Fundamental Beliefs
This ministry shall accept the Holy Scriptures as the revealed Word of God and all- sufficient rule of faith and practice. The following list of fundamentals is but a brief overview and does not include the full breath and depth of their reality and teaching
Bible:
We believe the Bible is the inspired infallible Word of God, the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The new covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, it is the perfect order of our faith and manner of living. This faith is the power of God unto salvation to the believer. The Bible is superior to conscience and reason. Noting can be added or taken away from its content. (2 Peter 1:20,21 KJV, 2 Timothy 3:16,17, 2 Thessalonians , 2:13, Romans 1:16)
God the Father
Our God is one God, He is self-existent and self-revealing in three divine persons – the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit they are equal in holiness, love, wisdom, power and glory. They are co-equal in all things.
Jesus Christ of Nazareth the Son
We believe that Jesus is the second person of the god-head. Jesus was born of a virgin (Luke 1:26-27) (Luke 2:5) conceived of the Holy Ghost. He was born both man (Acts 2:22) and all God (Philippians 2:6) He was crucified (Matthew 27:35) (Luke 23:46) (Acts 3:13-15) He gave himself in death upon the cross, descended into Hades (Ephesians 4:9,10) (Acts 2:31) (1 Peter 3:18-20) (Revelations 1:18) rose again from the dead (Matthew 28:5-6) (Mark 16:6) (Luke 24:5,6) (Mark 4:24) (Act 2:24) ascended as our Lord and savior into heaven obtaining redemption for man’s sin (Hebrews 9:12-14) (Romans 5:18 -21) He is seated at the right hand of God the Father ever living to intercede for us (Romans 8:34) He was given all power, dominion, and authority over all things (Matt 28:18-20) He will come again (Revelation 22:12)
Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the god-head the divine giver of life he indwells, baptizes, empowers, guides, teaches and perfects, all those who become children of God through Jesus Christ of Nazareth. (Acts 1:8 5:3-5, John 14, 16:13, Ephesians 4:30, Romans 8)
Man
We believe man was the direct creation of God made in His divine image. Through the transgression and fall of Adam man kind became alienated from the life of God, sin entered the world, and man received a sin nature (Genesis 3:6-19) and has within himself no means of recovery. “All have sin and come short of the glory of God” As it is written “There is none righteous, no not one.” Jesus Christ the son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil gave His life shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God. (Acts 1:8, 5:3-5, John 14, 16, Ephesians 4:30, Romans 8, Romans 5:14, 3:10, 3:23, 1John 3:8)
Salvation
A) We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for sin. He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. Therefore by His blood we are saved and justified. Through Christ we have forgiveness of sins, the impartation of a new nature, the adoption into the family of God and the hope of eternal life are all received from God through Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone. (Ephesians 2:3-10, Romans 3:25, Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 1:7) The first shifting of the heart toward salvation is godly sorrow that works repentance. The second shift is acknowledging the need of a savior. The third is asking Jesus to come into your heart and be Lord and then to seal it tell someone. The Lord says we must be born again to receive eternal life in Christ. (Romans 10:9,10 Hebrews 9:22, 2 Corinthians 7:10, 1 John 5:12 John 3:3-5)
B) We believe in the inward evidence to the believer of his salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit. The outward evidence to men is a progressive life of righteousness and true holiness that is evident in confession and action. The fruit of the Spirit, activated by love is and identifying mark of a Christian. We believe that signs and wonders are not necessarily evidence of salvation; the gifts are given without repentance. The fruit comes through the process of surrender to the Holy Spirit in ones life. (Hebrews 12:14, 1 Tim 2:2, Romans 5:5, 8:16, 11:22)
Sanctification
The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe the Christian is credited with the Lords sanctification while in daily pursuit of coming to know God. By the power of the Holy Spirit the Christian can live separate from voluntary sin though not free from temptation to sin. It is a progressive work of grace. (Romans 7,8, Hebrews 3:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 2 Peter 3:18, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 3:12-14, 1 Corinthians 1:30)
Water Baptism
A) Condition – We believe the ordinance of baptism by symbolic burial and resurrection with Christ should be observed by all who have in reality repented of their sins and who in their hearts truly believe in Jesus Christ as the savior who died for their sins and as Lord who lives to sustain them. This is a public act of obedience and submission to Christ, displaying the work of salvation that has already taken place in the believer. (Romans 6:3,4)
B) Administration – We believe immersion is the best illustration of the union in Christ’s death and that it should administered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit by one recognized as being set apart for the work of the ministry. (Matthew 28:19, Acts 10:47, Romans 6:4)
The union of death, burial and resurrection in Christ is best illustrated through full submersion, but in some circumstances it may be necessary to poor water three times on the head. As prescribed in the Didache (The Teaching of the Twelve c. 96 A.D.)
Baptism in the Holy Ghost
We believe that all of the gifts of the Spirit are in operation today for the edification of the church to operate decently and in order so that the church lacks nothing until the coming of Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:7)
We believe that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit may (by all believers) be participated in for the endowment of divine power for life and service. This experience indicates that the believer at that moment has voluntarily surrendered his faculties to the Spirit’s control by speaking in tongues. Acts 1:4-8, 2:4, 2:38:43, 10:44-46, 19:1-7, James 3:1-10, 1 Corinthians 12,14 Matthew 3:11)
Church – the Body of Christ
We believe the true Church of Christ is both a universal and local body of Christians that exist inter-denominationally but consists exclusively of those persons who through the New Birth are in Christ. The Church has been divinely commissioned as a holy priesthood to offer true worship to God. As ambassadors of His Kingdom it is called to show mankind the way of the Lord. (Matthew 13:24-30, Revelations 2:1, John 3:3,5, 1 Peter 2:5, John 4:23,24 Matthew 5:13-16 Acts 1:8, 2 Corinthians 5:30)
Ministry
We believe in the priesthood of all believers and the gifting of each believer for edification and ministry within the body. Jesus uniquely commissions some to leadership, but not lordship over the flock of God. Because of this calling those that lead should receive the love, honor, respect, deference, and material support of the people of God. All believers are called to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ to all people everywhere. (1 Peter 2:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13, Hebrews 13:17, Galatians 6:6, Ephesians 4:8-12, 1 Corinthians (9:7 14, 12.)
The Lord’s Supper
We believe the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper should regularly be observed. The elements of the bread and the fruit of the vine are used to symbolize the body and blood of our Lord. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of His suffering and death. A renewal of our covenant occurs in the presence of Christ through His Spirit each time we partake. This is a witness to the unity of all believers in Christ and a reminder of His coming Kingdom. (1 Corinthians 11:6)
Divine Healing
We believe deliverance from sickness, with or without means for healing (including the service of a physician) is the will of God. It is provided for in the New Covenant as a privilege for all believers and manifested according to God’s sovereign will. Healing may be administered consistent to New Testament precedent of anointing with oil by the elders and the laying on of hands. (Isaiah 53:4, Matthew 16:17, Luke 17:14 John 9:6, 7, Luke 18:42, James 5:14, Mark 16:18 Acts 19:12)
The Future
We believe Jesus Christ will return to this world physically to receive His Bride (the Church) in the air. The dead in Christ shall rise first and those alive will be caught up to be changed instantly into His likeness with glorified bodies. This is the first Resurrection or Rapture of the Church. (Acts 1:9-11, 1Thessalonians 4:16,17, 1 Corinthians 15:54, 1 Thessalonians 5:9)
Millennial Reign
We believe that Jesus Christ and His follows will rule the world in righteousness for 1,000 years in fulfillment of God’s promise to David and the prophetic image of the rise and fall of nations revealed in Daniel 2:44,45, Samuel 7:16 Revelations 20:1-7
Satan
We believe in the presence of a personal devil who is himself a fallen angel of God. With a highly organized host of evil spirits he seeks the control of mankind through obvious and devious ways against which the Christian must daily fortify himself. The Devil was defeated through the finished work of Jesus, who disarmed the powers and authorities and made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them by the cross. Satan and his hosts are destined for eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire. (Isaiah 14:12, 2 Peter 2:4, Ephesians 6:11-18 Daniel 10:12,13, Peter 5:8,9, 2 Corinthians 11:14, James 4:7, Matthew 25:41, Colossians 2:15)
The Lake of Fire
We believe the devil and his angles, the antichrist, the false prophet, and whosoever does not have their name written in the Book of Life, shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. This is the second death. (Revelations 19:20, 20:10-15)
Eternity the New Creation
We believe according to promise in a coming Kingdom of God. Christians shall together with Christ forever administer the affairs of the coming world order. (Luke 1:33, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelations 5:10, 2:26 3:21, 21:1,4, 22:2.