood He shed. Communion, like water baptism, is not a means of salvation. Instead, it proclaims the message of Christ’s salvation offered free to all to restore fellowship with God. (The Passover in the Old Testament was a foreshadowing of Communion.)
1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 20; Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:1-23; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:24-29
Holy Spirit Baptism & Spiritual Gifts
Baptism in the Holy Spirit is only available after receiving salvation. It is a separate blessing of Grace. Holy Spirit Baptism can be received before or after water baptism. Speaking in another tongue (other than your language) was the initial evidence the Bible records as having received this gift. This gift is to empower the individual for witnessing, growing in grace, fully experiencing God’s personal design for their lives and receiving additional ministering gifts. The Holy Spirit Baptism and the operation of Spiritual Gifts were natural operating occurrences in the Church following salvation or water baptism throughout the books of the New Testament.
Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:4-8; Acts 2:1-12; Acts 8:14-17; Acts 9:17; 10:44-48; Acts 11:14-16; 15:7-9; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Peter 4:10
Health & Prosperity
It is God’s desire that we live in and enjoy prosperity – spirit, soul and body; that is the total person! Prosperity will flow from us to our children, immediate and extended family, and those who we influence. We become totally alive the moment we receive Christ – our spirits have been made new and in the image of God so that we are able to be all that God designed us to be and receive all the blessings and riches available to us in this life and eternity.
2 Corinthians 1:20; Galatians 3:14-16; Hebrews 10:1; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Deuteronomy 8:18; Deuteronomy 28:1-13; Psalm 1:3; Psalm 5:12; Psalm 34:10; Psalm 37:4; Psalm 112:3; Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16-17; Jeremiah 29:11; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 6:33; Mark 10:29-30; Mark 11:24; John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 3:29; Galatians 3:9-14; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 3:20; Philippians 4:19; 3 John 1:2
Witnessing & Evangelism
Witnessing & Evangelism are the responsibilities of each believer. Jesus commanded us to go out and make disciples through all the earth. We believe we are to first witness to our family, our sphere of influence, school, and workplace on a regular basis by words and deeds as witnesses and influencers for Christ.
Matthew 5:16; Matthew 10:32; Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-49; Acts 1:8; Philippians 2:15-16; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Peter 2:9
Financial Giving
Financial gifts are considered contributions for special needs and to help support those in need. They are separate from tithing.
II Corinthians 9:1-15; II Thessalonians 3:6-15; Luke 6:38 Tithes are the first ten percent (10%) of all income and goods collected by an individual or entity. They should be given to the resident minister to support the local ministry.
Genesis 14:1-24 & Hebrews 7:1-28; Malachi 3:8-12
Individual Value & Uniqueness
God has a specific purpose in life for each person and each day is designed specifically to meet that end. Every day is full of value! Each born-again believer has direct communication through the Holy Spirit within them to Jesus and God. God shows no favoritism in respect to gender or race regarding direct fellowship with Him.
Psalms 139:14-17; Jeremiah 29:11; John 3:16; Matthew 18:12; Romans 1:16; Romans 10:11-12; Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:10-11; 1 Peter 2:1-10
Resurrection, Rapture of the Church, and Christ’s Second return
Christ was the first to be resurrected from the dead and stand before God the Father with a glorified body to live for eternity. At a predestined time, Christ will rapture the church – He will first resurrect all those that are His that have died, and then He will collect from the earth those who are His that are alive. After a tribulation period Christ will return to earth to set up His earthly kingdom and rule from Jerusalem for 1,000 years to remove the last trace of sin on earth. Then He will rule forever and ever in a world without end – amen!
Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 1 Timothy 6:14; Titus 2:12-13; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; Romans 8:23; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 19:1-20; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
The Church
The Body of Christ is the universal Church (made up of the local churches). The local church is made up of all those who have accepted Christ as their savior. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the church whose name is written in Heaven. Evangelism and edification are the two main purposes of the Church.
Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:22; Hebrews 12:33
Eternity
Man and Woman were created to live forever either saved with God or lost and separated from God eternally. The devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, will be sent to everlasting punishment in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. God’s desire is that no one be separated from Him for eternity, which is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth.
John 3:16; John 2:25; John 5:11-13; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; 1 John 5:11-12; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10-15; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:12-15; John 3:16-18
Israel
Israel will be restored as a nation and receive Jesus Christ as their savior to begin the 1,000 year reign. During this period of time Christ will reign from Jerusalem. We support Israel in our love and prayers for their salvation and restoration.
Genesis 12:2-3; Psalm 122:6; Zechariah Chapters 11-14; Romans 11:25-29